Editorial: Autumn Term 1 2018-19

Making a difference is a major theme of this first issue of Teaching Drama for the academic year. We've been hearing about skills shortages in the backstage areas of the industry, so we've set out to explore that idea both in our Green Room debate (page 14) and in a big double-interview feature with teachers from two highly regarded backstage vocational courses (page 24). Your talented students could make a real and powerful difference to this undersubscribed part of the industry.

Then there's the difference that drama can make to the lives and opinions of young people. We've looked at the former through Intermission Youth Theatre and their work with young offenders and other vulnerable yo ung people (page 28); and we've explored the latter through a project designed to get young people inspired about politics and voting (page 27).