Student Matinees
Bring your students to see a play at Hartford Stage! Each student matinee is followed by a talkback with members of the cast and creative team.
Rope
Based on the play Rope’s End, the story was also the subject of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1948 psychological thriller Rope. Two men try to achieve the “perfect murder” – an exercise in philosophy for them – and host a dinner party on a chest where the body is hidden. Students will be drawn in by the suspense of whether the two murderers will be found out.
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher
Based on the play Rope’s End by Patrick Hamilton
Directed by Melia Bensussen
Thursday, October 23, 2025
Is there such thing as a perfect crime?
The riveting crime thriller that inspired Alfred Hitchcock and Jimmy Stewart in 1948 gets a tantalizing new adaptation from playwright Jeffrey Hatcher (Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde). A murder has been committed, and the two killers host a dinner party in the very room where the victim’s body is hidden. Drunk on arrogance, they claim it is the “perfect murder” and believe getting caught is impossible. But tension builds as cracks begin to appear and audiences are whisked from one moment of suspense to the next. Are the murderers’ slips unconscious or something more sinister? This must-see for fans of thrillers and crime dramas will captivate anyone who has ever been tempted to get away with something.
Recommended for 9th grade and up.
Alfred Hitchcock, film history, adaptation, genre (thriller, crime), use of suspense.
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas
Over 100,000 students have seen our production of A Christmas Carol since 1998. Students will delight in the magic and spectacle of this classic holiday story.
By Charles Dickens
Adapted and directed by Michael Wilson
Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Friday, December 5, 2025
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Friday, December 12, 2025
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Thursday, December 18, 2025
On a bleak and snowy Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge wants nothing more than to collect his debts. But when he is visited by a ghostly old friend, Scrooge must confront his own selfish ways and discover the true meaning of Christmas. Join Scrooge and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future on this journey of redemption in a mesmerizing display of theatrical magic and wonder.
Recommended for 4th grade and up.
Dickens, adaptation of literature, Industrial Revolution, greed and generosity, responsibility to others, transformation.
Death of a Salesman
Offers an excellent opportunity for students to read this American classic, followed by experiencing it in performance. Can be a springboard for meaningful discussions about how we define success across generations.
By Arthur Miller
Directed by Melia Bensussen
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Friday, March 27, 2026
A salesman has got to dream.
This Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner is one of the most profound classic dramas of the American theater and a poignant story of the perilously high cost of the American Dream. Willy Loman desperately craves success for himself and his sons, but stark reality cannot live up to his dreams. The wall of delusions he has constructed quietly crumbles around him while a devastated and demoralized man searches in vain for a hidden path to greatness. Meanwhile, his devoted wife holds out hope, and his sons wrestle with their own failings. Death of a Salesman is beautifully written and endlessly surprising, revealing new truths to every generation of audiences.
Recommended for 9th grade and up.
Arthur Miller, the American Dream, legacy, reality vs. illusion, family dynamics, particularly father/son relationships, generational values, tragedy.
Native Gardens
Students will enjoy the quick, witty dialogue and likeable characters. The play uses humor to challenge assumptions around race, age, gender and politics.
By Karen Zacarias
Director TBA
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Good neighbors don’t grow on trees.
What starts as a warm welcome for new neighbors quickly devolves into a flower-flinging backyard battle for the ages in this hilarious contemporary comedy. Pablo and Tania, an up-and-coming young couple, are new to the neighborhood. Virginia and Frank next door have been fixtures for decades. While the couples disagree on landscaping and decor, they agree on one thing: the ugly chain link fence separating their yards has got to go. Their plan takes an unexpected turn when the truth about that old fence is discovered, and Tania’s vision for native plants and wildflowers doesn’t align with Frank’s pesticide-dependent manicured masterpiece. Their differences extend beyond gardening with race, class, age, and gender all on the table. Despite all of this, will they be able to sow the seeds of friendship?
Recommended for 9th grade and up.
race, privilege, code-switching, civil dialogue, the American Dream, biodiversity and ecosystems, comedic structure
