Pendleton Performing and Production Arts Centre of Excellence is launched

There is plenty to make a song and dance about when it comes to Pendleton Sixth Form College’s Performing and Production Arts Department, with their Centre of Excellence being launched this month.

The Beacon Award winning department boasts an exceptional track-record for progression, with students going on to both study at prestigious schools and star in noteworthy productions.

Former musical theatre student Tom Glynn-Carney, took a leading role this summer in the box-office hit, Dunkirk, starring alongside Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Harry Styles. The 22-year-old is currently performing on the West End in The Ferryman.

Other successful and well-known alumni includes Coronation Street stars Faye Brookes, Catherine Tyldesley and British Soap Award winner, Michelle Keegan. Former Students have gone on to star in everything from Emmerdale and Holby City, to performing on the West End.

Further to this, the class of 2017 have secured places at top performance schools. These include ALRA, The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and The Urdang Academy, to name just a few.

The facilities at Pendleton Sixth Form College are amongst the best in the region and include ten purpose-built dance and drama studios, state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment and access to TV studios at MediaCityUK.

Named after two of Salford’s greatest actors, the onsite, Ben Kingsley and Eccleston Theatres are utilised by the department and their season of shows, which this year included A West Side Story, The Great Gatsby and A View from the Bridge.

Shows are directed by the college’s experienced and dynamic teachers, who have over 70 years’ experience as examiners and moderators for leading exam boards, and with The British Academy of Dramatic Combat. Five have MAs in Performing Arts Practice, from the likes of RADA, LIPA and the University of Sheffield, and their links provide unique opportunities for their students.

This year alone students have had the opportunity to take part in a vocal master-class with a coach from the West End and were invited to help sound-check for the Kaiser Chiefs. On top of this, thanks to a collaboration with The UK Tap Festival, five dancers received scholarships for the Washington DC Tap Fest.

Pendleton Sixth Form College currently hold the Greater Manchester Colleges Group Competition titles in dance, acting, musical theatre and overall winners for 2017.