Developed by NCShakes lead educators, SchoolFest study guides offer inspiring questions, ideas and activities relating to the performance and the play. Teachers will also receive a playbill following the performance.

Click here for A Christmas Carol Study Guide

SchoolFest matinee performances are exclusively for student groups, requiring pre-paid, advanced reservations. The special student rate is $15, and includes homeschool groups of two or more. Groups receive one free ticket for the organizing teacher (valid for homeschool groups of at least 15) and one ticket at $7.50 for each additional 15 student tickets to accommodate the need for chaperones.

Teachers must make reservations in advance through the NCShakes administrative office at (336)841-2273 or by e-mail to sales@ncshakes.org.

Notice: NCShakes does not recommend bringing children under the age of eight to its productions, including A Christmas Carol, unless otherwise publicized. Babies in arms are kindly discouraged. NCShakes assigns all seats for SchoolFest performances on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Signed Performances: We ask schools in need of this service to please make every effort to attend scheduled signed performances, as NCShakes is not able to provide sign interpreters at any other time. See the calendar for dates of signed performances. Please contact NCShakes' Sales Department to discuss space availability at (336)841-2273.

SchoolFest Reservation Policy

NCShakes' goal is to make as many seats as possible available to students at the lowest possible cost. In the past, we have found ourselves turning away reservation requests because we were holding unpaid reservations for students and teachers who then did not come to the performances. In order to make as many seats available as possible and avoid unpaid and unused reservations, we have adopted a system of "guaranteed reservations" which releases unpaid reservations so that the seats may be offered to other students and teachers.

We ask that you keep your reservations in the "guaranteed" status by following these guidelines:

• Each reservation will be assigned a "deposit due" date. We will hold the unpaid reservation until that date. An unpaid reservation after that date may be released to schools on a waiting list.
• Each reservation will be assigned a "paid in full" date. The remaining amount due MUST be received by the "paid in full" date, or the unpaid reservation may be released to schools on a waiting list.
• Any reservations that do not satisfy the arranged payment schedule are considered "non-guaranteed" and may be released at any time to accommodate schools on a waiting list.

If your reservation falls into a non-guaranteed status that does not mean your reservations have been cancelled. However, there is a risk that the performance you wish to attend will be sold out to schools on a waiting list before your reservation can be reinstated with payment received. At this point we will do everything we can to find you seats for another performance, applying your deposit to the new date. The deposit is non-refundable in any case.

Refund Policies
The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival does not cancel performances due to inclement weather. If, however, we fail to perform, for any reason whatsoever, we will provide a 100 percent refund to those who have a guaranteed reservation for that performance.

PLEASE NOTE:
If your school district officially cancels or delays classes on the day of your reservation, and The Festival still performs, we will do everything we can to reschedule your reservation for another performance of the same play you planned to see. If we cannot reschedule your reservation, no matter what the reason, we will provide a refund of no more than 50 percent of the payment we have received from you.

Plan Early
We urge you to plan early in order to make your visit to the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival a pleasant and valuable experience. We are available and eager to answer your questions and to guide you through the reservation process. Please don't hesitate to contact us at (336)841-2273 or by e-mail at sales@ncshakes.org.