2017-18 Education Programming Announced at Portland Stage

Education is central to Portland Stage's Mission, and it creates vital education programs both In-Theater and In-Schools for families and students from pre-K through high school. Portland Stage's In-Theater Programs offer classes, workshops, and vacation and summer theater camps for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in its storefront Theater for Kids space on Forest Avenue. In addition, Portland Stage offers In-School Education Programming, which is designed to grow with students as they progress through all grade levels. From the PLAY program to Student Matinees of our Mainstage productions- the Education Department offers comprehensive programming that connects to and reinforces Common Core Standards and Maine Learning Results. Portland Stage Teaching Artists encourage active participation and collaboration, with a focus on literacy, cultural awareness, and creative thinking - all while having fun.

Below is a comprehensive list of Theater for Kids offerings for Fall 2017 through Spring 2018. Registration is available through the Portland Stage website.

IN-SCHOOL

DIRECTORS LAB

Julius Caesar

Professional teaching artists present a 45-minute version of a Shakespeare play (this year, Julius Caesar), using original text edited to inspire and incite conversation among students. After the performance, students engage directly with the text in an interactive workshop with professional actors. In these workshops, students practice effective communication, creative collaboration, rhetoric, and critical analysis. Directors Lab puts Shakespeare's language into the hands and mouths of the students, empowering them to be the artists, directors, and ensemble with the power to interpret the text and produce meaning.

STUDENT MATINEES

Portland Stage offers student matinee performances of our mainstage productions at a discounted ticket price. Following the performance, students participate in a talk-back discussion with the cast and crew, which helps them gain awareness of the creative process and encourages them to think critically about the themes and messages of the play.

PLAY IN SCHOOLS

PLAY brings children's books to life through a school-wide dramatic reading, followed by interactive classroom workshops. The goal of PLAY is to connect theater with literacy by making literature performative and encouraging character recall, understanding of themes, emotional recognition, physical storytelling, and vocal characterization. We actively engage students in small groups/workshops using their bodies, voices, and imaginations to build an understanding of the text while bringing the stories and characters to life.

IN THEATER

FALL CONSERVATORY

All Hallows Eve meets Happily Ever After

Wednesdays, September 27th - October 25th | 4PM-6PM

Dig into monologues, scene study, movement, and playwriting, all while devising an original performance piece exploring classic Fairy Tales through the lens of All Hallows Eve. This class culminates in a performance on Saturday, October 28th at 3PM

SHAKESPEARE TEEN COMPANY

Macbeth

Mondays - Thursdays, April 9 - May 17 | 4PM-6PM

Students come together as an ensemble to create a fully-staged performance of a Shakespearean play. Participants investigate the characters and stories of Shakespeare's Macbeth, exploring the many surprises, tragedies, and discoveries the play has to offer. Each participant will be fully immersed in the creative process, taking on a variety of roles necessary for creating a piece of theatre. Performances on May 18 and 19. No class April 16 - 20.

DIRECTORS LAB

Julius Caesar

Join us for a one-night performance of our Directors Lab School Tour production of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Through our Directors Lab In-School Program, professional actors present a 45-minute version of a classic play followed by interactive workshops with students. We bring this program to schools throughout Maine and are thrilled to share it with you at Portland Stage.

STAGE COMBAT

April 7, 1PM-5PM

Get a taste of the more physical aspect of dramatic storytelling. A professional actor will guide students through the excitement, intensity, and complexity of stage combat. Actors of all experience levels are welcome!

VACATION CAMPS

Adventures in Wonderland

Monday, February 19 - Friday, February 23

Join Alice, The Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, and more on an adventure through Wonderland! Campers explore the world of the classic tale of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland through games, artwork, and performance. Invited open studio on the final day of camp to share what we have worked on.

Camp Hogwarts

Monday, April 16- Friday, April 20

Spend a week in the Wizarding World! Campers explore the world of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix through games, artwork, and performance. Invited open studio on the final day of camp to share what we have worked on.

PLAY ME A STORY

Ages 4-10 are welcome to enjoy a dramatic reading of children's stories, then participate in an acting workshop with professional theater artists. Play Me a Story happens Saturday mornings at 10:30am. New books are featured each week, and Portland Stage is excited to welcome local authors throughout the 2017-2018 season, including Julie Falatko (Snappsy the Alligator and His Best Friend Forever (Probably)), Ryan T. Higgins (Mother Bruce), Josh Funk (Dear Dragon), Lynn Plourde (The Blizzard Wizard), Anne Sibley O'Brien (I'm New Here) and Chris Van Dusen (Hattie & Hudson). For more information on these visits and more, please visit the Portland Stage website.

Below is the Play Me a Story series lineup:

October Series: Not-So-Beastly Beasts

October 14, 21, 28

November Series: True to YOU

November 4, 11, 18

January Series: Unlikely Friendships

January 13, 20, 27

February Series: Finding Family

February 3, 10, 17, 24

March Series: Never a Dull Moment

March 3, 10, 17, 24

PORTLAND STAGE

Portland Stage is a hub of creative activity and energy that engages and contributes to the entire community. Located in the heart of the arts district on Forest Avenue, Portland Stage is known for its professional Mainstage Theater Productions, its creation of vital Education Programs, both in-schools and in-house, and for cultivating new voices in theater through its New Work Programs that foster experimentation and artistic risk. Visit www.portlandstage.org to see the Season.

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