Students gear up for their special week at the Coliseum

Date published: 25 June 2018


Twenty Year 10 students across eight local schools will be spending a week at Oldham Coliseum Theatre for Work Experience Week next week.

From Monday. July 2 – Friday, July 5, the pupils will join the Coliseum’s company for a week of varied workshops, talks, meet and greets and exhibitions, plus the opportunity to watch a matinee performance of the theatre’s brand new musical, Bread & Roses.

Ben Hallworth, the Coliseum’s Learning and Engagement Officer for Young People, said: “The purpose of this work experience week is for the young people to learn new skills across the various job roles that are available within a producing theatre.

"Many people think of acting when they think of working in the theatre but there’s so much more going on behind the scenes.

"We’re welcoming young people across several schools, which will also be a great opportunity for them to meet new people their own age from the local area.”

The pupils joining the Coliseum for the week are from Oasis Academy, Fairfield High Schools for Girls, Blue Coat School, Saddleworth School, Hathershaw College, Middleton Technology School, Newman College and Wardle Academy.

Across the week they will work with all the departments of the theatre, including: a Costume Design Workshop with the Wardrobe Department, a Stage and Special Effects Makeup Session with the Stage Management Department, a Technical Theatre Workshop and Rigging with the Technical Stage Department, a Sound and Lighting session with the Electrics Department,  a Campaign Planning Workshop with the Marketing Department, an Acting and Devising Workshop and an Introduction to Puppetry with the Learning and Engagement Department, and a Mocktail making session with the theatre’s bar staff.

Before watching the matinee performance of Bread & Roses, the pupils will have the opportunity to meet the cast, including two former Coronation Street stars - Tupele Dorgu and Rupert Hill - and represent the theatre when joining the theatre’s Front of House and Stage Management Departments as they prepare for the performance directly before the show begins.

The pupils will also meet the Coliseum’s Chief Executive & Artistic Director, Kevin Shaw, and Associate Director, Chris Lawson, to hear about their roles in the theatre and ask any questions about programming plays and techniques used in the rehearsal room.

Throughout the week the pupils will be working towards a Bronze Arts Award, a Level 1 qualification on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF); creating a portfolio of work that they will exhibit to Coliseum staff on the Friday afternoon at the end of the week.