Harman Center for the Arts/Shakespeare Theatre551

The Harman Center for the Arts is comprised of two theaters - the 451-seat Lansburgh Theatre and the 775-seat Sidney Harman Hall. The Lansburgh has long been the home of DC's renowned Shakespeare Theatre Company, and with the opening of the new stage at Sidney Harman Hall, there are now two great venues downtown for an even wider variety of performing arts companies.

Since its founding in 1985, the Shakespeare Theatre Company has endeavored to be the nation's leading force in the presentation and preservation of classic theatre. Its core mission is to present classic theatre in an accessible, skillful, imaginative, American style that honors playwrights' language and intentions while viewing their plays through a 21st-century lens.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company's Education Department offers classes for young people and adults (ages nine and up). These classes provide participants the opportunity to study with Shakespeare Theatre company members and local professionals who teach topics like Playmaking, Stage Combat, Acting Basics, Shakespeare, Mask, and Improvisation. With an average class size of 15, these courses offer close interaction and individual attention. The Education Studios are located at 516 8th Street, SE. Call 202.547.5688 or visit www.shakespearetheatre.org/education for more information.

During the summer, the Shakespeare Theatre Company offers Camp Shakespeare, a two-week day camp where young people (ages 10-18) can investigate the artistry and process of classic theatre in performance under the guidance of Shakespeare Theatre Company artists. Each summer the faculty creates a unique curriculum aimed at optimizing students' physical, intellectual, and artistic development. Areas of exploration include acting, text, theatre games, movement, and stage combat, culminating in a performance for friends and family. Scholarships are available by application for students in need of financial aid.