Opinion with Sarah Eastaff

‘All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players’. Except on stages across the country the players can only be seen, heard and tell a story effectively because of the people back and offstage. At the National Theatre (NT), we know that the art of storytelling is at its best when married up with cutting edge science and technology. The playwright and the director collaborate with designers to create the show's concept, and this leads to the work of the scenic art team, rigging and props departments. While the script comes to life in the rehearsal room, stage management record and manage the practicalities of this progress. During the technical rehearsal and throughout the run, automation, stage crew, lighting and sound operators come together to work closely with the director, actors and stage managers.

Sometimes, students will watch a show and leave associating the magic of live performance primarily with acting. This does not accurately reflect the breadth of careers possible in theatre, and we need to change this perception. At the NT, over 400 people work in our technical and backstage departments; many of whom loved drama at school, and also enjoyed maths, science or design technology. STEM subjects are crucial to staging theatre and it is vital that we do our part to inspire young people to explore creative careers.

There are many actors available for every role in a professional show, while the likes of technicians and prop-makers are in high demand. Many backstage roles can be accessed without going to university or drama school, with college courses and apprenticeships opening doors to these careers. The NT's Apprenticeships Scheme offers young people the opportunity to combine study for a qualification with practical work experience and mentoring from some of the best theatre practitioners in the country. Our current apprentices work across technical theatre, scenic art, carpentry and accounting, with the next scheme opening for applications in the summer. The creative industries brought in over £102 billion to the UK's economy last year, and this would be impossible without everyone from technicians to actors.

The students in your classroom may dream of standing in the spotlight or they may wonder how that spotlight was made, managed or designed. Teachers across the country are introducing students to the wide ranging roles in theatre; through everything from stage management clubs to the opportunity to light the school play. This is often the defining moment which flips a hobby you're passionate about into a job you love.