Birmingham Rep launches digital education programme

Birmingham Repertory Theatre has set out plans to reach hundreds of young people across the Midlands, with a new creative programme delivered digitally.

The theatre has launched Rep Reloaded, which will run five days a week between now and mid-July – the end of schools’ summer term.

It will set creative challenges such as devising and writing plays and using digital content and videos created by Birmingham Rep to encourage children to tell stories through drama.

Children will then be encouraged to submit responses to the challenges, which can be shared on school blogs, websites and by the theatre.

Rep Reloaded also includes digital plans for youth theatres, under its Young Rep banner, which will offer workshops run by professional directors including artistic director Sean Foley.

They will cover acting for screen, puppetry, devising, improvisation and monologues, and are intended for young people aged eight to 25.

The Rep will also provide access to British Sign Language workshops.

The Young Rep programme is also participating in the Coronavirus Time Capsule project by London-based Company Three, which is attempting to create a week-by-week response to the pandemic trough the eyes of teenagers.

Young Rep participants will join thousands of young people across the country in recording videos of their experiences during lockdown.