A Noise Within

Founded in 1991, A Noise Within, the acclaimed classical repertory theatre company, has dedicated itself solely to producing classical dramatic literature in the tradition of rotating repertory with a resident company of professional artists. Each season, A Noise Within produces six classic plays by renowned playwrights from Shakespeare to Molière, Ibsen to Shaw, and adaptations of great literature by Dickens, Steinbeck, Dostoyevsky and more. Committed to enhancing middle and high school students’ classroom discovery of classic texts, A Noise Within develops educational programming to complement the school curriculum and enable teachers to promote literacy and cultural awareness. The company's educational programming serves a diverse population of students from public, private, and parochial schools, from the inner city to the suburbs, from middle school through college. Through ClassicsLive!, its core education program, A Noise Within has brought students into the theatre with free or deeply discounted tickets and busing scholarships, sent resident artists into classrooms for workshops, and supplied tools that enhance the theatre-going experience, including study guides, post-show discussions, and professional development opportunities for teachers. Since its inception, the company's educational initiatives have introduced nearly 200,000 students from 255 schools across 27 unified school districts in Southern California to the magic of live classical theatre.

As part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, A Noise Within presented student matinees of Cymbeline directed by Bart DeLorenzo. In addition, the company provided pre- and post-performance workshops, post-performance discussions, study guides, and bus transportation. A total of seven performances and 16 educational activities benefitted more than 1,400 middle- and high-school students from 17 schools located in California.

Once school brought all of their sophomore English students on subsidized tickets and sold out the theater. These students then returned to school as ambassadors for Shakespeare, using social media, Facebook and Twitter, to discuss their experience with the artists and theater staff and with their friends.