WAITSBURG - "Parting is such sweet sorrow." Waitsburg 7th and 9th grade students will likely echo this Shakespearean sentiment as they say good-bye to Shakespeare Walla Walla educators Thomas Beebe and Josh Haddock who wrapped up a four-day Living with Shakespeare workshop in Waitsburg on Friday. Budget constraints and rising program costs may prevent the school from offering the program next year.

Students laughed as they learned when The Times visited workshops in both grades on Friday. In one short hour, an enthusiastic Beebe (Haddock was absent that day) had students practicing stage fighting, Elizabethan dance and improvisation, while learning about the culture and etiquette of the day.

Amid guffaws and giggles, Beebe demonstrated that young men must take care in how they extended their arm when inviting a lady to dance - a hand with palm down meant "friend zone," while palm up meant "ready for more." Beebe explained that the young lady was free to change the direction of the palm either way before accepting the arm. However, if she moved the hand palm up, it would be an offense to both the lady and her entire family, should the boy turn it back down. "And you don't want a case of the Capulets and Montagues," cautioned Beebe.

The Living with Shakespeare program introduces students to Shakespearean language and its modern day influence, teaches Elizabethan culture and involves students in hands-on activities to better understand rhythm, meter, tempo and staging. Middle School language arts teacher Sarah Reser said the workshop was a welcome break following last week's Smarter Balanced testing.

"They are enjoying every moment of Thomas and Josh being here and I love to watch it! I think their favorite part was either the improv or the stage fighting," she said.

High School language arts teacher Liv Leid -- whose freshmen students are currently reading Romeo and Juliet -- is impressed with the program as well. "Shakespeare was meant to be seen and heard as a performance - the language is beautiful & richly poetic. His plays run the gamut of human behavior and connect us to each other giving kids a better understanding of our world," she said. Both teachers commented on the team's energy and enthusiasm and how well the students responded.

The program was initially introduced to Waitsburg several years ago, through the use of grant funds that are no longer available, explained High School superintendent Stephanie Wooderchak at a School Board meeting earlier this month.

"This year they did have to charge us $550, and I will say a huge thank you to our Waitsburg Lions Club who took care of that for us," she said. Wooderchak said the fee is now moving "upwards of $1000" and the school may need to reconsider future visits.

"When we can gather enough funds we like to cap off the event with a performance at the Gesa Power House Theatre. We're not sure if that will work out this year but we will try our best," she said.

Above: Shakespeare Walla Walla's Thomas Beebe threatens to behead 7th grader, Laramie Matthews for an improper bow.

Either way, it was clear to The Times that the students (and teachers) thoroughly enjoyed the experience.