Drama Scholarships 2024

Drama Scholarships

Drama Scholarships

Through our Drama Scholarship Programme, we are looking to support students who exhibit strong theatre making skills, performance skills, and show great interest and commitment. Scholars will become theatrical ambassadors and an inspiration to their peers. In return, we offer a bespoke professional training which seeks to nurture and foster the theatremakers of the future. Drama Scholarships are highly prized and awarded in recognition of proven talent or exceptional potential.

Emma Naylor Head of Drama

Drama at Ampleforth

There is a long and distinguished tradition of theatre at Ampleforth. The Theatre itself, a magnificent Gothic structure at the heart of the school, is the oldest purpose-built school theatre in the country and includes a large proscenium-arch stage that can be extended over the orchestra pit into the auditorium, with wooden galleries and raked seating. There is a smaller studio space below with a flexible stage that can be turned to a variety of acting and audience spaces. In 2016, a new Performing Arts Studio was opened with a semi-sprung floor, studio mirrors and ballet barres, a fixed cinema screen, a sound management system and removable raked seating.

A large number of our students have gone on to study Drama beyond Ampleforth and some have become very well-known in the theatre, television and film worlds including Julian Wadham (The Madness of King George, The English Patient), Rupert Everett (Another Country, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Shrek the Third, The Happy Prince), Edward Holcroft (Kingsman, Wolf Hall), Richard Leeming (actor at the RSC), Julian Fellowes (screenwriter for Downton Abbey), Lucy Bird (Theatre Director), David Shields (The Crown, Doctor Who), and James Norton (Little Women, Happy Valley, War and Peace).

Students are also able to explore their interest in the offstage elements of the theatre and have creative input into plays, musicals and other performances. By choosing to take part in the Green Room for their Friday afternoon activity, students help design and build the stages and sets, rig lighting, construct props, and learn how theatres operate safely. They are also encouraged to become part of the crew for school productions, running the lighting, sound, backstage, and applying makeup. Green Room students are offered the opportunity to undertake the Performance Support Award, a national scheme to demonstrate and recognise skills gained through involvement in backstage theatre out of the classroom. Recent Green Room highlights include producing a technically ambitious production of We Will Rock You, running a multi-camera live stream of Risk, and recreating the Globe Theatre using traditional painting techniques for marble and woodgrain effects. The Green Room is also the social heart of the theatre where all students involved, onstage and off, gather to relax and become a community.

“The theatre is an inspirational and aspirational environment. The opportunity for students to express themselves creatively is unmatched and Ampleforth College Theatre provides the perfect environment in which to achieve that.”

Nico Shaw (DO), Year 13

We have three major school plays each year, recently including Anything Goes and Into the Woods, and starting this year with Footloose. While Shakespeare has always featured prominently in the repertoire, the range of productions is varied. Over the past few years, as well as lively productions of Two Gentlemen of Verona, As You Like It, and Romeo and Juliet set in the Miners’ Strike, we have seen Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas and edgy performances of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Shaffer’s Amadeus. A production of Dracula featured a full-scale orchestra and original music, while new settings were composed for the songs in The Tempest, sung by a nine-voiced Ariel. Our contemporary productions have included The Gut Girls by Sarah Daniels and Risk by John Retallack.

The Theatre also houses a video unit called ‘Ampleforth Television’ or ATV which records all in-house productions and other key events in the life of the school. ATV’s production of Ward 6, an adaptation of Chekhov’s short-story with a cast of students and staff, was featured on Channel 4.

Seeing live theatre is a must for any aspiring Drama Scholar. Our most recent theatre visits have included A Monster Calls at the Lyceum in Sheffield and War Horse in the West End.

Department

The Head of Department, Emma Naylor, has a vast amount of teaching and professional performance experience as both an actor and vocalist. Many of Emma’s students have progressed to the UK’s leading Drama schools and now have successful acting careers.

Scholarship Programme

• Free LAMDA tuition for Development Award recipients in Years 7 and 8

• Bespoke actor training and programme of intensive rehearsals and performance opportunities

• Personal Scholarship Mentor to monitor and support progress, set objectives and report termly

• Scholars to log their progress and achievements

• Professional workshops and skills development training with renowned theatre companies

• Talks and masterclasses from outside speakers

• Access to external opportunities including trips to regional and national theatre

• Individual support and help with preparation for applications for the next developmental stage of Scholarships and 1:1 coaching for auditions for drama schools and castings

• Access to advice and careers guidance from a network of alumni

• Scholars have priority to the Theatre facilities during activity time and private study periods

• Scholars have priority auditions for College productions

• Joining a group of people who share the same passion and love for drama!

11+ Development Award

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• The ability to take on a character quickly

• The ability to give feedback on acting skills and what is effective for an audience

• Use of theatre terminology to demonstrate knowledge for this age

• Past experiences - passion and interest (verbally – no need to provide a portfolio)

• A committed involvement in a production in many different ways, not just as a main part

• Excellent communication skills

Assessment is by audition held at Ampleforth and is based on:

• The performance of one monologue

• An interview of about 15 minutes in which students will be invited to talk about the work they have presented and their understanding of performance and stagecraft

Could you become a Drama Scholar?

13+ Basil Hume Scholarship

The ideal candidate would be able to demonstrate:

• Ability to take on a variety of characters with flair

• Excellent sight-reading skills

• Ability to reflect on acting skills and development

• Ability to engage an audience with ease

• Use of appropriate theatre terminology

• Past experience - passion and interest (verbally – no need to provide a portfolio)

• Committed involvement in all productions and performances

Assessment is by audition held at Ampleforth and is based on:

• The performance of two contrasting speeches from plays of their choice, lasting up to two minutes each, performed “in role” and script-free. Both pieces should come from full-length published plays and not from speechonly audition books. Students should choose a role from a contemporary play and a classical play, and their monologues should provide them with a versatile platform to showcase their acting strengths

• 15 minute interview - students are invited to talk about the work they have presented and their in-depth understanding of performance and stagecraft

16+ Senior Scholarship

Senior Drama Scholarships are available for exceptional and gifted actors.

The ideal candidate would be able to demonstrate:

• Outstanding commitment to the subject

• Excellent social and communication skills

• Ability to influence/lead others positively

• Ability to take on a variety of characters with flair

• Excellent sight-reading skills

• Ability to reflect on acting skills and development

• Ability to engage an audience with ease

• Use of appropriate theatre terminology

• Wealth of past experience

• Committed involvement in all productions and performances

Assessment is by audition held at Ampleforth and is based on:

• The performance of two contemporary contrasting speeches, lasting a minimum of two minutes each, from plays of the candidate’s own choice, performed “in role” and script-free. Candidates may choose a published play or devise a monologue of their own, but they should aim to show a range of characterisation and stylistic approach in their selection

• 15 minute interview - students are invited to talk about the work they have presented and their in-depth understanding of performance and stagecraft

• A devising task to create an improvised monologue based on a picture provided at interview

Expectations of our Scholars

Scholars are expected to show their full commitment to their programme of training and performances as outlined by the Head of Drama. All Drama Scholars are expected to undertake a high level of involvement in both curricular and co-curricular Drama activities and to become ambassadors for our theatrical excellence at Ampleforth. Being a Drama Scholar is a position of honour and privilege. Scholars should also maintain a portfolio of all their drama achievements and progress. We expect our Drama Scholars to opt for academic Drama at GCSE level and, if appropriate, for their post-16 studies.

Scholarships are reviewed annually and may be removed if a scholar does not participate fully in the programme or meet expectations.

Bursaries

Those in need of financial support, are encouraged to apply for means-tested bursaries. The award of a scholarship is a very strong indicator of a student who is likely to flourish at Ampleforth, and it can be extremely helpful in supporting a bursary application.

For further information about Drama Scholarships, please contact Emma Naylor, Head of Drama: ekn@ampleforth.org.uk

For general information about scholarships or the assessment process, please contact the Admissions Office:

admissions@ampleforth.org.uk or 01439 766000

Every year we run a series of events for families to learn more about scholarships and development awards as well as taster days for students. Please contact Admissions to find out more: admissions@ampleforth.org.uk.