Hartford Stage kicks off summer with 20th anniversary of Breakdancing Shakespeare

Cast of Breakdancing Shakespeare 2025: Hamlet. Photo by Defining Studios.

Hartford Stage has announced the launch of its annual summer education programs, which will serve more than 300 students from across the Greater Hartford region. This summer marks a milestone anniversary for Breakdancing Shakespeare, a program celebrating its 20th year of pairing classical text with contemporary dance and original music. The milestone production for this summer will be Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

The theater organization is also operating its Summer Studio camp, a full-day summer program designed for participants between the ages of 3 and 18. Education Director Jennifer Roberts noted that the multi-decade program is designed to help students connect with classic theatrical themes while building personal communication skills and creative expression. The educational sessions welcome young people of all experience levels to focus on performance-based training.

This year’s enrollment includes youth participating from dozens of municipalities across the Greater Hartford area, including Avon, Bloomfield, Farmington, Manchester, New Britain, and West Hartford. Managing Director Cynthia Rider stated that the seasonal sessions are designed to establish spaces where local students can collaborate and experience collective art creation. Every scheduled summer program concludes with a live performance open to the general public.

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The 20th anniversary production of Breakdancing Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet will feature three performances at Hartford Stage on July 24 and July 25 at 7:00 p.m., alongside a matinee on July 26 at 2:00 p.m. General admission tickets are priced at 10 dollars and are currently available for purchase. The organization has also scheduled a Teen Musical production of Chicago Teen Edition at the main theater on August 7 and August 8 at 7:00 p.m.

Additionally, the Youth Ensemble will perform The Music Man, Jr. at The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts on July 31 at 7:00 p.m. and August 1 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets for both the Youth Ensemble and Teen Musical productions are scheduled to go on sale to the public on July 7, 2026. Complete performance schedules and enrollment inquiries are managed through the main Hartford Stage website, over the phone, or directly at the box office located on Church Street.

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Hartford Stage kicks off summer with 20th anniversary of Breakdancing Shakespeare