Theatre Royal Stratford East and Birkbeck launch MA
The renowned Theatre Royal Stratford East has joined forces with Birkbeck, University of London to launch the new Birkbeck MA in Creative Producing.
The new Theatre Royal/Birkbeck partnership gives East Londoners the opportunity to develop their potential through access to education and contemporary theatre. The partnership between Theatre Royal Stratford East and Birkbeck is particularly apt as they have long shared a vision of bringing opportunities in education and the arts to the local community, dating back to their respective pioneers George Birkbeck and Joan Littlewood.
The collaborative MAaims to prepare students for professional roles as creative producers in a wide variety of theatre and live performance events. It will be practice-based and taught by current professional practitioners while working in close association with the already established Birkbeck MFA in Theatre Directing. The new MA will be offered in association with the Theatre Royal, Stratford East and will be based at Birkbeck’s new campus in Stratford, with classes here and in Bloomsbury.
“This new course is a really welcome development,” said Rob Swain, Senior Lecturer, Birkbeck, and University of London. “The MFA in Theatre Directing already has a great relationship with the Theatre Royal, and we are all delighted that this new course will both strengthen our links still further and offer exciting new opportunities in Stratford.”
Head of Youth Arts and Education at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, Jan Sharkey Dodds, believes that the MA will appeal to a broad student community.
‘The Creative Producing MA will embrace Newham’s diversity by taking a broad view of previous experience, education and training. Birkbeck will acknowledge appreciable levels of work-experience as equivalent to a degree / diploma, so those with practical experience but no higher education opportunitieswill not be disadvantaged. The College also has a supportive structure for reinforcing and improving writing and study skills which will go a long way towards overall student development.’
Development which Jan notes is also at the forefront of the Youth Arts programme at Stratford East.
‘At Stratford East we aim through theory and practice to help young peoplegain access to further educational and artisticopportunities. We have always championed the formalization of the Arts education processand supported our young people to fulfill their potential. Many are unsure of the next step in their artistic development and it is always a very positive step when institutions like Birkbeck lead the way in providing solid educational choices within the Arts’
The MA in Creative Producing will be an intensive full-time one-year course beginning in September each year. Only nine students will be admitted annually as the course aims towards individually orientated teaching and discussion. For more information on the MA contact Andrew McKinnon at Birkbeck on a.mckinnon@english.bbk.ac.uk
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