Residency
STC Learning’s flagship program strives to transform the teaching and learning of the classics in the classroom through a dynamic exploration of Shakespeare’s canon and classical stories that use the past to help process, explain, and cope with the present.
Open to Upper Elementary, Middle, and High School classrooms.
Open to Upper Elementary, Middle, and High School classrooms.
THE EXPERIENCE
10 classrooms, 10 sessions, 1 semester
The Residency bridges the theatrical stage and the classroom. Each semester will focus on a key theme and production from STC’s 26/27 Season—A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Fall and Romeo and Juliet in the Spring.
Each participating classroom is paired with an STC Teaching Artist—active performers and master educators who love working with students—to experience the three pillars of the Residency program: acting, language, and design. Students will apply these concepts to their exploration of classical works.
Over the course of 10 classroom sessions, students will gain an understanding of theme and story through performance-based activities. Each session is student-centered, informed by Learning for Justice's Anti-Bias Framework, and will provide participants with the opportunity to draw personal connections, integrate elements of current cultural and social events, and take ownership of the experience.
The Residency culminates in a performance for the community that showcases student work. Under the creative guidance of their Teaching Artist, students will build this showcase in a collaborative and explorative manner.
Previous Residency showcases have featured the following formats:
- Performances of abridged versions of Shakespeare’s plays.
- Scenes and monologue explorations
- Staged readings of original material based on classic stories
- Poetry, spoken word, dance, and song
- Design and dramaturgical presentations
Whimsy and Woe: A Shakespearean View on Love
This year’s Residency program is centered on diving deep into the duality of love by examining two of Shakespeare’s most famous plays: A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet. Students will explore characters and engage with the text through the lens of a romantic comedy (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and a tale of star-crossed lovers (Romeo and Juliet) to understand the different representations of love. By examining the complex nature of love through a variety of contexts, students will have a chance to draw connections to the many forms and expressions of what love looks like today.
FALL 2026: Simon Godwin's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
Comedy and Storytelling
Shakespearean comedies are known for their clever wordplay, mistaken identities, and happy endings. In the fall, students will unravel the web of romantic entanglements and magical transformations of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to better understand the more whimsical side of love. Following the example of STC’s fall production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, students will bring the story to life through a variety of storytelling techniques.
At the completion of the Fall Residency, students and teachers are invited to join us for a student matinee of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
SPRING 2027: Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET
Tragedy and Storytelling
Shakespearean tragedies on the other hand are known for their tragic heroes and their flaws, catharsis, and lack of poetic justice. In the spring, students will meet Shakespeare’s famous star-crossed lovers and explore how their intense passion highlights the more woeful side of love. Inspired by the theatrical adaptation for STC, students will create their own dramatic interpretation of the play and determine if violent delights truly do have violent ends.
At the completion of the Residency, students and teachers are invited to join us for a student matinee of Romeo and Juliet.
Deadline to Apply
- August 17, 2026 for the Fall semester.
- September 28, 2026 for the Spring semester.
Want to see the Residency in action?
Check out the "Get Uplifted" segment on WUSA9 featuring Thurgood Marshall Academy's drama class performing Richard III at STC.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no cost to participate in the Residency thanks to the support of our generous program sponsors. To attend a student matinee, the cost is $5 per ticket for students and chaperones.
To make the Residency accessible to as many schools as possible, we are only able to accommodate one class per school per semester. To ensure that every student receives the support they need to thrive in this program, classroom sizes should be no larger than 30 students.
No. Students are certainly welcome to read these works, but it is not required to participate in the program. A basic understanding of plot, characters, and themes should suffice.
Teachers should work with their Teaching Artists to find a convenient date, time, and space to host their performance in school once the 10 classroom workshops have taken place. These performances typically take place in early December in the Fall and in May in the Spring. Showcase performances are usually no longer than 30 minutes.