Education for Schools : Classic Stage Company

Grades 6-12Act Young

CSC makes Shakespeare alive and accessible for students all over New York City and beyond through in-school workshops and performances at our theater.

Each year, a diverse company of young, talented, actors present a Shakespearean play and serve as in-school teaching artists. This allows students to learn from actors they can relate to, and experience firsthand how powerful – and fun – Shakespeare can be.

Get your students involved today! Book online below, or contact Kathleen Dorman, Director of Education, at 212.677.4210 x17 or kathleen.dorman@classicstage.org for further information.

IN SCHOOL
WORKSHOPS RANGE FROM

$165-$250 EACH

AT OUR THEATER
PERFORMANCE TICKETS RANGE FROM

$5-$20 EACH

Subsidized pricing is available for qualifying schools.

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In-School Workshops

Register for up to 5 in-school workshops, which prepare students for the performance at our theater, as well as tools to act it out themselves!

Our curriculum meets the requirements in New York City’s Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts; we also address many New York State Learning Standards for the Arts and English Language Arts, as well as the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts. We are an official NYC Department of Education Vendor.

Workshop 1 - All the World's A Stage

This workshop introduces students to Shakespeare’s theater and gives an overview of the plot, themes and characters in the play, while still taking time to explore a short passage of text in detail.

BEST FOR – Students who are new to Shakespeare or unfamiliar with the play. Also serves as a great stand-alone refresher/basic prep to see the performance for those groups with limited time and/or budget.

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Workshop 2 & 3 - Speak the Speech

These two workshops cover Shakespeare’s language, dealing with the ins-and-outs of verse, prose, puns, and punctuation, turning students from readers into speakers. Students learn tools that real actors use to make the text accessibly and relevant to their own experiences.

BEST FOR – Students who have a basic understanding of the plot, themes and characters in the play.

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Workshop 4 & 5 - Suit the Action to The Word

These two workshops focus on acting Shakespeare, utilizing movement and improvisational techniques to free students’ theatrical imaginations. Students apply the skills they have learned to rehearse and perform short scenes in front of their classmates.

BEST FOR – Students who have a solid understanding of the plot, themes and characters as well as some experience with Shakespeare’s language.

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Flexible Curriculum

While a full series of 5 in-school workshops (plus the post-performance workshop at CSC) is the most effective way to experience our program, we understand time and budget may not allow for this option. Contact us to further discuss which workshops will work best for your students.

In-School Workshops and Demo Performances of Any Shakespeare Play

Book a special workshop series, and we’ll send a team of teaching artists to your school to perform short scenes, and lead activities on the play of your choice. Costs vary depending on number of participating students and play requested. Contact us for information on how we can create workshop series to suit your needs.

STUDY GUIDES

Our free study guides for each production are packed with information about Shakespeare, his language, the play, and our specific production. It even includes simple activities that you can facilitate with your students to expand on the work they’ve done during the workshops!

For access, please email Kathleen.Dorman@classicstage.org.

At Our Theater

See a fully-staged 90-minute performance, and then participate in the post-performance workshop with the creative team! Productions are specifically crafted with young audiences in mind, breaking the expectation of “boring” Shakespeare with innovative (and often interactive) staging, and design that aims to please the teenage aesthetic.

Productions are best suited for grades 6-12. Post-performance workshops include a Q&A with the cast, a behind-the-scenes look at the production, and an interactive Shakespearean battle of wits (always a crowd pleaser)! While our post-show workshop is most effective when paired with workshops at your school, it can also be booked on its own.

SIGN UP YOUR CLASS FOR PERFORMANCES!

Reservations are made on a first-come first-served basis. Due to the size of the theater, we cannot guarantee accommodation for groups over 100 people. Scholarship funding is available; please complete the optional scholarship application.

This program is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest presents Shakespeare in American Communities.

Shakespeare Smackdown

The Fifth Annual Shakespeare Smackdown was held on MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017.

CSC’s Shakespeare Smackdown is a chance for your students to show off their acting chops on the CSC stage! Participating schools can send student groups to represent them in performing selected short scenes from a Shakespearean play selected by CSC Education each year. No two groups present the same scene, and scenes are performed in chronological order.

The effect is a collaborative, student-driven, mini-production of the play. Students are recognized for their efforts with prizes, including tickets to productions at CSC, free workshops for their schools, and much more!

REGISTER YOUR STUDENTS FOR SHAKESPEARE SMACKDOWN!

Any student participating in the current season, whether through in-school workshops and/or attending performances) is welcome to participate in the Shakespeare Smackdown. This is a FREE event.

Education for Schools

Grades 6-12Act Young

$165-$250 EACH

$5-$20 EACH