Updates!

We are nearing capacity for each of our Student Matinees for Romeo and Juliet. We will continue to accept reservations and try to communicate as soon as we can with schools. Any reservations that are taken for any dates that exceed our capacity will be put on a wait list, and we will notify schools of their confirmation status. We are thrilled by the excitement and interest in this production, and we are striving to accommodate as many schools and students as we can.

Bard to Go: To Thine Own Self Be True is open for all tour dates at present. If you are not able to schedule for Romeo and Juliet, we encourage you to consider having Bard to Go come to you.

The educational programs of the Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival are extensive and long-standing. Over the past two decades, Festival has worked hard to develop and publicize the special opportunities it has offered to Grand Valley students, and to more than 15,000 middle & high school students and their teachers. Our activities are extremely popular and heavily enrolled each season.

Needless to say, the Shakespeare Festival's connection with Grand Valley State University and its Theatre program ensures that all GVSU students enjoy both classical and contemporary theatre in the classroom and onstage. The Festival has become a key partner with the GVSU Theatre program to provide scholarships, plays, workshops and training; and also to offer presentations by internationally acclaimed scholars in the playhouse and in the University's classrooms.

The Shakespeare Festival also enhances middle and high school education in the tri-county area in two ways: by bringing the Bard directly to these schools in the form of its annual touring show, and by offering special midweek schools matinees of its mainstage Shakespearean play on campus. In these ways, GVSF reaches nearly 3,000 students each season, half of whom visit GVSU's Allendale campus for a full-length production, opportunity to meet with the cast and crew, and tour the campus if desired. Moreover, GVSF underwrites most of the cost of this activity. Schools pay only $250 for touring performances regardless of audience size, and $2.50 for the half-day matinee experiences on the Allendale campus.

Add Your School to our Email List

We invite educators and administrators to add their name and the name of their school to our email list. We will use the email list to send information about our Shakespeare Festival offerings, such as our High School matinees and our Bard to Go Tour. We will also use it to contact schools regarding other Theatre productions that would be of interest to secondary schools or home school groups and about our annual theatre day where potential students can audition or present a portfolio for scholarship consideration. Those on the email list will receive our information and updates first. 

Access the Email List form here

Information Letter for Schools about our Fall 2024 Offerings

Here is a PDF of the letter we are emailing out to schools. It is also an example of what schools on our email list would receive. 

Schools Information Letter

Romeo and Juliet

The Mainstage production for Fall 2024 is the classic young love tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. We know this is a title often read by secondary age students and taught regularly in schools. We believe strongly that the best way to augment reading of Shakespeare's work is to see it performed so that the words and characters come alive. Our production retains Shakespeare's powerful words and verse while bringing the story forward to interwar Italy and the rising tensions between the Sicilian mafia families and the rising power of governmental fascism. But at the heart of the setting is our two young lovers who desire only the freedom and opportunity to be together. The production also features Guest Artist Devon "The Sonnet Man" Glover, who will play Prince Escalus. 

Romeo and Juliet features three secondary student matinees serving schools and home schools. Performances begin at 10AM, and we will begin seating at 9:30 AM. We ask for students to arrive between 9AM and 9:30 AM. 

• Tuesday, October 8
• Wednesday, October 9
• Thursday, October 10

We regretfully announce that we are not able to provide lunch following the performance, as we have for so many seasons. The cost to do so has become prohibitive. We have enjoyed doing so and having our casts and crews be able to meet with and eat with the student audiences. In trying to retain that experience, we offer this solution. We have reserved our regular lunch area space in the Kirkhof Center. While we cannot provide the meal, we will provide the space as well as iced water and a small treat. Schools can bring lunches from their schools with them, or small groups if they wish could purchase food from food service facilities in the Kirkhof Center. We will happily assist schools if they can have lunches packed into boxes or coolers, and we can bring those to our lunch area when schools arrive so that they will be ready for the students to grab following the performance. Our casts and crews will then bring their own lunches as well and still be able to meet with the student audiences. We know this is a big change, but we hope it will not become prohibitive to schools being able to attend and enjoy our productions. Finally, we also plan to send to schools that are attending some play and production materials that we hope can be useful for class discussions before and after the production. 

We will also have a representative from University Admissions at the lunch area with materials about Grand Valley State University who can answer any questions for any students interested in more information about the university. We are also happy to discuss our Theatre program with any students interested in pursuing theatre. 

Online Reservations are open for schools and home schools to use to request tickets for our matinee performances. We encourage you to make your reservations right away as we do anticipate the performances to fill. Additional questions can be addressed to Jim Bell

Bard to Go: To Thine Own Self Be True

The always popular, energetic, flexible, and entertaining Bard to Go returns ready to travel to West Michigan area schools to perform their 50 minute production that blends different Shakespeare Scenes based on a common theme and tied to a contemporary backstory. This season features the all new Bard to Go: To Thine Own Self Be True. Like many modern teens, Shakespeare's characters are often striving to discover and define their sense of self. Bard to Go: To Thine Own Self Be True explores the ways in which Shakespearean characters gain independence, build their individual identities, and find their places in the world.  Bard to Go is a 50-minute program of scenes from multiple Shakespearean plays, and includes narration that will give your students context to the scenes and characters.  Bard to Go is especially relevant to Michigan high school performing arts standards 3, 4, and 5, which set the goals of students describing, analyzing, and evaluating works of art in their historical context, as well as analyzing the connections between the arts and everyday life.

Bard to Go: To Thine Own Self Be True tours on Fridays in October, performing in the mornings or afternoons. School's can also request to book Bard to Go for both performances on a Friday. Tour dates will be:  

October 11, October 18, October 25, and November 1  

Bard to Go is flexible in its use of performance spaces, and can adapt to theatres, cafeterias, gyms, or large classroom spaces. The production will require a space approximately 20 feet wide by 25 feet deep, with ceiling clearance of at least 9 feet. We will also need access to electrical outlets and a separate dressing area for the actors. The cost to bring Bard to Go to your school is $250.00.

Our online reservation form is open for schools to request tour dates. For additional questions about the production and booking information, contact Katherine Mayberry, Bard to Go producer/dramaturg.

Even when we are not performing a Shakespeare production, we still have a full season of interesting and quality productions, many of which might interest high school theatre groups, Thespian troupes, Language Arts classes, or other educational communities. Groups can always contact us about coordinating times to come see a production. We especially encourage juniors and seniors who are interested in theatre to contact us, arrange to come to campus for a visit, and receive complimentary tickets for them and their family to see a production. Any group or student can always email me, as the  Festival’s Managing Director, Jim Bell, at [email protected], or the GVSU Music, Theatre, and Dance Recruitment Coordinator, Bridgett Vanderhoof at [email protected], to arrange a visit.