Intended Age: 9^th – 12^th Grade
Standards: English, History, Theatre
*Program Cost: $25/ Student (includes residency and ticket to the student matinee performance of your choice)

Students learn to approach Shakespeare from a theatre angle: breaking down text, working with rhythm, and engaging with language in the particular way that actors learn to make the language come to life for scene work, auditions, and performances. The program has two parts: a 6- 10  session residency (depending on class length) in which Gulfshore Playhouse artists work with students on sonnets and ultimately the presentation of scenes, and a trip to Gulfshore Playhouse to see a professional performance and have a talkback with the actors and director.

“Thank you again for a wonderful three weeks. I and my students continue to reap the benefits of associating with you. I still refer to your excellent lessons in class.”

–Teacher from Barron Collier High School

Intended Age: 6^th – 8th^th Grade
Standards: Language Arts, History, Theatre
*Program cost: $35/ Student (includes residency and ticket to the student matinee performance of your choice)

In this 10-session residency, each class will select a myth to research, present, and perform as an ensemble. Students work in small groups to explore imagery, story, symbol, and character and develop an artistic response to the myth through original writing from different points of view. Finally, they will develop their own version of the myth and use Greek chorus technique to create a final play for their families and friends. This residency culminates in a trip to Gulfshore Playhouse to see a professional performance and have a talkback with the actors and director.

This residency can be adapted to be suitable for middle school or high school students.

Intended Age: 2^nd – 5^th Grade
Standards: Language Arts, Theatre, Music, Dance
*Program Cost: $900 (12 Sessions)

Students learn to work as a group as they analyze and perform a short play based on a book that is meaningful to their age group and learn songs and dances that help tell the story. Recent plays include The Lorax and The Velveteen Rabbit. This popular 12-session residency culminates in a public performance for family and friends.

“The residency made a huge difference in the dynamics of the classes: they seem so much more together. You had a way of giving them little jobs and saying to them – hey I know you can handle this…let me give you a little more to do. What a difference that made when you gave them encouragement. They truly bloomed!!”

–Teacher from Donahue Academy

Intended Age: 11^th – 12^th Grade
Standards: Language Arts, Theatre
*Program Cost: $700 (8 Sessions)

This program is an opportunity for students to meet Language Arts standards through studying contemporary poetry, writing poems, and learning to perform their own written and improvised (spoken-word) poetry. The 8-session program concludes with a poetry slam in which students compete for prizes.

The time I felt out of place
was when I started cheerleading
and didn’t know how to do anything
like a kid running around
mimicking the crowd.
Everyone knew how to cheer
and I was just learning.
Years later
I know how to tumble
just like everyone around me.

–Poetry and Performance Student