Theatre industry comes together to inspire young people about offstage jobs at biggest ever TheatreCraft
The UK theatre industry came together yesterday (Monday 11 November) for the 14th annual TheatreCraft, the largest free offstage theatre careers event for 16 to 30-year-olds. Hosted by the Royal Opera House, over 1,300 young people attended – making it the biggest ever TheatreCraft – with more than 85 industry professionals running nearly 60 workshops, talks and backstage tours.
Sessions ranged from tips on producing, writing, directing and marketing, to insights into technical theatre, armoury, scenic art, video design and costume, as well as expert advice on networking and getting a foot on the ladder of an arts career. The Royal Opera House offered tours and insight into its different backstage departments, and the nearby Lyceum, Novello and Cambridge theatres also hosted sessions.
A ‘careers marketplace’ in the Royal Opera House’s Paul Hamlyn Hall featured stalls from over 60 top theatre organisations and arts education providers, including the National Theatre, RADA, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Delfont Mackintosh, LW Theatres, Ambassadors Theatre Group and the Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin.
The day culminated in a special Ambassadors Panel with leading Artistic Directors Yamin Choudury (Hackney Empire), Michelle Terry (Shakespeare’s Globe) and Matthew Xia (Actors Touring Company), who were interviewed by members of Mousetrap Theatre Projects’ Youth Forum and discussed the question ‘why choose a career in theatre?’. The Ambassadors opened the floor to the young audience for questions, challenging them to rewrite the rules and not be afraid to fail or change their minds as they find their feet in the industry.
TheatreCraft aims to inspire a new generation of offstage talent from all backgrounds, ensuring the UK’s theatre industry remains world-leading. The event, organised in partnership with the Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust, the Royal Opera House, the Society of London Theatre and Mousetrap Theatre Projects, is one of several the theatre sector is involved in, as part of a drive to encourage new workforce talent for the country’s fast-growing creative industries.
www.theatrecraft.org | @TheatreCraft | #TheatreCraft19