At MEPA Training in Maidstone, students are offered a variety of programmes, led by experienced tutors including West End stars and visiting industry professionals. Artistic director Sam Stanley talks about MEPA’s new full-time academy...
Since it launched in 1991, MEPA Training in Maidstone has focused on quality over quantity.
Those that train with MEPA – whether on the three-year professional programmes at MEPA College (founded in 2005), the after-school sessions and summer schools, or at the new full-time MEPA Academy for those aged 11 to 16 – always receive the highest level of personal attention, from their first day to their final performance and beyond.
“We are a family at MEPA,” says the college’s artistic director Sam Stanley. “We make sure that we look after everyone that comes through our doors. All our class sizes are really small, so everyone gets an amazing level of attention throughout their training. No one ever gets forgotten about at MEPA. It’s just not possible.”
“Even after our students graduate, they are welcome here,” he continues. “Our doors are always open. People come back to visit every week to say ’hello’, have a coffee and chat about what they are doing. If they ever need any advice about anything, we are here for them. Last week, an ex-student even contacted me about their tax return.”
The two three-year, full-time professional programmes – Professional Musical Theatre and Performing Arts, and Professional Dance and Teacher Training – have always been at the heart of everything MEPA does. They are aimed at students aged 16 and above and offer plenty of performance opportunities.
The former, says Stanley, is a specially tailored course that trains students to become confident and versatile triple-threat performers, with a wide range of knowledge and ability in dance, acting and singing. The latter trains students in professional dance styles and gives them the qualifications to teach dance themselves.
“We always respect what our individual students want to do,” continues Stanley. “If they want to focus more on acting, they can. If they want to focus more on dance, they can. If they want to focus more on singing, they can. If they want to do absolutely everything, then they can – if they can fit it into their schedule.”
On top of this, MEPA also offers part-time training programmes for children and adults – whether they are experienced actors looking to brush up their skills, or young performers wanting to take their first steps towards stardom. As Stanley says: “MEPA has something to offer for everyone.”
And now MEPA has expanded its offering even further to include full-time education for those aged 11 to 16. MEPA Academy is due to open in September this year, and will provide a strong, professional, industry-based vocational curriculum alongside a high-quality academic timetable. Students will study for their GCSEs and for a lifelong career in performance simultaneously.
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“Some children know early on that this is what they want to do,” says Stanley. “Our new academy is for those children. Children that want to start training to be performing arts professionals full-time before they turn 16. Children that love performance so much it is all they ever want to do.”
MEPA Training is based in Maidstone, Kent – only an hour from central London and the world-class entertainment of the West End – and the town is a fun and friendly place in which to study, according to Stanley.
“Maidstone is a lovely place to live and work particularly if you are leaving home for the first time,” he says. “There’s a gorgeous river running through it, plenty of green space, and all the local businesses know the college, its staff and its students really well. And, of course, we can get up to London and back easily in an evening if we want to go and catch a show, too.”
“Students at our new academy, who don’t live in the local area, will stay in fully vetted family homes nearby,” he explains. “Students on our three-year courses can stay in one of our lovely student houses. They cook, clean, socialise and work together, and they head into London to see shows together – all only five minutes from our facilities.”
Those facilities are spread across three buildings in the historic heart of Maidstone, and include several fully equipped dance and rehearsal studios, a music room, singing room, IT suite, library, social space for students to relax in and a flexible, 250-seat theatre for them to perform in.
“The energy here at MEPA is just amazing,” says Stanley. “Everyone – staff and students – supports each other so much. There is so much positivity in the air. It’s a lovely environment to study in, and a lovely environment to work in.”
MEPA’s faculty is made up of a core team of hugely experienced expert tutors, including West End stars Callum Train and Marianne Benedict and renowned professional dancer Mike Fellows, plus a regular roster of visiting industry professionals. This, coupled with a carefully curated curriculum, makes sure that MEPA’s training is kept up-to-date with every industry development, says Stanley.
’The energy here at MEPA is just amazing. Everyone – staff and students – supports each other so much’ – artistic director Sam Stanley
“Our whole ethos is about keeping class numbers low so students get maximum exposure to some really incredible teaching,” he continues. “Every single student is really pushed so that they can fulfil their potential when they graduate. That is what we believe in doing at MEPA.”
Admissions to MEPA College and MEPA Academy are run through in-person auditions – but, adds, Stanley, those who apply do not have to be perfectly polished performers already.
“We are much more interested in how an applicant responds to training, actually, than we are in how well they can act, sing and dance,” he says. “Of course, we are looking for potential, but we are really looking for students who are willing to work as hard as they can to fulfil that potential.”
And, for those who are successful in earning a place on one of MEPA’s courses, there are a range of scholarships, bursaries and payment plans available to ensure that there are no barriers to attending.
“We want to make sure that anyone can train with us at MEPA if they deserve to,” says Stanley. “We want to make sure that our family is open to everyone, whoever they are and wherever they are from.”
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