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Special Educational Needs Resource Pack Written by Rosie Emanuel For Mousetrap Theatre Projects © June 2012 Contents Introduction Page 3 Access Information Page 4 PRE-SHOW ACTIVITIES Preparing For The Theatre Visit Activity: Visual Story Activity: Code of Conduct Activity: Imaginary Trip Activity: Elements of Theatre A Glossary of Theatre Terms Page Page Page Page Page Detailed Plot Synopsis Page 12 Simple Plot Synopsis Page 13 Key Characters Page 14 Themes Activity: Activity: Activity: Activity: Visiting Narnia Power of the Witch Good and Evil Always Winter 5 7 8 9 10 Page Page Page Page 16 18 19 20 Page Page Page Page Page Page 21 22 24 25 25 28 POST-SHOW ACTIVITIES Activity: Activity: Activity: Activity: Activity: Activity: Find Your Courage Future Self Make an Aslan Mask Production Images Drama Pictures Reflections Useful Resources Page 30 About Mousetrap Theatre Projects Page 31 2 Introduction Welcome to the SEN Teacher Resource Pack for The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. The aim of this pack is to help you prepare your young people for their visit to the theatre and enhance their enjoyment and understanding of the show. This pack is designed for use with students who may have a range of needs, including sensory impairments. This pack therefore aims to encourage a multi-sensory approach, which is accessible to all learning styles and needs. In this booklet you will find a range of worksheets and practical activities to use with your students. Some are designed as pre-show activities, whilst others are more suitable for post-show work after the event. However, this is only a guide so feel free to use the resources flexibly, depending on your needs. We have also provided you with a free prop to get the drama work started! A rating of EASY or INTERMEDIATE has been applied to the activites as a guide. In addition, there are some guidelines on how to adapt certain activities for those with additional communication or sensory needs. The Visual Story, which can be downloaded from www.mousetrap.org.uk under ‘community’, is a tool to be used with the students directly and can be browsed in the classroom or worked into a specific lesson. The idea of this resource is to offer more visual learners an insight into what they might expect from the experience of attending the theatre. It might be a useful tool to take on the trip to remind students of what will happen next, especially for those who need support with new experiences. We hope that this pack is a beneficial tool as you prepare your students for their visit to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Enjoy the show! 3 Access Information There is an access ramp on each side of the theatre. There is removable seating for parked wheelchairs. For those using the steps there is a total of 14 steps up to the seating and a further 10 steps to the back row. Park in the NCP Royal Garden Hotel car park and receive a 30% off discount voucher when visiting The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Please ask the box office for more details. For further information on disabled parking spaces near the theatre please visit: http://www.rbkc.gov.ukg/disabledparking There are accessible toilets on site. A member of staff will be able to help you to locate them once you arrive. 4 PRE-SHOW ACTIVITIES Preparing for the Theatre Visit EASY Activity: Visual Story Use the Visual Story provided to begin preparing your students for their theatre visit. You could either read it in a group, or copy the booklet so that they each have their own version. Once your group have had a chance to look through the Visual Story, copy the worksheet on page 6 and ask them to fill it in individually. The second box might contain ideas about what they may see on stage such as lighting effects, costumes and actors (see Glossary of Theatre Terms on page 10 for more information). Discuss what they are expecting from the production. Prompt with questions such as: o Do you know anything about the story? o Can you name any characters from the story? o What does the title of the show suggest? You could use your own emotion cards to support this activity. o Do you think it will be funny/sad/exciting? o Have you seen the film or read the book? o What are you most looking forward to about the trip? The production images on pages 26-27 may help visual learners to begin thinking about what they are going to see. 5 Theatre Trip Worksheet The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is a show performed in a big, outdoor theatre tent in Kensington Gardens called The Threesixty Theatre. This is what the Threesixty Theatre looks like inside. The audience sit all around the circular stage in the centre. This is what I might do and see at the theatre… 6 EASY Activity: Code of Conduct • Before you come to the show you may wish to develop a code of conduct with your group. Use the diagram below as a template and ask them to think about what kind of behaviour is appropriate at the theatre and why. Try to make your code of conduct positive by using ‘we will...’ rather than ‘do not...’ • Here o o o o are some ideas to get you started: We will stay close together and remain with the group at all times We will be quiet during the performance We will turn off mobile phones during the performance We will listen and follow instructions carefully Our Code of Conduct 7 INTERMEDIATE Activity: Imaginary Trip If your group is keen on drama then this activity is a good way of helping them to prepare for the trip. It is especially good for learners who prefer ‘doing’ rather than reading, writing or talking. Invite the group to form a circle and to take turns to share one thing they might take with them on the trip, e.g. camera, water, raincoat, snacks. Invite them to place their items in an imaginary bag. Now act out taking whichever mode of transport you will use. More confident students can be in role as the bus or train driver, ticket collector etc. You can add sound effects and movement if appropriate, or use gym mats as props. Ask someone to be in role as a map-reader and pretend to make the journey to the theatre. You may wish to sing a song or add some group movement to make this more fun. Try and get hold of a real A-Z or tube map as a prop if possible, or copy the map included in the Visual Story. Once you ‘arrive’ at the theatre, you can role-play finding your seats and getting ready for the show to start. You could make pretend tickets for each child. Use a visual or auditory cue to practice applause and silence. You could even review your code of conduct by getting a participant to go into role as someone in the audience who gets ‘cross’ when they are noisy. If your students are sensitive to light or sound then incorporate this into the drama. You might want to warn the group about the darkness in the theatre, bright lights and sounds of music and applause. 8 INTERMEDIATE Activity: Elements of Theatre This activity allows the students to think about what is needed to create a piece of theatre. It will help them to become familiar with what they are going to experience in advance of the performance and will teach them about how theatre is made. Look together at the Glossary of Theatre Terms on page 10 and talk through each symbol in turn until they have an understanding of each element. Now copy the worksheet on page 11 and give one to each student. Work through each picture and see if they can remember what each image represents. (Be aware that some images are quite similar to others). Once they have established the correct meaning, ask them to write a title and description under each image. This can be in their own words based on what they have learnt and remembered from the discussion. For a simpler version of this activity, copy the chart on page 11 and call out the name of one element of the theatre. Ask the group to circle which picture they think best represents the word you have described (with support). They can then write the word under the image. Working with Visual Impairments If you are working with visual impairments, you could create a multi-sensory version of this activity by finding a kinaesthetic or auditory way to represent each aspect. Here are some suggestions: Lighting: Pass round a torch and allow them to press the on/off switch. Sound: Play some sound effects or pass around a musical instrument. Costume/props: Pass around some costume pieces or props to feel. Actors: Encourage them to have a go at acting/dancing or making frozen pictures of what an actor or dancer might do. Stage: Create a platform that can be stepped onto. Invite students up on the stage one at a time and encourage the rest of the group to applaud. Audience: Act out being an audience by setting up seats in front of a ‘stage’. Practice being quiet and then using applause. 9 A Glossary of Theatre Terms SOUND During the show you will hear a lot of different sounds which are controlled from the back of the theatre. ACTORS AND DANCERS The actors and dancers spend weeks rehearsing what they need to do on stage, ready for the performance. COSTUMES AND PROPS Before the show begins, the actors get into costume and check that all their props are in the right place. STAGE The stage has a set which helps create a setting for the story. The actors perform on the stage. LIGHTS During the show the lighting operator will stand behind a desk and change the lights when needed. DIRECTOR The director makes sure that everyone involved in the show knows what they are doing. AUDIENCE The audience members watch the performance and show their support by clapping at the end of a song or scene. STAGE MANAGER The Stage Manager is in charge of the stage and makes sure that the show runs smoothly every night. 10 Elements of Theatre Worksheet ! ! 11 This synopsis may be most useful for teachers, so that you can answer questions during the performance if students need support with understanding. A simpler synopsis activity is provided on page 13 for students. Copy page 13 onto A3 for each student and fill in the boxes with drawings, symbols or cut-out pictures, as appropriate. The final box has been left ambiguous so as not to spoil the show! Detailed Plot Synopsis It is 1940 during World War II. Four brothers and sisters – Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy – are taken from their home in London to escape the bombs and sent to live with Professor Kirke in his English country house. The children miss their parents so distract themselves by playing games. The house is big with lots of empty and mysterious rooms to explore. During hide and seek, Lucy hides inside a wardrobe and discovers a doorway to a magical, snowy world named Narnia. She meets a faun called Mr Tumnus who invites her to tea. Mr Tumnus warns her about the evil White Witch. He is the White Witch’s slave. He tells her that the Witch has cursed Narnia so it is always winter but never Christmas. Anyone who betrays her she turns to stone. Mr Tumnus warns Lucy that the White Witch is looking to capture human children. Lucy convinces Mr Tumnus not to tell the White Witch about her and he lets her go. Lucy returns home through the wardrobe and tells her brothers and sister about the magical land. They don’t believe her. Edmund teases Lucy about her vivid imagination. Before long, Edmund ends up in Narnia too. He meets the White Witch who tempts him with Turkish Delight. The White Witch convinces Edmund to bring his siblings to her in Narnia with the promise of more sweets. Edmund meets Lucy in Narnia but when they return to the house to tell Peter and Susan, Edmund pretends he has never been there. Lucy gets very upset, as they still don’t believe her. Peter and Susan ask the Professor for advice, who suggests she might be telling the truth after all. One day, all four children hide in the wardrobe and suddenly find themselves in Narnia. Lucy takes them to Mr Tumnus’s house but they find he is missing. Lucy wants to rescue him from the Witch. The children get help from Mr and Mrs Beaver, as well as other forest creatures. They discover that the only way is to find the great and mighty Aslan, a Sacred Lion. The children and Mr Beaver plot to meet Aslan at the Stone Table the next day. They suddenly notice that Edmund has disappeared. He has gone in search of the The White Witch for more Turkish Delight! They meet Aslan and ask for his help to save Edmund from the Witch. The Witch is preparing to kill Edmund but Aslan has a plan. Aslan and the White Witch meet at the Stone Table and Aslan allows himself to be captured and killed in order to save Edmund. The children see that he has sacrificed himself to save Edmund and are devastated at his death. In the morning they see that Aslan’s body has gone, but they hear his voice. He has risen from the dead. Aslan tells the children what they must do to win the battle against evil. There is a battle between good and evil. The children use weapons provided by Aslan to win the fight. The Witch is killed and the curse on Narnia is broken. The children grow into adults and are left to rule Narnia. One day they find their way back through the wardrobe and become children once again. They see that no real time has passed. The Professor explains that they will one day see Narnia again. You may not want to give the ending of the story away before your students see the show! 12 What Happens in the Story? Four brothers and sisters are playing hide and seek – Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. Lucy hides in a wardrobe and ends up in a magical world called Narnia. Soon all the children discover Narnia. They meet some unusual creatures and animals. In Narnia it is always winter because the White Witch has cast an evil spell. The children want to save Narnia from the evil Witch’s curse. They go and find Aslan the Lion, who is good and brave. There is a battle between good and evil to save Narnia. Once the battle is over, the children return home once again. 13 Key Characters You might like to ask your students to try and imagine how different these actors will look in their costumes. Lucy Susan Edmund Peter Aslan The White Witch Mr Tumnus Professor 14 Themes The following themes may be useful to think about before attending the show. Look at each theme in turn and ask your young people to consider how and when each theme is relevant in the story. Below are some activities to help you start exploring the themes of the show. These words can be programmed into communication aids so that those with communication devices can interact more easily with discussions. GOOD & EVIL SEASONS IMAGINATION MAGIC COURAGE POWER FAMILY GROWING UP 15 ! EASY Activity: Visiting Narnia This multi-sensory drama activity can be used as a 30-minute lesson plan or could be split up into sections and used across a number of different lessons. It is aimed at encouraging students to make the leap from a real to an imaginary world. Film composer John Williams writes You will need: great music to accompany drama o Some magical-sounding music or percussion instruments work. For this you could try o A large space such as a school hall ‘Somewhere in My Memory’ from the o The students’ coats or other outdoor clothing Home Alone soundtrack, or the o A ‘wardrobe’ (screen/doorway) to pass through Theme from Seven Years in Tibet. o Some white sheets (or alternative) to look like snow o Any other wintery props such as snowflakes (sprinkled paper pieces) o Some benches or apparatus to make levels, covered in white sheets o Water spray bottle (available from most chemists) Space set up: In your large hall space, lay out apparatus such as benches and blocks covered in white sheets to look like a snowy landscape. You may also want to sprinkle some ‘snow’ on the floor. Ideally your ‘Narnia’ world will be in a separate space from where you begin the lesson, to maintain an element of surprise. • Begin the lesson away from the Narnia space and explain that you are going to do some drama work to prepare for the theatre trip: you may want to talk a bit about the story and show them some images from the show beforehand. • Gather students in a circle in the centre of the room. Now invite students to imagine that they are in a big old house with lots of empty rooms. You could ask the group to make the sounds of the old house. Suggest to the group that this would be a good place for a game of hide and seek. Have one student count (with support if necessary) while others hide. • Once hide and seek has run its course, steer the group towards discovering the doorway or screen leading to Narnia. It will be the job of the teacher to lead this through narrative, for example: “Children, look what I’ve found… a wardrobe/doorway I’ve not seen before. Perhaps it leads somewhere! Shall we go through together and see?” Once you arrive in Narnia you can explore the land however you like, with music to add atmosphere. Travel over and under the ‘snowy’ apparatus, getting students to ‘shiver’ with cold and put on their coats (real or imaginary). You could find a river and try to catch some fish to eat (spraying them with water bottles in the process!) You could even get a member of staff to go into role as Mr Tumnus the Faun (with some Faun ears if possible), who invites the group to tea and tells them all about Narnia and the evil White Witch (you can use the detailed plot synopsis to help you). This will then lead directly into the next exercise: The Power of the Witch. It is important that you travel back out of the imaginary world at the end of the lesson If you don’t have access to many sensory materials then this activity can to help the group to de-role. still be effective (although a little more difficult for some). You can make the doorway into Narnia using people’s bodies as an archway and 16 then explore Narnia using mime and imagination. But remember, you may have all sorts of things lying around school that will work well! • Imaginary World Worksheet After ‘Visiting Narnia’, use this worksheet for students to create an image of their own imaginary world. This can also be done post-show. My imaginary world is called________________________ 17 ! EASY Activity: Power of the Witch This role-play drama activity can follow on directly from ‘Visiting Narnia’ or can be used in a separate lesson. It allows your students to explore the theme of power and status and to develop an understanding of the White Witch character. You will need: A White Witch mask is provided in this pack! o A White Witch mask o A fur coat or cape o A chair to be the Witch’s throne • You may like to start by copying an image of the White Witch from the production images (pages 26-27) and showing it to the students. Ask them to think of adjectives to describe her. Does she look nasty and evil, or is she hiding her true character and looking kind? (You may like to mention how she tricks Edmund into thinking she is kind by giving him sweets). • Ask a volunteer to become the White Witch (everyone can have a turn at this). Help them to put on the mask and cape/coat, before taking a seat on the Witch’s throne. If they are unsure then you can get a staff member to go first. • Before the game begins, get the actor playing the White Witch to choose a magic word and/or action, which turns people to stone. You may like to be in role as the ‘Witch’s Assistant’ to support each student in the activity. • Now announce to the other students that they can come forward and offer a ‘gift’ to the White Witch. Allow them to volunteer to come forward when they have an idea (in pairs if necessary). This gift could be an object like food or jewelry, or could be entertainment such as a song or dance. You could use props for this if it helps your group, such as musical instruments or small objects. • It is up to the Witch to decide whether or not she likes the gift! If she does, she can thank them and they can return to their place. If not then she can turn them to stone using her magic word/action! (If it is hard to stay still then allow them to turn to stone for just a few seconds, before returning to their seat). • Allow each Witch to receive three gifts and then swap so that everyone gets a turn at being the Witch if they want to. Finish by asking what it felt like to be the Witch and have power over others. If you are continuing this activity directly from ‘Visiting Narnia’ then you can get someone in character as Mr Tumnus to warn the children about the White Witch. Then you can continue your journey through Narnia until you find the White Witch’s castle. You might like to get some real Turkish Delight or other sweets and incorporate this into the game. Perhaps the Witch rewards them all at the end with some special sweets! 18 Activity: Good and Evil INTERMEDIATE In the story of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe there is a big battle between good and evil in Narnia. Use this physical activity to explore the concept of good and evil with your students and introduce them to Aslan the Lion. You will need: o A big room which can be divided into two and has space for movement o A variety of percussion instruments e.g. shakers and drums o Images of Aslan and The White Witch • Start by copying an image of Aslan and The White Witch from the end of the pack and explain how Aslan is ‘good’ and the Witch is ‘evil’ in the story. You might like to ask students to suggest words to describe the two characters, which can be written alongside the images. • Now brainstorm what kinds of things you might find/see/hear in a ‘good’ or ‘evil’ world. For example, is the sun shining or is it cold? Are there any animals or creatures? Is it light or dark? Is it scary or pleasant? Are the people happy or sad? If you have done the ‘Visiting Narnia’ activity then use this experience to help them remember what a ‘cold’ and ‘evil’ world might be like. • Now divide your room into two using a marker on the floor such as tape, rope or benches. Tell the group that one side is a 'good world’ and the other side an 'evil world’. • Split the group with half on each side. If you prefer you could allow them to choose which side they want to be on. • Start by asking them to create a frozen picture of their world using interesting body shapes and facial expressions. Some might choose to be animals, or objects such as ‘the sun’ or ‘snow’. If you like you could have one person in each group to represent Aslan and The White Witch at the centre of the image (you may like to use masks for this). • The next step (if appropriate) is to invite each group to use movement, sound and musical instruments to bring their world to life. This exercise should not use any words - instead the group are using their bodies, vocal sounds and instruments to represent their good or evil world. This may only last 10-20 seconds but should be performed with energy. • Once the groups have created their two worlds, invite the observers to watch and react to the performance, expressing how it made them feel. You could ask: what might it be like to live in such a place? • End by telling your group about the battle between good and evil in Narnia. You could ask them to consider who they think will win… 19 EASY Activity: Always Winter There is a strong wintery feel in Narnia due to the White Witch’s control. She has cursed the country so that it is always winter but never Christmas. This activity will help your students to think about the impact of winter and how it links to the unhappiness in Narnia caused by the Witch. • Depending on their learning style, invite students to write a poem or draw an image to represent winter in the box below. Alternatively they could print images from the computer to represent winter and make a collage. • Once they have completed their winter poem or picture, discuss what would happen if the evil curse was broken in Narnia. What might happen to all the snow and ice? You might like to create another picture to represent what they think Narnia might be like if the Witch was no longer in power. In Narnia it is always winter but never Christmas… 20 POST-SHOW ACTIVITIES EASY Activity: Find Your Courage In order to overcome evil in Narnia, the children in the story must be brave and face their fears. This activity will help your students to think about the meaning of courage and reflect on their own experiences of being courageous. • You might like to start by looking at the production images at the end of the pack to remind students about the characters and story. You could ask them to identify whether anyone is showing courage in the images. • You could then ask the group if they can remember a time in the The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe when the children had to show courage. • Now, in groups of 4-6 people, make a frozen picture of a moment in the play when the characters had to show courage. Share these to the other groups and see if they can guess what is happening in the picture. • In the same groups of 4-6, think together about when courage is needed. Ask if they have any personal experiences or memories of needing courage. Perhaps it is when they have done something alone or taken an important test. • Ask each group to choose one idea about when courage is needed and make a frozen picture of this moment using their bodies as a whole group. At least one person in the group should represent being courageous. • Now show the frozen pictures to the rest of the group and get them to think about: o Who is showing courage in the picture o What might be happening in the picture o What the characters in the picture might be thinking or saying You could develop this drama activity by getting the group to come up with a line for each character in the picture, to be spoken out load when they are tapped on the shoulder. 21 INTERMEDIATE Activity: Future Self During their time in Narnia, the four children do a great deal of growing up. They have to face their fears and be extremely courageous before succeeding in their mission to save Narnia from the evil grasp of the Witch. Use this activity to encourage your students to reflect on this aspect of the story and relate it to their own lives. • Copy the worksheet on page 23 and give one to each student. • Ask them to think about the characters in the story and how they grow up and become more independent during their time in Narnia. • Now invite your students to consider their own dreams for the future and draw or write their ideas in the space provided. • For example, in response to the statement “In the future I will be…” they may draw/write: o A dancer o Happy o Successful • In response to the statement “In the future I would like…” they may draw/write: o A big family o More freedom and choice o Lots of money • Once everyone has created something about their future self you may like to have a sharing, where each student has the chance to show their work and describe their aspirations for the future. Encourage students to draw a face on the worksheet to represent what they might look like when they are older. In what way might they look different from how they look now? If your students prefer drama work to drawing/writing then you could get them to make frozen images to represent their future self and show this to the rest of the group. 22 Future Self Worksheet In the future I will be… In the future I would like… 23 Make an Aslan Mask 24 EASY Activity: Production Images • Copy the images on pages 26-27 and give a set to each student to look at. Alternatively you could just copy one set and make a big poster, which everyone contributes to. • Ask them to collect words and ideas in response to the pictures. You might ask the group to consider: o What title would you give each picture? o How are the characters feeling at this point in the story? o What might they be saying or thinking? • The images could also be copied and used as a visual aid when reflecting on the show (page 28). Activity: Drama Pictures INTERMEDIATE This drama activity will allow your young people to develop their understanding of the show after the event and can lead onto a range of drama activities exploring some of the themes. • Once the students have looked at each of the production images on pages 26-27, get them to make an audience in front of a ‘stage’ space. • Taking one picture at a time, invite someone up to recreate the photograph with their bodies in front of the group. (Another way to do this is to get them to choose their favourite moment from the show). • Once in position, ask the others to think about what each character might be saying or thinking. You could then ask the ‘actors’ to speak the words in character when you tap them on the shoulder (or get someone else to speak the line for them). • You can then explore the characters’ thoughts and feelings further by allowing people to change the line, or letting the actors come to life and play out the scene in front of the audience. If you are working with any non-verbal students or those with low confidence, ask them to make the still pictures while support staff (or a more confident student) become their ‘voice’ by standing behind them and saying the lines. 25 26 27 INTERMEDIATE Activity: Reflections After the show it can be a really useful exercise for students to reflect on their experience and share their thoughts and ideas with each other. • Use the template on page 29 and ask students to record their thoughts about the show. You might want to prompt with a question for each square, for example: For more visual learners you might prefer to place Makaton o Can you describe your favourite moment? symbols or pictures in the o Who was your favourite character and why? boxes, rather than words. o How did the show make you feel? o Was there anything that you didn’t like about the show? In addition to completing the template below, they could also make a poster of their reflections to be placed on a notice board. You might like to add some of the production images to brighten it up. Practical Reflection Activity: Opinion Line EASY If your students prefer ‘doing’ rather than reading or writing then use this practical approach to reflect on the show. You need a large, empty space for this activity, with space to move about. • Draw an imaginary line from one end of the room to the other. If it helps you can mark this out with tape or chairs. One end of the line means ‘I agree’ and the other means ‘I disagree’. • Now call out statements to the group such as: o The show was very entertaining o I liked the costumes o I understood the story • If the students agree with the statement then they go to that end of the line and if they disagree they go to the other end. If they are not sure then they can go in the middle. You might want to record the results or take photos of the opinion line for a notice board. If you fancy sending through copies of your experiences to Mousetrap Theatre Projects then please email [email protected] 28 My thoughts on The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe 29 Useful Resources For more information about the venue as well as video clips, resources and education: www.lionwitchtheshow.com For more information regarding access: www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/access For accessible parking: www.parkingforbluebadges.com http://www.rbkc.gov.ukg/disabledparking National organisation for signed performances in theatre: www.spit.org.uk Audio-description service provider: www.vocaleyes.co.uk Captioning service provider: www.stagetext.org Classroom resource book for story-making in SEN settings: Vickers, S. & Emanuel, R. The Stories Within: Developing Inclusive Drama and Storymaking, Hinton House 2011. www.hintonpublishers.com ABOUT ROSIE EMANUEL Rosie is a Dramatherapist and Drama Practitioner with a wide range of experience delivering drama projects and therapy in SEN settings around London. Her first book, The Stories Within: Developing Inclusive Drama and Story-making, was published in 2011 by Hinton House Publishers. She also has her own website www.thedramatherapists.co.uk. 30 ABOUT MOUSETRAP THEATRE PROJECTS Mousetrap Theatre Projects is a theatre education charity committed to providing opportunities for disadvantaged young people and young people with special needs to attend outstanding theatre across London. The charity takes close to 12,000 young people to the theatre each year, with all tickets from £5-£10. Each of our programmes comes under one of our core areas: Access, Audience Development and Education. Each project is developed in close consultation with teachers, artists, educators and young people who tell us what they need. We respond imaginatively and creatively to meet their requirements. Access To provide young people, specifically those with limited resources, support or a disability, the opportunity to attend London theatre, often as a first-time experience: 1. TheatreOpeners– bringing 4,000 students a year from disadvantaged London state secondary schools to see outstanding theatre productions 2. ICAP Theatre Journeys for Special Schools - opening the door to West End theatre for secondary special schools, with best seats at top productions and in-school workshops. 3. Family First Nights – the only programme of its kind in the UK making London’s outstanding theatre accessible to low-income families 4. Envision - a magical day at a West End theatre for visually impaired young people 5. StageSeen – a new programme based in the Envision model, for deaf and hard of hearing young people. 6. StageXchange - gives youth groups the opportunity to see a top West End show accompanied by three tailormade workshops in the youth group setting Audience Development To encourage a legacy of theatregoing among young audiences by reducing barriers and enhancing their knowledge and understanding of theatre: 7. C145 – see a show for £5, enables young people, aged 15-18 in state secondary education to attend the theatre without their parents or teachers. Each event includes a pre or post-show talk with members of the cast or creative team 8. WestEnd4£10 - an extension to the C145 scheme, targeting students at drama schools, colleges and universities across London and the South-East 9. Teachers Preview Club - makes theatre more affordable for teachers, allowing them to preview a show prior to taking a school group Education To enable young people to engage actively with their theatre experience and to use theatre as an educational resource to stimulate creative work and to develop theatre-related skills: 10. Play the Critic - develops A-Level students’ critical thinking and writing skills by teaching them how to review a production 11. PowerPlay - uses a theatre production as the catalyst for a series of in-depth workshops for students in Children Support Centres, formerly Pupil Referral Units 12. StageBusiness - provides teachers and BTec Performing Arts students with an insider’s view of the ‘business’ of theatre including producing and marketing 13. WriteThinking - takes playwrights into schools to help students write short plays based on citizenship themes 14. DesignTaster - enables teachers and students to learn about set, costume, lighting and sound design from professional theatre designers 15. TheatreWorks – for mainstream and special schools, offers a bespoke theatre project that brings theatre practitioners into the classroom to collaborate with students and teachers 16. StageSong - teaches students to compose a song or mini-musical by understanding the role of songs in musical theatre. 17. NextStage – using the StageXchange model and teaming up with youth employment agencies, drama techniques are used to develop skills useful when seeking employment or further education. New programme to be piloted in autumn 2011. 31