The Stage Scholarships 2020: Win theatre training opportunities

This year The Stage has partnered with seven performing arts schools, from across the UK and beyond, to offer more than £250,000 worth of training. We provide details on what’s available and how readers can apply

The Stage Scholarships scheme is now celebrating more than 30 years of subsidised training for children and young adults throughout the UK.

Since launching in 1989, former winners have gone on to enjoy successful careers in theatre, TV and film. Recent winners have appeared in West End shows ranging from Everybody’s Talking About Jamie to School of Rock – The Musical.

For 2020, The Stage has joined forces with a series of generous academies and drama schools to provide up to 70 places to potential students. These places offer access to training in drama, musical theatre and dance, allowing students to develop as creatives within a constantly evolving industry. The free tuition offered by The Stage Scholarships is in excess of a staggering £250,000 in 2020.

In this feature, we introduce you to our seven partners and the range of scholarship opportunities available. Whether you are a parent looking for an outlet for your child’s growing passion for dance or a school leaver searching for opportunities in drama, there’s something here for you. While many of the schools are based in London, one is based outside the capital, another offers 43 sites throughout the UK and our new partner school for 2020 is based in the United Arab Emirates.

Four of the organisations listed cater for children (either full or part-time), others specialise in providing foundation training for students wishing to pursue a career in the performing arts. There are exciting developments with Fourth Monkey, which this year is offering two half-scholarships for its accelerated degree course. Razzamataz is celebrating its 20th anniversary providing a source of training and community for young people across the UK who are passionate about performing.

Meanwhile, our new partner, Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, is providing an exciting opportunity for two people to train for a BA in Acting, Musical Theatre or Production Arts at its new facility in the UAE.

Take a look below at what’s on offer. You’ll need to watch out for the individual application forms in future editions of The Stage, which will contain the full details of how to apply. The easiest and cheapest way to ensure you have all the relevant details is to subscribe – you or your parents can find out more at: thestage.co.uk/subscribe. It will save you more than 30% off the cover price and you get free access to our digital edition and personalised job alerts.

And if you want to know the difference The Stage Scholarships can make to your life, you can meet last year’s winners as they gathered to take part in our Christmas issue photoshoot at: thestage.co.uk/scholarships

Meet The Stage Scholarship winners 2019

Arts Educational Schools London

ArtsEd has an international reputation for arts training, with alumni including Janie Dee, Nigel Harman, Danny Mac and The Stage Debut Awards winner Miriam-Teak Lee, who is currently staring in the West End hit & Juliet.

All pupils are inspired by a strong sense of family and shared purpose to achieve their full potential right across the curriculum.

This year, ArtsEd is offering a total of 20 scholarships suitable for all ages and interests: five places for its Saturday Skills Academy plus 15 places on various week-long courses as part of its Summer School programme.

artsed.co.uk

Details

Course: Saturday Skills Academy and Summer School
Education level: School age/post school
Number of scholarships:
• Skills Academy – five full scholarships
• Summer Schools – 15 full scholarships
Value of scholarship: £10,000
What costs are covered? Fees
Location: Bath Road, London W4
Likely audition dates: Week commencing April 6
How to apply: Buy The Stage in March

Fourth Monkey Actor Training Company

Fourth Monkey prides itself on providing no-nonsense vocational actor training with an emphasis on repertory and ensemble work, and working with highly regarded practitioners. Its intense, comprehensive accelerated BA (hons) Acting degree course provides students with a unique experience of training in an ensemble environment.

Aside from effective, hands-on training there are also opportunities to gain a bursary for the Experimental Fringe Project, employment with its professional ensemble company, as well as masterclasses and workshops via Fourth Monkey’s Evolve programme after graduation.

fourthmonkey.co.uk/auditions

Details

Course: BA (hons) Acting two-year accelerated degree
Education level: Degree course
Number of scholarships offered: Two half-scholarships
Value of scholarship: £22,200
What costs are covered? Fees, travel to Italy for the residential commedia dell’arte course with Antonio Fava
Location: Seven Sisters Road, London
Likely audition date: March 7
How do I apply? Buy The Stage in February

Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts

Established in 1911, Italia Conti has grown and transformed into one of the world’s most prestigious arts education providers, developing programmes for secondary school level and further.

Students receive intense performing arts training focused not only on acting, singing and dancing but also those critical life skills necessary to prepare them to work in the professional world of entertainment.

Past students include Bonnie Langford, Daniel Mays, Lucy Speed, Layton Williams and Sam Tutty, who is currently playing the lead in the West End production of Dear Evan Hansen.

italiaconti.com

Details

Course: Italia Conti Juniors
Educational level: School age
Number of scholarships offered: One full and two part-time
Value of scholarship: More than £64,875
What costs are covered? Fees
Location: Goswell Road, London EC1
Likely audition date: February 19
How do I apply? Buy The Stage in January

Razzamataz Theatre Schools

This year, Razzamataz Theatre Schools is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Established by former dance professional Denise Hutton-Gosney, Razzamataz classes provide out-of-school training for young people aged between four and 18.

In 2007, the profile of the school was raised when Hutton-Gosney secured backing from Dragons’ Den panellist Duncan Bannatyne. There are more than 40 schools all over the UK and each one places a focus on performance opportunities to help students develop their confidence and potential and allow every child the chance to step into the spotlight.

razzamataz.co.uk

Details

Course: One-year part-time Performing Arts
Education level: School age (after school/weekend)
Number of scholarships offered: Up to 43 across the UK
Value of scholarship: £33,000
What costs are covered? Fees
Location: Various sites across the UK
Likely audition date: April 13
How do I apply? Buy The Stage in March

Rose Bruford College of Theatre

One of the best-known names in British drama school training, Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance attracts students from more than 40 countries.

The college launched its foundation acting course in 2014 in Sidcup and delivers an intensive six-month acting course, designed to develop students physically, vocally and imaginatively, while encouraging an independent approach to the work. The college was founded in 1950 and notable alumni include Gary Oldman, Tom Baker, Rosalie Craig and Katie Brayben.

bruford.ac.uk

Details

Course: Six-month acting foundation (Sidcup)
Educational level: Post school
Number of scholarships offered: One full scholarship
Value of scholarship: £8,500
What costs are covered? Fees
Location: Sidcup, Kent
Likely audition date: May 16
How do I apply? Buy The Stage in March

Sylvia Young Theatre School

The Sylvia Young Theatre School has become a byword for professional training in the entertainment industry. Establishing a full-time curriculum in 1981, Sylvia Young still presides over the stage school, nurturing its family atmosphere while providing an exceptional performing arts education.

The school is non-denominational and co-educational, with students aged between 10 and 16 years. While still only a relatively small school of approximately 250 pupils, SYTS has produced many graduates who have found success on stage, screen and the arts including Keeley Hawes, Nicholas Hoult and Jenna Russell.

sylviayoungtheatreschool.com

Details

Course: Theatre school
Educational level: School age
Number of scholarships offered: One full scholarship
Value of scholarship: £70,000
What costs are covered? Fees only
Where is the school? Nutford Place, London W1
Likely audition date: Self-tape application – the successful applicant will be invited to audition on February 16 or 25
How do I apply? Buy The Stage in January

New for 2020: Sharjah Performing Arts Academy

Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates has established Sharjah Performing Arts Academy to address a growing demand in the region for formal, professional education and training in the performing arts.

SPAA is the leading conservatoire in the region, offering quality undergraduate and graduate degree programmes in Acting, Musical Theatre, and Production Arts. The purpose-built, state-of-the-art academy opened its doors and welcomed the first cohort of aspiring and talented students from Sharjah, the UAE, and the rest of the world in September 2019.

spaa.ae

Details

Courses: BA Acting; BA Production; BA Musical Theatre
Educational level: Degree course
Number of scholarships offered: Two full scholarships
Value of scholarship: £48,000
What costs are covered? Fees
Location: Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Likely audition date: March 2020
How do I apply? Buy The Stage in February

For more details, visit thestage.co.uk/scholarships