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Into the Woods (2024)
SSF
SCRANTON
SHAKESPEARE
FESTIVAL
YOUTH ENSEMBLE
Education programs built for innovation, collaboration, and community.
OUR SUMMER 2025 EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Applications are still open for our Foundations, Designers, and Orchestra programs!
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Youth Orchestra (Grades 9-12)
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Youth Designers (Grades 9-12)
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Youth Ensemble Foundations (Grades 5-10)​​ *now includes 9th and 10th graders!
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Click on each image to learn about each program and to apply now!
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YOUTH ENSEMBLE HIGH SCHOOL PRODUCTIONS
Applications are now closed for our high school productions.
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Enrolled participants will be completely immersed in the professional theatre process from auditions all the way through to performance.
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They'll begin to build first-hand knowledge of theatre etiquette and will gain the valuable experience of putting on a show in collaboration with industry professional theatre-makers.
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Participants will also have the opportunity to access masterclasses with our versatile, international company of professional main-stage performers.
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Students will have the additional opportunity to perform in a cabaret of selected songs, dances, monologues, and scenes that are curated, directed, and acted by students in the Youth Ensemble meant to promote students’ repertoires of performance and push their creative boundaries.
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They will also have the opportunity to grow an industry based network of their own.
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Based on available opportunities, students will have the chance to serve as an associate director, production assistant, or perform in our main stage productions.
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This program is audition-only; admission is granted only for students who complete an application, interview, and audition process.
Testimonials from our 2024 Youth Ensemble:
"I loved getting to build a community and understand each other better during the process. What makes SSF so special is the team building games that help us all connect with one another."
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"All of the teaching artists were amazing company to work with and be around. All of them were great extremely helpful if you needed advice with a scene, acting choice, or just if you had something to tell them. They were very creative with work and always held a positive demeanor in the space."
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"I feel like the master classes are a unique educational experience that not many places in the area offer to students in the arts. The classes were super fun and interesting and many of them provided me with tools to better myself as a performer. The teaching artists were all super cool and nice and I learned a lot about myself as a person and performer from these educational opportunities."
CONTINUING EDUCATION INITIATIVES
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Alumni of the Youth Ensemble Productions
The Youth Ensemble is not just a summer program. The Youth Ensemble aims to engage with students after they graduate, whether they go on to study the arts or not. Our Alumni of the Youth Ensemble program hopes to utilize tools and knowledge learned from the high school programming to apply it to college-age appropriate productions with community-based messaging.
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Most recently, our college-aged alumni produced Spring Awakening, the transformative rock musical, in collaboration with our community partners the Catherine McAuley Center and Scranton Friends of the Poor. Through our talkbacks, resources packet, period product drive, and more, we hope to help bring awareness to period poverty in Scranton and use theatre and the arts as a tool for positive change in our community.
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Junior Producers
The Junior Producer position is a professional apprentice track meant for early-career artists interested in administration, marketing, education, design, direction, or producing who want to experience a "boots on the ground" approach to learning more about the craft. Junior Producers join the Scranton Shakes team specializing in a field of their choice and are integrated directly into the operations to help run our organization, and ultimately, creating their own art and projects.
HISTORY OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING
Summer 2021 saw the launch of our Youth Ensemble, a sister company to our Main Stage theatre company, of 14-18 year olds artists. In 2021, we performed the magical Peter and the Starcatcher. In 2022, we nearly doubled in size and presented Heathers: Teen Edition, as well as our first student-produced cabaret, The Player’s Piece. 2023 saw the implementation of two full-length productions, and the Youth Ensemble’s first Shakespeare production of Twelfth Night, alongside The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. We have housed over 50 students from over a dozen NEPA school districts - and counting!
In Summer 2024, the Youth Ensemble expanded to offer a number of programs for students of all interest levels, including our Youth Ensemble: Foundations program, Student Designer program for technicians and designers, and Youth Orchestra program for student instrumentalists. We now offer programming additionally for Alumni of the Youth Ensemble with college-aged productions meant to continue students' education in the arts beyond high school, which began in early 2025 with our production of Spring Awakening. Many of our alumni also go on to return to SSF to perform in our main stage, volunteer, design, and teach with the Youth Ensemble.
The Lightning Thief (2023)
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
Heathers: High School Edition (2022)
Spring Awakening (2025)
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I'm a writer from outside the US, do I need to travel to Scranton in 2021 if I win?"No. If your play is picked as the 2021 Scratch Night winner, we will produce your play without needing your presence in the US. If you'd like to come visit us at the festival to see your show in action, however, you're more than welcome to!
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I'm represented as a writer, can I apply?"Yes. As long as you are able to give us the sole permission to use your script for Scratch Night and the performances at Scranton Shakes, should it be picked, there is no problem for you to apply.
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My script is not about theme of "Ghosts", can I still apply?"We'd prefer that our scripts have at least an underlying theme of ghosts, though it's important to point out is doesn't have to be the classic person under a white sheet!!
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Why is there a fee to apply for Scranton Scratch Night?We charge a minimal fee of $5 to help pay for our wonderful script readers and ensure that we have the time and resources to give you feedback on your submission.
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Will I be able to perform in Scranton Shakes’ other shows?There may be potential opportunities for students to be considered for roles in Scranton Shakes’ mainstage productions. Please indicate your interest in your application. This additional opportunity is not included in the Youth Ensemble programming and is completely optional/separate. Students will be cast at the discretion of the director for that show just like any other professional production.
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What if I can’t afford the tuition fee?Accessible theatre is one of the founding purposes of Scranton Shakespeare Festival. If you are in need of a scholarship to cover the cost of this program, please note in your application that you are interested in being considered. Only a limited amount of scholarships are available. At this time, we regret that we are only able to provide scholarships for our high school programming.
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I'm unfamiliar with Shakespeare and don't think I would like it. Why should I perform it?Hear what our students have to say about performing Shakespeare!
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What is the time commitment of this program?Please visit each individual program page for specific time commitments. The basic schedule of Youth Ensemble middle school and high school acting programs is M-F 10am-5pm. Schedules are subject to change. Orchestra and Designer programs' schedules are subject to change based on the availability of the designers, students, and the production schedule.
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Who is eligible to apply for the Scranton Shakes Youth Ensemble?Please see individual program breakdowns above for specific age requirements to participate in the Youth Ensemble's programs.
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Do I need experience in theatre to participate?Students ages 10-15 who are passionate about learning the foundational and introductory practices to theatre are encouraged to apply for our Youth Ensemble Foundations program. This week long program introduces students to basic concepts, and is perfect for someone who can't commit to the full summer. The Youth Ensemble program is built for high schoolers ages 14-19. This program is open for students willing to commit to a full-length pre-professional production process who are looking to expand their practice. Students are encouraged to also audition for one or both of our productions. This program is audition-based and will cast based on talent and skill level. Youth Orchestra instrumentalists should be proficient in their instrument enough to perform an entire musical theatre score. Youth Designers need not have prior experience to participate.
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Is Panto suitable for the whole family?Yes! There are jokes aplenty for every member of the family.
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I want to nominate one of my students to apply. Can I do that?We encourage all teachers and administrators to fill out our student nomination form linked above, which will prompt students to receive a message that they have been nominated by a faculty/staff member from their school.
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Can I request an informational session for my students and I to learn more?Yes! Please fill out our informational session request form linked above and we will be happy to set up either a Zoom or in person meeting to talk more about our program with your students.
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How can my school district sponsor my student(s) tuition?Of course! Thank you for your donation. Please coordinate with Lizzie Gumula at lgumula@scrantonshakes.com.