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Foxtel marks 20 years as Bell Shakespeare supporter

4 short films will showcase how Shakespeare’s work is brought to school students across Australia.

Foxtel celebrates a 20-year partnership with Bell Shakespeare this month showcasing four Foxtel Original / produced short films.

Foxtel is the company’s National Schools Partner, which introduces Shakespeare’s work to 80,000 school students across Australia, from major cities to regional towns every year through school visits and stage productions.

The shorts include the story of John Bell who founded Bell Shakespeare in 1990 and his idea to create a theatre company dedicated to producing the plays of William Shakespeare in a way that is relevant and exciting to Australian audiences.

They also cover Bell Shakespeare’s Regional programs including their Regional Teacher Mentorship program where thirty regional teachers travel to Sydney each year to practice techniques to bring Shakespeare’s works off the page and into the classroom. The third film features a follow up to one of the teachers from the program, Kate Dyer who returns to her school in Darwin to inspire her students about Shakespeare and to produce a Macbeth performance.

The last film features Bell Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing which launches its national tour in Orange each year, and follows the creative process and the behind the scenes logistics that go into bringing a theatre production to the regions.

Fraser Stark, Foxtel’s Group General Manager, Entertainment & Music Channels said, “By helping teachers and students in Australia’s cities and its regions access Shakespeare, Bell Shakespeare does much more than develop appreciation for The Bard. By forging a close connection with potent narratives, vivid characters, as well as the virtuosity of the language itself, Bell helps teachers and students from anywhere unlock their own potential to teach, inspire and entertain. Such is the richness of the texts and the dedication of the Company to draw them from the page. It’s an honour for Foxtel to support such a fine calling and we’re proud to have done so for twenty years. We hope that our short films form a fitting tribute to our partner’s great work.

Peter Evans, Bell Shakespeare’s Artistic Director said “We are honoured to have Foxtel as our National Schools Partner, and deeply grateful for their support over the past 20 years. Our partnership is built on a shared commitment to reaching young Australians everywhere, and enriching their lives through Shakespeare’s work. It is thanks to this support that young people in some of the most remote and regional parts of Australia have enjoyed the same access to Shakespeare’s works through our education program as those in cities. We thank Foxtel for their vision in creating these beautiful short films and look forward to celebrating many more years of collaboration.”

Foxtel is proud to enable Australia’s creative communities through the support and investment in organisations such as Bell Shakespeare by promoting performers, artists and companies and institutions throughout the nation.

Foxtel has a commitment to fostering, supporting and participating in Australia’s creative industries and arts organisations and is delighted to be involved with Bell Shakespeare over the last 20 years and beyond.

Bell Shakespeare’s education program starts young students on a lifelong journey with Shakespeare, expanding their imaginations and extending their learning with their renowned in-schools program.

On Foxtel Arts:
At Bell Shakespeare Interstitials – Sydney Workshop
13/09/2019 @ 6:30pm
15/09/2019 @ 8:13pm
16/09/2019 @ 7:23pm
17/09/2019 @ 10.53pm
18/09/2019 @ 9.23pm
21/09/2019 @ 7.23pm

At Bell Shakespeare Interstitials – A Darwin Story
14/09/2019@ 12:41am
22/09/2019@ 7:21pm
23/09/2019@ 7:22pm

At Bell Shakespeare Interstitials – Launching a National Tour
13/09/2019 @ 12:39am
15/09/2019 @ 9.39pm

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