RSC announce education conference, ‘Towards a Creative Curriculum’
The Royal Shakespeare Company have announced a new educational conference to take place at the Barbican this January. ‘Towards a Creative Curriculum’ will focus on the crucial role that arts and cultural learning play in young people's lives and how this can support the new Ofsted framework. Aimed at Early Years to Key Stage 3 educators, the event will feature keynote speeches from Global Teacher Prize winner Andria Zafirakou and professor of Creative Education at the Warwick Business School, Jonothan Neelands, as well as talks from various experts in the arts/education fields on how cultural learning can deepen pupil engagement and improve resilience, creativity, oracy and confidence. Delegates can expect to enrich their knowledge of arts-based learning in the classroom and learn more about best practice from across the country.
Jacqui O'Hanlon, director of RSC Education, says, ‘Leading educators and employers (including the World Economic Forum) agree that problem solving, critical thinking and creativity are the top three skills children need for future success. However, we know from our own Time to Listen research that many students feel that arts subjects are now one of the only places where they are able to develop these important capacities. There's a clear mismatch between the skills that leading educators and policymakers know young people will need in the future, and the messages and opportunities that today's students are being offered. We need to address this as a matter of urgency.’
Jenny Mollica, director of creative learning for the Barbican and Guildhall School of Music & Drama, says: ‘We are delighted to be working with RSC Education on this exciting new event which will provide teachers and educators with the tools and inspiration they need to support arts-based learning in the classroom. At a time of great uncertainty, the arts can play a unique role in helping us to create meaning and make sense of the world, providing us with essential skills to support our personal and professional development. With the new Ofsted framework now in place, this is a timely moment for teachers and educators to explore the powerful role that the arts and creativity can play in delivering a truly broad and balanced curriculum; raising aspirations and achievement, supporting emotional health and wellbeing, and giving children the very best start in life.’
To find out more and book your place, visit: www.rsc.org.uk/education/teacher-professional-development/towards-a-creative-curriculum
National Youth Theatre to hold in-school auditions this January
This January the National Youth Theatre (NYT) are bringing auditions for their prestigious company direct to schools. Available on request, the school-based auditions allow students to unlock a potential future in theatre that they never knew possible. The process will consist of a three-hour workshop followed by a one-to-one audition with an NYT associate artist. Benenden School, who partnered with two local schools, John Wallis Academy and Cranbrook School for their audition day, says of the scheme: ‘The workshop [explored the NYT ethos of risk taking, focused engagement, sharing stories, working cohesively and the development of a positive group dynamic. All candidates showed excellent commitment throughout an intensive but enjoyable morning. After lunch, individual auditions took place. There was a wonderfully supportive atmosphere as the candidates practised their speeches to each other with much encouragement from friends old and new. NYT offers an excellent training for performers, stage managers and technicians, and once this training has been completed (during a two-week summer course) members remain in the Company until the age of 26.’
In addition to school-based auditions, the NYT'S Rep Company always ensure that their performance programme is tailored to school-based learning. With this in mind, the upcoming 2019/2020 list of shows cater to the national school curriculum, featuring productions usually studied for both English and Drama at GCSE and A Level, including Frankenstein, Great Expectations and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Every year informative resource packs are provided to support the study of the productions, including classroom activities, scene studies and character breakdowns, which can be found online.
If you would like to book NYT auditions at your school, email sian.davila@nyt.org.uk. To find out more about the NYT REP's upcoming season, visit: www.nyt.org.uk/whats-on. Alternatively, you can email charlotte.spencer@southwarkplayhouse.co.uk to make a school booking.
Children's puppet theatre to open in Hampstead
The Well Walk pottery studio in Hampstead is being converted into a puppet theatre and bookshop aimed at young children. After being sold to the husband and wife team of film director Dylan McNeill and costume designer Zina Drouche, the space's upstairs area, complete with 50 seats, is to be converted into a puppetry performance space, which will host puppetry workshops, art classes and a children's cinema club. This project follows on from Drouche and McNeill's shows at children's clothing shop, Petit Pan, where Drouche created characters such as Petit Pierre and his sidekick Gedeon – two mischievous french sausage sellers who get into all sorts of trouble.
McNeil says of the shows, ‘They were barely promoted, it was all word of mouth…[but it sold out all the time. We had to turn people away.’
Despite the project's success the couple had to look for a new creative home when the shop's owners returned to France over fears concerning Brexit.
McNeil adds: ‘We started to look to reopen the puppet theatre and found this lovely space. It is full of charm and poetry.’
Planning permission has now been granted by Camden Council, with the bookshop and theatre set to open in 2020.
For more information visit: www.camden.gov.uk
New website launched to help young people get into creative careers© ANGELICA BOMFORDYoung people from local Derby schools at Open Door's Ignite at Derby Theatre – one of the Creative Careers Programme employer-led eventsFounded as part of the Creative Careers Programme, which aims to inform teenagers about the myriad jobs on offer in the creative sector, new website ‘Discover Creative Careers’ looks to open even more possibilities for young people's futures.Providing information on careers in various creative industries such as performing arts, film and television, fashion, museums and galleries, advertising and architecture, the website plans to educate parents, teachers and students about the various jobs on offer in the creative sector and how to go about working in them.In turn, the site acts as a ‘one stop-shop’ search engine for all manner of creative industries. Users simply filter searches according to individual interests, and then the site produces a personalised selection of potential roles, while also directing individuals to helpful resources, which include work experience opportunities, case studies and job descriptions.A section of the site will also be dedicated to teachers and parents, providing them with up-to-date career statistics, lesson resources and a list of useful organisations, allowing them to support the young people in their lives to fulfil their greatest potential.Acting as a collaboration between ScreenSkills, young people's charity Creative and Cultural Skills and the Creative Industries Federation, the website is a crucial step in the government's industrial strategy, backed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports.ScreenSkills chief executive Seetha Kumar says: ‘Having a single point of entry for young people to explore the jobs available – many of which they may never have heard of – is a crucial first step in securing the skills pipeline.’Alan Bishop, chief executive of the Creative Industries Federation, adds: ‘Talented and creative young people can be found everywhere, but the information and opportunities that they need to embark on a career in the creative industries can be more limited. This is wrong, and it is critical that we work together as a sector to ensure that young people from all backgrounds are easily able to access the information they need.’For more information, visit: https://discovercreative.careers
Glasgow youth theatre group Junction 25 closes following funding issues
It was announced at the beginning of September that the Tramway based theatre company was closing due to ‘funding challenges’ which have arisen in the Scottish arts scene. Co-artistic directors Jess Thorpe and Tashi Gore revealed the sad news in a statement on 2nd September, citing ‘the increasingly challenging situation with arts funding in Scotland.’
Junction 25 had been at the heart of new Scottish theatre for the past fifteen years, producing excellent productions such as Anoesis, which was nominated for a Total Theatre award at the 2013 Edinburgh fringe. In 2015, it was presented with a CATS Whiskers award for ‘an outstanding achievement in pioneering and high-quality work by young people.’
Thorpe says: ‘In almost 15 years we have achieved more than we could ever have hoped. Working with so many young artists has been a huge highlight and represents so much learning and joy for us.’
A book entitled A Beginners Guide to Devising Theatre will be published this month, celebrating the company's pioneering approach to theatre making, with the work being penned by both Thorpe and Gore.
Gore says: ‘We are so sad to be ending this chapter but excited to be bringing out the book as a direct celebration of the amazing community of creativity and exploration we have all built together.’
For more information visit: www.glassperformance.co.uk
Children's theatre engagement faces significant decline
According to a recent survey carried out by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the number of children engaging with theatre has fallen considerably, especially among the 11 to 15 year old bracket.
The annual Taking Part Survey spoke to children between the ages of 5 to 15, in order to understand the current participation and engagement of the arts across the board. Its findings revealed that the number of children between the ages of 11 to 15 engaging with theatre has fallen significantly from 58.8% in 2017/18 to 50.7% in 2018/19.
In addition, children were shown mostly to be engaging with drama while inside the school gates, with 57% of 11 to 15-year-olds saying they only participated in drama and theatre based activities while at school, if at all, meaning that less than half of English school children would engage with drama/theatre over the course of a year.
Among all arts subjects – including writing, film, dance, music, circus, arts and crafts and computer activities – drama and theatre was shown to suffer the most severe decline in numbers, noting a 8% decline in engagement.
This 8% means a double decrease in participation since the reports released the year before, which saw participation numbers decreasing by 4%, from 63.5% to 58.8%.
While drama and theatre was recorded as being the least popular arts subject for children between the ages of five to 10, participation numbers remained the same.
For more information visit: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/taking-part-201819-statistical-release
Touring theatre announcements: Ghost Stories to embark on UK tour this January© CHRIS PAYNEThe UK tour, to begin in January 2020, will be a first for the playHorror play Ghost Stories has enjoyed many exciting twists and turns including several successful runs in London's West End and being turned into a major film starring Martin Freeman. Now the highly successfully production – penned by League of Gentlemen's Jeremy Dyson and actor, writer and director Andy Nyman – is set to embark on its first ever UK tour.Following on from the play's West End run at the Ambassadors Theatre, the tour opens at The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham on 7 January. After this, the production will visit Bath Theatre Royal (14 – 18 Jan); Nottingham Theatre Royal (21 – 25 Jan); Woking New Victoria Theatre (28 Jan – 1 Feb); Aylesbury Waterside Theatre (4 – 8 Jan); Brighton Theatre Royal (11 – 15 Feb); The Lowry, Salford (18 – 22 Feb); Cardi? New Theatre (25 Feb – 29 Feb); The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (3 March – 7 March); York Grand Opera House (10 – 14 March); Richmond Theatre (17 March – 21 March); Liverpool Playhouse (31 March – 4 Apr); Glasgow Theatre Royal (7 – 11 Apr); King's Theatre, Edinburgh (14 – 18 Apr); Sheffield Lyceum (21 – 24 Apr) and Nuffield Southampton Theatres (28 Apr – 2 May).For more information and to book tickets, visit: www.ghoststorieslive.co.uk
Les Misérables announces further tour dates
© MATTHEW MURPHY
The upcoming tour will feature dates at Bristol Hippodrome and Canterbury Marlow Theatre among others
First conceived as a celebratory 25th anniversary run, Cameron Mackintosh's production of Les Misérables is now in its second year of touring. Inspired by the highly successful movie version featuring the likes of Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, the production includes hit songs such as ‘I Dreamed a Dream’, ‘On My Own’, ‘Stars’, ‘Bring Him Home’, ‘Do You Hear the People Sing?’, ‘One Day More’, ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’ and ‘Master Of The House’. Having announced the extension of its UK tour, the team have also announced the cast that will be featured in its upcoming shows.
The recently unveiled cast will feature some new faces, as well as those who have previously performed in the Mackintosh production, and will include: Dean Chisnall (Blood Brothers, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ The Musical and Shrek) as Jean Valjean, Katie Hall (Sweeney Todd, West Side Story) as Fantine, Nic Greenshields (Billy Elliot, Miss Saigon) as Javert and Ian Hughes (Torquato Tasso, Royal Shakespeare Company's A Midsummer Night's Dream) as Thénardier.
Alongside the previously announced dates at Newcastle Theatre Royal, Liverpool Empire, Southampton Mayflower, Wales Millennium Centre Cardi? and Norwich Theatre Royal, the new dates include: Bristol Hippodrome (7 April – 9 May), Glasgow Theatre Royal (3 – 27 June), Salford Lowry (12 – 30 May), Leeds Grand Theatre (23 July – 15 Aug), Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre (25 Aug – 12 Sept), Canterbury Marlowe Theatre (25 September – 24 October) and Hull New Theatre (28 October – 21 November).
For more information and to book tickets, visit: www.lesmis.com/uk-ireland-tour/tour-dates
Kay Mellor partners with Leeds Playhouse to launch £10k scriptwriter fellowship
Script writers and playwrights in the North of England are being offered the unique and exciting opportunity of a year-long fellowship in association with both Leeds Playhouse and the writer/creator of Fat Friends and Band of Gold, Kay Mellor.
The newly announced Kay Mellor fellowship will see one talented playwright spending 12 months at Leeds Playhouse where they will gain hands-on experience penning scripts in the writer's room, assessing scripts alongside the artistic planning team, as well as experiencing as much theatre as possible both inside and outside of Leeds Playhouse. The recipient will also spend crucial one-on-one time with Mellor herself, who will support the aspiring writer by providing feedback on TV scripts and helping them to create a fully formed TV pitch for the script in question.
Leeds Playhouse artistic director James Brining says: ‘Kay is a truly iconic figure: a distinctive northern voice who has been a passionate supporter of writers throughout her incredible career. We're delighted to be collaborating with her – and her production team at Rollem – to champion talented local artists as part of this unique partnership. As an organisation, we're always keen to encourage writers through our pioneering Furnace programme; to do so for both stage and screen through this dual development is an exciting new prospect. We can't wait to see the work this important new fellowship generates.’
Kay Mellor adds: ‘It's a complete honour to be partnering with Leeds Playhouse to create an opportunity for a local writer. Our mission is to find a new talent with a unique voice, perhaps someone who wouldn't normally be considered in the literary world. I'm really excited to read the submissions and then start mentoring the successful writer in 2020.’
To apply for the year-long scheme, writers must submit one script alongside a single page synopsis of the idea they would like to develop. It will run from January – December 2020 and the recipient must have written three professionally produced plays, with no prior credits as a screenwriter, though they may have a passion for writing for television.
To find out more, visit: https://leedsplayhouse.org.uk
Submissions open for Young Theatre Critic of the Year awardDo you know a young person aged 16-24 who is worthy of recognition for their writing about theatre? The Young Theatre Critic of the Year award is open for submissions as part of the Music & Drama Education Awards 2020, and will be celebrated at a glitzy ceremony in London on 4 March next year.Submissions can be made by following the link from the Awards website, and applicants must put forward a 350-word review and a 100-word biography - with the option to upload a few further supporting materials. More information at www.musicdramaedawards.com
National Theatre Collection now includes 19 titles for classroom streaming
Tom Hiddleston in the 2014 production of Coriolanus, which was staged at the Donmar Warehouse
Having officially gone live on 30 September, the National Theatre Collection – the educational streaming service created in partnership with Bloomsbury and ProQuest – now includes 19 performances straight from the National Theatre archive. Available via Bloomsbury's digital library, Drama Online and as a standalone resource from ProQuest, the productions available feature works commonly studied at secondary and degree level, including: Ben Power's adaption of Medea, Coriolanus with Tom Hiddleston in the title role, Danny Boyle's Frankenstein featuring Johnny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch playing both monster and creator, the Young Vic's production of Yerma and many more.
As of January 2020, schools based in the UK will be able to access a greater range of productions through the National Theatre Schools Collection available via Drama Online. This service will be free for state schools and complement the national curriculum, offering even more learning resources and productions for classroom-based learning.
Rufus Norris, director of the National Theatre says, ‘We are delighted to announce that National Theatre Collection has gone live in partnerships with Bloomsbury and ProQuest. This collection of iconic plays reflects the rich and diverse spectrum of British theatre over the past decades and will now be accessible to students and teachers worldwide for the first time ever. We hope that this new platform will open up the National Theatre to students, teachers and theatre-makers across the globe, whilst also ensuring that drama remains an integral part of a broad education. We would like to extend our thanks to the rightsholders of these materials who have made this service possible.’
Jenny Ridout, global head of academic publishing, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC says, ‘It is exciting to be taking our longstanding publishing relationship with the National Theatre forward in this landmark digital collaboration. The National Theatre Collection on our educational platform Drama Online gives students and scholars the world over the opportunity to study and enjoy a wealth of plays alongside the playtexts and works of scholarship in one expertly curated digital space. Drama Online exemplifies Bloomsbury's investment in creating dynamic and authoritative digital resources for universities and schools around the world. The National Theatre Collection will ensure that world-class theatre has a lasting impact, inspiring the theatre makers and performers of the future.’
For more information visit: www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning/national-theatre-collection