For Schools

Which schools have enjoyed Sitara?

• Teachers’ Kit
• School Workshops
• How is it related to the curriculum?
• Further Information
• Price List of Sales items

Teachers’ Kit
Free with each show booked - a comprehensive production-based Teachers’ Kit, full of activities and ideas as well as photocopiable sheets for teachers to respond to the show through listening, reading, writing, speaking, drama and art and craft.

School Workshops – PLEASE NOTE LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Production-Specific Drama Workshops

These workshops relate directly to Sitara’s latest production and are devised for children who have been to see a Sitara show.  They give learners the opportunity to further explore characters, plot and themes from the show through mime, movement, voice and improvisation.

General Drama Workshops

These workshops are unrelated to Sitara’s shows.  They are devised to cater to all ages from Reception to Year 6.

Shadow Puppet Workshops

Sitara presents its unique touring Shadow Puppet Workshop:

· A shadow puppet show written and directed by Emma Davies; lip synch and shadow puppets designed by John Barber.  This year Sitara offers Rapunzel, the classic fairytale of a girl locked in a tower by an evil witch; our usual combination of puppets, music and laughter.  (Approx 25 minutes)

· A demonstration of how shadow puppets work and are operated (Approx 10 minutes)

· Students make their own shadow puppets and get the chance to operate them. (Approx 45 minutes)

Workshops will be devised by Emma Davies and led either by Emma or an experienced workshop leader / drama practitioner

CONTACT SITARA FOR FURTHER DETAILS

How Does A Visit to Sitara relate to My Curriculum?
A trip to Sitara gives students the opportunity to discuss and evaluate a live performance which is an important part of any primary / elementary curriculum.  By watching a piece of theatre and with the help of our comprehensive Teachers’ Kit, students can discuss:

• What they liked and disliked about the performance

• How characters are portrayed – thinking about costume, voice, physical movement or gesture, music etc

• What different settings are portrayed  - thinking about how the different settings are represented.

• How this version of the story compares with other versions

• How mood and atmosphere are created. 

• How tension is built

• What different theatrical techniques are used – puppetry, mask, music, lighting, sound effects

• How the plot is structured – beginning, middle ending / problem and solution etc.

• How theatre / live performance differs from recorded / filmed productions; outlining the strengths and weaknesses of the different media

Because Sitara is interactive it also gives students a chance to participate in creating drama and for some students the opportunity to create and sustain a role.

For further information, see the FAQs.

Further Information

(Approximate) Length of Workshop

Pre-school – 1¼  hours with a 15 minute interval

Primary - 1½ hours with a 15 minute interval

Feedback

We ask that each school choose one teacher and one student to fill in a page of our visitor book.  We are also delighted to receive any students, letters or other feedback on our workshop.  We include a form teacher feedback in our Kit.  These can be delivered at our premises in New Cairo or e-mailed to: admin@sitara.com

Punctuality

Please note that the workshop needs to begin on time.  We can only hold for the curtain for 10 minutes if you are late arriving.  Please allow for Cairo traffic when setting off!!!

Absent Children

Sitara understands that there are always children absent on any given school day.  However, as the school can appreciate, if you book 60 seats and only 35 turn up, Sitara has lost the opportunity to sell 25 seats.  In addition, the discount you received was based on the number of seats you booked.

Therefore Sitara allows a 10% rate of absenteeism.  If more than 10% of children are absent the school is expected to make up the shortfall in the agreed fee.

Behaviour Management

While at the Sitara premises, school staff are responsible for ensuring that their students behave in an appropriate manner.  As the majority of your children will have not had the opportunity to be part of a theatre audience before, it is a good idea to outline expected behaviour and audience etiquette before the trip, eg.

• remain seated and quiet unless asked to participate;

• appropriate responses such as applause or laughter are always welcome;

• use of cell phones and cameras is not allowed etc. 

It should also be explained to them that only two or three children will be chosen from the whole audience to be a character on the stage.  Children sometimes find it difficult to cope with the unfairness of this but by explaining it carefully beforehand we can avoid too much disappointment.  Unfortunately in real life they will have to encounter this type of unfairness many times!!!  Even if they are not a character on stage the whole audience plays an active role in the telling of the story.

Cancellation

Sitara understands that unexpected events do occur and will treat each circumstance individually.  However, after a booking has been confirmed the cancellation fees are generally as follows:

• If the school cancels more than a week before their booking, they will not be liable to any payment.

• If the school cancels 3-6 working days* before their booking, they will be liable to pay 10% of the agreed fee

• If the school cancels less than 2 working days* before their booking, they will be liable to pay 25% of the agreed fee

• If the school cancels less than 1 working day* before their booking, they will be liable to pay 50% of the agreed fee.

• If the school fails to cancel and does not attend at the agreed time, they will be liable to pay 100% of the agreed fee.

Failure to pay the cancellation fees may affect future bookings.

In the unlikely event that Sitara postpones a confirmed booking, the following discount will be given:

• If Sitara postpones more than a week before the booking, no discount will apply

• If Sitara postpones 3-6 working days before the booking, the school will receive a  10% discount on the agreed fee

• If Sitara postpones 2 working days* before the booking, the school will receive a 25% discount on the agreed fee.

• If Sitara postpones less than 1 working day* before the booking, the school will receive a 50% discount on the agreed fee.

*Working days are considered to be 9am – 2pm, Sunday to Thursday

Payment

A school representative should go straight to the reception area and pay immediately upon arrival.  Payment should be in Egyptian pounds, sterling or dollars.  Cash only.

Welcome Pack

Upon arrival we will either take your children straight into the theatre or if they have bags or we need to wait for the previous school to leave, we will take you into a classroom area.  A member of Sitara staff will give you a welcome pack and give you an idea of what will happen next.  Please make sure your children are accompanied and do not run round the premises but move in a safe and orderly fashion

Directions

You will find a map and directions on our website – www.sitarakids.com.  If this is your first visit to Sitara we recommend sending a driver in advance to locate our premises so there are no delays on the day of the trip itself.  Alternatively find a landmark on the map and phone us.  A member of Sitara staff will either give you directions or come and pick you up. 

PARKING THE BUSES

Due to complaints from the neighbours, buses MUST NOT park anywhere in the vicinity of Sitara.  We suggest that buses either return to the school or park in a nearby parking area.  Our staff is happy to direct the buses to this area and will ring the buses to let them know exactly when to return.  We are under threat of closure from the Council if we fail to comply with this so please make sure your bus drivers understand the seriousness of this request.  For this reason, although we understand that safety is of paramount importance,

Extra Pocket Money

Refreshments, Sitara souvenirs and other merchandise is available before and after the show and during the interval.  We believe that a trip to the theatre should be a treat and offer juice, homemade cookies and icecream.  As part of our commitment to promote a healthy lifestyle we do not sell crisps, fizzy drinks, chocolates or sweets.  We attach a sample letter to parents for your use which includes a suggestion that children bring some pocket money with them in order to purchase refreshments or other merchandise.  This can be adapted as you wish.  Several schools have pre-booked refreshments and even magic sticks for their children and charged the parents the extra money required.  This has proved very successful, particularly with the younger children; the chaos of pocket money is avoided! A price list is attached at the end.

Price List

Water                                                                                     2LE

Juice                                                                                      5LE

Cookies                                                                                  5LE

Ice cream                                                                               5LE

Magic stick                                                                            10LE

Posters                                                                                  5LE

Programmes                                                                           5LE

Story CDs                                                                              10LE

Glove Puppet Kits                                                                 15LE

Magic Bean Kits                                                                    10LE

Glove Puppet Kits are just 15LE

Bags

If possible, please leave school bags on the bus.  If they do bring bags with them, we ask that they leave them in the classroom or outside the theatre. No bags in the theatre.  Children may bring water onto the premises with them.