“As a result of such a wonderful performance, our students made me proud by their attentive and insightful comments and questions during the post performance talkback. The cast and crew made our school feel welcome by responding positively to our students’ comments and questions.”
- Sonya M. Tunstall, a teacher at City-As-School, Brooklyn
In order to ensure that students receive access to Off-Broadway theater, Primary Stages established its Free Student Matinee Program in 1995. Through this program, students attend a Primary Stages theater production at no cost to the schools and interact with professional theater artists. Following each matinee performance, students participate in a talkback session during which they ask questions and express their immediate impressions of the production. These sessions allow for intimate interaction between the actors, the creative team and the students.
During the 2009/2010 season, Primary Stages Arts Education Program will serve more than 1,100 New York City public high school students, ages 15 to 18.
Recent participants of the Free Student Matinee Program include: A.P. Randolph High School, Bayard Rustin Educational Complex, City-As-School (Brooklyn), Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Flushing High School, GED-PLUS at Jamaica Learning Center, Harlem Renaissance High School, High School of Art and Design, High School of Fashion Industries, High School for Leadership and Public Services, Independence High School, Key Academy, Murray Bergtraum High School, Renaissance High School for Musical Theatre and Technology, University Neighborhood High School and Urban Assembly for Media Studies.
If you are a teacher or principal and would like to be added to our Education Program mailing list, please contact Sue Breger at
sue@primarystages.org.
Primary Stages thanks the following donors who have specified funds toward our education programs in 2008/2009:
Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust
Colgate-Palmolive Inner City Education Fund
Disney Worldwide Outreach
Senator Thomas K. Duane
Councilman Daniel R. Garodnick
Assemblyman Richard Gottfried
Ann & Irwin Jacobs
If you are interested in making a contribution in support of Education Programming at Primary Stages, please contact Director of Development
Jessica Comas or click the
Donate Now button on the right side of this page.