Shakespeare
School Tour
SHAKESPEARE IN THE BOROUGHS
Each year The Acting Company produces a new Shakespeare production to tour through New York City’s middle and high schools. Although truncated, these productions use Shakespeare’s original language in conjunction with music, dance, song, and remarkable acting to engage students of all ages. Each performance includes a post-show discussion with the performers and is accompanied by our signature education programs: Learning Through Theater and Shakespeare for Teachers.
Each year this program expands, playing for more dates and for more students. If you would like to see if we can bring our next production to your school, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Twelfth Night
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Jesse Jou
This 70 minute version of Shakespeare’s best comedy will tour to high schools across the five boroughs of New York City. Performed by a large professional cast, this production will continue The Acting Company’s mission of touring and education.
This program is part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest
Our programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
CREATIVE TEAM
Jesse Jou: Director
Originally from Houston, TX, Jesse Jou works primarily on new and contemporary plays. Some favorite projects include SAY YOU HEARD MY ECHO with spoken word artist Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai (HERE Arts Center); THE BETROTHED by Dipika Guha and NEIGHBORHOOD 3: REQUISITION OF DOOM by Jennifer Haley (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, Cape Cod, MA); THE TENS (Actors Theatre of Louisville); and ZEN TIES by Y York (The Rose Theatre, Omaha, NE). He has developed new work at the Lark Play Development Center; the New York International Fringe Festival; The Kitchen Theatre Co. (Ithaca, NY); and the Yale Cabaret. He was the Artistic Director of the 2010 Yale Summer Cabaret and served as the Staff Repertory Director of The Acting Company. He is an alumnus of the Cherry Lane Mentor Project; the Drama League’s Directors Project; the Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab; and the Civilians R&D Group. Jesse received his MFA in directing from the Yale School of Drama. He is currently on faculty at Texas Tech University.
CURRENT STUDY GUIDES & PROGRAMS
We produce detailed programs with bios of the ensemble and creative team, information about The Acting Company, and a note from the director for each show. We also have a Study Guide filled with information about Shakespeare, the play, The Acting Company, and suggested exercises for use in a classroom both before and after students watch the show.