Strode College Performing Arts Level 3 BTEC students have been selected to take part in the National Theatre Connections Festival 2021, their annual, nationwide youth theatre festival. Each year the National Theatre commissions ten new plays for young people from youth companies, schools, and colleges across the UK to perform. Strode’s first and second year Performing Arts students will be working together to rehearse and develop their play.
The application to participate was approved back in September of last year. Students will have the opportunity to work with professional directors on an original play written and staged by a leading contemporary playwright. Under this project, students will develop a home show/production which will be seen by an associate director of the National Theatre at Strode Dance Studio on February to give feedback. Then they will help them transfer the show to the Bristol Old Vic on the first week of April.
Gavin Fowler, Course Manager for Performing Arts and Lydia Williams, Drama Lecturer will also be sent on a Directors’ weekend at the National Theatre where they will work with the playwright and get continuing professional development. This is a great opportunity to network and put Strode Performing Arts at the national level.
“I am delighted to announce Strode Performing Arts’ involvement in the 2021 National Theatre Connections Festival. Our students are going to have an incredible experience and a great opportunity to showcase their talent among peers and the industry professionals that they will be working with as part of this project.
“Our production will be programmed alongside other local young companies and it will provide a great opportunity for students to network and develop an industry focused skillset.”
Gavin commented.
There are other exciting projects also taking place at Strode this year, one of which is the annual musical production which this year is going to be Footloose. The production will run for three nights at Strode Theatre from Thursday to Saturday, 3-5 March at 7:30 pm. It is open to the public and tickets can be purchased at strodetheatre.org.uk.
The Performing Arts course at Strode College is run as a theatre company giving students hands-on experience in diverse performance skills and industry conditions. Performing Arts offer three courses at Strode College, one is A Level and two are vocational courses.