Over the past four years, Lineweaver has partnered with the Washington Township Schools Foundation and Indy Shakes Theatre Company to bring live Shakespeare performances directly to North Central students.

“What we had always said was instead of going to a theater, we wanted to bring the theater here,” Lineweaver explains.

Shakespeare, Up Close and Personal

Rather than sitting quietly in a dark auditorium, students experience Shakespeare in an intimate and interactive setting. Indy Shakes brings small groups of three professional performers who act out scenes right in front of students, inviting them to participate, improvise, and even take the stage. The actors perform the same lines using different accents, inflections, and interpretations, offering students a modern, playful twist on centuries‑old text.

English teacher Michael Botta sees the difference immediately. “Even if we were to take them to the theater, it would be different because they wouldn’t be involved in the same way. This is a really tiny, intimate performance where the actors are looking you in the eyes as they’re making these jokes and trying to make you laugh or make you feel something.”

He adds that no video or screen‑based lesson can replicate the experience of watching live actors perform and then unpack their artistic decisions in real time. “No matter what the caliber of performance I can put up on the screen, it’s never going to be the same as them watching a human being act, and then break it down. Like, why did they make those decisions?”

An Equalizing Experience for All Students

Indy Shakes has performed for every North Central freshman, regardless of course level. College Preparatory, Accelerated, and English as a New Language classes come together to watch the performances. “The same umbrella, having the same experience, same opportunities, going up, participating,” says Lineweaver. “It is one of the great equalizing experiences of our ninth grade class.”

For students, the impact is immediate and meaningful. Freshman Ariel Taylor shares: “When people read it, they don’t get as much emotion in it as when you hear it live. I like the incorporation of adding ‘spice’ and the music, being able to hear it different ways, because Shakespeare can be interpreted in many different ways. It’s a very creative thing.”

Representation That Matters

What truly sets Indy Shakes apart is its commitment to diversity. Students see actors of different races and genders performing Shakespeare, often for the first time. English teacher Laura Mail emphasizes the importance of that connection.

“It makes Shakespeare feel like something normal that looks like what our community looks like. That this is not something removed from them.”

Teachers notice the difference once students return to the classroom. “One of my favorite things is to go back into the classroom and see them be more eager and more confident to participate,” Mail says.

A Full‑Circle Moment

For one performer, this experience is especially meaningful. Austin Hookfin, a member of Indy Shakes, is a North Central graduate himself. “I love any chance to come back here and do anything for the students as I can,” Hookfin says.

He believes a program like this would have changed his own experience in high school. “I wasn’t the biggest literature fan, but anytime there was something that involved a script, I was one of the first people to raise my hand.”

Closing One Chapter, Opening Another

Earlier this year, North Central hosted its final Indy Shakes performance, closing a four‑year chapter of innovation and impact. Lineweaver reflects with pride and optimism. “As department lead, I want to be able to give my team the opportunity to come up with their own things. It’s kind of like: This is how you do it. Let’s figure something else out.”

As we celebrate Shakespeare Day, we also celebrate the educators, partners, and performers who made the past come alive for North Central students. And we can’t wait to see what the future holds.

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