The Andy Johnson Drama School Returns Online

Thanks to the I Am Fund, ERT is bringing two FREE drama workshops for budding young performers aged 15-to-21.

The Andy Johnson Drama School will return in the form of two FREE workshops on August 10th and 11th. The workshops are aimed at young people aged 15-to-21 and they will be live streamed online in an exciting programme of invaluable drama training, suitable for all passionate young performers and directors.

This year’s drama school has been made possible thanks to a funding package provided by the I AM Fund: a grant-giving body created to support charitable organisations connected with promoting performance arts amongst young people in the East Riding.

Despite not taking place on East Riding Theatre’s main stage, students will benefit from an exciting and dynamic course led, as always, by a significant industry professional.

Writer of The Excellent Audition Guide, Andy Johnson is an actor, writer and drama teacher who has taught at East 15, Mountview, Middlesex University and the University of Nevada. He’s currently the Director-in-residence at Hurtwood House, Surrey and has assisted more than 400 people get into top drama schools including: RADA, LAMDA, Bristol, Guildhall, Mountview and Drama Centre.

The course will help students develop their acting techniques and explore different types of theatre and stagecraft. The workshops will provide students with invaluable advice on audition technique, honing skills, encouraging self-awareness by challenging fear and commending courage.

The school has helped all sorts of students develop their passion over the last 5 years. ERT were thrilled to hear one of the school’s alumni, Evie Guttridge was recently signed up by a London agency and managed her TV debut just before lockdown.

East Riding Theatre’s artistic director, Adrian Rawlins (known for his roles in Harry Potter and the recent HBO series Chernobyl) spotted Evie’s talent early on in Andy Johnson’s workshops last year: “After a few days of encouragement and support from Andy, we started to see that behind [Evie’s] shy exterior there was a young lady with a genuine interest in acting, who was starting to taste the 'fresh air' of not feeling so inhibited.”

“After seeing her perform in our next Christmas show, I decided to audition her for a play I was about to direct called 'The Night Season'... A year or so after, I first directed Evie when I suggested we work together on a one-woman show called 'Spoonface Steinberg'.”

“For me, as a director, it's incredibly rewarding to see the potential of a young actor start to emerge. There is no doubt that Evie has that talent but equally important she has the application and humility to listen, watch and absorb and I think, through her work at ERT, now has the courage to jump!”

A special performance with Evie in the one-woman play Spoonface Steinberg will be available to see online at ERT At Home in September.

We hope more local young people and those from further afield will benefit from these workshops and will think about enrolling for our full summer courses next year, or, applying for some of our bursary places.

Book your place and find more information about The Andy Johnson Drama School here.

Find out about the amazing work of the I AM Fund here.