A Noise Within

A Noise Within (ANW) is committed to creating opportunities for adult and student audiences in Southern California to connect with classic plays and to providing an artistic home for its company of resident artists. In a typical season, ANW presents over 180 performances of 6 classic plays, serving 51,000 patrons (including 18,000 students and teachers). ANW has been recognized with dozens of awards by theatre, arts, and business organizations for the high quality of our productions, entrepreneurialism, and contributions to the civic and cultural life of Pasadena and Los Angeles; our history of achievement prompted the Los Angeles Times to declare ANW "an oasis for those who love classic theatre.

ANW's community-driven program, Noise Now, includes readings, adaptations, multi-genre performances, dance, art installations, and non-traditional theatre presented collaboratively with innovative organizations working in and around Los Angeles. Many of these collaborations serve to either develop or present work that centers communities of color, including projects that reimagine white/western work through a BIPOC lens, projects that explore international mythologies, and projects that bring visibility to displaced and/or systemically oppressed cultures.Survey results indicate that Noise Now audiences included more people of color, more patrons under 30, and more low-income patrons than ANW's subscriber season audiences. Another aspect of our accessible programming is our Resident Artist Reading series, which offers staged readings of seldom-performed classical plays to the general public at no admission cost.

In a typical season, ANW's Education Program reaches 18,000 students and teachers from nearly 200 schools in 40+ school districts. During the pandemic, our staff and teaching artists were quick to adapt these programs to a distance-learning format. Our Education Program consists of a thoughtfully designed suite of transformational theatre arts learning experiences, including:a. STUDENT MATINEES & EVENING PERFORMANCESWeekday matinee performances for students feature the same professional cast as evening performances. Students enjoy a pre-show introduction, full-length performance, and post-show discussion with the artists (facilitated by our Director of Education). Based on demonstrated need and availability, schools receive flexible scholarships that can be used on tickets, transportation, and/or program fees.b. STUDY GUIDESFree, comprehensive study guides are available to educators via ANW's website, designed to help teachers bring plays and classic text to life in a classroom setting. Activities integrate analysis of themes, context, and characters with music, visual arts, and history, all aligned with California State standards.c. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTANW offers two free professional development opportunities for teachers each year. Our late summer seminar, the Educator Extravaganza, previews our upcoming season and includes workshops led by professional teaching artists. The second seminar takes place in the spring and typically centers on our annual Shakespeare production. During the pandemic, these activities happened virtually.d. WORKSHOPS & RESIDENCIESProfessional teaching artists conduct hands-on exercises and interactive analysis, allowing students to connect with the play's language and gain a deeper understanding of its universal themes. In-class workshops are one-day intensive courses; residencies are often eight-week engagements where teaching artists conduct one or two classes per week. Programs are tailored in terms of length, scale, and location to the individual needs of the school or class, and can take place virtually or through hybrid formats as needed or requested by our school partners.e. SUMMER WITH SHAKESPEAREA five-week theatre camp for students 6-18, Summer With Shakespeare gives students the opportunity to work with professional actors and technicians, gaining an appreciation of Shakespeare's verse as well as a unique exposure to a variety of classic plays. Designed to challenge young artists to be scholars and performers of The Bard, this program enhances acting and public speaking skills, builds self-confidence, and offers invaluable experience in the crafts of the theatre.f. RELAXED PERFORMANCESANW's sensory-friendly ""Relaxed Performances"" are designed for patrons with Autism and other Disorders of Social Interaction and Communication. These performances maintain the recognized excellence that is a hallmark for ANW and are delivered by the same professional cast while employing reduced lighting, sound, and a sensory friendly environment. We are committed to bringing the magic of live theatre to all members of our community and have been invited to consult with the Natural History Museum, The California Science Center, and The Huntington Library and Gardens on methodology to introduce guests to sensory-friendly experiences.