"We know what we are, but know not what we may be"
BSSF Scholarships, are offered to students for college programmes in dramatic arts or for drama camps. The scholarships are meant to promote and to support further education in the dramatic arts. They are specifically offered to students who have participated in the Festival and are offered annually.
The BSSF organisation is a registered charity (Registration #815) in good standing. Annual budgets are prepared and annual unaudited financial statements are submitted to the Registrar General.
The BSSF Festival is a multi-day event focusing on youth, culture and creativity. It aims at stimulating a greater awareness of theatre and performance of Shakespeare’s plays. The high school students get to perform abridged Shakespeare plays in a professional theatre and technical environment. The performances challenge the students to be more involved in diverse peer groups and drama-based projects in
our community. Participation raises the standard of performance in education across the community.
What We Do
The Bermuda Shakespeare School festival, which premiered in 2008 is patterned after the UK Shakespeare Schools Festival. Students from
the local high schools have enthusiastically participated in this now annual Festival. The participating schools have been: Bermuda High School, Berkeley Institute, Bermuda Institute, CedarBridge Academy, Somersfield Academy, Saltus Grammar School, Warwick Academy,
(and the Bermuda College in the premier year). Since Shakespeare’s plays are part of the GCSE curriculum, the Festival complements
the school GCSE requirements by giving students a better understanding and appreciation of the works.
Workshops
BSSF Workshops allow the students who have participated in BSSF’s Festival and also Middle School students and their drama teachers an opportunity to access the expertise of professional theatre groups that would otherwise not be funded through the local education system.
In 2008 and 2011, BSSF brought in professionals from Pivotal Theatre (UK). In 2012 a professional actor, affiliated with the renowned Stage Door Manor in New York, came. This year Eda Holmes, a director of the renowned Shaw Festival (Niagara on the Lake, Canada) was the workshop leader. The BSSF Festival students receive a full day workshop and the Middle school students receive a half day workshop. There are 5 student participants from each Middle School (50 students). Every Middle School has taken advantage of the workshop. Further, Festival drama teachers are able to earn professional development credit by their involvement in these workshops and by attending a specialist seminar with the workshop leader.
Scholarships
History
The Bermuda Shakespeare Schools Festival (BSSF) enables local high school students to perform the works of William Shakespeare in a professional theatre setting and supports further studies in the dramatic arts.
The BSSF focuses on three core pillars to accomplish its mission: The Festival, Workshops and Scholarships.