A Student’s Guide to Performances at The Fern Shakespeare Company
Soon you will be experiencing the exciting world of Shakespeare at The Slate Theater. The Fern Shakespeare Company (FSC) will take you into a world where pretty girls, handsome guys, exciting sword fights, unforgettable romance, murder plots, wars, and fantastical creatures exist. Shakespeare’s stories will spring to life as the tales move off the page and onto the stage. “Why is this important?” you may ask. The answer is simple. The stage is the only place where the magic of Shakespeare’s world can be fully experienced. Simply put, Shakespeare wrote plays, not books, and his plays were written to be performed and not just read.
The only way to ensure that you fully experience the wonder of William Shakespeare is by your helping us with the following:
Please remember that you are attending a live show, not a movie. Unlike a movie theater, in a live theater the audience can influence what type of performance the actors will give. No two performances are the same because no two audiences are the same. Simply put, audiences that show respect for the actors by being the best audience they can be will be rewarded with a more exciting performance. You set the standard for the show you will see.
Matinee Guidelines
HA HA! or Shhhhhh?
The actors like to hear you laugh at the funny parts (Yes, Shakespeare can be really funny!). We want you to feel comfortable laughing out loud or applauding the actors when it’s appropriate. However, everyone on stage and in the audience can hear you if you talk during the performance, so please save your conversations for intermission or after the show.
Off with Your Head! Errrr … I Mean Your Cell Phone:
Cell phones, pagers, and beeping watches must be turned off during the show. It is rude and distracting to the actors and fellow audience members to have the play interrupted by a ringing cell phone, beeping pager or a singing watch. So, just turn them off. Also, walkmans, cameras, Game Boys and smoking are not permitted in The Shakespeare Tavern®. In addition, some electronic devices interfere with our stage management headsets, so any text messaging or cell phone/cameras that are used by students during a show will be confiscated and a teacher will need to get it from house management before you leave!
Stay Together
You are on a field trip to The Fern Shakespeare Company, and only The Fern Shakespeare Company. This means that students must stay in the building once they have arrived and before re-boarding their buses (or other transports). After your group has arrived, there is no re-admittance into The Inscape Arts Building
Restrooms
If possible, please wait until intermission to use the restrooms in the lobby. It’s distracting to everyone if audience members come in and out of the theater while the play is going on. It is important to note that anyone who leaves the theater while the play is on will miss a portion of the play. If it’s possible, you will be re-seated later at an appropriate time by FSC staff however please be aware that you may have to wait until intermission before you may re-enter the theater.