Drama, Applied Theatre and Education

On the Drama, Applied Theatre and Education (DATE) course, you can:

• Perform in, direct and devise theatre, explore performance that takes place outside traditional theatre environments 
• Make theatre to change lives and inspire change in communities 
• Build industry contacts worldwide through placements and outreach projects 
• Develop skills in areas such as facilitating, devising, directing, performing, playwriting and filmmaking. 

Join an international world leader in Applied Theatre

Applied Theatre at Central is highly regarded internationally and the Drama, Applied Theatre and Education (DATE) is a world leading course that will train you as a highly adaptable theatre maker. You will focus on performance making in diverse settings such as community centres, parks, prisons, pupil referral units, refugee camps, hospitals, playgrounds, schools and nursing homes, in the UK and abroad. Such innovative work aims to bring about change in communities and participants from all walks of life.  

We believe that excellent professional applied drama theatre makers are skilled practically, intellectually  and come from a diverse set of backgrounds themselves. We work with you to help you meet the challenge of developing your practice and intellectual abilities. You will have the opportunity to develop skills in areas such as facilitating, devising, directing, performing, playwriting and filmmaking.

An experience tailored to you

The course offers an unparalleled breadth of experience, tailored to your developing aspirations. Whilst lively debate and energetic discussion are a cornerstone of the course, you will have the opportunity to participate in professional quality, fully-realised directed productions, for example a commissioned site-specific show and touring ensemble works, a show for young audiences, or a theatre in education show in the north of England. Alongside performance work in the community, you will have the opportunity to make and show work at Central.

Work alongside industry professionals

As you progress, you develop your own creative performance making skills and show, in small groups, performance-based projects for specific communities and groups.

You will work alongside visiting professional practitioners, playwrights, filmmakers and applied theatre specialists from organisations which have, in the past, included Tamasha Theatre Company, Royal Court Theatre, Complicite, Talawa Theatre Company, London Bubble Theatre Company, Greenwich and Lewisham Young People's Theatre and Synergy Theatre Project. 

You will learn through a programme of performance making, formal lectures, essay writing, workshops, skills sessions, movement and voice classes, seminars, group and individual practice and placements. Being at Central means you benefit from the specialist expertise and resources available because of the course's distinctive positioning within a drama school. 

Variation and exploration

You may have the opportunity to travel and explore the use of drama in diverse community settings. In recent years, students have undertaken projects in places such as New York, Johannesburg, Bulawayo, Hong Kong, Santiago de Chile and Mumbai. Most of this work is undertaken in partnership with international arts organisations, which work closely with course tutors and students to design, develop and deliver projects. Central has the only applied theatre courses on which students have access to funding from the Leverhulme Trust to support these distance projects (see below).  

Changing the world of performance

This course aims to change the makeup of the workplaces that our graduates train for. If you look at theatre, performance or culture more widely, and don't see yourself reflected in it then come and join our course. 

Applied Theatre is fundamentally about making performance accessible to all. We need more artists and facilitators that reflect the breadth and diversity of the communities we work in, around the UK and around the world. To that end we consider the whole person and what they can bring to the industry, before we consider your grades. If you make an application we promise to invite you to an interview - please come, and show us who you are and what you have to offer to this project of change.  

As an Applied Theatre Graduate

Graduates from this course are uniquely placed for a broad range of different career paths, going on to pursue careers in performance, directing and drama facilitation, and educational roles in theatre companies, for example. DATE graduates are highly employable and lead the field in applied theatre internationally. They have high-level professional skills because Central works in collaboration with many professional organisations and practitioners. There is also financial support available for participation in placements and outreach work in many arts, community, health or education settings within London and beyond. 

Leverhulme Funding for Applied Theatre students

Find out more about how The Leverhulme Trust is providing major funding for the many exciting Applied Theatre student projects.

Second-year Entry

You can apply for second-year entry to this course if you have already undertaken first year study at another institution on a relevant course, taken a HND and HNC qualification or have relevant experience. Please contact [email protected] to find out more