ETC Slideshow

Shakespeare in the Schools (SIS)

Our Shakespeare in the Schools (SIS) educational outreach program makes Shakespeare and other classical works accessible to Washington metropolitan area students. Because theses pieces were meant to be seen and heard, ETC teachers focus on exploring text through performance, both by professional artists and students. These works are most appreciated when they're performed, rather than read.

SIS brings theatre professionals into schools, allowing students to experience the magic of live performance and better appreciate the words of Shakespeare and other classical writers through half day workshops, long and short term residencies and teacher in service workshops.

ETC also nurtures and supports the next generation of theatre professionals and patrons by collaborating with students as peers and mentors. ETC's professional actors and teachers have been operating similar programs for more than thirteen years: four years with Washington Shakespeare Company's educational outreach company Bard on Wheels, and the past 9 years with ETC's own SIS program.

ETC offers the following SIS programs:

Half Day Workshop
One of Shakespeare in the Schools' more popular offerings. A two hour workshop that starts with a performance of several selected scenes (at the school's discretion) by the ETC touring company. The second hour will consist of an extended, hands-on workshop covering an area of expertise of the teacher's choice (e.g. text analysis, improv/paraphrase, vocal work, physical work, stage combat, etc.). The extended workshops allow the students to view Shakespeare first and then participate in some hands-on exploration of a selected scene.
Short Term Artist-In-Residency
In this program, ETC teaching artists will visit your school for workshops for 2-8 days over a period of 1-4 weeks. Workshop topics offered include text analysis, improvisation, content and form, characterization, vocal and physical work, stage combat and paraphrasing. The short-term residency is designed to offer flexibility for your school. Teachers can tailor these workshops to specifically target the appropriate content areas in their curriculum. ETC can also design workshops around classical texts currently studied in the classroom.
Long Term Artist-In-Residency
A six-week long in-classroom experience brings 3-5 ETC teaching artists into your school for workshops and rehearsals. The culmination is a performance of a Shakespeare play, where the students function as cast and crew and work alongside ETC staff as directors and actors. This long-term approach allows students to fully participate in a structured, professional environment with experienced actors and directors. They receive not only the benefits of instruction and exposure to Shakespeare, but gain experience by working directly with theatre professionals on a live production for the school community.
Teacher In-service
Teacher In-services are workshops for teachers looking to bring Shakespeare alive in their classrooms. The workshop demonstrates various approaches to teach Shakespeare, focusing on the dramatic elements and using theatre as an entry-point into the text. Teachers will participate in hands-on exercises as examples. These workshops can be tailored to suit the needs of any school.
SIS Workshops
  • Understanding text through Improvisation/Paraphrase technique
  • Textual Analysis
  • Characterization - Developing Character
  • Vocalization - Use of imagery, tone color and other vocal techniques
  • Physicality - Use of the full body to communicate
  • Comedy Workshop/Clowning
  • Stage Combat
  • Teaching Shakespeare

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ETC After School

ETC After School is an extra-curricular drama program offered at public schools throughout Arlington County. Offerings include Shakespeare, Improvisation, Stage Combat, Film Making, and Creative Play.

ETC programs strive to build the foundation for the arts community by engaging young people in the arts. ETC includes a Creative Play class for first and second graders at all its Elementary School Partnerships in order to get young students interested in the arts before they track into other activities, such as sports. Engaging students in the arts at an earlier age nurtures the next generation of theatre professionals, e.g. actors, designers, stage managers, etc, and theatre patrons.

Partnership schools reap the proven benefits of having a stronger arts program: increases in academic performance as measured by grades, test scores, attendance and retention; helping children develop thinking skills (creative thinking, decision making, problem solving, imagining and imaging, and knowing how to learn); social skills (speaking and listening, cooperative work, capacity to teach others, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, and tolerance for differences); and personal skills (individual responsibility, perseverance, self-management, and integrity). By presenting quality student performances, readings, and exhibitions, partner schools attract parents into the schools and engage them in their children's education, forging bonds between parents, schools, and communities.

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ETC Summer Programs

ETC Summer Programs is a successful summer theatre camp program in Arlington and the City of Falls Church.

REGISTER TODAY! Summer 2008 class registrations are now being accepted. Sign up today.

  • Shakespeare
  • Teen Shakespeare
  • Musical Revue
  • Summer Creative Play
  • Falls Church - One week theatre electives: Radio Plays, Improvisation ETC...

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ETC Main Stage

The ETC Main Stage program started in 1999 with Bottom's Dream, the Bilingual Spanish/English adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and ETC Main Stage followed up with another Bilingual Shakespeare production, Comedy of Errors. ETC Main Stage shifted its focus to producing shows in the Arts Partnership Program and produced five shows in 2006, Junie B Jones, an original musical based on the book at McKinley Elementary School, Music Man at Lafayette Elementary School, a spring musical at Jamestown Elementary School, a spring production at Arlington Mill High School Continuation Program by the participants and the English teachers, and a fall production of The Lorax at McKinley Elementary School, with funding provided by the The Kaleidoscope Project: An Exemplary Project for Arts Integration.

ETC Productions
  • The Lorax - November 2007 - Co-production with McKinley Elementary School
  • Arlington Mill Improv Troupe Showcase - May 2007 - Co-production with Arlington Mill High School Continuation Program
  • Greenbriar Steps Out - May 2007 - Co-production with Greenbriar and Virginia Gardens Learning Center
  • The Snow Queen - March 2007 - Co-production with McKinley Elementary School
  • That Thing Called Love - March 2007 - Co-production with ArtStream
  • The Stinky Cheese Man - November 2006 - Co-production with McKinley Elementary School
  • Arlington Mill Improv Troupe Showcase - May 2007 - Co-production with Arlington Mill High School Continuation Program
  • Celebrate the Differences - May 2006 - Co-production with Jamestown Elementary School
  • The Music Man - April 2006 - Co-production with Lafayette Elementary School
  • Junie B. Jones - April 2006 - Co-production with McKinley Elementary School
  • Guys and Dolls - April 2005 - Co-production with Lafayette Elementary School
  • The Giving Tree - April 2005 - Co-production with McKinley Elementary School
  • My Father's Dragon - April 2004 - Co-production with McKinley Elementary School
  • Twelfth Night - November 2003 - Co-production with Wakefield High School
  • Brementown Musicians - April 2003 - Co-production with McKinley Elementary School
  • Comedy of Errors - November 2001 -Rosslyn Spectrum/Smithsonian Discovery Theater
  • Rainbow Fish - April 2001 - Co-production with McKinley Elementary School
  • Henry V - November 1999 - Co-production with Wakefield High School
  • Bottom's Dream - October 1999 - Smithsonian Discovery Theater/Rosslyn Spectrum
  • King John - March 1999 - Co-production with HB Woodlawn Middle School
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream - April 1998 - Co-production with Wakefield High School

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Teacher Apprentice Program

ETC believes that creation of teaching artists is central to its mission. ETC takes performing artists and trains them on how to teach their craft.

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