Education
Overview
LEARN WITH THE COMPANY
The Acting Company believes strongly that the success of the theater depends on making it a vital part of each new generation. Our education work is designed to help audiences new to the theater engage with our productions with confidence and joy. All of our workshops and residencies combine exercises used in rehearsal with conventional classroom exercises to offer participants a unique experience and point of view.
2026 Spring Shakespeare School Tour
Hamlet in a modern verse translation by Lisa Peterson
directed by Chika Ike
Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy, Hamlet, is brought to vivid new life in a spare production that focuses on the actor and the language. High-energy performances, simple and bold design, and a modern verse translation make this a production that brings audiences into Hamlet’s struggle with grief and vengeance in the wake of his father’s murder. Chika Ike interprets Lisa Peterson’s 75-minute script to engage and inspire audience members across New York City.
In School Performances: April 27 - May 15th
The show will perform in middle and high schools across NYC in April and May. For information about having this show visit a school, please contact Paul Cook at pcook@theactingcompany.org.
Public Performances: May 20th - 24th
Wednesday, May 20th
2:00 PM - Student Matinee
7:00 PM - Performance (Opening)
Thursday, May 21st
10:30 PM - Performance
Friday, May 22nd
10:30 AM - Student Matinee
7:00 PM - Performance
Saturday, May 23rd
2:00 PM - Matinee Performance
7:00 PM - Performance
Sunday, May 24th
2:00 PM - Matinee
NYC Residencies
The Acting Company is dedicated to the development of not only the actor, but the audience. We offer educational opportunities throughout NYC. These include our annual Shakespeare School Tour, one-off workshops, and more immersive residencies.
For Teachers
The Acting Company’s Shakespeare for Teachers professional development workshops empower educators to develop new approaches to teaching the works of William Shakespeare and heightened language through interactive physical and vocal engagement, text analysis of verse and prose, and theater integration techniques.
School Tour
Each year we send a Shakespeare production on tour into NYC public schools. These pared down productions perform in auditoriums, gymnasiums, and classrooms to engage the students on their home ground. Filled with music, fights, and laughter these beautifully acted productions strive to impart our love of Shakespeare to a new generation.
On the Road
At each venue that our National Tour stops we offer a variety of educational opportunities in the form of workshops run by our skilled cast and crew as well as traditional pre and post show discussions of the work. The workshops include Stage Combat, Acting Clues in Shakespeare’s Text, Clown, Audition Techniques, and From Page to Stage.