York Theatre Royal works throughout the local area to build sustainable relationships with various communities, groups and individuals. This work has developed through the various projects that are run throughout the year by York Theatre Royals’ dedicated education department in association with various partners.

TRANSITIONS.
Kindly funded by City of York Council and Provident Financial.

York Theatre Royal work every year with Year 6 and 7 pupils to provide a practical and creative approach to dealing with the difficult transition from primary to secondary school.

This years project worked with Clifton Green Primary and Canon Lee its main feeder secondary to explore initially in school how the Year 6’s felt about moving on and small pieces of drama were created, which were taken into Canon Lee and the ideas and feelings were addressed and responses given by the Year 7’s. Back in school the Year 6’s worked with their ideas and responses with composer Ivan Stott to write and record a song which summed up how they felt about moving on to secondary.

The song was called Movin’ On and each student received a copy of the CD. Transitions aims to examine through drama and the arts how future links between the two schools can be developed. Through participation in drama and the arts we aim to encourage the pupils to express their feelings and expectations for the future and hopefully ease this transition to their future school.


PLAY IN A WEEK

Play in a Week is an opportunity for young people to work with a professional theatre practitioner for a week in the summer on a short play. This is then performed to parents on the Saturday in our studio theatre. Places are strictly limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis and require a £20 deposit to secure a place


PLAYHOUSE PROJECT

Performance and Professional Development Project

Playhouse is a National collaboration between Dundee Rep, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Polka Theatre and York Theatre Royal.

Between them the four partners commission at least 4 professional playwrights each year to write short plays specifically for large casts of young people aged 8 to 11 years to perform.

Each partner works with 6 schools in their city and supports the development of the teacher as a director. The project is launched with representatives from all 18 schools coming together for a 2 day retreat with the 6 writers. Following the retreat, the teachers then return to school to rehearse the play with professional development opportunities throughout. There are then three festivals of all 6 plays in each city.

What Happens in York ?

This is a wonderful opportunity for 6 City of York primary schools to involve themselves in a unique performance project aimed at Year 5 and 6 pupils. Playhouse will give your pupils and staff the chance to:
• perform a brand new play for young people, written by a professional writer for a group of up to 30 pupils
• perform at York Theatre Royal in a special 3 day festival celebrating the work of involved schools (July 2008)
• Receive comprehensive training on developing performance for the professional stage.
• Receive advice and support from professional theatre practitioners throughout your rehearsal process.
• Receive a constructive evaluation of your performance to further develop school productions and performances.



Application forms will be available via the York Theatre Royal Education Department. Please contact Jessica Fisher on 01904 658162 or email education@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk


Comments from York teachers who have taken part in Playhouse:


• “Amazing experience! Final result is an enormous pride in what the children have achieved along with an increased confidence in own ability to run a production”

• “You and the class are treated like a professional touring company throughout the day giving a sense of prestige to the project”

• “It has established a strong link with York Theatre Royal and stimulated interest in the PET project as something which would have a significant whole school benefit, we then went on to apply for and succeeded in joining the PET project”

• “It certainly figures as one of the most memorable events of my teaching career to date. I shall always remember it with great personal pride and as the class I shared it with were very special to me the memories will be fond ones.”

FILE DOWNLOADS

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