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The National Shakespeare Youth Festival is an annual, multi-disciplinary arts festival held simultaneously at schools across Canada. Students select one of Shakespeare’s plays and develop creative responses through the various festival categories, including acting, dance, design and film. Outstanding students progress through a preliminary in-schools festival to the National Festival weekend in Toronto (April 16, 2011).

The Festival can be organized as an extra-curricula activity, or run in English or Drama classrooms as a Curriculum Unit. When you use the Festival as a Curriculum Unit, we will provide detailed lesson plans and marking rubrics.

At the National Festival, awards will be granted to top students in each category, and we will name a Shakespearean School of the Year and Shakespearean Teacher of the Year.

Students can choose to work on any one of Shakespeare’s plays, and are encouraged to take as much dramatic license as they wish. This festival is all about putting students in the driver’s seat – we want young people to express their unique perspectives and voice, all through the lens of Shakespeare!

For a full description of the Festival categories, or for more information about the structure and outcomes of the festival, please download the Festival Guidelines. PDF

Categories:

• ACTING: DUOLOGUE SCENES: 2 students. Performance of an edited duologue from any one of Shakespeare’s plays. Time Limit: 7 minutes.
• ACTING: GROUP SCENES: 3 – 10 students. Performance of an edited scene from any one of Shakespeare’s plays. Time Limit: 15 minutes.
• MOVEMENT & DANCE: 2 – 10 students. Performance of a dance or movement piece interpreting one of Shakespeare’s scenes, themes, characters or plays. Time limit: 5 minutes.
• COSTUME & SET DESIGN: 1 - 3 students. Participants present a series of costume and set drawings illustrating a design concept for a production of one of Shakespeare’s plays.
• FILM: 2 – 5 students create a short 5 minute film in response to one of Shakespeare’s plays, themes, characters or ideas.

Process:

Throughout the process, participants are mentored by professional theatre artists.

At the in-schools Festival, our professional artist mentor will come to your school school to adjudicate each category. A select number of entries in each category will be selected to represent your school at the National Festival in Toronto (April 16, 2011).

At the National Festival, participants will present their work to a public audience, including three professional adjudicators.

Ages: Secondary students of any age.

Dates and Times:
Early Bird School Registration Deadline: November 30, 2010. Register today for discounted prices. In-schools Shakespeare Festivals – held in February & March, 2011.
National Festival – April 16, 2011.

National Festival Location:
Shakespeare in Action Theatre
Central Commerce Collegiate Institute.
(Roxton Rd Entrance – 371 Roxton Rd, Toronto)

Cost:
Schools pay a one-off $75 registration fee ($50 if you register before Nov 30, 2010). The cost per student at the National Festival level is $10.

To register your school, or for more information, please:
Complete the registration form

Phone: 416 703 4881
Email: shakespeareinaction@gmail.com