THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE

EDUCATION PROGRAMSSTC'S LEARNING DEPARTMENT HAS PROVIDED ARTS EDUCATION EXPERIENCES TO MORE THAN 100,000 CHILDREN AND ADULTS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES. THROUGH ACCESSIBLE, HIGH-CALIBER EDUCATION PROGRAMS LED BY PROFESSIONAL TEACHING ARTISTS, STC TOUCHES PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS, AND THROUGH STC ACADEMY, ITS GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAM, STC FOSTERS THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLASSICAL ARTISTS. RENAMED STC LEARNING, THE LEARNING TEAM MAINTAINS LONGTIME PARTNERSHIPS WITH ALL DC PUBLIC AND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS SCHOOLS IN MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA. WORKING WITH LOCAL TEACHERS, STC INTEGRATES COMMON CORE-ALIGNED THEATRE ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMMING INTO INDIVIDUAL CLASSROOMS. FOLLOWING SUCCESS DURING THE PANDEMIC, STC HAS DEVELOPED INNOVATIVE ONLINE PROGRAMS TO SERVE STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. STC OFFERS A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. THE LEARNING DEPARTMENT OFFERS THREE LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: 1) STUDENT MATINEES, THE LARGEST EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, BRING STUDENTS FROM THE DC, MARYLAND, AND VIRGINIA TO THE THEATRE FOR AN STC MATINEE AT VERY LOW COST, PROVIDING MANY STUDENTS THEIR FIRST INTRODUCTION TO LIVE THEATRE. PERFORMANCES ARE SUPPLEMENTED BY PRE-SHOW EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND POST-SHOW TALKBACKS; 2) WORKSHOPS PROVIDE TEACHING ARTISTS TO LOCAL CLASSROOMS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS STUDYING SHAKESPEARE, USING PERFORMANCE-BASED ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE ACTIVE LEARNING; AND 3) RESIDENCIES PROVIDE A CLASSROOM WITH 10 TEACHING ARTIST-LED WORKSHOPS, DURING WHICH STUDENTS EXPLORE PLAYS THROUGH A VARIETY OF LENSES INCLUDING SET DESIGN, COSTUMES, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, TEXT DISSECTION, AND MORE. STUDENTS THEN CHOOSE ONE OF THESE PLAYS AND CREATE A SCENE BASED ON WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED IN THEIR WORKSHOPS; THE WORK CULMINATES WITH STUDENTS FROM EACH CLASS PERFORMING THEIR SCENE AT A "FESTIVAL DAY" FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. STC ALSO OFFERS A VARIETY OF YEAR-ROUND ACTING CLASSES FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS, 10 WEEKS OF CAMP SHAKESPEARE EACH SUMMER FOR AGES 5 18, AND ADULT CLASSES IN ACTING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR BOTH AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL ACTORS. REGULAR FREE PROGRAMS INCLUDE DISCUSSIONS AND "ASIDES," STC'S DRAMATURGICAL MAGAZINE PRODUCED FOR EACH PLAY.STC'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS BUILD CONNECTIONS WITH DC RESIDENTS AND LOCAL ARTISTS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HOWARD UNIVERSITY AND THE NATIONAL MUSEUM FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE, ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC PROGRAMMING WAS PROVIDED THROUGH A MONTH-LONG "AMEN BALDWIN! FESTIVAL" TO COMPLEMENT THE FIRST PRODUCTION OF JAMES BALDWIN'S AMEN CORNER SINCE IT PREMIERED AT HOWARD IN THE 1950S. THE FESTIVAL OFFERED A FILM SERIES, PERFORMANCES, EXHIBITIONS, LECTURES, AND MORE. STC REGULARLY PROVIDES DEMONSTRATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR LOCAL FESTIVALS AND OFFERS VOLUNTEER AND APPRENTICE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS.IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, STC HAS A MASTER OF FINE ARTS DEGREE TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF ACTORS. THE ACADEMY FOR CLASSICAL ACTING (ACA) IS FULLY ACCREDITED AND HIGHLY COMPETITIVE. NOW IN ITS 25TH YEAR, THE ACA TYPICALLY ACCEPTS ONLY 18-20 APPLICANTS EACH YEAR TO ENSURE RIGOROUS, INTENSIVE TRAINING. STUDENTS OFTEN SERVE AS UNDERSTUDIES IN MAJOR STC PRODUCTIONS, AND ALUMNI PERFORM IN PROFESSIONAL THEATRE COMPANIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.