Stratford-upon-Avon College was delighted to host an anniversary reunion to celebrate its Performing Arts department’s 55-year anniversary.
Welcoming current and former students of the Performing Arts department through its doors last weekend, the College was excited to host a reunion event to share memories of the past and celebrate all the incredible students, staff and successes from the past half-century.
Based in Stratford-upon-Avon, a cultural centre of the UK as the birthplace of Shakespeare and home to world-class theatre company the Royal Shakespeare Company, the College is proud to have a thriving Performing Arts department that continues to develop the next generation of talent for the stage and screen.
Former students include film and TV stars including Simon Pegg, Ben Elton, Tobias Menzies, Jo Joyner, Joseph Mawle, and more, along with many current West End stars, dancers, musicians and entertainers.
The Performing Arts department has covered a range of performance and production practises across many disciplines over the years and currently boasts a variety of subjects including Acting, Dance, Music Performance & Production, Backstage Production Arts and Musical Theatre.
The anniversary event was a chance for old and new students to connect, with past students sharing their experiences of the College as well as giving the former students a chance to see the new facilities and reminisce with staff.
As well as speeches, a photobooth, a timeline of shows over the years and a reunion opportunity, attendees were also treated to a flash mob performance plus impromptu singing performances.
Alumnus Kieron Hoult (class of 2018, Musical Theatre), who works as an actor, alongside working at the Birmingham Hippodrome in the Front of House department, commented: “The amount of support from the lecturing team has helped me as a performer, words can’t even describe!” and Helen Randle (class of 1998, HND Theatre Practice) now works as an archivist at the BBC and thanks the College for building her confidence: “Studying here gave me so much personal confidence and the ability to know I could do it.” Sophie King (class of 2019, Dance) who now works as a dance teacher remembers her time at college as “the best memories of my life.”
Creator of the department, Gordon Vallins, and former department head Ed Pinner, now Head of LIPA sixth form college, were unable to attend but sent in speeches of how proud they were of the department, and current staff also shared thoughts, poems and memories of the courses.
And in true Performing Arts style, guests were also treated to incredible performances including a flash mob dance featuring current students plus impromptu piano and song performances and a sing along.
Claire Morley, Programme Manager, is incredibly proud of the department. She commented: “It has been wonderful to welcome back so many former students to celebrate this anniversary. To hear about the fantastic achievements so many of them have accomplished following studying with us is incredible but even more special is how fondly they speak of their time at college. A big thank you to all of our talented and dedicated staff, past and present, without whom none of this would have been possible. I am so proud of each and every person who has been a part of our 55 year history.”
And what’s next for the department? Well, the show must go on! Here’s to the next 55 years.
