The NAC is Alive with the Sound of Students

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Over 750 children, teachers and chaperones from the National Capital region attended the student matinee performances of Archipel on December 12 and 13, 2022. © Jonathan Lorange
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45 students from Nunavut Sivuniksavut came to the NAC on November 22 and 29, 2022 for some behind the scenes engagement before seeing a performance of The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ © Sibylle Berger
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Over 600 children and accompanying parents from the National Capital Region attended the student matinee performances of HUSH: La boîte à rêves de Henry Purcell on November 9 and 10, 2022. © Jonathan Lorange
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Students from across the National Capital Region enjoyed an interactive student matinee performance of Reggae Roots on February 23, 2023. © Greg MacKay

You know when it’s student matinee day at the NAC. On those days, a quick trip to Equator coffee shop begs the question: “Do I weave my way through the hundreds of excited kids, or do I wait until later?” The caffeine enthusiasts among us will jump into the crowd and share the thrill, while others will wish their colleagues well and think fondly about their own favourite school field trips.

One thing is for sure, it is pure joy to see the crowds of students return to the NAC for school matinees after over two years of pandemic-related restrictions. This school year, more than 4,000 students from throughout the National Capital Region have attended theatre and NAC Orchestra performances—from French Theatre’s Cher Tchekhov, to NAC Indigenous Theatre and NAC English Theatre’s The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ, to the NAC Orchestra’s Reggae Roots.

After attending a performance of Cher Tchekhov, a teacher from Lycée Claudel secondary school shared, “Thank you for making it possible for our students to attend a play this afternoon, to see great theatre and meet a great author and skilled professionals. It’s moments like these that give my work meaning.”

Your generous donations to the NAC help provide fantastic opportunities like these for students and their teachers, and call up happy memories for us staff to smile over while enjoying our coffee. Thank you!

Join more than 6,500 champions of performance, creation and learning by supporting Canadian artists, educators and students through the NAC Foundation.


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