Learning and Engagement Newsletter Summer 2022

Trinity Academy Leeds

Back again for the World of Work workshops, Trinity Academy students experienced what it’s like to work in one of our historic venues.

Students started the day with a tour of City Varieties Music Hall, where they learned about the rich and varied 157-year history of the Victorian theatre. Armed with clues, students were able to independently explore the auditorium of the music hall, finding answers to their questions and uncovering more hidden gems along the way. Equipped with props and costumes, students then experienced the journey of a performer, from back to centre stage! Some brave aspiring actors performed parts of their own school musical, to our auditorium of over 400 seats. Although no audience was present, we think they gave the performance of a lifetime!

Students then moved over the road to Leeds Grand Theatre where they learned how to programme a season of shows; choosing plays and musicals based on their own artistic taste, audience demand and venue capacity, whilst matching the genre of the show to the season. Students then planned marketing strategies for their chosen show, using literary devices to propose social media and email advertising.

In the second half of the workshop, the group had the opportunity to devise and perform their own scenes from a chosen play or musical to the rest of the class. Finally, students were able to experiment with our professional lighting rigs, to further understand the technical roles in the theatre. They experienced how lighting can be used to influence audience perception, and put this into practise with their own devised scenes.

We are thrilled to be able to work with Trinity Academy Leeds through our ongoing partnership and look forward to welcoming them back in July.

University of Westminster

The University of Westminster visited Leeds Heritage Theatres as part of their Working Cultures Programme. Our team delivered a bespoke workshop to the group. Using performance and theatre techniques, we aimed to boost confidence and improve performance and public speaking skills amongst the students. Before the workshop, the group had very little experience in the theatre, but thanks to the enthusiasm and support of our team, were performing scenes to a group of over 30 by the end.

The session started with a tour of City Varieties Music Hall, where students learned about the rich and varied history of the Victorian theatre. The tour was led by experienced members of our team, who have first-hand experience of working in the theatre industry as actors and directors. This led into a Q&A, where students were able to learn about careers in the arts and have invaluable answers given to their questions.

After the tour, students then went over the road to Leeds Grand Theatre. Starting together in one large group, the students played some warm-up games to encourage them to relax and have fun, and to banish any nerves! The group then split into two, where they delved deeper into exercises designed to encourage self-reflection, boost confidence, and encourage communication and teamwork between participants. The group re-joined at the end of the session to perform some speech and scenes they had devised together, using the skills and techniques taught in the workshop. Both the team here and at the University of Westminster had a brilliant day. They had the following to say…

“Thank you so much for motivating us students to be better versions of ourselves, work hard, having dreams and not being afraid to take challenges. It might seem like you are just talking to a bunch of students in a meeting, but you are actually inspiring our generation to take the initiative to step out in the world and have a voice.” Somaia Halawa, University of Westminster Student

“Important things I took from the programme was that we have more transferable skills than we were aware of. As well as this, as long as we show a willingness to learn and a focus on our passions as you have done, we will find a job that we can enjoy.” Allistair McDowall, University of Westminster Student

“Your ambition, hard work, discipline, and consistency has really inspired me and motivated me to do better. Thank you.” Iraj Shadab, University of Westminster Student