THEATRE FOR SCHOOLS SPRING/SUMMER 2018
CONTENTS
ABOUT US
Page 1
The Courtyard Playhouse is Dubai’s first and only KHDA licensed Improvisational Theatre Training Centre. Founded in 2013 the Courtyard Playhouse is the UAE’s first small theatre venue. We offer a programme of improvisation, comedy and acting for adults and children and specialize in the hosting and delivery of corporate training and development and theatrical events. The Courtyard Playhouse theatre has a top of the range lighting, sound and projection system and can host up to 100 human beings, 60 of them seated. Welcome to the biggest and most beautiful small theatre in the world! The Playhouse Schools Programme
CONTENTS: Page 2: National Theatre Live School Screenings Page 7: Theatresports Workshops Page 8: Inter-School Theatresports Tournament Page 9: School Workshops Page 10: Teen Classes - At the Playhouse Page 11: Improvised Kids’ Shows Page 12: Theatre Hire Page 13: Work Experience Page 14: Contact Us
Our schools programme provides a diverse, rich and fulfilling artistic experience for students across the region. We offer a range of exclusive school workshops, teaching improvisation and acting across all age ranges. In addition, our schools’ programme includes: National Theatre Live Provate School Screenings Schools can exclusively book our theatre for one of our National Theatre Live, RSC or Kenneth Branagh Live Screenings. Our partnership with various theatres in the UK allow us to screen live content like A Streetcar Named Desire starring Gillian Anderson and Hamlet starring Benedict Cumberbatch (Page 2&3). The Inter-School Theatresports Tournament Students around Dubai stand a chance to be selected to perform on stage and compete against other schools, issuing and accepting dramatic challenges from one-another, for example ‘best scene in Satwa’, or ‘best historical scene’ – or even ’best musical number’! (Page4&5). Improvised Children’s Theatre Shows If your children could create their very own story, what would it be? At the Courtyard Playhouse, children’s ideas are honoured, explored and brought to life by our company through improvised storytelling. And for those who fancy it, there are always plenty of opportunities to join in on the fun! (Page 11) Work Experience Programme A unique opportunity for students to be immersed in all aspects of running a busy local theatre. We hope you are excited by the upcoming season. We look forward to seeing you and continue to build strong links between innovative theatre and learning in the United Arab Emirates.
LIVE THEATRE SCREENINGS - SCHOOL SCREENINGS
Page 2
“Fantastical and funny. It’s must see family entertainment.” - Mumsnet “Spellbindingly imaginative. A dazzling production.” - Radio Times
NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE SCHOOL SCREENINGS
Schools can exclusively book The Courtyard Playhouse for a screening of their choice, either during the school day or after school hours. The list below outlines the prices per student based on the number of students attending. Teachers and chaperones enter free of charge. Our maximum capacity is 75 per screening. 35+ Students = AED 80 per student 25 students = AED 105 per student
30 students = AED 90 per student 20 students = AED 120 per student
National Theatre, RSC, Almeida and Kenneth Branagh Theatre Live are groundbreaking projects to broadcast the best of British theatre live from the London stage to cinemas and theatres across the UK and around the world. The Courtyard Playhouse is proud to be the first venue in the region to bring these cutting-edge contemporary theatre broadcasts to UAE audiences. With special screenings for schools, this is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the most talented international directors, actors and practitioners to students and teachers in a striking theatre setting. Each broadcast is filmed in front of a live audience in London. Cameras are carefully positioned throughout the auditorium to ensure that cinema audiences get the ‘best seat in the house’ view of each production. With The Courtyard Playhouse’s high definition picture and five-point surround sound, students will be completely immersed in the production. This is an unforgettable experience - as close to the real thing as you can get!
To book your school screening please contact jessica@courtyardplayhouse.com / 052 849 3006
NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE SCHEDULE
Page 3
SCREENINGS - SPRING/SUMMER 2018 Schools can exclusively book The Courtyard Playhouse for a screening of their choosing, either during the school day, or after school hours. Entrance is charged at 80AED per student, teachers and chaperones enter for free. Maximum capacity is 75 per screening, and a minimum requirement of 35 students is required for an exclusive booking. UPCOMING SPRING/SUMMER SCHEDULE: YOUNG MARX Public: Jan 11 & 12 Rory Kinnear (The Threepenny Opera, Penny Dreadful, Othello) is Marx and Schools: From Jan 14 Oliver Chris (Twelfth Night, Green Wing) is Engels, in this new comedy written by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman. MACBETH Public: May 17 & 18 Directed by Rufus Norris (The Threepenny Opera, London Road), will see Schools: From May 20 Rory Kinnear (Young Marx, Othello) and Anne-Marie Duff (Oil, Suffragette) return to the National Theatre to play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. JULIUS CEASAR Public: April 12 & 13 Ben Whishaw and Michelle Fairley play Brutus and Cassius, David Calder plays Schools: From April 15 Caesar and David Morrissey is Mark Antony. Broadcast live from The Bridge Theatre, London.
To book your school screening please contact jessica@courtyardplayhouse.com / 052 849 3006
NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE SCHEDULE
Page 4
ENCORE SCREENINGS
ENCORE SCREENINGS AVAILABLE FOR BOOKINGS:
National Theatre Live Broadcasts
A Streetcar Named Desire
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (The)
Hard Problem (The)
Othello
Treasure Island
A view from the Bridge
Deep Blue Sea (The)
Hedda Gabler
Peter Pan
Twelfth Night
Amadeus
Everyman
Jayne Eyre
Rosencrantz & Guildenstein
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
As You Like it
Frankenstein
Man and Superman
Saint Joan
Yerma
Audience (The)
Follies
No Man’s Land
Salome
Behind The Beautiful Forevers
Hamlet
Of Mice and Men
Skylight
Corolianus
Hangmen
One Man 2 Guvnors
Threepenny Opera
Royal Shakespeare Company & Kenneth Branagh Live Broadcasts Romeo & Juliet
King Lear
The Entertainer
The Tempest
Hamlet
A Winter’s Tale
To book your school screening please contact jessica@courtyardplayhouse.com / 052 849 3006
LIVE THEATRE SCREENINGS
Page 5
Page 2
LIVE THEATRE SCREENINGS
Page 6
THEATRESPORTS WORKSHOPS
Page 7
“We cannot thank you enough for your time, effort and enthusiasm. Such fun was had over the course of the six weeks and the actual tournament. Your theatre is an absolute gem that puts the person and community first. We will all make an effort to visit more often and we cannot wait for Theatresports next year! In the meantime, the awards will take pride of place in our trophy cabinet at the school. Thank you for inspiring all of us and for helping us build confidence and lifelong skills. Most importantly, that you for reminding us (yes, we need reminding!) how to have FUN! “ - Pádraig Ó Dúnadhaigh, Dubai American Academy
THEATRESPORTS WORKSHOPS FOR SCHOOLS What is Theatresports?
Theatresports is an improvisation based theatre format created by Keith Johnstone. What are the benefits in the classroom?
On the surface, Theatresports is a team-based ‘theatre competition’ but its main aim is to build a mutual desire to create dynamic, interesting theatre through spontaneity skills, storytelling and supportive play. The School Experience
Whatever option you choose, your students will be coached by an experienced Courtyard Playhouse company member in a series of workshops during or after school hours. Option
Duration
Time
Price
1
One-off visit
2 hours
150 AED per student
2
4 week course
1 hour per week
320 AED per student
3
6 week course
1 hour per week
480 AED per student
Courses must have a minimum of 6 students with a maximum of 15 students per instructor. We can provide up to 4 instructors (60 students) Students enrolled in these workshops will be eligible to represent their school in the Middle East’s only Inter-School Theatresports Tournament. See next page for details. To register your school please contact jessica@courtyardplayhouse.com / 052 849 3006
INTER-SCHOOL THEATRESPORTS TOURNAMENT
INTER-SCHOOL THEATRESPORTS TOURNAMENT SUMMER 2018
Page 8
On June 9th 2018, eight exclusively selected teams of performers from schools across the UAE will converge and take part in the region’s only Inter-schools Theatresports Tournament. The Tournament is a team-based competition where teams will play against each other, issuing a series of dramatic challenges to compete for the winners’ trophy.
Prior to the Tournament, the teams will be coached by an experienced Courtyard Playhouse company member in a series of workshops at their schools. Our Playhouse instructors will then select only four teams from schools across Dubai to compete on the day! Four teams for our Junior Tournament, The Mushroom Cup, & four teams for our Senior Tournament, The Star Cup. When students hit the stage on the day, they will compete against their peers in a fun and friendly contest scored by theatre professionals. The event will conclude with trophies and recognitions. Our reigning Mushroom Cup Champions are Jumierah English Speaking School, who had Wellington Silicon Academy hot on their heels. And our champions for Our Star Cup were our very own Dubai American Academy, with Kent College just behind them. Who will take the winners’ trophies home this season?
To stand a chance to be selected to compete in this tournament, schools must register their students for our Theatresports Workshops, please see details on page 2.
‘Theatresports is the best kind of improv training.
Period.’
-Wayne Brady
‘Teens who would despise any conventional “cultural”
performance will go through considerable hardship
to take part in our shows because impro’ is “daring”,
and because they get to practice exactly those inter
personal skills that they are so desperate to improve: communication, empathy, creativity and friendship’
-Keith Johnstone
Page 9
SCHOOL WORKSHOPS
SCHOOL WORKSHOPS - IMPROV IN THE CLASSROOM
IMPROV’ IN THE CLASSROOM
Our school workshops bring improvisation into the classroom through games and exercises appropriate to each age group. Each workshop has been carefully devised to suit the developmental stages and is taught by experienced teachers and improvisers who are selected with the course and age range in mind. Literacy Through Improvisation Improvisation and Storytelling
Years 1-6
Years 7-9
Years 1-6
Years 7-9
Years 10-12
Improvisation develops communication skills, teamwork, confidence and trust. It ignites spontaneity, improves our lateral thinking and releases the potential artist in us all. We believe that children have just as much to gain from improvisation as teenagers and adults. ‘If you don’t have to kick the students out after school, something is wrong.’ Keith Johnstone
Please contact us for our full schools workshop brochure
TEEN CLASSES - IMPROV’ AT THE PLAYHOUSE
Page 10
KIDS & TEENS CLASSES IMPROV’ FOR TEENS: IMPROVISATIONAL THEATRE CLASSES
Our classes for children and teenagers at the Courtyard Playhouse are fast paced, exciting and give teens a solid grounding in the different modern styles of improv’ that dominate the writing, acting and comedy world today. Each week students explore a challenging variety of improv’ exercises unleashing their natural creativity and humour. Culminating in a Theatresports or Maestro Improv’ showcase where participants’ family and friends are invited to watch.
CENTRE STAGE: SPEECH AND DRAMA CLASSES WITH OPTIONAL LAMDA EXAMS Classes for pupils from 5 - 17 years old encourage children to explore a wide range of drama, poetry, prose, performance techniques and drama games. They will develop confidence using various techniques and learn to express themselves through their bodies and language.
CLASS
IMPROV’
CENTRE STAGE Speech and Drama LAMDA Exams
AGES
DATES
TIMES
DURATION
FEES
9 - 11
Jan 19 - Mar 23
Fridays 3:00pm-4:30pm
1.5 Hours
1 155 AED
12 - 14
Jan 16 - Mar 20
Tuesdays 5pm - 7pm
2 Hours
1 455 AED
15 - 19
Jan 17 - Mar 21
Wednesdays 5pm - 7pm
2 Hours
1 455 AED
Mon 3:30pm, Sat 10am
1 Hour
1 130 AED
Sun / Mon 4:30pm
1 Hour
1 130 AED
Sun / Mon 5:30pm
1.5 Hours
1 430 AED
5-7 8 - 11 12 - 17
Jan 6 - Mar 19
Page 11
IMPROVISED KIDS SHOWS FOR SCHOOLS
IMPROVISED KIDS SHOWS FOR SCHOOLS
Every Friday at The Courtyard Playhouse, improvisors act silly, kids laugh loudly, and parents watch happily as a new and unique story unfolds based on the suggestions of the kids in the audience. Now this experience is available for schools, whether you’d like to bring your primary school aged students to the Courtyard Playhouse Theatre or for us to come to you, students will be a part of a special interactive, improvised, storytelling show. Shows can be tailored to link into classroom topics, areas of curriculum or stand alone special occasions. To book your improvised kids show please contact jess@courtyardplayhouse.com / 052 849 3006 Some of our favorite audience quotes are: ‘It was superb.’ - Parent ‘Everybody was SO funny’ - Kid ‘Amazing experience for kids as well as parents’ – Parent ‘It was so beneficial for the children, such a great day!’ - Teacher
THEATRE HIRE
THEATRE HIRE
The Courtyard Playhouse is nestled in the creative heart of Dubai, amongst the galleries and cafes of Al Quoz. We are located just around the corner from Times Square Centre, next door to Lime Tree Cafe and opposite Bounce. The Playhouse is available to hire for school productions, recitals, assessments, seminars and screenings. Our 70-seater auditorium is equipped with professional lighting, audio and video equipment. We have a spacious Green-Room and Foyer area and can offer tasty catering options through Lime Tree Cafe.
Page 12
WORK EXPERIENCE
Page 13
WORK EXPERIENCE
The Courtyard Playhouse offers work-experience placements for students with the desire to earn Community and Service (CAS) recognition for IB Diplomas or GCSE/IGCSE work-experience placements. Our work experience-programme can be tailored to suit the educational parameters of various school examination requirements. We have four places available per season. Students will have the opportunity to learn: • • • • • •
Stage management Scenography Working lighting and sound desks for live shows and events Patching and rigging lights Working Front of House (FOH) and food and beverage (F&B) Admin and marketing
Students on our work experience programme will be immersed in all of the aspects of running a busy theatre.
Page 14
CONTACT US
Screenings, Workshops, School Trips & Shows:
Youth Development Manager Jessica Pratt
052 849 3006
jessica@courtyardplayhouse.com Venue Hire & General Enquiries: Theatre Manager Kylie Schultz
050 986 1761
kylie@courtyardplayhouse.com Marketing and Advertising opportunities: Co-owner and Marketing Director Tiffany Schultz on 055 967 3927 tiffany@courtyardplayhouse.com
/TheCourtyardPlayhouse @Court_Playhouse
http://courtyardplayhouse.com
CONTACT US