teachers’ guide to performing arts trips 2016–17 · » over 60 professional development...

781910

622353

ISB

N 9

78

19

10

62

23

53

9>

TEACHERS’ GUIDE TOPERFORMING ARTS TRIPS

2016–17

Social consciousnessKinky Boots and other theatre trips for PSHE

On tourTake your own students’ show to the city

All in oneTheatre package trips for schools

TGPAT1617_001_cover A01.indd 1 04/10/2016 11:28:52

TGPAT1617.indd 2 03/10/2016 16:34:37

Hel

en M

ayba

nks

Mon

ica

Blac

kshi

re P

hoto

grap

hySt

eve

Tann

er

Contents

EditorSarah Lambie

Editorial AssistantRebecca Pizzey

DesignerHal Bannister

Advertising ExecutiveRuth McPherson

Production ControllerGordon Wallis

Head of Design and ProductionBeck Ward Murphy

Head of SalesAmy Driscoll

Marketing ManagerAlfred Jahn

PublisherDerek B Smith

Features6 Diversity in drama

8 New York’s Olympians

10 A night at the theatre

School theatre trips14 Matilda The Musical

16 Wicked

6

8

10

Cover image: Kinky BootsCover credit: Helen Maybanks

3Teachers’ Guide to Performing Arts Trips 2016–17www.teaching-drama.co.uk

TGPAT1617_003_Contents [APPROVED].indd 3 04/10/2016 14:23:16

BOOK YOUR FREE TICKET AT www.mdexpo.co.uk

Music & Drama Education Expo returns to London’s Olympia Central on 9 & 10 February 2017. Now celebrating our fifth anniversary, the show is the largest international conference for music and drama education offering:

» Over 60 professional development sessions, spanning panel debates, Q&As, practical workshops and seminars

» The chance to learn from award-winning teachers, pedagogues and practitioners

» A huge exhibition showcasing over 130 of the leading brands in the industry

» Product launches, demonstrations, special offers and discounts exclusive to the show

» Networking opportunities with 2,500 of the brightest minds in music and drama education from over 40 countries

ORGANISED BY

REGISTER NOW

*Please note that it is quicker and easier to travel to Olympia by public transport.

FREE TO ATTEND

PLATINUM SPONSOR CONFERENCE SPONSORS SUPPORTERSMEDIA PARTNERGOLD SPONSOR

EXPO17_Registration_A4.indd 1 06/09/2016 14:35TGPAT1617.indd 4 03/10/2016 16:34:37

EditorialSince our last edition of the Teachers’ Guide to Performing Arts Trips, there has been a small furore in the drama teaching world over two of the exam boards’ decisions to allow filmed performances such as NT Live to substitute for live theatre in the performance evaluation part of their written exams. While undoubtedly this concession makes life easier for teachers and students in particularly far-flung rural communities, or those with extremely limited funds, it is certainly not quite the same thing to see theatre in the cinema as it is to see it in the flesh.

This issue of TGPAT explores options for taking students on trips not only to see theatre (page 10) but also to perform it (page 8), and to tackle that ubiquitous problem of negotiating budget, we look at ways in which theatre trips benefit students across the curriculum, and can be a way to explore ideas raised in PSHE as well as drama (page 6).

Whatever variety of school trips you choose to undertake this academic year, I hope they prove enjoyable for you as well as your students, and go without a hitch!

Sarah LambieEditor

Printed byLatimer Trend Printing Group,Estover Road,Plymouth PL6 7PY

Produced by Rhinegold Publishing Ltd,Rhinegold House,20 Rugby Street,London WC1N 3QZ

Advertising Tel: 020 7333 1733

Production Tel: 020 7333 1759

Editorial Tel: 07785 613 149 Email: [email protected]: www.teaching-drama.co.uk

Telephone calls may be monitored for training purposes

Teaching Drama SubscriptionsTel: +44 (0) 1795 592 818Email: [email protected]

5Teachers’ Guide to Performing Arts Trips 2016–17www.teaching-drama.co.uk

TGPAT1617_005_Editorial [APPROVED].indd 5 03/10/2016 16:40:53

If you want a means of discussing gender issues, vulnerability and racial stereotyping in a safe, reasoned way then take the class

to see Kinky Boots which is also, of course, a fabulous night of glitteringly good theatre.‘It’s hard to come out of this show without wanting to discuss the many PSHE or SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) issues that it raises,’ says north London citizenship teacher Adam Thorpe. ‘With the renewed emphasis on the importance of teaching British values, Kinky Boots acts as a great stimulus for some really important and relevant messages.’

Matt Henry – who is just as good playing the central black cross dresser, Lola, as Chiwetel Ejiofor was in the 2005 fi lm – will be strutting, astonishing audiences and inviting empathy well into 2017, and the show is now booking until 6 May. There are education packs for Key Stages 3–5, designed for use both before and after students see the show.

Valuable productionsThe value of live theatre for drama and English teachers is obvious. Its considerable potential as a means of raising and investigating PSHE issues, on the other hand, can be overlooked. ‘Theatre is a way to stand in the shoes of another and I think the experience of watching live theatre can be a powerful way to understand and explore difference,’ says Alice King-Farlow, director of learning at the National Theatre. ‘For example, at the National we have coming in December Love, a new play by Alexander Zeldin in our Dorfman Theatre. It explores the lives of families placed in temporary accommodation and we learn about a newly arrived woman from the Sudan and the strangers she is forced to live with.’

Or, back in the West End you might take a Key Stage 5 group to see The Book of Mormon which raises racial stereotyping and cultural differences. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

could be a good way into moral justice for younger groups, while Matilda the Musical is strong on bullying, the delicate issue of working your way round inadequate parents, the joys of reading and much more. Consider The Lion King – effectively The Jungle Book meets Hamlet – which deals with outcasts (not unlike refugees perhaps?) and the fi nding of a new identity. All of these well-established shows produce education packs to guide teachers through all this.

The Kite Runner, a new musical based on Khaled Hosseini’s best selling novel opens at the Wyndhams Theatre on 21 December and is booking into March 2017. It tells the story of wealthy Amir, a Sunni Muslim growing up in a single parent household in 1970s Kabul. At the centre of the story is his relationship with Hassan, his Shi’a Muslim servant – so there is plenty for teachers and students to get discursive teeth into here.

Or slightly closer to home, the NT has Peter Pan over Christmas and it’s always a mistake to write off this poignant, anguished story as a pantomimic romp. ‘Lost boys’ was Victorian slang for dead children, of which there were many. The only way you can remain

a child forever is by being dead. Some children still die (statistically every 21st-century child will lose a school fellow or two at some point during their childhood and teens) and Peter Pan is a good way of facing that. Then there’s the boyish culture – and plenty of evidence that Peter would never have been the marrying sort whatever the circumstances. It would be worth discussing J.M. Barrie’s life and the circumstances which led to the writing of Peter Pan along with the piece’s very unusual status as literature – all royalties go to Great Ormond Street Hospital and the copyright is permanent.

Other current tours with PHSE relevance include A Room With a View, adapted by Simon Reade and starring Felicity Kendal (feminism, male celibacy, gay issues and more), perennial The Woman in Black (fears and demons) and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s Pride and Prejudice (for marriage and female assertiveness).

Breaking down stereotypesIt’s also educative for students to see a diverse range of performers in any sort of show because it helps to break down stereotypes. ‘Nothing is more powerful and empowering for the next generation than to experience culturally diverse performances in the fl esh,’ says Steve Green, artistic director of training company Fourth Monkey. Cross-gender casting is a good example. This autumn Glenda Jackson is playing the title role in King Lear at the Old Vic – a pretty spectacular theatrical comeback after many years of working not as an actor but as a politician. Tamsin Grieg is to play a female Malvolio (Malvolia) in a new version of Twelfth Night at the NT.

Look out for ‘colour blind’ casting for the same reason. The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar – full of SMSC issues however you cast it – is due

6 www.teaching-drama.co.ukTeachers’ Guide to Performing Arts Trips 2016–17 www.teaching-drama.co.uk

Theatre is a powerful tool for communicating diversity issues to younger people – from gender and age to race and sexuality. Susan Elkin shares the ways theatre can be used in PSHE to stimulate discussion and inspire change

Diversity in drama

TGPAT1617_006-007_PSHE [APPROVED].indd 6 04/10/2016 14:24:16

could be a good way into moral justice for younger groups, while Matilda the Musical is strong on bullying, the delicate issue of working your way round inadequate parents, the joys of reading and much more. Consider The Lion King – effectively The Jungle Book meets Hamlet – which deals with outcasts (not unlike refugees perhaps?) and the finding of a new identity. All of these well-established shows produce education packs to guide teachers through all this.

The Kite Runner, a new musical based on Khaled Hosseini’s best selling novel opens at the Wyndhams Theatre on 21 December and is booking into March 2017. It tells the story of wealthy Amir, a Sunni Muslim growing up in a single parent household in 1970s Kabul. At the centre of the story is his relationship with Hassan, his Shi’a Muslim servant – so there is plenty for teachers and students to get discursive teeth into here.

Or slightly closer to home, the NT has Peter Pan over Christmas and it’s always a mistake to write off this poignant, anguished story as a pantomimic romp. ‘Lost boys’ was Victorian slang for dead children, of which there were many. The only way you can remain

a child forever is by being dead. Some children still die (statistically every 21st-century child will lose a school fellow or two at some point during their childhood and teens) and Peter Pan is a good way of facing that. Then there’s the boyish culture – and plenty of evidence that Peter would never have been the marrying sort whatever the circumstances. It would be worth discussing J.M. Barrie’s life and the circumstances which led to the writing of Peter Pan along with the piece’s very unusual status as literature – all royalties go to Great Ormond Street Hospital and the copyright is permanent.

Other current tours with PHSE relevance include A Room With a View, adapted by Simon Reade and starring Felicity Kendal (feminism, male celibacy, gay issues and more), perennial The Woman in Black (fears and demons) and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s Pride and Prejudice (for marriage and female assertiveness).

Breaking down stereotypesIt’s also educative for students to see a diverse range of performers in any sort of show because it helps to break down stereotypes. ‘Nothing is more powerful and empowering for the next generation than to experience culturally diverse performances in the flesh,’ says Steve Green, artistic director of training company Fourth Monkey. Cross-gender casting is a good example. This autumn Glenda Jackson is playing the title role in King Lear at the Old Vic – a pretty spectacular theatrical comeback after many years of working not as an actor but as a politician. Tamsin Grieg is to play a female Malvolio (Malvolia) in a new version of Twelfth Night at the NT.

Look out for ‘colour blind’ casting for the same reason. The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar – full of SMSC issues however you cast it – is due

to transfer into the West End soon, although details have not been announced at the time of writing. It has a gloriously diverse cast including Tyrone Huntley, who happens to be black, as Judas – and it’s an utterly outstanding performance.

Next summer Fourth Monkey is collaborating with Cinelive on a large scale piece of theatre in Canterbury in response to Virginia Woolf’s Orlando which famously confronts transgender issues. ‘The work will be delivered from a cultural, biological and historical perspective,’ says Green, adding that his company regards gender- and race-blind casting as a signature of its work.

Then there’s NT Connections, an ongoing project which commissions new plays, all then published in anthologies for study – or, if rights are available, performance. King-Farlow says that, ‘One which springs to mind in this context is Evan Placey’s Pronoun about a transgender teenager,’ which by May 2014 had already been seen by thousands of teenagers across the country during the regional NT Connections Festivals. Look out for performances of it.

Theatre is a cross-curricular resource and definitely not the exclusive province of English and drama teachers. It might be easier, in some schools, to get trips arranged to more theatres more often if departments – especially PSHE, RE, citizenship and so on – recognised these overlaps and collaborated freely.

It’s educative for students to see a diverse

range of performers in any sort of show because

it helps to break down stereotypes

www.teaching-drama.co.uk 7Teachers’ Guide to Performing Arts Trips 2016–17www.teaching-drama.co.uk

Theatre is a powerful tool for communicating diversity issues to younger people – from gender and age to race and sexuality. Susan Elkin shares the ways theatre can be used in PSHE to stimulate discussion and inspire change

Diversity in drama

Glenda Jackson as the titular character in the Old Vic’s King Lear

TGPAT1617_006-007_PSHE [APPROVED].indd 7 04/10/2016 14:24:19

I’m just another tired warrior with a story to tell. I’m the drama director at a Title 1 campus in Houston, Texas, where many of

my students are economically disadvantaged and culturally diverse. Almost three years ago I pitched an insane idea to my school district’s ‘big wigs’: I wanted to fl y a group of 25 from Houston to New York to perform on an Off-Broadway stage. Crazy, right? But possible.

The get-goIt all started with permission. After a few rather delicate meetings, somehow the stars aligned and the powers that be gave my ambitious project the green light. In the blink of an eye, auditions were scheduled for a play that wasn’t

exactly fi nished – an original play that still had the fi nal scene written on the back of a hall pass somewhere in a desk drawer that I had lost the key to.

At that juncture, things were going semi-swimmingly and I loved my dark comedy Twisted Olympus – but I knew I had another hurdle to clear: the kids. They had to buy into my vision and ‘tweens’ can be a notoriously brutal audience.

I needed to start with Huan, our then leader. Huan Tran was my Finn Hudson that year, and I knew he would be a crucial piece to the Broadway puzzle. Fun fact: Huan Tran autocorrects to ‘human trash’ if you type it into Microsoft Word. Hilarious, yet tragic. I knew I had to get Human Trash on board with Twisted Olympus; our conversation went a little like this: ‘Huan! I have an idea!’ ‘Another play, Brandner?’ ‘Yes! There’s a savage fi ght, kissing scenes, and even one curse word.’ ‘What’s the story about?’ ‘The fall of the Olympic Gods and their absurd attempt to … recover their swag.’ ‘When are we going to perform it?’ ‘August 2016. On an Off-Broadway stage. In Times Square.’ ‘Take a sick day, Brandner. You clearly have a fever … But if we do go, I want a window seat on the plane.’ ‘Who said you get to be in it?’ ‘That’s cold, Brandner.’

Dozens of fundraisers, rehearsals and parent meetings later, Southwest Airlines fi nally called our boarding group. We were going to take a bite out of the Big Apple. And Huan did get to go – he earned a lead role, in fact (as for the window seat, I’m not so sure).

Completing the puzzleThe performance on 10 August at the 777 Theatre was our strongest show despite a plethora of pre-show technical glitches. A stage manager saved us not eight hours before curtain; sounds about right, doesn’t it? Please hug a stage manager today. They deserve it. After the fi nal blackout, I felt overwhelming relief and incredible pride for my Olympians. As expected, the magic of the theatre was alive and well on 8th Avenue in Manhattan that night.

But let’s not fl y too far ahead, Elphaba. This feature is intended to assist other teachers who may want to take this ‘Broadway formula’ and run with it. Here’s the behind-the-scenes information you’ll need to be aware of when planning your own trip.

The cost of the trip was approximately $1,400 per student. That price included round trip airfare, fi ve nights in a Manhattan hotel, a Broadway show, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, hotel security for both the boys’


The trip to New York took about three years

to organise

The words ‘Broadway’ and ‘West End’ seldom mix with ‘school’ or ‘students’ unless you’re taking a class to see a show. Adam Brandner shares how he took a group of disadvantaged kids from Houston to act on one of New York’s biggest stages, and how you too can conquer Olympian heights

New York’s Olympians

Monica Blackshire Photography

TGPAT1617_008-009_Houston to NYC [SL PROOF].indd 8 04/10/2016 14:26:09

exactly finished – an original play that still had the final scene written on the back of a hall pass somewhere in a desk drawer that I had lost the key to.

At that juncture, things were going semi-swimmingly and I loved my dark comedy Twisted Olympus – but I knew I had another hurdle to clear: the kids. They had to buy into my vision and ‘tweens’ can be a notoriously brutal audience.

I needed to start with Huan, our then leader. Huan Tran was my Finn Hudson that year, and I knew he would be a crucial piece to the Broadway puzzle. Fun fact: Huan Tran autocorrects to ‘human trash’ if you type it into Microsoft Word. Hilarious, yet tragic. I knew I had to get Human Trash on board with Twisted Olympus; our conversation went a little like this: ‘Huan! I have an idea!’ ‘Another play, Brandner?’ ‘Yes! There’s a savage fight, kissing scenes, and even one curse word.’ ‘What’s the story about?’ ‘The fall of the Olympic Gods and their absurd attempt to … recover their swag.’ ‘When are we going to perform it?’ ‘August 2016. On an Off-Broadway stage. In Times Square.’ ‘Take a sick day, Brandner. You clearly have a fever … But if we do go, I want a window seat on the plane.’ ‘Who said you get to be in it?’ ‘That’s cold, Brandner.’

Dozens of fundraisers, rehearsals and parent meetings later, Southwest Airlines finally called our boarding group. We were going to take a bite out of the Big Apple. And Huan did get to go – he earned a lead role, in fact (as for the window seat, I’m not so sure).

Completing the puzzleThe performance on 10 August at the 777 Theatre was our strongest show despite a plethora of pre-show technical glitches. A stage manager saved us not eight hours before curtain; sounds about right, doesn’t it? Please hug a stage manager today. They deserve it. After the final blackout, I felt overwhelming relief and incredible pride for my Olympians. As expected, the magic of the theatre was alive and well on 8th Avenue in Manhattan that night.

But let’s not fly too far ahead, Elphaba. This feature is intended to assist other teachers who may want to take this ‘Broadway formula’ and run with it. Here’s the behind-the-scenes information you’ll need to be aware of when planning your own trip.

The cost of the trip was approximately $1,400 per student. That price included round trip airfare, five nights in a Manhattan hotel, a Broadway show, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, hotel security for both the boys’

and the girls’ floors, the prop/set truck, the rental cost of the theatre ($1,500 a day/night) and each student’s portion of the $1,000,000 liability insurance that the theatre/district required. Prices will, of course, vary according to your country; in the West End, theatres typically charge per hour, and can be anything from £1000 per hour upwards. Off-West End and fringe theatres will be cheaper – especially outside of London, though many don’t advertise their prices until you contact them with your timings and intentions. Food and production costs were not included in the package price and fundraised separately. I highly recommend using an approved travel agency for your own sanity.

Parent meetings were a crucial part of this process. The auditions were open to every high school and middle school in our area, and although many of our cast members were my own former students, a handful were not. The parents of the new cast members needed to know that their children (ages 12–18) were going to be taken care of; as such, these meetings were as much about the trip as they were about me presenting myself as a prepared, organized, cautious, protective and quick-thinking leader. My youth caught a few skeptical eyes, but in the end, I was trusted – and while this part of the process was exceedingly challenging, I would do it all again. The trip taught students about more than just theatre: it taught them about responsibility, budgeting and collaboration. It was so much more than a show; it was an experience.

Our trip wasn’t all about business; we scheduled two days after our show closed to explore the concrete jungle, with our agenda including Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, Aladdin on Broadway, Central Park and a city bus tour.

The students were all brilliant sports; some only brought $60 with them and still gave change to people on the streets. They weren’t even alive during 9/11 but they whispered in the museum without being prompted. They turned long airport delays into a group bonding session. There were so many times I thought my project would evaporate into nothing – but we did it. We are now, and forever will be, Olympians.

www.twistedolympus.com


The words ‘Broadway’ and ‘West End’ seldom mix with ‘school’ or ‘students’ unless you’re taking a class to see a show. Adam Brandner shares how he took a group of disadvantaged kids from Houston to act on one of New York’s biggest stages, and how you too can conquer Olympian heights

New York’s Olympians

TGPAT1617_008-009_Houston to NYC [SL PROOF].indd 9 04/10/2016 14:26:09

This September, for the fi rst time in its history, Shakespeare’s Globe streamed one of its productions live on the

internet. Directed by the new artistic director Emma Rice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream went out live on the BBC. It’s a riotous production, vibrant with colour and life, exploding with music and dance, and supported by a text that takes huge liberties with the original – not only to acknowledge cross gender casting but also referencing contemporary London.

Consequently there’s a lot happening onstage, and on occasion the cameras struggle to keep up. As we are locked in a close up with Lysander, laughter erupts just out of shot. The camera spins round to catch it but we’re too late; Hermia remains deadpan. A few moments like this lead one to think that even if a production is beautifully shot, broadcasting theatre will never capture all of those improvised moments of humour, pain or intimacy which make up the fabric of every stage performance. It cannot reproduce being squirted with a water pistol by Puck, or Helenus (rather than Helena here) taking your hand as he broods over Demetrius.

The new OCR and AQA GCSE syllabuses have this year been adapted to state that live performance assessment need not be written having witnessed a performance in person but can also be written in response to online broadcasts. What this decision fails to acknowledge is the fact that any live performance is contingent on its audience – it is a two-way conversation. Thanks to its open roof, directors and practitioners at the Globe

often refer to the idea of ‘shared light’ which remains central to experiencing a play at the theatre. ‘Shared light’ means that the audience can see the actors and vice versa – they can interact with one another. Acknowledging each other’s presence in the room, we debate together what it means to be human. A shared gasp or a cackle of laughter proves that the audience impacts the performance directly and there really is no substitute for being there.

Another consequence of the lack of covering at the Globe is not only exposure to the elements but exposure to one another. And this element is intrinsic to the nature of the theatre – rubbing shoulders with others we might not normally meet, witnessing a story together. That said, enriching a student’s education with a theatre trip is not easy, so here are a few practical tips to support the theory.

TicketsMost major theatres offer reduced price tickets for school groups and in many cases offer a free or similarly discounted cheaper ticket for every ninth or tenth student ticket purchased. It is often possible to ‘reserve now and pay later’ for a school booking but offers do vary from theatre to theatre so it’s worth dropping the box offi ce a line to double check.

The Everyman and Playhouse theatres in Liverpool are helping schools avoid eating into the timetable by offering ‘twilight performances’ for every production in the building for longer than a week. Initiated off the back of audience feedback, midweek shows starting at 5:30pm are now a regular part of the programme. Like many theatres, the Everyman also offers introductory sessions prior to selected matinees and talkback events specifi cally aimed at school groups. Subject to arrangement, they can even offer in-school introductory sessions prior to your visit.

The Norwich Playhouse has a great record for schools engagement, running dedicated matinees for school groups as part of a whole diary of events aimed at young people.

As well as being a host venue for Shakespeare Schools Festival and National Theatre Connections, they also present Springboards, a drama platform where students can present a 30-minute performance of anything they like. Teacher feedback for these events has been excellent, claiming that participation ‘can be the difference in going up a grade at GCSE.’ Their website comes complete with a risk assessment and group visit guidelines, both available for download.

PackagesBooking through a trip provider may come at an additional cost but it will certainly take the stress out of organising a visit to the theatre. Most of the top companies offer overnight packages to include travel, a workshop, tickets to a show, insurance and accommodation. London and Stratford-upon-Avon are the most common destinations in the UK but the majority of companies operate a bespoke service to accommodate variable budgets and interests.

It is well worth keeping an eye out for those organisations who are members of the School Travel Forum, a trade association who


Consult the weather forecast, check for places to eat your packed lunch – Freddie Machin delivers tips for school theatre trips

A night at the theatre

TGPAT1617_010-011_Trip Companies [SL PROOF].indd 10 04/10/2016 14:29:16

often refer to the idea of ‘shared light’ which remains central to experiencing a play at the theatre. ‘Shared light’ means that the audience can see the actors and vice versa – they can interact with one another. Acknowledging each other’s presence in the room, we debate together what it means to be human. A shared gasp or a cackle of laughter proves that the audience impacts the performance directly and there really is no substitute for being there.

Another consequence of the lack of covering at the Globe is not only exposure to the elements but exposure to one another. And this element is intrinsic to the nature of the theatre – rubbing shoulders with others we might not normally meet, witnessing a story together. That said, enriching a student’s education with a theatre trip is not easy, so here are a few practical tips to support the theory.

TicketsMost major theatres offer reduced price tickets for school groups and in many cases offer a free or similarly discounted cheaper ticket for every ninth or tenth student ticket purchased. It is often possible to ‘reserve now and pay later’ for a school booking but offers do vary from theatre to theatre so it’s worth dropping the box office a line to double check.

The Everyman and Playhouse theatres in Liverpool are helping schools avoid eating into the timetable by offering ‘twilight performances’ for every production in the building for longer than a week. Initiated off the back of audience feedback, midweek shows starting at 5:30pm are now a regular part of the programme. Like many theatres, the Everyman also offers introductory sessions prior to selected matinees and talkback events specifically aimed at school groups. Subject to arrangement, they can even offer in-school introductory sessions prior to your visit.

The Norwich Playhouse has a great record for schools engagement, running dedicated matinees for school groups as part of a whole diary of events aimed at young people.

As well as being a host venue for Shakespeare Schools Festival and National Theatre Connections, they also present Springboards, a drama platform where students can present a 30-minute performance of anything they like. Teacher feedback for these events has been excellent, claiming that participation ‘can be the difference in going up a grade at GCSE.’ Their website comes complete with a risk assessment and group visit guidelines, both available for download.

PackagesBooking through a trip provider may come at an additional cost but it will certainly take the stress out of organising a visit to the theatre. Most of the top companies offer overnight packages to include travel, a workshop, tickets to a show, insurance and accommodation. London and Stratford-upon-Avon are the most common destinations in the UK but the majority of companies operate a bespoke service to accommodate variable budgets and interests.

It is well worth keeping an eye out for those organisations who are members of the School Travel Forum, a trade association who

rigorously assess school travel companies on health and safety, and safeguarding matters. Equity School Travel is one of the UK’s largest school excursions providers, offering trips all around the world in a whole variety of subjects including drama and English. On first time bookings they will match any price from another tour booker providing all of the details are the same. They also offer discounts of up to £25pp for quotes that lead to bookings before December 16 and advise that school groups coming to London in the first week of the summer holidays may find it difficult to find accommodation due to the Wimbledon Championships.

Further offers f Free Underground tickets – Transport

for London offers free off-peak travel for London schools visiting educational, cultural or sporting events in the capital.

f Shakespeare’s Globe – Every spring the Playing Shakespeare project offers free tickets to a 90-minute adaptation of a major play for schools in London and Birmingham. Ticket prices for other schools are £5, £10 and £15. Schools can also book a free 90-minute workshop on the play to be delivered in school prior to the performance. The 2017 production will be The Taming of the Shrew.

f Hot Tickets for Schools – the FAQ section of this website offers a quick-fire run down of what to consider when organising a school trip as well as a handful of online links.

f School Travel Forum – On their website you can find you can find a selection of white paper documents and Ofsted consultations on the benefits of learning outside the classroom.

Booking through a trip provider may come at an additional cost but it will certainly take the stress out of organising a visit

to the theatre


Consult the weather forecast, check for places to eat your packed lunch – Freddie Machin delivers tips for school theatre trips

A night at the theatre

TGPAT1617_010-011_Trip Companies [SL PROOF].indd 11 04/10/2016 14:29:17

TGPAT1617.indd 12 03/10/2016 16:34:39

TGPAT1617.indd 13 03/10/2016 16:34:40

Matilda The Musical is the multi-award winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, inspired by the beloved book by the incomparable Roald Dahl. Written by Dennis Kelly and with original songs by Tim Minchin, Matilda

The Musical tells the tale of an extraordinary girl who is determined to change her own story, even if it means being a little bit naughty …

Matilda The Musical is the perfect treat for students of all ages and is a fantastic introduction to theatre. With

strong curriculum links to Literacy, PSHE and SEAL, as well as English, drama, art and design, Matilda is the ideal school trip for Key Stage 2 and above.

The RSC have created an exciting education programme giving schools insight into the creative process of staging this award-winning musical. Packed with teaching resources for primary and secondary school students, the programme aims to give young people the inspiration, confidence and skills to develop their own creative writing.

To access the wealth of education resources on offer for Matilda The Musical, visit matildaschoolresources.com.

14 www.teaching-drama.co.ukTeachers’ Guide to Performing Arts Trips 2016–17

Matilda The Musical

TGPAT1617_014_Matilda advertorial [APPROVED].indd 14 03/10/2016 14:53:17

AN EXTRAORDINARY LEARNING EXPERIENCE

THE MUSICAL

FREE EDUCATION RESOURCESOnline resources including a downloadable

pack, comprehensive teacher notes and activities to bring your students into the

world of Matilda The Musical.

“I wanted to write and say how fabulous I think these resources are. The teacher’s notes are so detailed and easy to follow and the interactive website is brilliant.”

Emma Sinclair, Teacher at Osmani Primary School, London

MatildaSchoolResources.comCAMBRIDGE THEATRE, LONDON, WC2H 9HU

EDUCATION WORKSHOP:AVAILABILITY 90 minute workshops available on Wednesdays during term time from 10.30am – 12pm.

VENUE Cambridge Theatre, London WC2H 9HUCOST £225 per session. Minimum group size 20, maximum size 30.

BOOKING Email education.boxo� [email protected] or Call 01789 403434

10+ SCHOOL GROUP RATE: £25(usually up to £67.50) Valid for Tuesday – Thursday performances including Wednesday matinees. Subject to availability. Exclusions apply.

0844 412 4650* | [email protected]*Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge.

TGPAT1617.indd 15 03/10/2016 16:34:40

Now celebrating 10 years at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, the award-winning Wicked continues to be a top choice with educators. Whether for enrichment, as a reward or as a way to engage with and review a distinctive and outstanding example of live theatre, Wicked has inspired and engaged thousands of students.

With its themes of acceptance, trust, tolerance, friendship, integrity, propaganda and celebrating ‘difference’, this highly topical story is pertinent for PSHE and citizenship teaching and whole-school anti-bullying strategies.

The Wicked website offers a wealth of relevant content for English and drama students who are evaluating live theatre and the role of theatre makers, including the source materials that inspired the musical.

For music students there is much to learn and discover through the renowned score. The song ‘Defying Gravity’ is now a set work on the Edexcel GSCE music qualification.

The unique production designs and elaborate stagecraft also make Wicked the ideal production for design and technology and BTEC drama students.

To discover Wicked, explore resources, and find about the official Wicked workshop programme, visit www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/education.

16 www.teaching-drama.co.ukTeachers’ Guide to Performing Arts Trips 2016–17

Wicked

TGPAT1617_016_Wicked advertorial [APPROVED].indd 16 04/10/2016 14:46:13

Untitled-2 1 04/10/2016 13:51:19

ORDER NOW AT WWW.RHINEGOLD.CO.UK/BPAY17

BRITISH PERFORMING ARTS YEARBOOK 2016–17

Performers Youth arts Education Suppliers & services

Organisations Agents Venues Festivals

DIGITAL EDITION – £19.95 PRINT EDITION – FROM £34.95

The ULTIMATE directory for the UK performing arts industryOur new edition is packed with thousands of listings to help you with everything from finding performers for an event, getting an agent or sourcing a venue for your show, to finding theatre groups and courses for your students.

Find information on:

BPAY Ad 210x297.indd 1 18/05/2016 12:54TGPAT1617.indd 18 03/10/2016 16:34:41

CUSTOMIZED THEATER TOURS TO NEW YORK CITY: From exhilarating Broadway musicals and vibrant new plays, to Greek tragedies and Shakespearean classics, New York truly has something for everyone. Broadway and Beyond is our program that provides the most comprehensive theater experience available, for students of all ages, year-round. INSPIRATION ON STAGE AND IN THE STUDIO: Watch the greatest performers in the world, on Broadway and beyond, and then study with them in private master classes customized for your students.DISCOVER NEW YORK CITY: Enjoy all that the Big Apple has to offer, from behind the scenes access to explore how the greatest theater in the world comes to life, to expert guided tours of the city’s most beloved sights.

STAY FOR A DAY–A FEW DAYS– A WEEK–OR LONGER: Day tours to week-long intensive theater programs are available, and professional level training tours are also available in partnership with many of the city’s most renowned theater schools, acting, music and dance programs.

TEACHERS TRAVEL ON US: Free tours for teachers are provided, as well as professional development opportunities based on your personal interests.

Pro Musica Tours created Broadway and Beyond Theater Intensive Tours to provide theater students with tours that enrich and inspire. From the grandeur of Broadway to intimate, exciting theater venues throughout the city where some of the most creative work in the world is taking place, there is no other city in the world that offers such an amazing variety of theater. Pro Musica’s unique combination of travel and theater expertise allows us to provide your students with exclusive opportunities not available from other tour operators - and all of our tours are customized based on your specific interests, providing the most personalized experience possible. Do some-thing special for your students and yourself this year… Join us in New York City for a Broadway and Beyond Tour of your own!

BROADWAY AND BEYOND – NYC THEATER TOURS

Pro Musica Tours is proud to be a member of the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York

The cast of HAMILTON. Photo by Joan Marcus

To discover how Pro Musica Tours can create a Broadway and Beyond Tour for your students, visit www.promusicatours.com or call 212.541.5122.

®

ACCREDITEDBUSINESS

TGPAT1617.indd 19 03/10/2016 16:34:41

TGPAT1617.indd 20 03/10/2016 16:34:42

teachers’ guide to performing arts trips 2016–17 · » over 60 professional development...

Documents