D&T editor Claudine Nightingale reports back on all the theatrical happenings at this year's Music and Drama Education Expo and Awards.
This year's Music and Drama Education Expo (MDEE) and awards ceremony was a strange mix of old and new for me. As this is my second time in the post of D&T editor, it was also my second time at MDEE: the first was the inaugural expo and awards ceremony back in 2013. I found it remarkable to see how much the event had grown and developed in that time, and the extent to which drama had become a truly core element of the workshops, CPD sessions, and exhibition area. I was in my first week as editor at the expo but, as I was returning to the role, I also found a raft of familiar faces visiting or presenting to greet and reconnect with. Seeing the passion and enthusiasm of the teachers and practitioners attending was truly inspiring.
A key element of the event is the exhibition area. This section allows you to talk directly with publishers (such as Nick Hern Books), theatre companies (like the RSC, Vamos Theatre or Little Angel Theatre) and examination bodies (including LAMDA and Mountview Exams) about your institution's needs, and the chance to speak to someone in-person about any questions you've always wanted to ask.
Much of my time was spent managing one of the seven dedicated spaces where sessions, seminars and workshops were scheduled simultaneously throughout the day. I was stationed at ‘The Space’ – an area that hosted a range of drama-focused activities over both expo days.
It was so heartening to see almost every session at standing room only. There was a wide range of sessions, addressing a number of topics including oracy, screen-acting, mask-work and immersive learning. All sessions involved some aspect of movement or active participation, for those that were happy to do so. This created a real vibrancy, which emitted from The Space throughout the day. Laughter and keen focus could be seen on the faces of most attendees in the room at each session.
One of the workshops featured the ever-popular Patrice Baldwin discussing the important topic of oracy, and how we should all be advocating for drama's role in promoting and developing this within schools. Hywel Roberts got the first day started with an inspiring session on ‘Building Botheredness’ – a call to practitioners to reignite their passion for teaching drama and to transmit that in the classroom in a way that leads and transforms students’ learning and thinking. Hywel talked about the urgency of teaching drama in schools – it's not (just) about training up the next best actor, but it's essential for imparting key life skills to the next generation of adults – ‘drama is a rehearsal for life’.
Several sessions explored working with puppets, and the power of using masks in the classroom. Honor Haskins (pictured top left) lead a workshop in devising mask and non-verbal theatre, which was captivating. She explored the power of non-verbal theatre in teaching aspects of gesture, and how it can be used to empower students who are reluctant to participate or take on speaking roles. Tips on best practice for using trestle-style masks were also imparted along the way.
PuppetBox ran a session which showcased their neutral-coloured, cloth-made puppets (pictured top right). It was fascinating watching small groups of attendees working together to move and manipulate the puppets in various poses and movements. Facilitators Annie Brooks and Sophie Powell discussed how puppets can be a good vehicle to deal with more challenging topics in drama, as the action is slightly removed from the performer.
The Space wasn't the only location for drama-related sessions though. Across the other spaces a range of seminars took place, including ‘how to self-tape a drama school audition, ‘towards a national plan for drama and theatre education’ (presented by Dr Steve Ball) and ‘how to introduce the theory and physicality of Brecht, Berkoff and Artaud’.
My favourite session in another location, though, has to be the day 2 warm-up, held in the keynote theatre space. This spot was run by the drama practitioners at Disney, who guided me – and a huge roomful of music and drama teachers – in an all-singing, all-dancing warm up to the music of Hercules. The session offered a taster of what students might do in the workshops they offer linked to the forthcoming West-End show that launches in the summer.
The Performance Stage hosted a number of fireside chats with inspirational figures linked to the industry. In two such sessions, I was lucky enough to talk onstage with actor Jaz Singh Deol (a British actor best known for playing Kheerat Panesar on Eastenders), and American composer and lyricist Michael Mahler, whose works for family audiences include Wonderland: Alice's Rock & Roll Adventure and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
The icing on the cake was attending the Music and Drama Education Awards ceremony, which takes place in the evening during the expo. The event was a glorious celebration of all that is wonderful about arts education in the UK right now. It was fantastic to have a space to celebrate the often unrecognised hard work and achievements of educators in music and drama. We were also treated to a performance from the National Youth Theatre (below) with a scene from their adaptation of War of the Worlds.
The evening finished off with the lifetime achievement awards, and I was honoured to be able to present this year's to Chris Lawrence. You can read more about Chris and all he has done for drama education over the years here. All the winners of the drama categories are listed below.
The two days were exhausting, exhilarating and inspiring in a way that you might hope for, but not expect. Perhaps see you all next year!
Drama category award winners
Outstanding Drama Initiative
School Workshops and Performing
International Plays
Outstanding Drama Education Resource
Work In Theatre Teacher Toolkit, Get Into Theatre
Highly commended: Shakespeare Learning Zone, Royal Shakespeare Company
Excellence In SEND (Music & Drama)
Voices In The Wilderness, The Big Reveal
Highly commended: Orchestra360, Create Music
Excellence in Musical Theatre (Music & Drama)
BB Broadway at Turbine Theatre Battersea
MTI Award for Achievement In Musical Theatre Provision
Droylsden Academy, Manchester
Highly commended: Caister Academy, Caister-On-Sea
Excellence in Primary and Early Years (Music & Drama)
Satellite Opera House, Buxton Opera
Outstanding School Drama Department
Treviglas Academy, Cornwall
Drama Inspiration Award
Zelia Attzs
Highly commended: Nick O'Brien
Drama & Theatre Editor's Award
Theatre Royal Stratford East
Lifetime Achievement Award (Drama)
Chris Lawrence
Dates for next year: 12-13 February 2026