Carol Jackson Upshaw was hooked on Shakespeare while a student in an eighth grade English class.  Her teacher knew of her interest and gave her a guidance book to the complete works of Shakespeare.

On scholarships, she entered UC Berkeley to pursue her keen interest in Shakespeare and international relations. When giving a Rotary luncheon guest lecture on the topic of a then recent trip to So Asia, sponsored by UCB and the State Department, she was invited to be interviewed for an experimental program in education.

The result was that as a graduate student, she was accepted into the Rosenberg Foundation for Exemplary Teaching program. She felt fortunate to be one of 60 college graduates recruited nationwide to study with national Master Teachers, whose base was at the UCB Education Dept.

Upon completion of the graduate program, Carol was asked to fill a teaching position at El Cerrito High School, CA. She taught English Literature, American Literature and Creative Writing to AP students in grades 9-12.  Two years later, she received an unsolicited scholarship to attend Mills College, and to implement some of the knowledge gained from the Rosenberg experience.

At that time, she needed to decline, for her R.O.T.C. husband was to be stationed in Fort Benning, Georgia, where they moved and started their family.

Maintaining an interest in the all of the performing arts, Carol  found opportunities to share them with her developing family of four children.

Officers, and Key Personnel with a S4K History:

Carol Upshaw- Founder; President/CEO Artistic Director, Emerita*

Grace Upshaw Tyler- Executive Director

Windy Margerum– Artistic Director

Becky Courchesne- Purveyer of food and drink

Becky O’Brien -Treasurer; Faculty Costume Designer

Charlotte Dethero- Secretary; Faculty Photographer

The Shakespeare for Kids Program Gratefully Acknowledges the Spirited Participation of the Following Staff, Artists, Friends, Volunteers:

Joy Upshaw  – Artistic Associate, Faculty Calligrapher; Master Dance Instructor

Grace Upshaw Tyler – First Student Counselor and Artistic Director; Executive Director

Al Courchesne – Frog Hollow Organic Farm Owner/ Foods Provider

Becky Courchesne – Kitchen Chef; Frog Hollow Organic Farm Owner/Pastry Chef; Instructor

Crews Kime – Stage/Business Manager; Fight Choreographer; Actor; Costumer

Austin Elliot De Rubira – Renaissance Man; The Bard at Tudor Faire and Feast; OSF Trainee

Mitch De Rubira -Renaissance Man; Oregon Shakespeare Festival Trainee

Katie Funk – First Webmaster; S4K Student and Counselor

James Gillerman -Master Musician; Vocal Coach; Recorder Artist at Tudor Faire and Feast*

Merry Upshaw Irwin – Dramaturg; Make-up Artist*

Katy Lawrence -Student Actor, Director, Writer

Jeanie Minton – S4K Student; Counselor; Gardening Master Teacher*

Jonathan Moscone -Artistic Director, California Shakespeare Theater; S4K Host, Coach

Jack Poma – S4K Counselor; Musician; Composer of S4K Song (2011)

Chip Upshaw -Properties Manager*

Georgia Spencer Upshaw -Actor; Drama Coach; Knighting Queen at Tudor Faire and FeastArtistic Directors, advanced from Leadership Training:

Grace Upshaw Tyler – Student, Counselor; AD; ED

Erica O’Brien- Student; Counselor; AD

Alexandra Sheldon-Counselor; AD

Ophelia Turner-Student; Counselor; AD

Holly Dethero-Student; Counselor; ADHistorical Roster-Guest Faculty:

Michael Addison, Cal Shakes Artistic Director Emeritus

Trish Allard -Kitchen Cook-Instructor

Tony Amendola – Actor extraordinaire*

Norma Berger – Artist; Sculptor; Kitchen Cook-Instructor

John Bryan – SF Chronicle Garden Columnist; Horticulturalist-Instructor*

Candy Caldwell -Kitchen Cook-Instructor; Teacher, “Perspective” Art Adventures

Nancy Carlin- Actor

Michael Cawelti – Fight Choreographer; S4K Video Director*

Eliza Chugg -San Jose Rep Costumer

Sheryl de Tray -Actress; Kitchen Cook-Instructor

Jeanie Davidson -Oregon Shakespeare Costume Designer*

Patricia Egan – Cal Performances/Art Museum Development Director; Dancer; S4K Exec.

Angene Feves -Historical Dance Scholar; Dancer

Jean Hargrove – Musician; Faculty Photographer; Faire Queen*

Widgie Hastings – Faculty Videograher*

Pat Heiskell Hillman – Musician; Shakespearean Teacher; S4K Advocate*

Kenna Hunt -Vocal, Drama Coach; RADA Prize Actress*

Mrs. Henry J. Kaiser – Patron of the Arts; S4K Advocate*

Claudia Kersevan- Kitchen Cook-Instructor

Bonnie Kunkel – Pianist; Kitchen Cook-Instructor

Sylvia Lindsey -Patron of the Arts; S4K Advocate

Connie Linneman -Kitchen Cook-Instructor; Shakespeare Buff

Julian Lopez-Morillas -Actor; Director*

Giulia Massari – Kitchen Cook-Instructor

Dakin Matthews – Berkeley Shakespeare Artistic Director Emeritus; Actor*

Diane R Muedeking Olson – Shakespearean Scholar*

Terry Olson – Artist; Sculptor; Renaissance Man*

Lynn Ramey- Oregon Shakespeare Wardrobe Mistress*

Nancy Rude – Musician; Knighting Queen

Carol Sabin – Kitchen Cook-Instructor

Robert Sicular -Actor; Drama Coach; “voice over” in S4K video; Period Instrumentalist

Carl Smith – Musician; Composer*

Antonia Sweet -Kitchen Cook-Instructor

Marcella Tonn – Musician; Faculty Floral Designs

Anna Veniziano -Kitchen Cook-Instructor; Vocal Coach; Opera singer

Joe Vincent- Actor; California Shakespeare AD

Norgie Walkley -Actor; Drama Coach*

* indicates Founding Guest Faculty

 

In Memoriam:

Harriet Ainsworth

Dorothy Bowen

Rose Burger

June Craycroft

Nancy Estrich

Levi Fox

Jean Hargrove

Alice Jackson

Norman Jackson

Joan Minton

Eileen Noyes

Patrick O’Brien

Robin Orr

David Walkley

Sam Wanamaker

Clarence Woodard

Ellen Terry Upshaw