20th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

It's been a while since we shared news on here; it's been a bit of a whirlwind summer! The Helen O'Grady Drama Academy, UK and Europe is celebrating 20 years of operation this year! The first Academies launched in Croydon and St. Helens/Warrington in September 1994. Both these schools are going strong, along with many more which have started up along the way. 

So much has happened in the time these Academies have been operating. Tens of thousands of children have attended classes, experiencing and benefiting from the amazing self-development programme we offer. 

The classes are full of exciting activities for children. During the autumn and spring terms, they include warm-ups, speech training, mimes to music, whole class improvisations and short scripts. The curriculum is constantly revised and updated to keep it fresh but the aims and objectives remain exactly the same as when Helen O’Grady started the first classes in Perth, Australia in 1979. Every week is different and every child is involved.

A special anniversary Seminar was hosted by Head Office on the beautiful island of Guernsey. Time was spent distributing awards to many Principals who have been with the Academy for up to 20 years.

Long serving Principals with their hand painted awards. 

As usual, at the Summer Seminar, Nigel Le Page presented his National Director's Award and the Head Office team chose this year's Franchisee of the Year.

North Leicestershire Principal, Beth Daniel, receives her award, from the HO team, for Franchisee of the Year, 2014

Neil O'Gorman, SE London, accepts the National Director's Award

Following a very successful Seminar, Head Office hosted a reception at the stunning Castle Cornet on the seafront at St. Peter Port (below), followed by a gala dinner with entertainment at one of Guernsey's top hotels.

Founder of the Academy, Helen O'Grady, was unable to attend the celebrations due to her husband's ill health but sent a congratulatory message including these words:

"For thirty years I was Executive Director of the International Academy Network. I first opened the Academy in Perth, with 100 students, in 1979. Taking it across Australia and, eventually, to the world, required great dedication, persistence, energy and, above all, a genuine love for children and their well being. Sometimes, when the task seemed so immense, I would re-read a favourite quote from George Bernard Shaw:

"Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I've got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

I urge you to envisage that splendid torch and pledge to keep a strong hold on it as you guide your students towards a hopeful and fulfilling future!"

And so, all Principals are back in their offices and back in class, passing on amazing skills to even more children. If you want your child to experience that "hopeful and fulfilling future" visit our website www.helenogrady.co.uk to find a class near you.

JULY SEMINAR - A HOT DAY IN BRISTOL!

With the all-important tambourine ready and waiting, another Helen O'Grady Seminar comes and goes.

"The Tambourine of Power"

At the end of this year's very busy production term, when Principals and teachers have been presenting their end of year productions to parents, relations and friends of their students, everyone was still happy to attend the end of term Seminar.

In a temperature of almost 30 degrees C (thank goodness for air conditioning!) Principals from around the UK and Europe met to cover business matters and workshop as much curriculum as they could in one hot day.

A favourite part of the day was workshopping the new Mime to Music: 'The Lazy Worms', creatively taught by South Wales Principal, Becky Goodfield. It certainly was the right sort of day for the worms to move languidly round the garden! But watch out for those pesky blackbirds!

Excited 'students' decide whether it would be best to be a worm or a blackbird.

St. Helens Principal, Andrea Williams, makes a convincing case for being a worm.  Susannah Gill, Training Supervisor, is really not sure!

North Leics Principal, Beth Daniel, takes on the role of the gardener.

Everyone has to be on the look out for the blackbirds, always hovering in the background.

Neil O'Gorman, (L) Principal, South London and Derbyshire Principal, Tom Cheshire make very threatening blackbirds!

There were more serious sides to the day. A great deal of business was also covered, with guest speakers from The Online Marketing Group and Trinity Guildhall.

Several awards were presented: National Director's Award, chosen solely by Nigel Le Page, went to Liverpool Principal, Tracy Shirley. Nigel said Tracy always put the children first and her passion for the programme ensured she had an excellent reputation in her area. Tracy was delighted - if slightly overwhelmed - to accept the award.

National Director, Nigel Le Page, presents Liverpool Principal, Tracy Shirley, with her award.

At each Seminar, as regular readers of this blog will know, the management team chooses a worthy recipient of Grady Bear, a delightful Guernsey Bear who will spend a term with a Franchisee, having all sorts of adventures.  Last term, Lindsay Goakes, York, took him home but she was more than happy to pass the Bear on to Andrea Williams, St. Helens and Warrington. Nigel said "Andrea has proved during the day she gives 100% to all she does. Her portrayal of a lazy worm was spectacular!"

L to R, Lindsay Goakes, Andrea with Grady Bear and National Director, Nigel Le Page

At the end of the day, the annual award was made to the Franchisee of the Year. This year, sisters Lucinda and Jessica Symonds from Cambridge and Herts took the prestigious award. Lucinda has taught with the Academy for many years and she and Jessica took over as Principals two years ago. Nigel praised their dedication and determination to continue to go from strength to strength, In an emotional speech, Lucinda said she couldn't run such a good branch without Jessica and they both agreed their teachers helped to make up an excellent team! Very worthy winners indeed.

The girls were presented with their trophy at an evening celebration on board the SS Great Britain. More news about that evening later this week.

The Management team: Nigel Le Page, Executive Principal, Alison Mazanec and Training Manager, Margaret Darley, stand back as Lucinda (L) and Jessica Symonds share the limelight with their award.

NEW YEAR - NEW CURRICULUM - JANUARY SEMINAR

This weekend saw the pre-term training Seminar for UK Principals and teachers. The Seminar was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel near Gatwick Airport and no-one could start without the statutory cup of coffee!

During the Seminar, Principals became the classes and workshopped most aspects of the curriculum for the coming term. Below, they are practising a stunning Verbal Dynamics piece.

Youth Theatre curriculum involves brainstorming sessions and our 'students' worked hard to produce some very amusing small group improvisations..........................

.......................which they were happy to perform for everyone else.

Mini-scripts are always lots of fun. There were some very interesting interpretations of the three scripts which will be presented by Upper Primary classes this term.

Helen O'Grady Principals have no problems behaving like 10 year olds!

As usual, it was a great day, lots of hard work but lots of fun!