2011/2012 School Matinee Season
The Citadel Theatre/Robbins Academy is proud to share our productions and our passion for theatre with school audiences from Edmonton and surrounding communities. We offer special matinees for school groups for many of the productions in our season, and consider these to be an important and essential part of our programming. We believe that all young people should have the opportunity to experience, appreciate, and participate in live theatre.
Sharing live theatre with new audiences, be they young people or adults, requires education and cooperation, as it is a communal and participatory art form. The Citadel Theatre works to ensure that all patrons have a positive experience when visiting the theatre. For school maintees, we rely heavily on the support of participating schools and teachers to ensure students come to the theatre prepared to enjoy the production and be good audience members.
The following information is provided to help you plan for your school’s visit to the Citadel Theatre. Please read through this information in detail, and do not hesitate to let us know if you have any questions or feedback.
Click below for more information and order forms
School Matinee/Students Club Calendar
School Matinee Information and Order Form
Shar Powell
School Booking Coordinator
780-428-2127
schoolbooking@citadeltheatre.com
2011/2012 Student Matinee Season
Elementary and Up
A Christmas Carol: December 2 – 23, 2011
Starring Richard McMillan. Directed by Bob Baker and Geoffrey Brumlik. For over a decade, Edmonton has embraced Tom Wood’s brilliant adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, and the tradition continues this year for an unprecedented twelfth season. With an unforgettable story, rich cast of characters and dazzling special effects, A Christmas Carol is exceptional family entertainment.
Seussical™: January 14 – 29, 2012
Directed by Allen MacInnis. The world of Dr. Seuss comes alive in this colourful, musical production. Horton has heard a Who, and it’s up to him to protect an entire village from certain doom. Narrated by the Cat in the Hat, a lively cast of memorable characters join Horton on his adventures through the outrageous Seussiverse.
The Sound of Music: April 21 – May 20, 2012
Starring Rejean Cournoyer. Directed by Bob Baker. The Citadel’s most popular musical returns to the Shoctor Stage. Bursting with the spirit of Rodgers and Hammerstein, The Sound of Music appeals to audiences young and old.
Junior High and Up
Death of a Salesman: September 24 – October 16, 2011
Arthur Miller’s 1949 classic starring Tom Wood, Brenda Bazinet and John Ullyatt. Directed by Bob Baker. Death of a Salesman is the story of Willy Loman’s pursuit of the American Dream – the everyman struggling to keep his family, hopes, and dreams alive.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: April 7 -29, 2012
Directed by Tom Wood. Starring Julian Arnold and featuring participants of the 2011/2012 Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program. “Celebrates love in all its glory and generates wonder… Shakespeare’s great romantic fantasy.” Liz Nicholls, Edmonton Journal.
Senior High and Up
The Rocky Horror Show: October 29 – November 20, 2011
By Richard O’Brien. Starring John Ullyatt. Directed by Leigh Rivenbark. Join us for an evening at Dr. Frank N. Furter’s castle. Celebrating its 35th year, the stage version of this entertaining musical-horror-comedy is a phenomenon not to be missed. The ultimate live theatre experience – audiences are encouraged to participate. Note: mature content and themes.
Red: February 11 – March 4, 2012
By John Logan. Directed by Kim Collier. New York in the late 50s – famous abstract painter Mark Rothko has been commissioned to create a series of murals at an upscale restaurant. Is Rothko selling out? Or is this his chance to reach the commercial audience he despises? Note: contains strong language.
God of Carnage: March 10 – April 1, 2012
Starring Fiona Reid. Directed by James MacDonald. The 2009 Tony Award winner for Best Play, this outrageous comedy introduces us to two sets of parents who meet after their sons have a fight at school. An encounter that seems good-natured at first swiftly digresses into hilariously bad manners and complete comedic chaos. Note: Contains strong language.
All school bookings must be made through the Citadel Theatre’s School Booking Coordinator.
SHAR POWELL Phone: 780-428-2127 Fax: 780-428-2130 Email: schoolbooking@citadeltheatre.com
Deposit: A 20% non-refundable deposit is required to place and secure your booking.
Payment: Payment in full must be received prior to your first scheduled performance in September.
- Payments can be made via cheque, credit card, or cash.
- Cheques should be made payable to the Citadel Theatre.
- Please include a copy of your invoice with your cheque, and/or write your school name and invoice number on the back of the cheque.
Please note that demand for school matinee performances often exceeds supply, and we frequently need to place schools on waiting lists for tickets. If payment in full is not received on time, your school’s tickets will be released and sold to groups on the waiting list.
Supervision:
- For elementary students: one adult (a teacher or other supervisor) per eight students.
- For junior/senior high students: one adult (a teacher or other supervisor) per 15 students.
- Adult tickets can be purchased at the same price as student tickets for school matinees.
Changes and Cancellations: Please be as accurate as possible when placing your original order, as overbooking creates significant administrative challenges for the theatre and other patrons. Please keep any number adjustments within 15% of your original booking. If you need to adjust or cancel your original order before the final payment deadline, submit an email to the School Booking Coordinator; receipt and approval of your request will be confirmed.
Requests for changes or refunds will not be accepted after the final payment deadline, and refunds are not given for patrons who do not attend the performance.
Special Needs: Requests for special needs or seating arrangements, such as wheelchair seating, must be made at the time of booking.
The Citadel Theatre is located at 9828 – 101A Avenue in Downtown Edmonton. There are three theatres in the Citadel Theatre facility: the Shoctor Theatre, the Maclab Theatre and the Rice Theatre.
Drop-off and Pickup: Buses can drop off and pick up students on the west side of the building – on 99 Street between 101A Avenue and 102 Avenue. There is no bus parking available on the Citadel Theatre’s perimeter. Bus parking is the school’s responsibility and should be arranged in advance.
When to Arrive: All school groups should arrive 30 minutes prior to the performance start time and take their seats as soon as possible. Please ensure your travel arrangements are adequate, as school groups that arrive after the performance has started may not be admitted and no refunds will be issued. If your school arrives late and is not admitted, you may wait until intermission and be seated then. (Seating latecomers, especially groups of latecomers, is disruptive to other audience members and the actors onstage. Also, a late start to a show can create further problems for schools that have specific pick up times.)
The Citadel Theatre schedules school matinees to ensure the best possible arrival and departure times for the greatest majority of schools. However, some schools may need to make special bussing arrangements in order to attend. Please note the approximate run time of your performance (included on the School Matinee Booking Form) and ensure appropriate bussing arrangements. Schools are not permitted to leave the theatre during a performance.
For matinees that begin at 12 PM
Schools will be seated in the order they arrive at the theatre, after they check in with the ushers at the theatre doors. No physical tickets will be issued.
For matinees that begin at 1:30 PM
Schools will have physical tickets, they can be mailed, or be picked up at the theatre on the day of the performance.
Teachers and other adult supervisors must sit scattered amongst students during school matinees, with as many seated in aisle seats as possible. Please ensure that potentially disruptive students are seated near, but not on, the aisles, as well as near appropriate adult supervision. If a Citadel Theatre representative asks you to adjust your seating, please comply with their request.
Please ensure that your students are seated in time at the beginning of the show and following intermission.
If an audience member needs to leave the theatre during a performance for any reason, they will be readmitted at the Front of House staff’s discretion. They will not be ushered back to their original seat upon return to the theatre, but placed in a vacant seat at the back of the theatre, so as to not disturb other audience members.
Teachers and other adult supervisors are responsible for their students’ conduct while at the Citadel Theatre at all times.
Theatre Etiquette and Conduct Expectations
Unfortunately, incidents of inappropriate and disruptive behavior have been occurring more frequently at the theatre during school matinees, so we ask that you review the following information in detail with your students prior to coming to the theatre.
The following items are not allowed in the theatre:
- Food and drink (except that sold during intermission and/or permitted by the Citadel Theatre, such as bottled water and ice cream)
- Cameras and other recording devices (please note that taking photographs or other recordings in the theatre is strictly prohibited by law)
Basic courtesy:
- Turn OFF and put away all electronic devices prior to entering the theatre, such as cell phones, iPods, video game systems, etc. (if possible, please prevent your students from bringing such items with them to the theatre).
- Do not place your feet on the seat in front of you.
- The actors onstage can see and hear the audience during the performance – it is important that audience members not talk or move around/fidget during the performance, as this can be distracting for the actors, as well as fellow audience members.
- There is no dress code at the Citadel Theatre, but we respectfully request that patrons refrain from wearing hats in the theatre.
- School groups are not permitted to leave the theatre during a performance/before the performance is over because of inadequate travel arrangements.
Inappropriate behaviour:
Citadel Theatre representatives watch carefully during performances for inappropriate behavior, especially behavior that could endanger an actor or audience member. Inappropriate behavior includes, but is not limited to:
- Talking in the audience
- The use of laser pointers or other light or sound-emitting devices
- Interfering with an actor or the performance (tripping, throwing items on or near the stage, etc.)
Audience members identified as engaging in this type of behavior will be removed from the theatre during the performance or at intermission. The school representatives present will be notified, a letter will be sent to the school, and a note will be placed on the school’s file at the Citadel Theatre. Schools that have had two incidents of inappropriate behavior may have their school booking privileges suspended, either temporarily or permanently, at the Citadel Theatre’s discretion.