Our talk about educating the next generation of theater
artists and technicians isn't technically correct — really, we
are reaching out to the next TWO generations of theater artists.
We do this by means of our outreach program, of which the lynchpin
is our student matinee for middle and high school students.
Every year, we schedule student matinee performances for two of our
productions and invite students from Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut
to join us in the theater. To round out the experience — for
many, their first with live theater — we offer pre-show workshops,
study guides, post-show question-and-answer sessions, and backstage
tours.
With the exception of tickets to the performances themselves, all
of our outreach resources are FREE.
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Student Matinees
Student matinees help teachers meet requirements of the state's Arts
Curriculum frameworks by introducing children to live performance and
serving as a springboard to the kind of critical thinking about the arts
that the frameworks want every child to learn. We keep them affordable
so the greatest possible number of students can go: $6 per student, only
$5 per student for groups of 20 or more. Chaperones are FREE.
This year's matinees:
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The Importance of Being Earnest
By Oscar Wilde
The Importance of Being Earnest is Wilde's masterpiece and
a delight from start to finish. Londoner Jack has invented a care-free
alter ego named Earnest for his life in the city as he pursues Gwendolyn,
daughter of the redoubtable Lady Bracknell, while he maintains "Jack" for
his proper life as guardian to Cecily in the country. His friend Algernon
catches on to the game and soon confusion reigns as everyone sorts out
just who said what to whom, who's engaged to which girl, and just who
Jack is, anyway. It's a sophisticated comedy chockful of the best lines
Oscar Wilde could come up with, and a sparkling delight to enjoy during
the holiday season.
Special Student matinee Dec. 12 at 10 a.m.
The Rand Theater
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Ondine
By Jean Giraudoux, in a new translation/adaptation by Dan O'Brien
This lovely, bitter-sweet fairy tale of star-crossed lovers is unlike
anything else we have on tap for the season. Traveling through a forest,
knight errant Hans meets and falls in love with the water sprite Ondine
despite an engagement to a woman at court. Ondine's relatives are skeptical
of the match, and Ondine wagers with Hans's life — should he betray
her, he will die. Once married and living in Hans's world, trouble quickly
threatens the young lovers' happiness. Giraudoux is among the most influential
European playwrights of the 20th century; learn why when this gem of
a play makes its UMass Amherst debut.
Special Student Matinee March 5 at 10 a.m.
The Rand Theater
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Post-Performance Question and Answer Session
The shows students see will spark questions, comments, and observations.
To give them a chance to talk things over, we offer a 20- to 30-minute
Q&A with the director, members of the cast, and other members of
the production.
Immediately following each matinee.
Helps teachers encourage critical thinking and analysis about the performance
students have just seen, and often gives students with an interest in
higher education in the arts the chance to ask college students about
their experience.
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Study Guides
Our study guides are paired with our student matinees and offer a helpful
overview of the production students are about to see. Guides generally
include a plot synopsis and biographical information on the playwright.
Other information is tailored to the needs of the production and may
include historical context, an interview with the director, an overview
of a thearical genre or performance style, or important issues touched
on in the play. We strongly recommend that students read the guide before
seeing the show, especially if they are not reading the play in class.
Sent to teachers 3 to 4 weeks before the matinee.
Helps
teachers address elements of the English and Arts Curriculum Frameworks
including those related to reading comprehension, dramatic and classic
literature, critical thinking, critical response, and more.
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Past Study Guides
(in PDF format):
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Workshops
Generally — but not exclusively — timed to prepare students for an upcoming
matinee, we offer students a chance to delve deeper into the world of theater.
In workshops tailored to the group's needs and experience level, we talk
about theater, review theater etiquette, and ask students to participate
in exercises that will help them better understand the matinee production
they'll be seeing. Exercises include acting games, discussions, journaling
and more, as appropriate to the production, and are led by graduate and undergraduate
students in the department who are involved in the production.
If a workshop is not focussed around an upcoming matinee, we speak more
generally about the world of theater, teach them introductory acting techniques,
and get students thinking about the many elements that go into putting on
a show.
Helps teachers introduce students to the world of theater, both onstage
and behind the scenes, and gives students the tools to analyze what they
will see onstage in our matinees or any other productions they may see in
the future.
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Backstage Tour How do we do it? Audience members often wonder about the costumes,
sets, lights, and the other elements that may have gone into putting
a production together. We give away our secrets on our guided backstage
tour, where students get a chance to walk on stage, view the scene
and costume shops, learn about the equipment we use to make the plau
run smoothly, and see the sets and props up close. Tours are led
by production stage managers. Immediately following each matinee, must be requested in advance. Introduces students to technical elements of the theater.
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For More Information
If
you are interested in learning more about any of these events,
please contact Public Relations Director Anna-Maria Goossens by e-mail or
phone (413) 545-6808.
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© 2007 University of Massachusetts Amherst. Site Policies.
