Information for term Theatre Arts Behind the Scenes
Application deadline, and cost information.
Overview
Click to OpenBring the page to stage in bustling London, the theatre capital of the world.
Dive into the Performance Arts in London’s vibrant theatre scene, as you write and perform a collaborative mini play. Through expert-led classes, learn how to interpret texts, distinguish between theatrical styles, and take on backstage and acting roles in your culminating show.
Meet actors, directors, producers, and writers. Get behind-the-scenes production tours of world-famous theaters and performance venues and learn about everything from lighting and design to costume and directing. Hit the town and see a range of high caliber plays and productions, from West End to Fringe.
Take in all the culture that multicultural London has to offer. Cruise down the River Thames from Westminster Abbey to Greenwich, visit trendy boutiques, taste all kinds of foods from curries to fish and chips, stroll through Covent Garden famous for its street performers, meet local teens, and so much more. Experience life outside of London with trips to Oxford University and Stratford-upon-Avon, the medieval market town where Shakespeare was born. Don’t worry—we’ll make sure you still have time for the traditional afternoon tea and biscuits!
Follow our Travels:
The Take-Aways
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REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE
Experience the Theatre Arts as a creator, performer, and audience member. Build confidence as a playwright, meet professionals in the field, and come home with the skills to put on a show.
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CREDENTIALS FOR YOUR FUTURE
Topics for your college essays, experience to inform your future career, and a Performance Portfolio to document your increasing artistic literacy and showcase your accomplishments.
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LIFE SKILLS AND NEW FRIENDSHIPS
Return with greater self-confidence, independence, and improved communication skills. Enjoy a broader worldview and friends of different backgrounds from across the U.S.
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HOURS OF EXPERT INSTRUCTION
45 -
weeks pursuing your passion
3 -
LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE
1
Location & Culture
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The Destination
Welcome to London and its legendary theatre scene with 300 performance venues in the city limits.
Often called the “cultural capital of the world,” London offers a dizzying number of options for people interested in fine art, dance, music, poetry, literature, plays, and musical theatre. There are over 170 museums, 800 bookstores, 850 art galleries, and more than 17,000 music performances a year. London is especially renowned for its theatre quarter. The West End, or Theatreland as it’s called, attracts huge numbers of visitors to sell-out musical productions and plays in its 40 theatres.
With a diverse population of over 9 million, London is a major global city where you’ll never get bored. There’s so much to soak in—the magnificent cityscape from the London eye; the many green spaces like Kew Gardens, one of London’s four World Heritage sites; the bridges, old and new, across the Thames; music, art, and markets in the streets; famous landmarks: Big Ben, the Tower of London, Parliament to name a few. And don’t forget the world-renowned museums—there’s one for every interest, especially yours!
cultural awareness
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in London.
Daily Life
Click to OpenDaily Life
Monday–Friday
Each day offers a balance between interactive instruction and cultural activities with time on your own, too. Morning classes and afternoon activities may swap places.
- Breakfast at the dorms
- Hands-on classes with expert instructors and theatre professionals  
- Lunch with your fellow Global Navigators 
- Out and about for a Cultural Activity or Workshop 
- Dinner at the dorms or out in the community 
Weekends
- Overnight or day excursions to top sites
- Quality time with friends
Check out the blog posts to discover more about daily life and excursions on program.
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Dorms, shared rooms with other Global Navigators
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1 Program Leader for every 12 students and support from local staff
Weekly Learning Goals
Week 1
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Settle into your new community, embark on the journey of taking a written script through to performance, and critically evaluate plays you’ll see at world-renowned theatres. Start collaborating with group members on your own play.
Week 2
Click to OpenThrough working on scripts from different genres and time periods, learn to interpret, analyze, and synthesize ideas for presentation and evaluation.
Week 3
Click to OpenContinue to enjoy and analyze theatre performances and put your new skills into practice as you finalize your theatre piece in groups. Stage your final performance.
Program Blogs
Click to OpenProgram Blogs
Activities
Click to OpenSample Activities

Just imagine all the fun you’ll have!
- Go behind the scenes at Shakespeare’s Globe, a reconstructed Elizabethan theatre, and discover how plays were staged in Shakespeare's day.
- Make your way through Old Spitalfields Market in the hip East End. Check out the vintage shops and multicultural kitchens.
- Take a river boat to Greenwich and walk the decks of the Cutty Sark, a restored 19th-century clipper ship. Nearby, at the Royal Observatory, find the Prime Meridian that divides the western and eastern hemispheres at longitude 0°.
- Feel like royalty when you visit Hampton Court Palace, once the home to Henry VIII. Explore Tudor kitchens, rooms used by kings and queens, and get lost in the famous Hampton Court Maze.
- Visit the stunning Victoria and Albert Museum, the world's largest museum of applied art with over 4.5 million objects, including a fashion collection that spans five centuries.
Please note activities are based on past programs and subject to change at CIEE's discretion to adapt to local circumstances and participant feedback. Our goal when arranging activities is always to enhance your experience.
Dates & Fees
Click to OpenDates & Fees
ELIGIBILITY
- Program open to all current high school students: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.
- For scholarship eligibility requirements, please check our Scholarship page.
APPLICATION FEE
$25
Program scholarships and tuition include iNext Travel Insurance, but do not cover the cost of flights. Find additional details about what’s included with your tuition.
More questions? Find answers, get application support, sign up for virtual presentations or contact us.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Costs |
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Summer Session I 2023 3 weeks | Deadline Passed | Jun 18, 2023 | Jul 8, 2023 |
$6,550 |
Summer Session II 2023 3 weeks | Deadline Passed | Jul 9, 2023 | Jul 29, 2023 |
$6,550 |