Melbourne Theatre Company gives disadvantaged children a money-can’t-buy experience with its annual Youth Scholarship Course from 28 September – 2 October 2009.
Applications are now open for the free five-day intensive course which gives students aged 14-16 the opportunity to extend their skills in a fun and supportive program that they wouldn’t normally have access to due to financial, geographic, or social reasons.
The course is run by professional theatre-makers Jane Bayly and Andrew Gray who guide students through the process of performance-making, from choosing a theme to rehearsing and finally presenting the group devised performance to teachers, parents and MTC staff at the end of the week.
MTC General Manager Ann Tonks says “the course is designed for students who show potential in drama and will thrive if given the opportunity to develop themselves in an alternative learning environment. Watching the final day performance for me is always an emotional experience. MTC believes in the power of drama to transform, and seeing the joy on the faces of those young people after an amazing week is worth every dollar that we spend making it happen.”
A Horsham College student completed the course in 2008 and describes her experience as: “nothing that I expected but everything that I needed. I can’t thank MTC enough. That week truly changed my life and the way I look at things” said Lori Andressen.
MTC offers a limited number of regional and remote students and their parent or guardian accommodation for the duration of the course.
Students are initially nominated by a Teacher from their school and only one student per school may be nominated. Applications are now open and close on 24 July.
For an application form please contact