Editorial: Summer Term 2 2020-21

The summer holidays are nearly upon us, and will no doubt be very welcome, with many teachers exhausted by this most strange and complicated of academic years. Equally, some of you will be in the building over the holidays, with government funding in place for summer schools to help incoming year 7s ease into secondary school – and arts and ‘enrichment’ activities a priority. It has been a joy to read the recent flurry of reopening announcements from theatre companies across the UK, with tours, West-End and regional producing houses all planning to throw open their doors to audiences again in the coming weeks. Predictions aplenty have been filling the media in recent weeks about a ‘roaring twenties’-style boom for the entertainment industries as the nation awakes from its enforced hibernation, and I for one am ready to grasp that champagne coupe and don some beads and feathers for many joyous nights in each of my beloved local theatres. It has been a difficult if not tragic period for everyone, but the near-future really does look brighter.

As always, D&T aims to inspire, and we are turning the spotlight on to a number of innovative multi-media projects designed for a variety of audiences this issue. On pages 14-15 we treat you to news and the stunning images of HMDT Music's latest production Jina and the STEM Sisters, which blends theatre and film, arts and science in a captivating manner guaranteed to inspire students. On page 16, a multi-sensory movie from Frozen Light adapts the original concept for a theatre production to allow audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) to engage with a story using all of their senses, from the comfort of their own homes.

For teachers in primary settings, as a new collection of his works is published, playwright David Wood, once dubbed ‘the national children's dramatist’ chats to Nick Smurthwaite about theatre for 5 to twelve year-olds on page 19, and on page 20 Plymouth Laureate of Words Laura Horton tells us about a project which is helping primary school students to write plays.

While a challenging year for the theatre industry may have given pause to young people aspiring to arts careers, two rewarding and sustainable career paths in theatre are explored on pages 22 and 23: theatre marketing, and the host of backstage roles covered in National Youth Theatre summer schools.

Finally, as hinted at in my last editorial, I'm delighted to be able to announce the programme of drama sessions at this year's live, in-person Music & Drama Education Expo | London 2021, which will take place on 24 and 25 September at the Business Design Centre in Islington. Longstanding readers of D&T will, I hope, be pleased to see the return of Lucille, our enthusiastic, occasionally gin-quaffing imaginary drama teacher, who'll take you through the two-day smorgasbord of CPD goodness on pages 26 and 27.

Wishing you a successful end to the academic year and a well-earned, sunny summer break.