Looking for a student matinee performance in February-April?
Consider bringing your class to Shakespeare LIVE! at the Kirby.
Click here for details.

Derek Wilson and Greg Jackson in the 2008 Main Stage production of The Comedy of Errors. Photo copyright Gerry Goodstein, 2008.

The Comedy of Errors

by William Shakespeare

May 8, 2008

May 15, 2008

May 16, 2008

All at 10:30 a.m.

$16/student; 1 free adult ticket per 10 students.

Recommended for grades 7 and up.

Call 973-408-3980 to reserve your seats.

Download a study guide

Two pairs of identical twins turn the city of Ephesus topsy-turvy as they unwittingly cross paths over the course of a memorable, hilarious and poignant day in this, Shakespeare's first comedy. Fast-paced and physical, The Comedy of Errors is also a landmark in the history of drama—born from ancient Greek and Roman comedies, it is the direct ancestor of the modern-day farce.

The Comedy of Errors is a valuable point of comparison for classes studying any comic literature from Aristophanes to Molière to Ionesco (not to mention Shakespeare's other comedies). Amidst its slapstick humor, it also explores the nature of individual identity in passages of lyrical beauty.

Jordan Coughtry in the 2008 Main Stage production of Amadeus. Photo copyright Gerry Goodstein, 2008.

Amadeus

by Peter Shaffer

June 5, 2008

All at 10:30 a.m.

$16/student; 1 free adult ticket per 10 students.

Recommended for grades 9 and up

Call 973-408-3980 to reserve your seats.

Download a study guide

This Tony award-winning modern classic explores the brief, tumultuous life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his bitter rival, court composer Antonio Salieri, in a riveting tale of jealousy, betrayal and the mysterious power of great music.

Amadeus will enhance the study of classical music, and the culture and literature of the Enlightenment. Themes for discussion and connection to other literature include madness and inspiration, the role of the artist in society, and the psychology of jealousy.

Contains strong language.

A Streetcar Named Desire

by Tennessee Williams

Oct. 1, 2008

Oct. 2, 2008

All at 10:30 a.m.

$16/student; 1 free adult ticket per 10 students.

Recommended for grades 9 and up

Call 973-408-3980 to reserve your seats.

Download a study guide. (coming soon)

A fragile and fading Southern belle seeks refuge in her sister's home, and ignites a firestorm of passion and cruelty. Winner of the 1947 Pulitzer Prize, A Streetcar Named Desire is one of the most important works by an American master. The stormy encounter between Blanche du Bois and Stanley Kowalski is also a parable of 20 th -century American history, as the romanticized past of the Old South is swept away by a harsh, industrialized future.

A Streetcar Named Desire will counterpoint the study of any play by Tennessee Williams, as well as Southern literature by Faulkner, O'Connor, McCullers and others. Themes for discussion and connection to other literature include gender roles, fantasy versus reality, and the history of the American South.

Paul Molnar and Hayden Adams in the 1999 Main Stage production of Romeo and Juliet. Photo copyright Gerry Goodstein, 1999.

Romeo and Juliet

by William Shakespeare

Oct. 22, 2008

Oct. 29, 2008

Nov. 4-6, 2008

Nov. 11-13, 2008

All at 10:30 a.m.

$16/student; 1 free adult ticket per 10 students.

Recommended for grades 7 and up.

Call 973-408-3980 to reserve your seats.

Download a study guide. (coming soon)

Two idealistic teenagers find themselves pitted against their privileged families and a society consumed with senseless violence in one of the most tragic and beautiful love stories ever penned. An equally wrenching tale for young and old, Romeo and Juliet employs some of Shakespeare's most brilliant poetry to depict the contagion of hatred and the redeeming power of devotion.

Themes for discussion and connection to other literature include the individual versus society, prejudice and intolerance, and coming-of-age.

Patrick Toon, Tarah Flanagan and the Company in the 2005 Main Stage production of As You Like It. Photo copyright Gerry Goodstein, 2005.

The Winter's Tale

by William Shakespeare

Dec. 11, 2008

At 10:30 a.m.

$16/student; 1 free adult ticket per 10 students.

Recommended for grades 7 and up.

Call 973-408-3980 to reserve your seats.

Download a study guide. (coming soon)

Consumed with jealousy, King Leontes tears his family, his friendships and his country apart in a quest to prove the truth of his paranoid delusions. In the depths of winter, only Time can undo the misdeeds of kings and bring about laughter, new love, and a stunning and mystical reunion. Replete with music and dancing, prophecies and ghostly presences, two of Shakespeare's greatest female characters, some of his most powerful poetry (and by far his most famous stage direction), The Winter's Tale is a haunting testament to the power of forgiveness, love and hope.

The Winter's Tale will counterpoint the study of numerous Shakespeare plays, most especially Othello, King Lear, and The Tempest . Themes for discussion and connection to other literature include the public and private faces of leadership, fairy tales and mythology, and trickster legends.