Unique West End theatre workshop for pupils 1/12/2014
Twenty pupils from Year 11 and the Lower Sixth took part in a four-day course run by Tony-Award-winning West End and Broadway producer Steven M Levy (an Old Leysian) at the Charing Cross Theatre in conjunction with the Drama department at The Leys. The insights and inspiration they gained are now coming to fruition in creative endeavours including play-writing and a dance show.
The aim of the workshop was to give pupils with a particular interest in performance Drama an insight into the practical and commercial side of putting on a show. Mr Levy described the London Theatre workshop as: “unique, easing pupils into the professional world of the theatre and allowing them to contextualise their academic studies.”
Pupils heard presentations from theatre professionals including: Laurence Miller, Commercial Director of Nimax Theatres; West End producer Julius Green, author of How to Produce a West End Show; lighting designer Mike Robertson; James Oban and Yiannis Koutsakos, independent theatre producers behind the recent hit musical Ushers: The Front of House Musical; graphic designer Tim Groves; West End press agent Kevin Wilson, emerging director Andrew Keates and Old Leysian Tom Littlechild, who talked about theatrical marketing. The pupils had the chance to talk to them about their specialisms. They looked at the practical and commercial considerations of theatre, not just the artistic ones, and made a backstage tour of the historic Theatre Royal, Drury Lane as well as seeing a number of West End productions including War Horse and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Finally, they had to pitch their own ideas and plans for a hypothetical production of Michael Frayn’s hilarious farce, Chinamen, to a panel of experts in the light of what they had learned.
Mr Levy said: “The pupils taking part in this workshop will be part of the next generation of theatrical professionals. It was extremely encouraging to see such a wonderful degree of interest and enthusiasm, as well as their ability to engage with established theatre professionals on a very high level.”
How the pupils have been inspired:
One participant, Tom, said: “The workshop was really useful. I’ve been writing a play in my LAMDA creative writing lessons and I realised it would be very unlikely to be commissioned because it involved nine characters so I reduced the number to three. At the workshop I met the award-winning young director Andrew Keates, who is really passionate and creative and knows about the practicalities of the business. Since the course I have been re-editing my play and work-shopping it with my Drama teachers.”
Ruth, who plans to study dance and Drama at university, is now planning a dance show with other pupils: “I found the workshop incredibly helpful. I learned that a lot more hard work goes into producing a show or performance that I had imagined – lots of things must be taken into consideration to make it run smoothly. Our production gives us a chance to showcase our choreography and creative skills in the Dance department while giving us responsibility to make sure it goes well.”
Drama and Theatre Studies are very popular at The Leys, where pupils regularly win places in the National Youth Theatre. Two-thirds of the school’s LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) candidates achieved distinctions this year. Drama lessons take place in the school’s Great Hall, which has a West End-standard theatre and specialist technical facilities. Steven Levy was a keen supporter of the fund-raising campaign for its construction.
The school stages many and varied productions with pupils involved in all aspects of the production process, from technical support to performance.
The Leys School, established in 1875 as a Methodist foundation, is Cambridge’s only co-educational boarding and day school for 11 to 18 year olds.
The Charing Cross Theatre, co-owned by Steven M Levy, Sean Sweeney and Vaughan Williams, is one of the smallest in the West End with only 275 seats. Dating back to 1866, the theatre had its origins in English music hall. As part of the Charing Cross redevelopment, the theatre was rebuilt in 1989 and offers an eclectic mixture of drama, comedy, music and cabaret and is the London equivalent of an “Off-Broadway” theatre.