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News CDMT releases manifesto for performing arts education The Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT) has released a manifesto for performing arts education, offering government and the education sector with informed targets to strive for. Level provision which more widely recognises young people’s experiences of the performing arts, both informal and formal (such as graded exams), acknowledging achievement across all genres. Launched at the House of Commons the manifesto has five key strands to help tackle the lack of accessibility and patches or poor provision across the UK. The key messages are that the sector should: § Encourage the development of creativity through dedicated time for children and young people to experience the power of the performing arts. § Bring together in- and out-of-school performing arts provision across the board, building on existing expertise and enhancing it through collaboration. § Improve the performing arts progression route and celebrate including Progress 8. CDMT COURTESY It also asks that the full range of Ofqualrecognised creative and performing arts qualifications be included in the evidence used to inform schools’ performance measures, Director of CDMT Glyndwr Jones, who also spoke at the ceremony, said: ‘This is not to ask for charity. As well as improving life outcomes, and giving space to artistic expression of all types, the performing arts industry contributes hugely to the UK economy, and in this context the maintenance of a viable pipeline of talent through to the highest professional levels makes financial, as well as cultural, philosophical and humanitarian.’ achievements at both the institutional and individual level. § Promote partnerships across the sector and harness the power of technology to increase access and enhance outcomes. § Support specialist training institutions to continue contributing to our thriving cultural sector by supporting practitioners and teachers as they develop into the professionals of the future. As part of its offerings, the manifesto proposes a review of GCSE and A The manifesto, supported by the Lloyd Webber and Mackintosh Foundations, includes quotes from Lord Aberdare, Baroness Benjamin, Baroness Bonham-Carter, Lord Vaizey of Didcot, and Baroness Wilcox of Newport. A digital copy of the Manifesto for Performing Arts Education is available at cdmt.org.uk/launch-of-cdmts-manifesto-for-performingarts-education Les Misérables grants rights to amateur groups in 40th celebrations Music Theatre International and Cameron Mackintosh have announced a UK-wide amateur theatre project to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Les Miserables throughout 2025. The project will run from March to August 2025 and will see 11 company-wide productions of Les Miserables: Let The People Sing mounted in cities across the UK. 11 amateur societies will act as lead producers in each venue; groups will also have the support and guidance of the show’s West End and international associate creative teams as they prepare their original productions of the show. Cameron Mackintosh commented: ‘As we approach the extraordinary landmark of the 40th record-breaking year of the iconic musical’s London run, alongside countless productions around the world, we are delighted to invite 11 of our leading amateur companies in the UK to stage, for the first time, the entire show in their own productions.’ Sean Gray, managing director of MTI’s London oŸce said: ‘For one year, we are thrilled to have this opportunity to invite amateur theatre companies across the UK to produce eleven local productions, which we hope will be genuine local community projects.’ ‘We already know how much excitement the project will generate, and we are really looking The 2010 company of Les Misérables ASHMORE INE CATHER IT CRED forward to guiding everyone towards a great national amateur celebration of Les Misérables in 2025 to mark the 40th anniversary of the London production. Let the people sing!’ Primary playwriting scheme launched by ATG Entertainment and Savoy Theatre ATG Entertainment has launched a free playwriting programme in collaboration with Savoy Theatre, teaching children in Westminster primary schools how to write their first short play. form the first primary school activity package. As part of the scheme, up to three staff members per school will receive CPD from a West End teacher. Key Stage 2 pupils at 20 schools in the London borough will receive three playwriting workshops from West End practitioners, and at the end of the programme eight shortplays will be selected to be performed on the Savoy stage as part of World Book Day 2025. 1989 WOLF IT TLE / L STOCK ADOBE PLAYground, as the programme has been named, will be led by ATG Entertainment West End who will collaborate with schools to Conor Hunt, senior West End creative learning manager at ATG Entertainment, said: ‘Through PLAYground, we hope to open the doors, not only to the Savoy Theatre, but to their imaginations; and bring to life the stories they want to tell and see – especially as for many this may be their first experience of West End theatre.’ ‘By nurturing the creativity and imagination of young minds, we aim to inspire the next generation of storytellers and playwrights,’ said Savoy Theatre general manager Maxine English on the launch. 6 Drama & Theatre Autumn Term 1 2024/25 www.dramaandtheatre.co.uk
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News Technical scholarship at Mountview backed by Andrew Lloyd Webber A new scholarship to support students studying technical production at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts has been launched, with support from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation and LW Theatres. The scholarship aims to create a ‘new pipeline’ in backstage talent, supporting one student to complete a 2-year foundation degree in technical production at Mountview. The scheme will cover full tuition fees, in addition to a maintenance bursary of £12,667. Mountview has said that this represented an investment of over £45,000, opening ‘doors to exciting backstage roles in live entertainment.’ ‘I am especially delighted that this support comes from such important organisations in the industry, who recognise the quality of Mountview’s training and the long-standing track record of graduates who have continued their careers at LW Theatres,’ said Mountview principal Sally Ann Gritton on the launch. Adam Foster, learning, development and outreach manager at LW Theatres, said: ‘At LW Theatres, we are committed to creating a new pipeline of technical theatre talent. We understand the financial hurdles that can prevent talented individuals from pursuing careers in our industry. ‘This scholarship removes those barriers, allowing talented individuals to pursue world-class training at Mountview. By investing in these future technical stars now, we are ensuring a more diverse and inclusive future for our industry.’ IO IGL I G DCESARE Mountview technical students working on Les Mis To be considered for the scholarship, candidates must have been offered a place on Mountview’s two-year FdA in Technical Production course, and have submitted a complete Scholarship Request Form. Find out more at mountview.org.uk/news/technical-productionscholarship-with-andrew-lloyd-webber-foundation-and-lwtheatres/ Drama GCSE and A Level entries continue rapid depletion STOCK/ ADRAGON ADOBE Provisional figures for exam entries in England this summer were published by exams regulator Ofqual on Thursday, revealing that fewer pupils in England are studying drama and performing arts at GCSE and A¤Level. The stats The number of students taking Drama GCSE in the UK has seen a decline of 39.4% since 2010, decreasing from 81,592 to only 49,410 entries to the subject. This year, the GCSE Drama intake has decreased by 0.8%, compounding an existing decrease in arts uptake. A Level Drama is down by 5.8% this summer, decreasing from 8,385 to 7,895. This is in line with a steady decline in A Level Drama uptake: entries in England have dropped by 45% between 2010 and 2023, from 15,144 students to 8,340. One year is an anomaly to this trend: the number of UK Drama A Level students increased by 3% from 9645 in 2021 to 9,953 in 2022. This temporary uptick has anecdotally been put down to the impact of returning to in-person education post-Covid. These statistics are in decline despite the provisional entries for GCSEs in England having gone up by 4.8% since last summer and for A Levels by 2.4%, in line with population growth. Sector response The Guardian reported that Paul Whiteman, the general secretary at the NAHT school leaders’ union, claimed that the decline in arts entires across the board was linked to government performance measures. ‘The government has used high-stakes performance measures as a blunt tool to drive curriculum and qualification choices in schools,’ Whiteman said. ‘While entries inevitably vary each year, this may explain the concerning decline in take-up of arts GCSEs, which has a knock-on effect when it comes to choices for sixth-form and college students.’ The National Education Union’s general secretary, Daniel Kebede, commented on the statistics, calling the decline ‘catastrophic’. He added: “Just this week, the government made another attack on the arts in education with its damaging, inaccurate rhetoric around degrees in these subjects.’ ‘With young people hearing this, and schools and colleges both underfunded and constrained in the subjects they can offer thanks to wrong-headed, inaccurate performance metrics like the Ebacc, it’s no wonder entries in arts subjects have almost halved since 2010,’ he said. Co-chair of the Drama and Theatre Education Alliance (DTEA), Steve Ball, commented on the news: ‘The continued decline in exam entries in drama and performing arts at GCSE and A Level causes serious concern. It’s ironic that the Government champions the Creative Industries, which are the fastest growing sector of the economy, while simultaneously devaluing creative subjects in schools.’ www.dramaandtheatre.co.uk Autumn Term 1 2024/25 Drama & Theatre 7

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News

CDMT releases manifesto for performing arts education The Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT) has released a manifesto for performing arts education, offering government and the education sector with informed targets to strive for.

Level provision which more widely recognises young people’s experiences of the performing arts, both informal and formal (such as graded exams), acknowledging achievement across all genres.

Launched at the House of Commons the manifesto has five key strands to help tackle the lack of accessibility and patches or poor provision across the UK.

The key messages are that the sector should: § Encourage the development of creativity through dedicated time for children and young people to experience the power of the performing arts. § Bring together in- and out-of-school performing arts provision across the board, building on existing expertise and enhancing it through collaboration. § Improve the performing arts progression route and celebrate including Progress 8.

CDMT

COURTESY

It also asks that the full range of Ofqualrecognised creative and performing arts qualifications be included in the evidence used to inform schools’ performance measures,

Director of CDMT Glyndwr Jones, who also spoke at the ceremony, said: ‘This is not to ask for charity. As well as improving life outcomes, and giving space to artistic expression of all types, the performing arts industry contributes hugely to the UK economy, and in this context the maintenance of a viable pipeline of talent through to the highest professional levels makes financial, as well as cultural, philosophical and humanitarian.’

achievements at both the institutional and individual level. § Promote partnerships across the sector and harness the power of technology to increase access and enhance outcomes. § Support specialist training institutions to continue contributing to our thriving cultural sector by supporting practitioners and teachers as they develop into the professionals of the future. As part of its offerings, the manifesto proposes a review of GCSE and A

The manifesto, supported by the Lloyd Webber and Mackintosh Foundations, includes quotes from Lord Aberdare, Baroness Benjamin, Baroness Bonham-Carter, Lord Vaizey of Didcot, and Baroness Wilcox of Newport.

A digital copy of the Manifesto for Performing Arts Education is available at cdmt.org.uk/launch-of-cdmts-manifesto-for-performingarts-education

Les Misérables grants rights to amateur groups in 40th celebrations

Music Theatre International and Cameron Mackintosh have announced a UK-wide amateur theatre project to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Les Miserables throughout 2025.

The project will run from March to August 2025 and will see 11 company-wide productions of Les Miserables: Let The People Sing mounted in cities across the UK.

11 amateur societies will act as lead producers in each venue; groups will also have the support and guidance of the show’s West End and international associate creative teams as they prepare their original productions of the show.

Cameron Mackintosh commented: ‘As we approach the extraordinary landmark of the 40th record-breaking year of the iconic musical’s London run, alongside countless productions around the world, we are delighted to invite 11 of our leading amateur companies in the UK to stage, for the first time, the entire show in their own productions.’

Sean Gray, managing director of MTI’s London oŸce said: ‘For one year, we are thrilled to have this opportunity to invite amateur theatre companies across the UK to produce eleven local productions, which we hope will be genuine local community projects.’

‘We already know how much excitement the project will generate, and we are really looking

The 2010 company of Les Misérables

ASHMORE

INE

CATHER

IT

CRED

forward to guiding everyone towards a great national amateur celebration of Les Misérables in 2025 to mark the 40th anniversary of the London production. Let the people sing!’

Primary playwriting scheme launched by ATG Entertainment and Savoy Theatre ATG Entertainment has launched a free playwriting programme in collaboration with Savoy Theatre, teaching children in Westminster primary schools how to write their first short play.

form the first primary school activity package.

As part of the scheme, up to three staff members per school will receive CPD from a West End teacher.

Key Stage 2 pupils at 20 schools in the London borough will receive three playwriting workshops from West End practitioners, and at the end of the programme eight shortplays will be selected to be performed on the Savoy stage as part of World Book Day 2025.

1989

WOLF

IT TLE

/ L

STOCK

ADOBE

PLAYground, as the programme has been named, will be led by ATG Entertainment West End who will collaborate with schools to

Conor Hunt, senior West End creative learning manager at ATG Entertainment, said: ‘Through PLAYground, we hope to open the doors, not only to the Savoy Theatre, but to their imaginations; and bring to life the stories they want to tell and see – especially as for many this may be their first experience of West End theatre.’

‘By nurturing the creativity and imagination of young minds, we aim to inspire the next generation of storytellers and playwrights,’ said Savoy Theatre general manager Maxine English on the launch.

6 Drama & Theatre Autumn Term 1 2024/25

www.dramaandtheatre.co.uk

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