Shakespeare: Power in the Life of the Bard

Itinerary

Day 1 - Friday, April 17, Travel on Your Own

Travel on your own to London Heathrow. Spend the night at the Ibis London Blackfriars hotel, or the hotel of your choosing (booked on your own).

Day 2 - Saturday, April 18, Tour London, Globe Theater

The course starts. Meet in the lobby of the Ibis London Blackfriars hotel to connect with instructors and fellow participants and to store luggage for the day. Enjoy a group breakfast followed by a half-day city tour with free time for lunch on your own. Meet at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre for an afternoon matinee performance with reserved seats. Performance title TBD. Finish the day with a group dinner, and then take a private coach ride to Stratford-upon-Avon, approximately a 2.5-hour drive. Check into cozy bed and breakfast accommodations in central Stratford.

Day 3 - Sunday, April 19, Exploring Kenilworth Castle

Take a private coach to Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden, a massive Norman keep from the 1120s rebuilt by Elizabeth I's childhood friend Robert Dudley to impress the queen. Tours and time to explore the gardens. Enjoy a two-course lunch at a local restaurant. Return to Stratford-upon-Avon for free time. Finish the day with a three-course dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 4 - Monday, April 20, Hall's Croft, Holy Trinity Church

Gather at Hall's Croft, our classroom for the week and the historic home of Shakespeare's daughter Susanna Hall and her husband, physician John Hall. Welcome and overview by Nick Walton of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (SBT). Morning lectures and workshops. Lunch on your own. Afternoon presentations by SBT faculty, followed by a visit to Holy Trinity Church with Rev. Paul Edmonson. Dinner on your own.

Day 5 - Tuesday, April 21, Archives, Shakespeare's Birthplace, Henry V

Morning lectures on Henry V with Kevin Asselin and SPT faculty. Visit the SBT Archive and Collections to tour the curated archive display. Visit Shakespeare's Birthplace and the 'Becoming Shakespeare' exhibition with SBT faculty. Lunch on your own. Tour of New Place, Shakespeare's family home in Stratford-upon-Avon, built in the 1480s. Evening performance of Henry V at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre with reserved seating. Dinner on your own.

Day 6 - Wednesday, April 22, Discussion, Schoolroom and Guildhall

Post-performance discussion of Henry V. Royal Shakespeare Company Q&A on Henry V, chaired by Nick Walton. Lunch on your own. Afternoon lectures followed by a visit to Shakespeare's Schoolroom and Guildhall. Dinner on your own.

Day 7 - Thursday, April 23, Hall's Croft & Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Morning talk on 'Shakespeare and the Environment' with Elizabeth Freestone. Lunch on your own. Presentation on "Legacy: Shakespeare in Performance" with Nick Walton. Discuss the historic restoration of Hall's Croft with Peter McCurdy. Dinner on your own.

Day 8 - Friday, April 24, Hall's Croft, Theatre Performance

Workshop on 'Working with Shakespeare's Words' with Naomi Lawrence. Lunch on your own. High Tea at the Four Teas Tea House. Enjoy a talk to celebrate Shakespeare's birthday at The Shakespeare Institute. Performance of "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui" at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Dinner on your own.

Day 9 - Saturday, April 25, Shakespeare's Birthday! Anne Hathaway's Cottage

Enjoy a parade and festivities celebrating Shakespeare's birthday. Lunch on your own. Take a tour of Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the family home of Anne Hathaway, William Shakespeare's bride-to-be. Explore the gardens and orchards on your own. Conclude the day with a festive dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 10 - Sunday, April 26, Transport to London, Course Concludes

Enjoy private coach transportation to London Heathrow Airport for the return trip to the United States or continue traveling independently. Course concludes.

Note: Schedule subject to change

Course Details

This course is 10 days, 9 nights. It begins in London, England, on Saturday, April 18, 2026, and concludes on April 26, 2026, in London, England.

Cost

• Per person cost with a double room $5,163 USD
• Per person single room supplement $440 USD

OLLI provides:

• Instructor of Record and Course Leader
• Travel insurance for 11 days
• Round-trip coach transportation from London to Stratford-upon-Avon and back
• 8 nights in B&Bs in Stratford-upon-Avon
• 9 breakfasts
• 2 lunches
• 3 dinners
• Admission/tours of London South Bank, Kenilworth Castle, Anne Hathaway's Cottage, New Place, Holy Trinity Church, Shakespeare's Birthplace Schoolroom and Guildhall, SBT Archives and more
• 1 Globe Theatre performance in London
• 2 performances at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon
• 5 days of lectures, workshops, instruction and tours with Shakespeare Birthplace Trust faculty and Kevin Asselin
• Shakespeare's birthday parade and activities in Stratford-upon-Avon on April 25

Participant provides:

• Round-trip airfare and airport transfers
• 1 night in a recommended London hotel (Ibis London Blackfriers) or hotel of your choice on Friday, April 17, 2026
• 8 lunches, 7 dinners
• All alcoholic beverages
• Passport and visa fees (if required)

Itinerary & Full Details

For additional important information, such as the full itinerary, cancellation and refund policy, travel insurance details, and medical issues and special needs information, please visit the OLLI @ MSU course page.

Want to Reserve Your Spot?

MSIP has six seats reserved for this extraordinary program*, and we’re excited to open them to our community of supporters and fans. Interested participants do not have to reside in Montana, and the opportunity is open to all. Registration officially opens November 24th.

If you are interested in reserving a seat or have questions, please email Liz at elizabeth.johnson25@montana.edu.

*Those who book through MSIP will receive a complimentary OLLI Membership for 2025-2026 Season (if not already a member). Other fees and participant requirements still apply.