Learning

Photo: The Herald

As an essential element of the Traverse Theatre’s activities the Learning provision focuses on both bringing participants to the Traverse to experience the artistic programme and on taking outreach projects to schools and organisations within the community.
By providing a mixture of workshops, post-show discussions and resources the Learning department aims to enhance the Traverse’s artistic and visiting companies programmes for all audiences, in particular young people.
By taking theatre professionals out to schools and organisations within the community the Learning department aims to support educators as they implement the Scottish Government’s new Curriculum for Excellence by offering young people from different backgrounds the opportunity to learn and develop new skills.

Class Act
OutWrite
Scribble
Teachers’ Forum
Placements
Production Events and Resources
Bespoke Activities
Other Resources

Class Act
Now going into its 21st highly successful year, Class Act is the Traverse Theatre’s annual schools playwriting project. The project gives students the opportunity to work with professional playwrights, who help the students to write their own short plays. The plays are then produced and performed by a team of professional directors and actors on stage. Over the last 20 years Class Act has produced a staggering 511 plays and involved over 1000 students. The Traverse is grateful to the John Thaw Foundation without whom this project would not have been possible.

Recently Class Act expanded to incorporate two Glasgow schools for the first time, thanks to generous funding from the Barcapel Foundation and the Moffat Trust. The Edinburgh and West Lothian schools’ performances were held at the Traverse Theatre while the Glasgow schools’ performances were held at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow. Following the success of the pilot year in Glasgow Class Act went on to incorporate four Glasgow schools. For details of how to apply, contact Noëlle O’Donoghue, details below

OpenWrite
As part of Motherwell College’s Offender Arts Project, Traverse Learning will work with a group of men from Her Majesty’s Prison Open Estate on a new and exciting playwriting project. The young men will work with a professional playwright, lighting/sound designer and a set/ costume designer to devise, write and develop their own short plays. The project will encourage them to become active and creative participants as well as helping to develop their literary and oracy skills.
A creative team of directors and actors will visit the prison to work with the participants to develop and rehearse their plays in preparation for performances at the Traverse.

Participants will be supported throughout the project by Scottish Prison Service staff and education staff from Motherwell College. This project would not be possible without the generous support from the Scottish Arts Council’s Inspiring Communities fund. Other arts organisations and prisons involved in the project are: The Citizens’ Theatre working with HMP Greenock and HMP Barlinnie; The Scottish Ensemble and National Youth Choir of Scotland are working in HMYOI Polmont, and Scottish Opera and Scottish Chamber Orchestra will be working together in HMP Shotts. The National Galleries of Scotland are working with all five prisons.

Scribble

Have you ever watched a play or TV programme and thought: “I could write a better script than this”?
Well now is your chance to have a go!
If you are aged 14-17 years olds and interested in creating theatre then Scribble is for you.
Scribble is a brand new playwriting and theatre skills programme which will give you the chance to work with professionals from the Traverse Theatre to discover the skills you need to write a play and help you turn your ideas into a great script!
If you are interested in taking part in Scribble’s Autumn 2010 session, please contact Noëlle O’Donoghue, details below.
Cost: FREE
Download and complete our application form here
Further information and booking: Noëlle O’Donoghue on 0131 228 3223 or noelle.o’donoghue@traverse.co.uk

Teachers’ Forum
The Traverse Teachers’ Forum meets on a termly basis. The forum gives teachers the opportunity to hear about and discuss the nature, interest and suitability of productions for their students. The forum also highlights any possible ancillary workshops or resources that will enhance the students’ experience of both Traverse and visiting company productions. By meeting with teachers on a regular basis the Head of Learning aims to encourage a dialogue between Educators and the Traverse.TraversED, our Learning Newsletter, gives details of all learning events and ancillary activities available each season. If you would like to be added to the TraversED mailing list please contact Noëlle O’Donoghue (details below), or download a copy from the right hand column of this page.

Placements
Traverse Learning offers a week long placement to one school pupil per term. School placements, based within Traverse Learning, will give young people the opportunity to work in a professional theatre environment. As theatre is a demanding environment we will specify one week per term when we will be able to offer a school placement. The placement for the summer term is now full. During the autumn term Traverse Learning will host one school placement student during the week commencing Monday 4th October. If you would like to apply for this placement please complete the placement application form above and return it to Noëlle O’Donoghue. Due to a high demand for placements, applicants maybe required to attend an interview.
(Due to the number of applications received we will only respond to applications made for the specified week).
If you are at undergraduate or graduate level please contact Ruth McEwan (ruth.mcewan@traverse.co.uk) for details on professional placements available.

Production Events and Resources
The Learning team provide a range of activities and resources to support and enhance audiences’ experiences of the Traverse Artistic programme including Pre-Performance Workshops, Post-Show discussions and Learning Resource Packs. The Learning department also supports the education work provided by visiting companies. To download a Learning Resource Pack, click the pack you want (they appear on the right).

Bespoke Activities
Where possible the Learning department is happy to organise activities that will tie in with curricular or course elements. In the past such activities have included backstage tours and question and answer sessions for school, college and university groups. If you would like to organise an activity like this please contact Noëlle O’Donoghue (details below).

Other Resources

Traverse Theatre Child Protection Policy