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Schools Newsletter

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Schools

Spring ’25

schools@theatreroyal.co.uk

School Sales 0191 323 5858 (Mon to Fri, 10am - 5pm)

New shows provide perfect introduction to theatre

This spring we launch our new

brochure that’s brimming with a host of

exciting shows to give an inspiring and

educational introduction to theatre for

young people.

From annual pantos to rousing musicals,

captivating drama and Shakespeare plays,

our Creative Programme brings a wealth

of options to start your school’s journey

into theatre and bring the performing arts

into your classrooms.

Phil Hoﬀmann, Theatre Royal Creative

Development Producer, said: “Theatre

opens new worlds to young people. It

allows them to sit, sing, laugh and cry

together as part of a live performance

and experience wild and wonderful new

stories.

“We’re proud that, in bringing theatre

to everyone, our shows help expand

the imaginations and creativity of

young audiences, interconnecting with

school subjects like literacy, oracy and

understanding the wider world.”

For many, panto is the traditional

introduction to the stage, and this year we

have extra reasons to book, most notably

that an extra week has been added to

Aladdin, meaning there are 12,000 more

chances to watch the show

(Tue 25 Nov 2025 – Sun 18 Jan 2026).

Dynamic comedy duo Danny Adams

and Clive Webb will return for their

20th season. Joining them is celebrated

local singer-songwriter Joe McElderry

as The Spirit of the Ring, the legendary

Chris Hayward as the ever-glamorous

Mother Goose and Mick Potts as Genie

of the Lamp.

National Theatre’s globally celebrated

production of War Horse arrives at

Newcastle Theatre Royal (Wed 10 –

Sat 20 Sep 2025). Based on Michael

Morpurgo’s beloved novel, this moving

drama tells the story of Albert and his

cherished horse, Joey, set against the

devastation of World War One.

The play’s groundbreaking puppetry,

created by South Africa’s Handspring

Puppet Company, brings life-sized

horses to the stage in a breathtaking

display of artistry.

The Royal Shakespeare Company brings

its production of Hamlet to North East

audiences when it stops oﬀ at Newcastle

(Tue 31 Mar - Sat 4 Apr 2026).

Following their hugely successful recent

collaborations on Cold War and Patriots,

multi award-winner Rupert Goold directs

this new production of Shakespeare’s

family saga which sees grief-stricken

Hamlet unravel a web of deceit and

immorality that leads to the ultimate crisis

of conscience.

Aaron Sorkin’s riveting, award-winning

stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s seminal

American novel To Kill a Mockingbird is

set to come to Newcastle (Tue 21 - Sat 25

Apr 2026).

James Graham’s powerful new adaptation

of Alan Bleasdale’s BAFTA award-winning

TV series Boys from the Blackstuﬀ

comes to Newcastle Theatre Royal (Tue

20 – Sat 24 May 2025 ). Directed by Kate

Wasserberg it comes direct from the

National Theatre and the West End.

Matthew Bourne’s award-winning The

Midnight Bell comes to Newcastle for the

ﬁrst time in 2025 (Tue 8 – Sat 12 Jul 2025).

In 1930s London ordinary people emerge

from cheap boarding houses nightly

to pour out their passions, hopes and

dreams in the pubs and fog-bound

streets of Soho and Fitzrovia. Step inside

The Midnight Bell, a tavern where one

particular lonely-hearts club gather to

play out their lovelorn aﬀairs of the heart;

bitter comedies of longing, frustration,

betrayal and redemption.

To book contact our Schools Team

on 0191 323 5858 or email schools@

theatreroyal.co.uk

We provide a programme

of work that oﬀers

activities for teachers

and students at all levels

of education through a

number of diverse and

vibrant creative learning

workshops, projects

and partnerships.

Why should your school work

with Newcastle Theatre Royal?

We support teachers with the integration

of the arts into their subjects’ curriculum

It increases participation of your young

people in vital cultural opportunities

Our work supports the development of

students’ literacy and communication skills

We can increase the well-being and

resilience of your students

We provide show related learning and

enriching cultural visits and experiences

Theatre Royal supports and provides

pathways into the creative arts sector

for post 16 students

We provide a number of resources

available to download on our websites

ranging from production-based

learning to the theoretical development

of theatre and its practitioners

Schools Autumn

Survey results:

Book your school’s Insight Visit

Help your students to feel the thrill of

theatre as they tread the boards of the

Theatre Royal stage. Our Insight Visits

showcase our stunning Matcham theatre

from an audience, actor and backstage

perspective. Visits are led by actors

whose backgrounds include creative

engagement work with young learners.

For some students, these visits are their

very ﬁrst step into a theatre. These ﬁrst

steps are designed to open their eyes to

the magic of live performances, and help

form pathways to new hobbies and even

careers in the performing arts.

Visits are available Tuesday – Friday

mornings, excluding matinee days.

Maximum student group size 30, plus

maximum of ﬁve accompanying staﬀ.

Visits last up to 90 minutes.

To book, email: schools@theatreroyal.

co.uk or call 0191 323 5858 for

information.

At Newcastle Theatre Royal, we

believe in the power of theatre to

inspire, educate, and transform. Our

commitment to schools goes beyond

putting on shows - we’re dedicated to

nurturing the potential in students across

the North East.

We’ve heard the challenges faced by

schools, via our Autumn Schools Survey.

That’s why we’re evolving a programme

to support teaching in your classrooms,

ensuring that young people have access

to the same opportunities as their

counterparts across the country.

Your feedback is crucial in guiding our

approach. 94% of respondents felt

bringing curriculum subjects to life

through shows at the Theatre Royal was

a clear priority. Interactive workshops

were also sought after, mentioned by

69% of respondents. Our schools oﬀer

encourages creativity and critical thinking,

giving students a taste of various aspects

of theatre production and providing

opportunities for students to explore

diverse career paths in the arts, through

careers talks with members of staﬀ from

across the Theatre Royal.

We will continue to oﬀer performance

skills workshops, studying practitoners

like Brecht and Stanislavski, and more

contemporary makers such as Kneehigh

and Complicitie in line with the wishes

of 52% of respondents. Alongside these,

devising, directing and theatre design

workshops will be oﬀered, with over two

thirds of teachers saying that is something

they would like to see (67%).

Creative writing workshops for teachers

will become part of our oﬀer in response

to the views of 62% of respondents and

backstage tours will continue to provide

an insight into the world of theatre.

We’ll continue to adapt to meet the

evolving needs of schools, students and

teachers. Together, we can ensure that

the arts remain a vibrant, integral part of

education in our region, providing lifelong

learning opportunities and nurturing the

next generation of creative talent.

We’re excited about the possibilities ahead

and look forward to welcoming you and

your students to Newcastle Theatre Royal

– whether that’s in our building or through

our programmes in your school.

Stories of the West End: Pride of Place

Sharing and platforming stories helps us

to invest in the present as well as shape

the ‘what’s to come’. And theatre is ALL

about story-sharing!

Newcastle Theatre Royal is looking

to gather stories of the West End of

Newcastle to paint a proud portrait of

the area through the voices of those

who live or work in the city’s West.

Creating a living map, a story roar!

Staﬀ from the old General Hospital

have remembered the building’s heroes

and habits. Scotswood Community

Garden gathered thoughts from staﬀ and

volunteers about its remarkable 30 years

of blooming nourishing activity.

Individuals have given descriptions of

places and times, shared photographs

and cuttings, celebrating communities

and community champions.

Children have reflected on the West,

working with our Engagement Team to

create fantastical creatures made from all

that is important to them about the place.

Do you live or work in the West End?

If you have a story to contribute we

would love to hear from you! It might be

a tale of a time gone by, a celebration of

a hero of the present, or a wish for the

area’s future.

Whether mini or massive, a pocket-sized

poem, a passing thought, or well-worn

anecdote, every voice counts.

Please send your contribution to

we@theatreroyal.co.uk or visit our

website.

Stories of the West End will culminate

in an anthology of the collection and a

community sharing in summer of this

year. So WATCH THIS SPACE!

Celebrating Young Performers in a Theatre

Royal and National Theatre partnership

Schools

Workshops Menu

Our team has developed a series

of wrap-around events and training

for the Festival, supported by NT

Connections and Newcastle Theatre

Royal’s marketing and technical

teams. Delivering workshops in show

promotion including design, marketing

and media relations and Technical

Theatre including Lighting and Sound

for production.

Creative Development Producer

Phil Hoﬀmann said: “Theatre Royal’s

partnership with NT Connections has

allowed us to pair some of the UK’s

most exciting writers with the theatre-

makers of tomorrow. During the project

and over the week of the Festival here

in Newcastle, we will see the skills of

young people flourish and conﬁdence

bloom while creating an unforgettable

feast of theatre made by and for young

people and wider audiences.

“It is a brilliant and rewarding journey

involving young people from all

corners of the North East. We look

forward to working with more

groups and young people when the

2025/26 National Theatre Connections

program begins again in the autumn.”

To ﬁnd out more about National

Theatre Connections you can get your

school or youth theatre involved in

the festival next year visit the National

Theatre’s website.

A new collaboration with the National

Theatre Connections is bringing the

thrill of live performance to young

people across the North East.

NT Connections is the National

Theatre’s annual, nationwide youth

theatre festival which celebrates

young people, theatre-making and the

importance of access to the arts.

Newcastle Theatre Royal has joined

the programme for its

30th Anniversary year, as Festival Host

venue for the North East, hosting 10

visiting companies on 7- 11 Apr. The

companies are made up of young

people from schools, colleges and

Youth Theatres from all corners of the

North East and includes our brand-

new Theatre Royal Youth Company,

who close the Festival with their

performance of ‘Fresh Air’, directed by

Artist in Residence Laura Lindow.

Each company performs its home

venue to local audiences between

February and March. Bolstered by

the success of those shows, each

company then performs its production

here on our main stage. The Festival,

held over ﬁve nights, attracts a wide

audience from across the region

and these performances are the

highlight of the festival for the young

people, teachers and the Theatre

Royal’s Creative Engagement team.

Newcastle Theatre Royal Newcastle is

excited to introduce our new workshop

menu, designed to enrich students’ learning

and oﬀer insight into potential career

opportunities. Our oﬀerings include:

Contemporary Practitioners: Explore

innovative techniques from influential

ﬁgures like Brecht, Stanislavski, Kneehigh,

and Complicité. Students will experiment

with diverse theatrical styles, enhancing

their understanding of key practitioners.

Devising for Theatre: Unlock creativity

through collaborative performance

creation. Participants will learn various

devising techniques, from physical

approaches to text-based starting points,

culminating in short, original pieces.

Teachers’ Creative Writing: Equip

educators with practical strategies for

teaching creative writing in drama.

Explore idea generation, character

development, and dialogue crafting

techniques adaptable for classroom use as

well as for you and your creative self.

Directing for Theatre: Develop directorial

skills through practical exercises in text

analysis, ensemble building, and staging.

Gain insights into professional directing

practices applicable to creating and

developing your own work.

Costume and Set Design: Dive into the

visual world of theatre design. Learn

costume rendering, set model-making,

and how to interpret scripts visually,

enhancing production aesthetics.

Technical Lighting and Sound Design:

Explore the fundamentals of theatrical

technology. Understand how lighting and

sound enhance storytelling and create

atmosphere, with hands-on experience

using industry-standard equipment.

Careers Days: Discover the diverse career

paths in theatre beyond the stage. Meet

experienced professionals from technical,

marketing, producing, ﬁnance, HR, and IT

roles. Learn essential behind-the-scenes

jobs that bring productions to life. We can

come to you, or you can come to us.

These workshops aim to provide

comprehensive, hands-on experiences

across various aspects of theatre-making,

supporting both curriculum needs and

fostering a deeper appreciation for the

performing arts.

Cost - £180 per half day - £340 full day.

Theatre Royal inspires over 300 young minds thanks to

Big Give fundraising campaign

our region. This money allows us to address the regional and

national imbalance in arts provision, ensuring that young people

in the North East have access to the same opportunities as their

counterparts across the country.

“Workshops and visits will begin in summer. Watch this space

for updates.”

Kelly Smith, Head of Development, added: “The donations and

support of all our Friends during The Big Give week has made a

real diﬀerence and we’re already looking forward to taking part

in our next campaign!”

Young people from across the city will get to take part in a

series of workshops that will showcase the diversity of career

opportunities with the theatre industry.

They will also get to hone their acting skills and build self-

conﬁdence through performance workshops and they also

get an insight into the day-to-day activity of a working theatre

venue via our insight building tours after Theatre Royal

supporters got behind our Inspiring Young Minds creative

engagement project.

These opportunities come thanks to a partnership with Big

Give, a national platform that runs match funding campaigns for

charities and good causes. Donations made over a seven-day

period in December were match-funded by The Friends of

Newcastle Theatre Royal and the Reed foundation, raising a

staggering £11,798. Funds raised included £9,082 received on the

Big Give website and an additional generous donation after the

campaign closed.

This will enable 323 young people to develop skills, conﬁdence

and a lifelong love of theatre.

Creative Engagement Producer Mark Calvert said: “Thanks to

donations from our supporters through the Big Give campaign,

our Inspiring Young Minds project will reach more people than

we ever expected, helping us create transformative experiences

that identify, nurture and develop the young talent that sits in

Schools 2025

Miss Saigon

£22.00

Dear England

£20.50 evening/ £18.50 matinee TBC

Aladdin

School rates available in all areas on select matinees,

£11.00 November/£13 December

2:22 A Ghost Story