BYS offers young people an understanding of Shakespeare's language and themes and introduces them to theater and drama. Intense workshops are given in all aspects of performance including stage directions and movement, voice projection and control, and character development and motivation. We work on understanding the script through literary devices, vocabulary, and context.

BYS has now completed 17 seasons, having performed 20 different Shakespeare plays with 27 different casts. We are generally producing 1-2 plays per season depending on cast members, college interns, and skill sets. There is a structured internship program for college students that want to study directing, and high school students may earn 1 fine arts credit by completing all writing and acting requirements.

Plays are memorized in their entirety and cast members will spend about 90-120 hours on campus in workshops, rehearsals, and performances. Memorizing lines and further study occurs outside of director oversight. In years where two plays are produced, each play has two performances. In years where only one play is produced, three performances are given.