BYMT in Schools
BRITISH YOUTH MUSIC THEATRE IN SCHOOLS
We firmly believe that everyone should be able to participate in the performing arts regardless of their background, which is why we offer bespoke workshops to schools using our pool of professional artists. BYMT has been established as one of the leading youth arts organisations in the UK for over a decade, primarily because of the highly-experienced artists we work with.
BYMT'S SCHOOLS' PROGRAMME AIMS TO ACHIEVE 3 KEY OBJECTIVES
- To help schools deliver performing arts education in times of ever-more depleted departmental budgets
- To establish a relationship with as many schools as possible
- To fulfil a remit to make talented young people more aware of our work and the benefits of becoming part of the BYMT Company
To discuss how we can work with your school or group of schools please call the office on 020 8563 7725 or email on mail@bymt.org
BYMT is currently offering the following workshops.
School Music Theatre Workshop and Audition
This Workshop and Audition gives school or college students the opportunity to spend 3 hours exploring the world of musical theatre – singing, dancing and acting. They will explore the range of careers open to them in professional theatre and, by extension, into film and TV. Details here.
School Theatre Industry Careers Day and Audition
This School Theatre Industry Careers Day immerses students into the theatre. We will aim to share our passion for Musical Theatre outlining the range of careers open to them in professional theatre and, by extension, into film and TV. Details here.
Bespoke Workshops
We are able to create bespoke workshops for schools in drama, singing and/or dance. Details here.
Since our sessions are bespoke, in the past teachers have requested a wide range of workshop topics including:
- Introduction to Devising
- Shakespeare
- Helping with School Plays/Pantomimes/Musicals
- Practitioner Case Studies (Berkoff, Brecht, Artaud, Stanislavski etc.)
We are aware that school curricula dictate needs and so have identified some key workshops that would be beneficial for each term below:
SPRING TERM
With the holiday season gone, the next 12 weeks are here just before the exams are upon us. Many groups are, of course, doing well, but equally some are just ‘not getting it’ or not advancing as fast as they (and you) require. Therefore, we offer workshops that will help them focus on:
- Material created and a ‘block’ discovered
- Text work started and unsure of how to advance to more in-depth
- study or analysis
- Practitioners studied and application required
- Directorial input to allow sessions not to be ‘teacher-led’
- Generic subject workshop to adapt and apply qualifying as ‘research’
The benefits of having a professional director, composer or choreographer oversee an ongoing creative process are clear as schools have approached us and requested we work with anything from 1 to 8 different groups on varying texts and devised pieces.
SUMMER TERM
With exam season underway, focus is entirely on an extraordinary timetable of never-ending schedules and deadlines. However, by half term, the bulk of the sittings are over and there are 6 weeks left for all but the students who have now left. With more and more establishments employing the ‘rollover timetable’ system, there will never be a better time to introduce students to next year’s curriculum in a vibrant and exciting way than in these weeks. We can therefore offer:
- Longer workshops
- Inter-departmental workshops (Drama/Music/Dance/English working together creatively)
- Creative exploration workshops for new study subjects
- ‘An Introduction To…’ for specific requirements new to the groups
- Script and subject study for specific school performances (for Summer or Autumn terms)
- Drama, Music or Dance workshops as a professional introduction to a new genre
The possibilites are endless with BYMT's Outreach work and we are happy to discuss your needs. Please email mail@bymt.org to discuss your needs.
AUTUMN TERM
The curriculum has arrived and students from Years 10-13 are either preparing for new GCSE or A Level subjects, or are starting their final exam year. Frequently, these curricular requirements can change, or have their ‘angle’ changed, and we are therefore able to offer workshop or masterclass introductions to:
- Devising
- Genres
- Texts classical or modern
- Character creation
We are also frequently asked to help with school productions, prestige presentations and festive performances. The first academic term is alive with possibilities as there is still a slight window before final exam preparation hits. It is focused on first study year establishment or second study year advanced work from any angle you choose. The course work benefits are many and various.
“I love the diversity of young people I work with in these groups and enabling them to develop skills and fulfil their full potential as musical theatre performers. Promoting strong self-belief is key; I love to see young people overcoming fears...”
Sarah Hutchinson - Director/Teacher