Institute of Behavioral Science

Shakespeare and Violence Prevention

  • 140,000 Colorado students reached since 2011
  • 85% of program participants say they are likely to be an upstander if they witness harm


Shakespeare and Violence Prevention, a collaboration between CSPV and the Colorado Shakespeare Festival since 2011, combines live Shakespeare performances with school violence research. Students improve their Shakespeare literacy while learning intervention strategies for addressing mistreatment and concerning behaviors. Professional actors perform an abridged play, followed by a workshop where students practice their own upstander strategies.

The interactive, onsite program emphasizes drama and social responsibility, empowering students to take action in their communities.