our work

west end summer school

West End Summer School

The West End Summer School is aimed at Gifted and Talented students and those on the 14-19 Creative and Media Diploma and is run in partnership with the Society of London Theatre (SOLT). It is designed to give young people an insight into the world of professional theatre with direct access to some of the West End's top shows and productions. The West End Summer School also offers an in-depth exploration of the creative industries and an amazing opportunity to perform on stage, alongside some of the very best actors and dancers in the business. Mornings are spent working intensively with a director and each afternoon involves a visit to a different West End theatre to work with the cast and crew members from some of the West End's most prestigious and popular shows. Previous masterclasses have included dance choreography with the company from Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre (pictured), singing and movement workshops with the casts from Cats at the New London Theatre, Buddy at the Strand Theatre, a Shakespeareworkshop at the Globe Theatre and a rap, rhythm and articulation workshop with the cast of the Reduced Shakespeare Companyat the Criterion Theatre, a directing workshop with the resident director of Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre and the director of The King and I at the London Palladium, physical theatre and mask work with the choreographer and the stage manager of The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre and a technical theatre workshop and a backstage tour of the set of Les Miserables at the Palace Theatre. Students have also participated in a marketing workshop with Dewynters, where they learnt about advertising campaigns, poster design and how marketing can contribute to the success of long-running productions and can overcome the challenges of ever-changing cast members. At the end of the project, the students perform in a showcase that incorporates extracts and musical numbers inspired by many of the shows studied and visited throughout the two-week summer school.