20 Mar 2024

Seize The Day 2024

Seize The Day is a national initiative by the Drama & Theatre Education Alliance (DTEA), taking place between the 20th – 27th March. It is aimed at raising the profile of Drama in schools and of Theatre for young audiences.

In 2023, over 80 schools, universities and theatres registered to run workshops, classes and performances, but it is believed that many more actually participated; inviting their local MPs, school governors and press to attend.

By engaging with those who influence how much funding and support is given to Drama and Theatre, the DTEA hopes to influence their future decision-making and raise the profile of the subject and art form.

While all arts subjects have seen reduced student take-up in recent decades, there has been a 37% decline in the number of students taking GCSE Drama since 2010. As part of the Creative Industries, the fastest growing sector of the UK economy which outperforms Oil and Gas, Life Sciences, Aerospace and Automotive industries combined, this downward trend poses a serious threat to the future of the sector.

 

Drama, Theatre and Young People’s Manifesto.

 

The Covid pandemic had a devastating impact on children and young people’s health and wellbeing, and on the theatres that produce work for young audiences. The positive impact of Drama is well documented as a subject which can help children express themselves and improve their wellbeing.

The DTEA believes that access to drama and theatre is a right, not a privilege, and advocates for the inclusion of Drama in the National Curriculum alongside Art and Music, recognising that many schools have no Drama provision or access to high-quality theatre experiences.

Seize The Day takes place between 20th – 27th March each year, to coincide with World Performance Week and culminate in World Theatre Day, participating artists and organisations will teach, rehearse, workshop and perform, engaging with and inspiring children and young people.

Touring Shows in Primary Schools

The team here at Doorstep have been working in collaboration on a 2-year project called Talking Turns, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. This project is a partnership between Daisi (Devon Arts in Schools Initiative), the Riviera Education Trust, and Sound Communities. Over two academic years, we are working deeply with teachers at a variety of regional Torbay-area schools to support children’s oracy in the classroom using arts-based methods, primarily drama.

Whilst the majority of this work is taking place via deep, long-term partnerships between teachers and artists co-delivering in classroom settings, the project also includes opportunities for special commissions or other approaches. One special collaboration which has developed within this project is the development of two new original touring shows created by emerging companies from the University of Exeter Applied Drama programme.

This last week, two new performance pieces performed in regional schools for assembly audiences for the first time. These performances were developed from a brief linked to the Talking Turns project. The first tour dates have been offered to these partner schools, alongside accompanying drama workshops supporting oracy for the children who have watched the show.

Little Doorstep

Our little doorsteppers have had a brilliant term learning all about the different aspects of the performance world in a fun, carefree setting. The sessions are consistent, although each week is slightly different, the layout of the workshops, however, is the same. 

The budding artists start by coming in knowing there will be an arts and crafts activity – the theme recently has been Easter related. They then get to listen to a story calmly. Liv, our fantastic assistant, then leads some brilliant drama games including Simon Says, Grandma’s Footsteps and Walking like all your favourite characters from the stories we have just read. 

Natasha, our facilitator, then leads a creative devising session with them where she listens and engages with all the young people until they have created their very own story themselves. On the 23rd, we will showcase some of the fantastic stories they have created to the parents. 

NYT Auditions at Doorstep Youth Theatre

In November 2023, Doorstep Youth Theatre were visited by Harry Gould from the National Youth Theatre (NYT) for a guest workshop, and since the turn of the year, we have been working with members of the group to submit monologues for this year’s NYT intake auditions.

As an associate company of NYT, each year we run a free support programme for those in our groups who want to audition for NYT but would like some assistance in registering for a place and preparing an audition piece.

A huge congratulations to those in DYT who have applied to National Youth Theatre this year! Break a leg gang!

Read Sam’s blog post to hear more – doorsteparts.co.uk/nyt-auditions-at-doorstep-youth-theatre/ 

To find out more about NYT, please visit – www.nyt.org.uk/