Read about Norwich Playhouse in The Prince's Foundation for Children & The Arts START Final Evaluation Report.

3 years, 8 high schools, 6 professional productions, 2,600 students and teachers coming to performances twice each year, 3 exhibitions of student work displayed in two galleries at the Playhouse and then at the Professional Development Centre, £450 of prizes for individual students and their schools, 36 free (to schools) coaches, 2 Classic FM pod-casts plus news articles, radio interviews, student and teacher website coverage by participating schools, stimulating cross-curricular programming and off timetable events, not to mention 4 Teacher Showcases with cake!

Thanks to our local partners over the years: Norfolk County Children's Services, Norfolk County Services Transport, Norfolk Dance and Jarrold Book Store. Thanks to our funders: Town Close Estate, The John Jarrold Trust and Norfolk County Council.

And last, but best - Thank you Prince's Trust for Children & the Arts for your dedicated support and guidance throughout.

TEACHER SHOWCASE AWARDS DAY
Thursday 16 June 2011

Roberta Hamond awards Cromer High Schools 1st Prize in the Jarrold's School Competition.


RH presents Margaret Quigley, Arts Coordinator for Sprowston High School with a Project Life-time Achievement Award for consistently high student standards over three years.  Emma Moorby (right) from the Prince's Trust for Children and the Arts looks on.


(From left) Derrrick Eagle, former NCC coach coordinator for the Start Project; Joe Barker, Art Teacher Sewell Park College; Dot Higgin, Head of English Sewell Park College; Dr.Marie Strong, Norfolk County Councillor; Betsy Fowler, Senior Advisor Secondary Intervention (back row);Margret Quigley, Arts Coordinator Sprowston High School; Carl Hensley, Head of Drama Cromer High School (back row); Hayley Ross, English Teacher Hewett School (front row); Mrs Derrick Eagle; Mike Jeffs, Head of English Stalham High School (back row); Roberta Hamond, Education Projects Manager Norwich Playhouse (front row); Caroline Richardson, General Manager Norwich Playhouse; Emma Moorby, Project Manager Prince's Trust for Children and the Arts. Absent: Barry Howes, Head of English & Drama Alderman Peel High School.

Schools taking part 2010-2011: 
Alderman Peel High School, Wells-next-the-sea
Cromer High School
The Hewett School, Norwich
Sewell Park College, Norwich
Stalham High School
Sprowston High School

Our final year for the Start Project has arrived too soon, and we are really going to miss our Year 8s bubbling through the theatre. The first professional production on offer in September was Rannel Theatre Company's  Flhip Flhop - Everything Happens on the Break, playing to 4 sell-out houses (three for Start and one public evening performance) and hugely welcomed back by all students in all participating (and non-participating) schools after their mind-blowingly successful performance in Year One. For Rannel pictures, scroll down.

In the second week in March 2011, we welcomed Gomito Theatre Company's Flor De Muerto to the mix. This time around, many of our schools were already working on their own 'Day of the Dead' projects, looking at other cultures and how they handle difficult subjects such as death and mourning. We had a brilliant time in schools, sharing ideas with Year 8s (and Year 7s at Sewell Park College). See some of the action below.

GOMITO THEATRE COMPANY 7-11 MARCH 2011 

   
Actor Stuart Conlan, Artistic Director Amelia Bird and Bob, the calavera, give a Theatre and Puppet workshop at Sprowston High School. Stuart shows off his 'El Santo' persona.

 
Cromer High School reveal their inner 'super-hero' skills with Stuart (far left) and Amelia.

 
Students from Alderman Peel High School, Wells-next-the-Sea (left) and The Hewett School, Norwich (right) work on puppetry skills with Bob, the calavera.

    
Bob has a well earned rest at the end of a busy week, before 11 Norfolk County Services coaches arrive for three days of sold-out performances of Flor De Muerto.


The Playhouse stage at curtain up, with all eyes on the company.

 
Gomito Theatre Company run post-show discussions after each performance. Sewell Park College leaves sporting their 'Gomito Stickers'!

RANNEL THEATRE COMPANY 27-30 SEPTEMBER 2010

Feedback from students:
"Awesome", "Sweet", "Brilliant", "So funny", "Great dancers", "Cool", "Just wanted to say - we loved it!", "I was really impressed", "I would love to come again", "Rannel are really good entertainers", "We really enjoyed the performance", "The choreography was brilliant and the actors were stunning!"

Feedback from teachers:
"Truly inspiring - a great experience for all the students"
"Look forward to working with you again soon"
"Thanks for all your support this term - our Year 8s had a wonderful day with Rannel (the best response yet!"
"Feedback from Our Year 8s was 100% positive - they Loved Flhip Flhop!"
"It was a great theatre visit. Thank you."

In-schools' Assembly/Workshops with Matt Bailey and Joey B
27 - 30 September

 
the boys at Sprowston High School


and performing at Hewett School

Joey B at Cromer High School

 Sewell Park watching Rannel


At Norwich Playhouse for Rannel's performances 28 - 30 September

arriving to see Rannel on stage