Art Enrichment
Théâtre Catapulte and teenagers: a philosophy
Our team has a great respect for its teenage audience. When we create a show for them, we infuse it with finesse, contemplation, and a sense of the spectacular. We also believe that our youth audience’s interests expand beyond “young adult programming”, which is why the majority of our shows are presented as school matinees, including those intended for a general audience.
Art enrichment: building bridges between adolescents, art, and artists
This philosophy works hand in hand with an approach to art enrichmebnt aimed at making a trip to the theatre accessible and rewarding, allowing it to transcend mere entertainment in order to become a positive and memorable experience for adolescents.
School matinee ticket prices include:
- Complete study guides for each of the shows;
- Preparatory workshops offered by artists who are passionate, cultivated and engaging, and who are trained in art enrichment;
- Post-show discussions allowing students to engage with professional artists from here and elsewhere.
Each of these elements helps to make the student spectator’s experience more meaningful and more pertinent. The discussions and workshops are an opportunity for students to meet professional artists working in theatre, and give them a chance to share their questions and thoughts.
Preparatory workshops
The workshops are included in the ticket price. They are meant for groups of 30 students or less (one class), can last anywhere from 45 to 75 minutes (one high school period), and take place in the classroom. The hosts are professional artists who have been trained according to our approach to art enrichment.
The goal of these workshops is to open a conversation on the themes and ideas that are present in the works, rather than simply to inform the students about the specifics of what they’re about to see. Students will have the opportunity to draw parallels, either consciously or subconsciously, between the workshops and the presentations, which will make them even more receptive. Preparatory workshops will also serve to manage expectations by piquing student interest, while keeping them from being destabilized by any particular artistic approach (e.g.: the show’s form, or its language). By optimizing these conditions, we can thus ensure that students get as much out of their theatre-going experience as possible.