Student Matinees

Student Matinees

Student Performance Series

Bring your students to see a play at Hartford Stage! Each Student Performance Series ticket includes access to our online study guides and the opportunity to stay for a talkback hosted by an Education Staff member.

Student Matinee Policies and Pricing Information

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Quixote Nuevo

By Octavio Solis

Directed by KJ Sanchez

A reimagining of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

Quixote Nuevo is produced in association with Huntington Theatre Company and Alley Theatre.

Recommended for 10th grade and up

Quixote Nuevo is set in the fictional modern-day border town of La Plancha, Texas, where Don Quixote loses himself in stories of chivalrous escapades and embarks upon a quest of imagination, adventure, and Tejano music. Along the way he recruits a hapless but trusty sidekick in his search for lost love. As the community wrestles with containing Quixote’s fantasies, he, his family and friends discover the joys and perils of being the hero of your own story.

Themes & Topics for discussion: Immigration, the aging process, hope, love, belief in something greater than ourselves, the resilience of purpose, adaptation of literature.

Please note: Contains disturbing fantastical images and mature themes  (including a scene depicting child abuse).

Performance Date, 10:30 am

  • Thursday, October 3, 2019

A Christmas Carol:
A Ghost Story of Christmas

By Charles Dickens
Adapted and originally directed by Michael Wilson
Directed by Rachel Alderman

Recommended for 4th grade and up

The magic of Charles Dickens’ heart-warming classic returns for its 19th season. Come see Connecticut’s favorite family holiday tradition and spend some time with Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they bring A Christmas Carol to life on stage. It’s perfect holiday entertainment!

Themes & Topics for discussion: Dickens, adaptation of literature, Industrial Revolution, greed and generosity, responsibility to others.

Please note: Contains spooky characters and images that may be frightening for some audience members.

Performance Dates (all performances 10:30 am)

  • Tuesday, December 3, 2019
  • Wednesday, December 4, 2019
  • Friday, December 6, 2019
  • Tuesday, December 10, 2019
  • Wednesday, December 11, 2019
  • Thursday, December 12, 2019
  • Friday, December 13, 2019
  • Tuesday, December 17, 2019
  • Wednesday, December 18, 2019
  • Thursday, December 19, 2019

Jane Eyre

By Charlotte Brontë

Adapted and Directed by Elizabeth Williamson

Recommended for 9th grade and up

Brontë’s beloved tale of courage, sacrifice and self-respect features one of literature’s greatest heroines. Orphaned as a child, Jane takes a position working as governess at Thornfield Hall for the brooding Edward Rochester. The strong-willed Jane falls in love with her mysterious employer, but the discovery of a dark secret and its devastating aftermath forces the young governess to make a heart-wrenching decision that changes their lives forever. Williamson’s adaptation will be intimate and intense, focusing on Jane’s integrity and inner strength.

Themes & Topics for discussion: Search for belonging, autonomy and self-reliance, gender equality, integrity, adaptation of literature, Feminist studies, 19th century studies.

Performance Dates, 10:30 am

  • Wednesday, March 4, 2020
  • Thursday, March 12, 2020

In-school Workshops

Already bringing your class to Hartford Stage? Now bring Hartford Stage to your class! A Hartford Stage Teaching Artist will visit your school to lead your class in an interactive workshop connected to the play. Pre-show workshops focus on offering students entry points to the play by introducing major characters, thematic elements, and/or historical context. Each workshop runs one 45-60 minute class period for a fee of $100.

InterACT

DEADLINE EXTENDED to June 25!

InterACT exposes hundreds of underserved students in grades 9-12 to professional theatre by inviting them to participate in the Student Performance Series, Hartford Stage’s student matinee program, free of charge.  Teachers may apply for participation of one or two classes.  InterACT classes receive in-school, pre-show workshops that explore themes related to the productions.  InterACT is subsidized through Hartford Stage corporate and foundation funding.

Download the Application

Goals

Through InterACT, Hartford Stage aims to

  • Expose students to a range of genres of dramatic literature and performance styles.
  • Deepen students’ engagement with plays through in-school workshops.
  • Develop critical thinking skills that allow students to reflect on Hartford Stage shows through conversation, analysis, and dramatic engagement.
  • Strengthen the relationship between students and Hartford Stage while building an appreciation for live performance.

For more information about InterACT or pre- and post-show workshops, contact  Grace Clark, 860-520-7244, or gclark@hartfordstage.org