STUDENT MATINEES
Take your class on a field trip they’ll never forget! Student Matinees at the Denver Center offer creative, theatre-based learning that enriches your curriculum.
ENGAGE WITH THE STAGE
Weekday matinees for students
Students will enjoy live performances and post-show discussions with actors and our creative team. Plus, teachers can use professionally prepared study guides to connect the show to their curriculum. Student matinee tickets for Theatre Company shows are just $18-$20*, and Theatre for Young Audiences shows are $14*. Scholarships are available for most performances.
*DCPA does not charge fees for student matinee tickets. The price for Theatre Company performances in city-owned venues includes a required 10% Facilities Development Admission Tax (city seat tax).
2024/2025 Student Matinees
Prices below are all-inclusive: DCPA does not charge fees for student matinee tickets.
Hamlet
$20 | Sept 25, 26 October 2, 3
Wolf Theatre
7-12 Grade I Ages 12 and above
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
$18 | October 9, 16, 24, 30, 31
Kilstrom Theatre
10-12 Grade I Ages 15 and above
Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!”
$14 | Oct 18 – Dec 22
Randy Weeks Conservatory Theatre
Pre-K to 3rd Grade
A Christmas Carol
$20 | December 4, 12, 18
Wolf Theatre
4-12 Grade I Ages 9 and above
The Reservoir
$18 | Jan 29, Feb 5 & 12
Singleton Theatre
10-12 Grade I Ages 15 and above
The Suffragette’s Murder
$18 | March 5
Kilstrom Theatre
7-12 Grade I Ages 12 and above
Little Shop of Horrors
$20 | April 23, May 8
Wolf Theatre
7-12 Grade I Ages 13 and above
The Hot Wing King
$18 | May 7
Kilstrom Theatre
10-12 Grade I Ages 15 and above
Student Matinee Scholarships
We provide scholarships on ticket cost to Title 1 Schools. Please note scholarships are first come, first serve, and are only provided on student tickets. Scholarship allocations are based on your school’s (FRL%) Free and Reduced Lunch Percentage. Scholarships are limited and availability is subject to change.
Elephant & Piggy Scholarship Guidelines for Title 1 schools*
- FRL 95%+
- FRL 75% – 94%
- FRL 50% – 74%
- FRL 25% -49%
- $2.00 ticket
- $5.00 ticket
- $7.00 ticket
- $12.00 ticket
Theatre Company Scholarship Guidelines for Title 1 schools*
- FRL 95%+
- FRL 75% – 94%
- FRL 50% – 74%
- FRL 25% – 49%
- $2.00 ticket
- $5.00 ticket
- $10.00 ticket
- $15.00 ticket
Eating Lunch
The Denver Center has limited space for school groups to gather and eat. In nice weather, we encourage schools to eat outside in the Sculpture Park within the Complex. We do not allow schools to eat inside our lobby area after the show. Please eat outside after the show or wait until you get back to school. If you plan on bringing your lunch to eat outside after the show, please let us know in advance so we can accommodate the storage of your lunches the best we can.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available for Title 1 schools. Scholarships can be requested on your reservation form. More information on how scholarships are allocated is listed above.
Student Matinees in the News
Follow along as students from Weld County experience the thrill of a live performance at the Buell Theatre!
Learn More
Student Discounts & Offers
More Resources for Educators
Behind-The-Scenes Tours
Get an in-depth look at the Denver Performing Arts Complex venues, including the newly renovated Bonfils Theatre Complex. Or, give your students the opportunity to peer behind the curtain and find out how we turn words on a page into actors on a stage with a guided tour of our production shops.
Our Student Matinee Series is Generously Supported by Season Sponsor
Arts in Education Partner
2024/2025 Student Matinees
Prices below are all-inclusive: DCPA does not charge fees for student matinee tickets.
View our shows for 2024/25 Student Matinees below. We will have more information in the coming weeks about when these shows will be available. To sign up for alerts about upcoming Student Matinees, please fill out this interest form.
Show Details
Before the show
How to purchase tickets
Student Matinee reservations can be made online for all performances. If you will be bringing more than 10 students to the show, please use the “Groups of 10+” buttons to complete your reservation. For parties of 10 or less, please click the performance date button of your choice to complete your request.
Reservations and confirmations
Complete your registration form online to request tickets. You will receive a confirmation email within two weeks of your request and seats are not guaranteed until you receive it. If a performance is sold out, you may join a waitlist and we will notify you if seats become available.
Payments
Final payment is due at least 8 weeks prior to the performance or you may lose your reservation. Payments can be made by check, credit card or cash. You may adjust your student counts up to your balance due date. We reserve the right to cancel any reservation that is not paid in full before the performance date. Payments can be made by credit over the phone at 303.446.4829 or by mailing a check to:
DCPA
Attn: Group Sales
1101 13th St.
Denver, CO 80204
We do not accept Purchase Orders.
Refunds
Because we reserve seats for your group and do not sell them to others, we cannot issue refunds, including for changes in enrollment or for students who are absent. Refunds will only be issued if the DCPA cancels a performance.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available for Title I schools and other programs in need. More scholarship information can be requested on your reservation form.
Study guides
Our study guides explore the history and background of the play and include classroom activities that align with Colorado Academic Standards. Study Guides are available one week prior to each show opening and available by request. See study guides from previous shows.
Day of the show
Parking/bus drop off
Depending on the show you’re attending, please direct your bus driver to the drop off locations below. Buses that need to park during the show may do so at the Ball Arena’s North Camry Lot by entering via Speer onto Chopper Circle. VIEW MAP >
Weeks Conservatory Theatre (Theatre for Young Audiences)
1101 13th St.
Denver, CO 80204
Buses may drop off students at the entrance to the Weeks Conservatory Theatre located on Arapahoe St. between 13th and 14th streets.
All other theatres
Denver Performing Arts Complex
1400 Curtis St.
Denver, CO 80204
Buses may drop off students at the front of the Arts complex at 14th Street and Curtis Street.
Scheduling
Performances start promptly at their scheduled times. Please try to be at the theatre at least 30 minutes prior to the performance, and we recommend scheduling approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes at the theatre. Some performance runtimes are longer; your Education Coordinator will confirm runtime with your order.
Seating
Check in with the Education Coordinator in the lobby of the show’s theatre when you arrive. Please have an accurate student and chaperone count. After your group has been given theatre guidelines, an usher will seat you together. Seating is based on a first-come, first-served basis and will occur in the order you arrive.
Theatre guidelines
- Turn off all cell phones, alarms and any electronic devices before entering the theatre.
- Food, gum, beverages and backpacks are not allowed in the theatre. We ask that these items be left at school or on the bus. We are NOT responsible for lost or stolen items.
- Teachers and chaperones should watch students at all times. Damage to the theatre, lobby or exterior will be billed in full back to the school.
- During the performance, inappropriate talking, laser pointers and rude or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Persons asked to leave the theatre will not be refunded.
Accessibility
All performances are wheelchair accessible and Assistive Listening Devices are available. Please let us know in advance if your students will be requiring special seating, braille programs, or any other assistance to make your visit more enjoyable. Your school must provide interpreters for Deaf students, unless otherwise noted.
Inclement weather
If your school is closed due to inclement weather on the day of your performance, please notify groupsales@dcpa.org prior to the show time. We will make every effort to reschedule your school for another comparable performance, but we will not be able to give you a refund.
After the show
Post-show discussions
For most student performances, we offer a talkback with the cast for approximately 15 minutes after the play ends. Although schools are not required to stay, we always encourage it.
Eating lunch
The Denver Center has limited space for school groups to gather and eat. In nice weather, we encourage schools to eat in Sculpture Park within the Complex. If you plan on enjoying lunch after the show, please let us know in advance so we can best accommodate your group.
Tours
Can’t get enough theatre? Dive deeper into the world of the DCPA with guided behind-the-scenes tours, held on Saturdays and Mondays. On our Venues Tour (Mondays), we’ll take you backstage at the Buell Theatre, through Actor’s Alley, and around the lesser-known sections of the Performing Arts Complex. Our Studio Tours (Saturdays) give you and your pupils the opportunity to see, up close, how the DCPA’s in-house artisans bring our productions to life on stage. You’ll tour the costume shop, set design studio, prop shop, and much more!
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