COMMON GROUND 2022

Welcome

I am thrilled to welcome you to our 20th season of Common Ground. We are back in the theatre with a live audience and so pleased to share the work of our graduating Year 13 Theatre students, all who have worked incredibly hard to create this brilliant season of work. We continue our collaboration with the Production Arts department, their students and staff have stage managed the shows, designed and built the sets, costumes, lighting and sound.

We are fortunate to be in partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada for the second year and we appreciate their support.

The season this year continues to encompass the core of Common Ground, which was first produced in 2003. The thread that has run through every season has been a programme of scripted plays that have been chosen to challenge, inspire and provoke the young actors who perform them. Common Ground is a season that links both the future and the past, the theatre is often full of former students who come back to support the school, as well as students already at the school who are looking forward to being a part of Common Ground when they reach Year 13. We know many of our Theatre family: friends, alumni, parents and guardians from across the years have been able to join us to watch this season and we thank you all for your continued support.

Sarah Goodall

Director of Theatre

The BRIT School is the only State school (non-fee paying) dedicated to performing arts and technology which is sponsored, and indeed was founded by the British Record Industry Trust. The school has a unique atmosphere of support and respect which helps cultivate the ability and talent of our young people. Our outstanding achievements at both Key stage 4 and Post 16 in vocational and academic qualifications testify to our success, as do the range of successful alumni now working and studying in the performing and creative industries. The Theatre department is committed to offering young people a broad range of opportunities to perform, write, devise and direct theatre in a creative learning environment.

The Royal Bank of Canada Emerging Artists Programme in Partnership with The BRIT School

The Royal Bank of Canada Support Young Emerging Talent at The BRIT School for Second Year.

The BRIT School is thrilled to announce a second year of working in partnership with Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). The Royal Bank of Canada Emerging Artists Programme gives recognition to the emerging talent of students and helps pave the way to preparing young people for a career in the creative industries.

The BRIT School changes the lives of young people who want creativity as part of their future and our aim is to be at the heart of talent development in the UK. The RBC Emerging Artists Programme mirrors this approach and shares the vision to enrich students' lives and develop a new generation of artistic talent.

Last year’s partnership with RBC helped The BRIT School achieve a number of goals by supporting ambitious theatre and visual arts projects; through the creation of a student achievement award; an employee mentoring programme and most predominantly saw RBC become the Principal Partner of the schools online showcase BRIT Now - benefiting the lives of hundreds of young artists.

For year two we plan to carry on this great work, kicking off later this month with RBC as lead sponsor of our highly regarded Theatre Season, Common Ground which celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year. The season is a diverse programme of four plays performed by our Year 13 Theatre students with staging designed and delivered by the Production Arts course. Common Ground is the most significant element of the Theatre course as it provides a showcase for students to present a range of dramatic methods and performance skills they have developed prior to moving on to further and higher education. Many of our Theatre Alumni (including The BRIT School Trustee and acclaimed actor Cush Jumbo OBE) cite the experience of Common Ground as the motivation for their final decision to train in the performing arts.

Stuart Worden, Principal of The BRIT School said, “We are excited to continue the journey with RBC. With continued and growing pressures on funding, sustained and core support from partners like RBC is essential to ensure The BRIT School can continue to invest in the broad creative vocational education, which is free, for the 1,400 students who come from all social backgrounds. RBC’s support will make a huge difference and help to #keepBRITspecial for the next generation of young creative minds.”

Prue Thompson, Senior Director of Marketing and Client Engagement at RBC Wealth Management International said, “Our purpose at RBC is to help communities prosper, and our long standing commitment to the arts is central to achieving this. I’m absolutely delighted that we are continuing our partnership with The BRIT School for a second year as lead sponsor of its Theatre Season, Common Ground. It’s exciting to see the positive impact this support has on helping young and emerging artists prepare for a career in the industry.”