Shakespeare Schools Festival is the largest youth drama festival in the UK, giving primary, secondary and special schools the chance to perform abridged Shakespeare plays in professional theatres across the UK every autumn. This year, SSF are working with 1,000 schools who will perform in one of 120 theatres across the UK. the festival is backed by a stellar cast of supporters including Alan Yentob, Jenny Agutter and Dame Judi Dench.
If your school is not involved, pop along to see a performance in which four schools a night perform four different half-hour Shakespeare plays in their local professional theatre. To find your nearest theatre in the festival, you can visit the ssf website: www.ssf.uk.com/2013/theatres
2014 is going to bring a bigger and better festival where 1,500 schools will be taking part. The festival fee is £750 plus VAT to offer professional directing workshops for teachers, cast workshops for students, classroom materials and venue hire for the performance itself. You can register your school now to join the festival in 2014 by registering your interest online: www.ssf.uk.com/2014/interest
As well as running the festival, the team offers workshops for both teachers and students which aim to challenge participants with a series of imaginative and interactive exercises. themes include an introduction to Shakespeare or curriculum boosters. For details email enquiries@ssf.uk.com or for general details about the programme.