Shakespearience: Student Matinees

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Students at the Lansburgh Theatre.

You’ve read them on the page, now see them onstage!

The Shakespeare Theatre Company welcomes teachers and students to experience the excitement of live performance through SHAKESPEARIENCE, our Student Matinee Series. SHAKESPEARIENCE is designed to increase access to classic theatre and the theatrical process for students in grades eight through twelve in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

This season we are thrilled to offer students the opportunity to see three of Shakespeare’s plays,As You Like It, Richard II, Henry V and The Liar.

TO APPLY:
You must have a group of 10 or more in order to participate in SHAKESPEARIENCE.
Click here if you are with a public school.
Click here if you are with an an independent, parochial or home school.
Click here if you are a participating in the Text Alive! program.

Homeschool Group FAQs We are pleased to welcome Homeschool Groups and families to SHAKESPEARIENCE Student Matinees! Below are a few frequently asked questions that we hope you will find helpful as you prepare to apply for and attend a SHAKESPEARIENCE Student Matinee.

Is there an age requirement to participate in SHAKESPEARIENCE?
Yes. We require that all students who attend the matinee are either at least 13 years old and/or in eighth grade. Due to the fact that we are often not able to predict the age-appropriateness of our productions in advance, we do not allow children under the age of 13 to attend SHAKESPEARIENCE matinees. When you apply for tickets, please verify that all of the students attending are the proper age.

How much are tickets for homeschool students?
Tickets for homeschool students and chaperones are $20 per person. Please note that everyone (including chaperones) must have a ticket.

Is there a minimum student-to-chaperone ratio?
Yes. For every chaperone ticket, you must purchase at least three student tickets.

How many people classify a group?
Ten or more people are classified as a group and are eligible to apply for the SHAKESPEARIENCE Student Matinee program.

Can I apply for tickets individually?
No, we can only process groups of 10 or more for SHAKESPEARIENCE matinees. If you do not have a group of that size, please explore our other discounted ticket options, available on our website.

Further questions? Please contact Lindsay Mady, Sales and Promotions Manager, at Shakes@ShakespeareTheatre.org.

The SHAKESPEARIENCE Student Matinee program for public schools includes:

Reduced-price tickets
A mandatory in-school pre-performance workshop with a Shakespeare Theatre Company teaching artist to help prepare your students for the performance
A post-performance talk-back with the actors immediately following the matinee
An optional post-performance in-school workshop
First Folio: Teacher Curriculum Guides for all four plays

The SHAKESPEARIENCE Student Matinee program for independent, parochial and home schools includes:

Reduced-price tickets
A post-performance talk-back with the actors immediately following the matinee
First Folio: Teacher Curriculum Guides for all four plays
Optional pre- and post-performance workshops (fee-based)
First Folio: Teacher Curriculum Guides for all four plays

What people are saying about SHAKESPEARIENCE:

“My English teachers tell me that seeing a performance at the Shakespeare Theatre is the single most valuable experience of the year for students… At both the upper and lower levels of high school, students benefit enormously from seeing first-rate classical theater. Thanks to the Shakespeare Theatre Company, our freshmen are unable to classify Shakespeare as boring, and our upper level students are now much better prepared for rigorous academic exams that require them to understand theater as art.”
Anita M. Berger, Principal
Benjamin Banneker Academic High School

“For our students who were seeing Shakespeare for the first time, the program created a compelling and accessible bridge from page to stage… A post-show talkback, expertly facilitated by staff at the theater, gave our students an additional opportunity to ask questions, and explore the ideas of the play…. As many of our students come to the school with little or no familiarity with this body of knowledge, programs like SHAKESPEARIENCE are crucial to our work, giving us excellent and extensive resources to support the work of our teachers and staff.”
Martha Cutts, Head of School
The Washington Latin Public Charter School

THE PLAYS

As You Like It SOLD OUT
by William Shakespeare
directed by Maria Aitken
Sidney Harman Hall
November 17–December 20, 2009
“All the world’s a stage!”
In the Forest of Arden, exiles from a tyrannical kingdom search for freedom. The irrepressible Rosalind, Shakespeare’s most fully realized female character, finds freedom of a different kind as she pursues love in disguise. As You Like It is filled with the elements that make Shakespeare’s comedies so much fun: a wise fool, beautiful poetry, a magical land, young lovers and … wrestling! Maria Aitken, the Tony nominated director of the Broadway hit The 39 Steps, will direct this timeless classic.
As You Like It SHAKESPEARIENCE Student Matinee Dates: Tuesday, December 1 and Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Richard II SOLD OUT
by William Shakespeare
directed by Michael Kahn
Sidney Harman Hall
February 2–April 11, 2010
“The ripest fruit first falls.”
King Richard neglects his subjects and spends lavishly, giving rise to his charismatic cousin Henry Bolingbroke. As the battle to rule England approaches, Richard’s supporters abandon him for his rival. Will Richard learn what it means to be a king before he loses the crown? Written entirely in verse, Richard II contains some of Shakespeare’s most thrilling language. Director Michael Kahn’s previous examination of this troubled leader was hailed by The New York Times as “an evening of dynamic jolts and surprises.” Richard II plays in repertory with Henry V.
Richard II SHAKESPEARIENCE Student Matinee Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Henry V
by William Shakespeare
directed by David Muse
Sidney Harman Hall
February 4–April 10, 2010
“What infinite heart's ease must kings neglect, that private men enjoy!”
Young and brash King Henry V of England takes his nation to war with France. As he leads his troops into combat and experiences the true costs of war firsthand, Henry discovers that the challenges of leadership are greater than he ever imagined. From Henry's rousing battle speeches to his quieter moments courting the Princess of France, Shakespeare explores what makes a man a king...and a king a man. Henry V is directed by Associate Artistic Director David Muse, whose Julius Caesar was praised by The Washingtonian as “one of the best productions of this or any season.” Henry V plays in repertory with Richard II.
Henry V SHAKESPEARIENCE Student Matinee Dates: Wednesday, March 3, Wednesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Note: The March 3, noon matinee of Henry V has limited availability.

The Liar SOLD OUT
WORLD PREMIERE
by Pierre Corneille
translated and adapted by David Ives
directed by Michael Kahn
Lansburgh Theatre
April 6–May 23, 2010
“All the world’s a lie, and all the men and women merely liars.”
Dorante is charming, handsome … and a compulsive liar! When he arrives in Paris, Dorante’s outlandish tales amaze and convince all who hear them, but for each problem his clever lying solves, it creates two new ones. Will he manage to keep his stories straight, his dupes none the wiser and somehow still get the girl? This joyful French farce bursts onto the stage in Broadway playwright David Ives’s sparkling new adaptation. Michael Kahn brings his brilliant touch to this one-of-a-kind comedy.
The Liar SHAKESPEARIENCE Student Matinee Date: Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Click here for the online archive of First Folio: Teacher Curriculum Guides.

Click here to download a SHAKESPEARIENCE poster for your classroom!

SHAKESPEARIENCE Student Matinees is part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, a national initiative sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest.