After two long years away, the Theatre Festival is back! From Newcastle’s Northern Stage, to The Riverfront in Newport, we’re delighted to be welcoming thousands more young people onto our stage for a thrilling celebration of the arts.

The Theatre Festival is more important than ever. Through the disruption and uncertainty of the past two years, young people have been denied vital opportunities to work together and access the arts. We’ll be giving young people these opportunities back, through our fun, active, and hands-on approach to learning.

“It’s time for young people to reconnect: to learn, play and create together again.” Mike Tucker and Francesca Ellis, Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation

This year’s Festival will see young people from across the UK taking to local, professional stages. We’re thrilled to be working:

• With 242 schools

• In 33 venues

• Across 73 performance evenings

“It’s incredible to think how far some of the students in this group have come. For example, one of our actors has a history of speech and language difficulties. To see him perform, you would never know. He’s grown massively in confidence.”Hannah Henson, Teacher, Beecroft Garden Primary School

We know the impact this work has on the young people who take part. From killer kings to star-cross'd lovers, young people get to explore the full spectrum of life’s emotion. In the process, they learn more about what it means to be human.

Comedian and Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation supporter, Jan Ravens, said it best when she told us: “I support Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation because I want every child to have the opportunity to play with and explore together the lush, complex and incredible world that Shakespeare opens up for them – ambition, conflict, jealousy, resolution – it’s all there for the taking, and those opportunities have been so limited in recent times.”

We’d love you to join us at one of these magical performances, this Festival. Find your nearest event, here.