East Sussex College’s Creative Theatre workshop is a smash-hit with students

A group of students from Lewes and Brighton recently had the opportunity to go backstage at the Theatre Royal Brighton to take part in a Creative Theatre workshop.

Creative Theatre, which has been running for six years, is a partnership between East Sussex College and the Theatre Royal Brighton to give keen drama students an insight into the world of theatre production.

Just over 40 Year 9 and 10 students from schools including Dorothy Stringer High School, Downlands Community School, King’s Academy Ringmer, and Priory School Lewes had the opportunity to tour one of the oldest theatres in the country, visit the backstage areas, understand what goes into putting on a show, and go on stage to raise the curtain.

The students then joined tutors from East Sussex College Lewes who gave masterclasses in drawing techniques, set design, and how to create a range of theatrical and special effects make-up, including prosthetics.

Students from the Lewes campus also had the opportunity to get involved and gain valuable work experience by helping to run the masterclasses and capture the day on film.

John Baldock, Theatre Director at Theatre Royal Brighton, said,

“This is a great partnership that gives the young people a real insight into the vast array of career options within theatre. They get to see everything from the lighting and rigging to how we plan, market and sell tickets; there’s so much more involved than what audiences see presented onstage.”

Nigel Ryan, Creative Partnerships and School Liaison Officer at East Sussex College, said,

“The creative theatre is a fantastic opportunity for anyone interested in theatre performance or production to see what goes on behind the scenes. They were also able to have a go at designing sets and applying special effects make-up. This is a buzzing industry and we hope we’ve been able to inspire the next generation of technicians to study and then work in this sector.”