In the United States, there are nearly 1 million children with an active-duty parent serving in the armed forces. Most of these children will move at least six times before they graduate high school. With each move they must leave friends behind, seek new ones, and try to fit in again. As emotionally challenging as this scenario is, it is when our country is at war that the anxiety level of children living on military bases balloons most.
Shakespeare on Base was founded. as a ‘creative outlet’ to provide military children something else to think about during difficult times -- A free two-week summer camp centered on the arts! The camp accommodated fifty children between the ages of 5 and 17 and each day they rotated between classes in acting, music, art, movement, and fencing. At the end of the two-week session the young thespians presented a show for parents, siblings, and the entire base.
With help from many, including Duke University, Fenwick Foundation and United Way of Cumberland County, this exemplary arts in education program operated very successfully on both the Fort Bragg Army Base and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
Joseph Henderson
Short video of Shakespeare on Base at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Shakespeare on Base summer program educates, cares for Fort Bragg students
“Stay focused and I know you’ll hit a home run,” said Joseph Henderson, acting director for the Shakespeare on Base program on Fort Bragg.
Elise Canada asks, “What’s in a name?” while playing Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet” during the Shakespeare on Base program directed by Joseph Henderson. The program consisted of scenes from “Romeo and Juliet,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Macbeth”