CURTAIN RAISER COMPETITION.
Does your school want to perform on stage at Shakespeare’s Globe?
Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank provides one of the best introductions to studying Shakespeare in schools. Following the enormous success of our Curtain Raiser Competition 2022/23, we will be giving students from at least three schools the thrilling opportunity to perform on the Globe Theatre stage. They’ll present their own devised performance responding to Romeo and Juliet, as an opening, or ‘curtain raiser’, prior to our performances of Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank: Romeo and Juliet on Tuesday 5 March 7pm, Tuesday 12 March 7pm, Saturday 16 March 2pm or Thursday 21 March 7pm.
If you are a non-selective state school from London or Birmingham, we want to hear from you! Do you have a fantastic English or Drama class or an extracurricular drama group that is excited to be showcased on a national stage?
Curtain Raiser Competition Overview
Successful schools will receive:
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- Five specialist devising and rehearsal sessions to create your devised Curtain Raiser at times to suit you – three in-school and two at Shakespeare’s Globe, led by a Globe Education Practitioner. Travel to Shakespeare’s Globe will be covered.
- The opportunity to perform a devised, 5-minute Curtain Raiser performance on the Globe stage before a performance of Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank: Romeo and Juliet on either Tuesday 5 March 7pm, Tuesday 12 March 7pm, Saturday 16 March 2pm or Thursday 21 March 7pm. Travel for performers will be covered by Shakespeare’s Globe.
- Several free tickets for friends and family to watch the Curtain Raiser and the production on the date of your school’s performance.
Key Information
What will we be asking you to do?
All we are asking you to do initially is to complete the application form and submit it no later than Friday 22 September 2023.
What comes next?
Once we have received the submissions, the finalists will be shortlisted by representatives of Shakespeare’s Globe and Deutsche Bank.
Shakespeare’s Globe representatives will contact successful shortlisted schools to arrange audition materials and book a date for a free workshop audition with a Globe Education Practitioner and a representative of Shakespeare’s Globe Education department between Monday 16 October and Friday 17 November.
After all of the workshop auditions have taken place, Shakespeare’s Globe representatives will then select the schools who will perform on stage.
Shortlisted schools who are not chosen to perform will all receive one complimentary Lively Action workshop session at Shakespeare’s Globe on a date of their choice during the 2023/24 school year.
Rehearsing your piece
Successful schools will be contacted no later than Friday 24 November to arrange rehearsals of their devised piece, directed by a Globe Education Practitioner. These rehearsals will take place throughout January, February, and potentially early March.
These specialist devising and rehearsal sessions are to support the performances on the Globe stage and will/can take place both in-school and on-site at Shakespeare’s Globe. These sessions will ensure your students are physically and vocally ready to share your devised Curtain Raiser with the crowd, live, ahead of the performance.
Additional perks
Successful schools will also receive:
- A free CPD session on how to support the performing students in between rehearsals, as well as on how to use Shakespeare as the basis for devising in your Drama curriculum.
- Free tickets for their school and the participants’ friends and family to attend their allotted performance.
If you would like more information, please submit an expression of interest or a query to our Learning Team
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