Trinity Repertory Company

Providence, Rhode Island

Founded in 1963, Trinity Repertory Company is home to the last permanent resident acting company of its size in America. The company produces a balance of world-premiere, contemporary, and classic works during each season, which consist of seven mainstage productions that annually attract 120,000 people from all over New England. Trinity Rep has consistently garnered recognition on the local, national, and international levels. In 1968, it was the first American theater company to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland; in 1981, the company received a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater Company; it has produced four television productions for PBS; and it has toured internationally to India and Syria. The company has a strong commitment to the development of new works, having produced 56 world premieres, and arts education at all levels is central to its mission. The Project Discovery program, which brings students from grades 4-12 to the theater and artists into classrooms, has introduced more than 1.2 million students to live theater since it was instituted in 1966. Trinity Repertory Company offers advanced training to theater artists through an MFA program with Brown University, and audience-enrichment activities—ranging from post-show discussions after every performance, to in-depth articles in its quarterly magazine, to a monthly public radio program—provide adult audiences with learning opportunities.

As part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, Trinity Repertory Company will implement a wide-ranging and inclusive arts-education program called Project Discovery Plus for its production of Twelfth Night, which will provide students with an engaging learning process that brings the themes and issues of the play into the 21st century. Project Discovery Plus includes three fundamental components for each of the partnering schools: students and teachers attend the production of Twelfth Night, performed by the company's resident acting company; actors from the production will introduce students to Shakespearean text through classroom residencies; and extensive professional development opportunities for teachers will help ensure comprehensive learning experiences for students. The residencies and professional development will be free to schools that purchase reduced-price tickets to student matinees of Twelfth Night, along with the partnership with schools in underserved communities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Partner schools will receive in-class residences for up to three classes that will attend the performance. These residencies will consist of three classroom visits, providing each school a total of nine complimentary visits. Additionally, all participating teachers will receive a video study guide, featuring interviews with the creative team, as well as a copy of an in-depth, standards-based study guide for the production.

Visit them at: www.trinityrep.org