- Dundee Schools Music Theatre
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Dundee Schools Music Theatre is a Dundee-based theatrical organisation. The organisation uniquely draws members from all of Dundee's ten secondary schools. Notable performances include the North East premier of Les Misérables, an international tour of Side by Side by Sondheim and a performance for HRH The Princess Royal. The organisation is run by Dundee City Council.
Contents
History
Dundee Schools Music Theatre (commonly known as DSMT) was formed in 1998 by Lina Waghorn. Her idea was to bring young people together from all of Dundee's secondary schools to perform. After discussions with Dundee's Director of Education Anne Wilson, it was decided that the project would be set up on a trial basis for a year. Success in the trial year would secure further funding from the council. The first show performed by DSMT was Guys and Dolls. The show played to capacity crowds at Dundee's Whitehall Theatre in August 1998. The success of this initial performance secured financial commitment from the city council.
The next year, DSMT were amongst the few acts specially chosen to perform in the Millennium Dome, London. Sponsored by McDonalds, a cast of 80 flew to London to be part of the national millennium celebrations.
In 2001, DSMT made its debut performance at the Edinburgh International Fringe. The production of Stephen Schwartz's Godspell.
Dundee Schools Music Theatre began a partnership with the Whitehall Theatre in 2002. This was beneficial to both parties and further supported the dedicated performing arts programme that Dundee City Council Education Department employs. DSMT has also been supported by The Scottish Arts Council and National Lottery.
2003 presented DSMT with its biggest and most exciting challenge yet. The group were awarded the rights to perform Les Misérables. The performance was the North East premier of the show and attracted much media attention as well as a visit from the Education Minister. The show opened at the Whitehall Theatre on August 23, 2003.
2003 also saw the formation of DSMT's sister group, Back to Back. This allowed pupils to remain with the organisation for a year after they left school. This "post development" project furthered the learning achieved by members as part of the original group.
Back to Back's first project was Side by Side by Sondheim - a musical review of Sondheim's work, performing in Dundee, Arbroath, Wurzburg (Germany) and Washington D.C (USA) - songs from the production were also played on BBC Radio Scotland.
In 2005, DSMT expanded even further - a junior section was added which allowed first and second year pupils to be part of the project. This group perform their own annual shows in May.
Recent productions have included 42nd Street, Hot Mikado, Chess, The Pajama Game and The Boyfriend, (which also played at the Edinburgh Fringe).
Dundee Schools Music Theatre celebrates its 10th year in 2008 with a Celebration show.
Production Staff
Dundee Schools Music Theatre currently employs a team of people to work on its productions.
Producer Lina Waghorn has produced shows for DSMT since its formation in 1998. She has been involved in theatre for many years with a background in classical ballet.
Director and Choreographer Kenny Christie has worked with the project for 6 years. Kenny is a trained dancer and recently became the Youth Advisor for NODA in Scotland.
Musical Director Paul Clancy is one of the busiest Musical Directors working in Scotland, conducting up to ten shows each year as well as continuing his work as an arranger and session musician. He has been M.D for Dundee Schools Music Theatre since 2000.
Musical Director Richard Waghorn studied piano at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama under world renowned pianist Fali Pavri. He has since worked on many notable productions and is much in demand as a session musician and arranger. Richard joined the project in 2006.
Musical Director Ian Strachan is also a very busy Musical Director in and around Dundee. He recently directed Apex Production's version of Jonathan Larson's Rent and he joined Dundee Schools Music Theatre in 2009.
Administrator Alison Strachan administers DSMT and pulls together all aspects of the ventures administration. Over the years it has grown substantially requiring a significant administrative input. Alison also helps with every other thing that producing and performing a show entails including everything from costumes to publishing.
Facilities
Dundee Schools Music Theatre was based in The Music Centre, Dundee from 1998-2009. The building is owned by the City Council and is also home to the Education Department's Instrumental Music Service. The building houses an impressive concert hall, rehearsal space, an instrument store, a scenery store, archive and wardrobe.
The Music Centre has also been the home of Dundee Schools Music Theatre since 1998 housing rehearsals, recordings and photo shoots. 42nd Street rehearsals were briefly moved from the Music Centre in 2006. This was due to the worries the first floor hall would be put under strain by the large amount of tap dancing required for the production.
As of 2009, Dundee Schools Music Theatre has been rehearsing at The Space, part of Dundee College's Kingsway Campus. The Space, a self contained Theatre and rehearsal complex, now also houses the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance.
Current projects
For 2010 The Dundee Schools Music Theatre groups will be working on productions of Gershwin's "Crazy For You", and Steven Schwartz' "Godspell". The Back to Back group will be doing Bob Carlton's "Return to the Forbidden Planet" in the Dundee Rep Theatre. The 1st-2nd years group will be performing Rats! which is based on "The Pied Piper Of Hamelin" by Robert Browning.
Categories:- Theatres in Dundee
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