"Kentucky inmates turned actors"

Cons serving sentences discover the pros of delivering the Bard's sentences. As the rest of the headline from the Courier Journal news article by Sean Rose explains, the Kentucky inmates "explore selves through Shakespeare play."

Here are all the word lists to support the reading of Grade 9 Unit 5's texts from SpringBoard's Common Core ELA series: As You Like It, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, Is Shakespeare still relevant, Shakespeare marathon, Iraq learns from Shakespeare, How Shakespeare Changed Everything, Kentucky inmates turned actors, Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy, Texting Makes U Stupid, give the Bard the heave-ho
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. foray
    an initial attempt
    For some, the nine months they spent preparing marked their first foray into acting.
  2. analyze
    consider in detail in order to discover essential features
    For others, it was a journey into self-exploration, a chance to review past mistakes and analyze an uncertain future.
  3. host
    a vast multitude
    The actors are a varied group, serving sentences from 4 years to life without parole for a host of crimes, including sex offenses, robbery and murder.
  4. identify
    consider as similar to somebody else
    And those backgrounds help them identify with Shakespeare's characters in a way many outside prison walls can't.
  5. ostracize
    avoid speaking to or dealing with
    Ostracized because of his religion, Shylock tries to exact revenge upon a hateful rival who comes to him for a loan, demanding that he wager his life against the loan.
  6. defer
    hold back to a later time
    But Jett thought otherwise, and decided to write a letter asking Secretary of Justice and Public Safety J. Michael Brown to defer his release for 60 days so he could stay until the end of the show.
  7. therapy
    the act of providing treatment for an illness or disorder
    But the cast and crew eventually formed a bond that turned the gatherings into a mix of theater work and group therapy.
  8. enthusiasm
    a feeling of excitement
    At 6-feet-5 and 330 pounds, the former star high school offensive lineman brings an enthusiasm to the play that is contagious.
  9. catastrophe
    an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
    The thing I always flash back to is how fast a bad decision can lead to complete catastrophe
  10. status
    the relative position or standing of things or persons
    Months into rehearsal, the members are quick to connect with Shylock's status as a second-class citizen amid his Christian neighbors.
  11. debate
    a discussion with reasons for and against some proposal
    When Shylock lashes out, a small debate stirs among the men as to whether he is victim or villain.
  12. merchant
    a businessperson engaged in retail trade
    Reading over The Merchant of Venice, Vaughn said "it just reminds you of yourself, of the things you've done in your life."
  13. progress
    move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
    As the season progressed, inmates dug deeper into their own lives through their characters, in some instances making peace with a past they'd rather forget.
  14. contemplate
    think intently and at length, as for spiritual purposes
    In prison and through Shakespeare, Vaughn said he has had time to contemplate mercy, and how it offers something to aspire toward.
  15. ovation
    enthusiastic recognition
    About 50 inmates turned out for opening night, and after the final scene they gave the performance a standing ovation.
Created on Tue Sep 30 14:03:20 EDT 2014 (updated Tue Sep 30 18:22:24 EDT 2014)

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