SHAKESPEARE AND DIGITAL STORYTELLING
National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute for Teachers
Hosted by Agnes Scott College
Institute Dates: June 14-26, 2026
WEEK ONE:
JUNE 14–20, 2026
The first week of the institute will focus primarily on reading and discussion of three of Shakespeare’s plays that are influenced by folk and fairy tales and on introducing tools, techniques, and selected technologies used in the digital humanities, with an emphasis on digital storytelling. The readings, discussions, and activities engaged in during Week 1 offer the background information and requisite technical skills that will allow participants to undertake a research project that includes a digital storytelling (DST) component. The research examines a theme from one play that draws on the folk and fairy tale influences on the story; the participants may choose to examine the theme from the perspective of literary analysis, historical analysis, or performance possibilities.
Note: Seminars typically refer to sessions during which the focus is on interpretation and theory. Workshops refer to sessions that focus on techniques and pedagogy.
SUNDAY, JUNE 14
5:00–6:00PM
Registration
6:00–7:30PM
Introductions and Summer Institute Overview
7:30PM
Dinner in downtown Decatur (with the group) (optional)
MONDAY, JUNE 15
9:00–10:00AM
Welcome and Introduction to the Institute
Toby Emert, facilitator
10:00–11:30AM
Seminar: Shakespeare and the Folktale (Part I)
Charlotte Artese, Facilitator
11:30AM–1:30PM
Lunch
1:30–2:15PM
Seminar: Introduction to the Digital Humanities and Digital Storytelling (DST)
Toby Emert, Facilitator
2:15–3:15PM
Workshop: Introduction to the Tools and Techniques of DST
Toby Emert, Facilitator (with assistance from the staff of the Center for Digital and Visual Literacy [CDVL])
3:15–3:30PM
Break
3:30–4:15PM
Small Group Meetings
Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, Samantha Swaney, and Nikki Steverson, Facilitators
Each small group of participants meets with their group facilitator to discuss the seminar sessions and ask questions.
TUESDAY, JUNE 16
9:00–9:30AM
Warm-up for the Day
Shelby Coffin, Facilitator
9:30–11:00AM
Seminar: Shakespeare and the Folktale (Part II)
Charlotte Artese, Facilitator
11:00AM–12:30PM
Working Lunch
Workshop: Introduction to Thinking Visually
Nell Ruby and Toby Emert, Facilitators
12:30–1:00PM
Break
1:00-2:15PM
Workshop: Introduction to Visual Thinking for the Theatre
Laura Cole, Facilitator
2:15–3:00PM
Small Group Meetings
Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, and Nikki Steverson, Facilitators
5:00PM
Working Dinner to include discussion of ideas for DST project and classroom implementation (optional)
Raging Burrito, Decatur Square
Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, Samantha Swaney, and Nikki Steverson, Facilitators
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17
9:00–9:30AM
Warm-up for the Day
Ashley DeGracia, Facilitator
9:30-11:00AM
Seminar: Shakespeare and the Folktale (Part III)
Charlotte Artese, Facilitator
11:00-11:15AM
Break
11:15–12:00PM
Seminar: Historical Approaches in Digital Humanities Research (Part 1) Robin Morris, Facilitator
12:30PM – 2:00PM
Lunch (on your own)
2:00-2:45PM
Workshop: Digital Storytelling: Theory and Practice
Toby Emert, Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, and Nikki Steverson, Facilitators
2:45-3:15PM
Computer Lab Time
3:15-4:00PM
Small Group Meetings
Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, Samantha Swaney, and Nikki Steverson, Facilitators
THURSDAY, JUNE 18 (JUNETEENTH)
9:00–9:30AM
Warm-up for the Day
Nikki Steverson, Facilitator
9:30-11:00AM
Seminar: Shakespeare and the Folktale (Part IV)
Charlotte Artese, Facilitator
11:00-11:15AM
Break
11:15AM–12:00PM
Seminar: Historical Approaches in Digital Humanities Research (Part 2) Robin Morris, Facilitator
12:00-1:15PM
Lunch (on your own)
1:15–2:00PM
Workshop: Research and Digital Storytelling
Charlotte Artese, Robin Morris, and Toby Emert, Facilitators
Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, Samantha Swaney, and Nikki Steverson, Small Group Facilitators
2:00–2:45PM
Workshop: Script Development for Digital Storytelling
Toby Emert, Facilitator
2:45-3:00PM
Break
3:00-3:30PM
Small Group Meetings
Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, Samantha Swaney, and Nikki Steverson, Facilitators
FRIDAY, JUNE 19
9:00–9:30AM
Warm-up for the Day
Jerry Rigdon, Facilitator
9:30-11:00AM
Seminar: Shakespeare and the Folktale (Part V)
Charlotte Artese, Facilitator
11:00AM–12:30PM
Workshop: iMovie and Digital Storytelling
Toby Emert, Facilitator
12:30–1:00PM
Reflection Session
Participants will discuss their experiences during the first week of the institute, ask questions, and provide feedback to the facilitators about the value of the sessions and activities.
1:00–5:30PM
Break/Time for Juneteenth Celebration
SATURDAY, JUNE 20
5:30PM
Field Trip: Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
(499 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, Georgia)
(dinner included in price of ticket)
Participants visit the home of the Atlanta Shakespeare Company, a repertory troupe that performs Shakespeare’s plays throughout a year-long production schedule. The Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse is an “original practice playhouse,” where each production is a process that begins with the way the play was originally staged in its own time and ends with a modern audience experiencing the play in a manner consistent with its creator’s original intent. (The evening’s performance is to be announced, depending on the company’s schedule of productions in 2026.)
Note: Participants will have access to the CDVL throughout the weekend, should they be interested in continuing to work on the research project.
WEEK TWO:
JUNE 21–26, 2026
The second week of the institute focuses primarily on research and the development of a digital storytelling project based on the interactions with Shakespeare’s plays from Week 1 of the institute and on considerations for classroom implementation of ideas from the institute. The readings, discussions, and activities will offer opportunities to experiment with the elements of DST, imagine the possibilities for DST with the students they teach, and produce a research project that includes a DST component. The participants’ research will examine a theme from one play that draws on the folk and fairy tale influences on the story; the participants will approach the theme from the perspective of literary analysis, historical analysis, or performance possibilities.
MONDAY, JUNE 22
9:00–9:30AM
Introduction to Week 2 of the Institute
Toby Emert, Facilitator
9:30–10:00AM
Warm-up for the Day
Rachel Darr, Facilitator
10:00-10:45AM
Shakespeare and the Storytellers
Kayla Shipp, Facilitator
10:45–11:30AM
Workshop: Script Revision #1
Toby Emert, Facilitator
Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, Samantha Swaney, and Nikki Steverson, Small Group Facilitators
11:30–12:30PM
Lunch (on your own)
12:30–2:30PM
Lab Time/Project Development/Research .
2:30–3:30PM
Small Group Meetings
Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, Samantha Swaney, and Nikki Steverson, Facilitators
TUESDAY, JUNE 23
9:00–9:30AM
Warm-up for the Day
Samantha Swaney, Facilitator
9:30-10:15AM
Panel Discussion: Classroom Considerations for a Digital Shakespeare Project
High School English Teachers, Panelists
10:15–11:00AM
Seminar: Historical Approaches in Digital Humanities Research (Part 3) Robin Morris, Facilitator
11:00–11:15AM
Break
11:015AM–11:45AM
Workshop: Recording a Narrative Voiceover
Toby Emert, Facilitator
11:45AM-1:00PM
Lunch (on your own)
1:00–3:00PM
Lab Time/Project Development/Research
Institute Faculty, Facilitators
3:00-3:30PM
Small Group Meetings
Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, Samantha Swaney, and Nikki Steverson, Facilitators
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
9:00–9:30AM
Warm-up for the Day
Lena Hamilton
9:30–10:30AM
Workshop: Script Revision #2
10:30AM–12:00PM
Small-Group Story Circle Discussion
12:00–1:30PM
Lunch (on your own)
1:30–3:00PM
Lab Time/Project Development/Research
3:00-3:30PM
Small Group Meetings
Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, Samantha Swaney, and Nikki Steverson, Facilitators
THURSDAY, JUNE 25
9:00–10:00AM
Seminar: Classroom Considerations for a Digital Shakespeare Project Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, Samantha Swaney, and Nikki Steverson, Facilitators
10:00–10:15AM
Break
10:15AM–12:00PM
Digital Storytelling Preview Event
Working in five groups, participants share drafted versions of their digital storytelling project for feedback from colleagues and institute faculty.
Group 1 Facilitators: Dr. Artese and Dr. Hamilton (5 participants)
Group 2 Facilitators: Dr. Morris and Ms. Swaney (5 participants)
Group 3 Facilitators: Professor Ruby and Mr. Rigdon (5 participants)
Group 4 Facilitators: Dr. Emert and Ms. DeGracia (5 participants)
Group 5 Facilitators: Ms. Steverson and Ms. Coffin (5 participants)
12:00–1:30PM
Lunch (on your own)
1:30–3:00PM
Lab Time/Project Development
3:00-3:30PM
Small Group Meetings
Shelby Coffin, Ashley DeGracia, Lena Hamilton, Jerry Rigdon, Samantha Swaney, and Nikki Steverson, Facilitators
FRIDAY, JUNE 26
10:00AM–12:30PM
Digital Story Premiere
12:30–1:00PM
Final Notes and Reflections
Participants complete an evaluation of the institute and offer notes to the institute faculty about their experience.
1:00PM
Farewell Luncheon