HELEN O'GRADY PRODUCTIONS 2011

Term 3 in the Academy is Production term and the preceding training Seminar is always a lot of fun, as Principals workshop the plays they will be presenting with their classes. Over 100 Principals and teachers from around the country met in Manchester before Easter to experience new plays and workshop updates to the more familiar.

"Bring me the Nightingale....."

"Pirate Joe, as mean as can be.....

Feared by everyone including me......"

"That stupid Rocco jumped too soon, and made me burst my red balloon...."

The above were during excerpts from 'The Emperor & The Nightingale', 'Pirate Joe' and 'Circus Capers'. Other plays for the Primary classes are 'The Old Woman In The Shoe', 'Pied Piper', 'School For Superheroes' and 'A Trip In Time'.

Youth Theatre have their own productions: 'A Score To Settle', 'The Triumph of Trevor Truelove' and 'Murder At Mornington Manor'.

All classes around the country will produce one of these plays in a showcase at the end of term. It is a very exciting time for all concerned.

GRADY BEAR ON THE MOVE

Grady Bear was first awarded at the Academy Training Seminar in July 2010. Each term, he is placed in the safe keeping of a Principal who shows themselves worthy and responsible! The Principal then has to document the Bear's visit to their area and return him to the next Seminar with his 'diary'.

Fresh from adventures in South London, where our hero had a close encounter with a cat and ate a lot of pizza, he is now temporarily residing in Bromley with Principal, Helen Walls, who has promised to make sure he has a good time and comes to no harm. Photographic evidence is, of course, required!

The award followed a very successful - if exhausting - training day. More picture stories will follow in due course.

CHESHIRE BRANCH MAKES OWN ADVERT!

Cheshire Principal, Brian Ormrod, used local talent in his own drama classes to put together his own promotional video. Student, Martin Selis, uploaded it and Brian's son, James, was responsible for some of the filming and for putting the pieces together.

You can view the finished result on You Tube.

Congratulations to all concerned!

DERBYSHIRE STUDENTS CHOSEN FOR TV ADVERT

Twins, Abbie & Honey Brown, who attend drama classes in Allestree in Derbyshire, were chosen to appear in the latest advert for Aldi Supermarkets after enrolling the The Academy's casting agency Aardvark Casting.

Principal, Tom Cheshire, praised the girls and said: "We are so proud of Abbie and Honey. They had great fun making the commercial and, as you can see, were very relaxed in front of the camera."

REMOTE EMPLOYMENT WINNER OPENS FIRST CLASSES

Last week saw the launch of the Harrow and Uxbridge branch of the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy. New Principal, Janine van den Berg, entered a competition with Remote Employment last year and won her very own branch of the Academy. She will be operating classes in Northwood, Ruislip, Kenton, Stanmore, Pinner and Harrow.

Training Manager, Margaret Darley, spent time with Janine in class last week and said: "Janine has been a delight to work with. She is so receptive and eager to learn and started with some really exciting classes. She is all set to have a very successful branch in her area. We are thrilled she entered the competition and know she will be an asset to the Academy." Janine is seen below with some of the students in her Stanmore class.

Janine was attracted to the business for many reasons, including the flexible working hours it affords, meaning she can spend time with her lovely daughter, Dea.

As Dea is not quite two years old, she is not eligible to join classes yet but that does not mean she isn't supporting her mum! During training she was happy to join in speech exercises and movement was her speciality! She thoroughly deserved the polo shirt she was awarded!

KINDY DRAMA IN MALTA

New Kindy Drama, for children aged three and four, has really taken off in our Malta branch. Principal, Alan Montanaro, has recently appointed three new teachers to manage the classes, as numbers have soared in the last two terms. Training Manager, Margaret Darley, recently visited to help train the new teachers, Holly, Alison and Coryse, alongside existing teachers, Izzy and Katherine.
Margaret was also lucky enough to attend (and join in!) a Kindy class. Teacher - Miss Holly as the Maltese children call her - did a great job of enthusing her students in what, for some, was their very first Kindy lesson. The two boys below were entranced with her sheer energy and enthusiasm.

Most training took place at the Principal's house and, during a short break in the sunshine, there was time for a picture. Alan (pictured right) and Margaret (centre) are here with teachers (l to r) Alison, Izzy, Katherine, Holly and Coryse.

Margaret said "We at Head Office are delighted the response to Kindy Drama in Malta has been so positive. Alan Montanaro has been running excellent Primary and Youth Theatre classes for several years. We are not surprised his newest classes have proved so popular. It was a delight to work with such committed and receptive teachers and wonderful to see a class in action. They are a great team in Malta and I am certain the new teachers will build and maintain great classes!"

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!