Doing Hamlet While Running the New York Marathon

[kimobcn]

I found a PDF on the net titled “Occasional Paper 17: 'Doing Hamlet While Running the New York Marathon': Finding and Training the Billy Elliots” written in 2006 by Adele Bayley for the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth. The paper describes in detail the process of auditioning and training the future Billys. It also includes an interview with James Lomas made in 2005 for “The Sunday Times”, an addendum about the hurdles of chaperoning and caring for the child performers, etc. I’m sure a lot of you will know about it, but if you don’t, I think it’s worth reading.

Here is the link:
http://ygt.dcsf.gov.uk/Community/Conten ... tentType=3

Jaume.

[bubsycm]

An interesting read. I skim read it and it still took me about half an hour Thanks.

[pexcornel]

"Energy, potential and a sponge-like ability to learn. (Lynne Page said:) You
can have a child that has a lot of ability but they just don’t have the backbone
to be able to cope with the training… Singing ability is also a priority, though a
lesser one, and acting comes last of all – director Stephen Daldry believes
that ‘any child can act’."

‘any child can act’... interesting...

[pexcornel]

"one of the things that shocked me when I went around auditioning people
everywhere in November (2003): I asked them to sing carols, and they didn’t
know any. None of them were having ordinary school singing. Time and time
again I asked “what singing do you do in school?”, and they don’t. (In the
training process for Billy Elliot) half the time I’m making up for a curriculum
they don’t get."

How can this be?

[Justin]

I don't understand why it's shocking. Most state comprehensives don't sing hymns during assembly unless the school has a religious affiliation, hence the lack of school singing. I'm not sure what other opportunities apart from assembly there are for communal school singing.

[pexcornel]

Now I am shocked too
Singing is the most beautiful and lovely thing a child can do in school. Art in general should get more time in school, art makes people more creative and free.

[pexcornel]

Ok, I got to the last page finally
This is a great document, I found out about a lot of stuff going on behind the Billy Elliot scene and a nice interview with James Lomas at the end.
Thanks for this finding Jaume!

[ERinVA]

Now I am shocked too
Singing is the most beautiful and lovely thing a child can do in school. Art in general should get more time in school, art makes people more creative and free.

I don't know what has happened recently in schools around the US with regard to music in elementary schools because even though I taught, I was not teaching at that level, but when I was a kid we used to have music classes once or twice a week. The teacher was shared by several schools, and was scheduled at each on different days. This system was still in place when I first started teaching too because my first roommate was one of those itinerant elementary music teachers. In the program at my childhood school, we had a music book that contained songs that everyone should know, like familiar American folk songs, patriotic songs, the national anthem, etc. We had rhythm band instruments, and we did a children's operetta each spring. We also had a chorus. Sadly, I am sure that many of the things that used to exist in elementary music programs are no longer in place because of reductions in funding for the arts in schools so that students can have more "seat time" in academic subjects thanks to the "uber-testing" mentality that now prevails in public education.


But back on track, it's interesting to see that paper turn up again.

[billyforlife]

Could this new vaccine against adolescence help prolong the length of a Billys stay?

http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2007/01/17/t ... olescence/

"The jab contains a new vaccine that scientists claim will protect them from grumpiness, chronic acne, pointless petty arguments with their parents and the belief that the death of Kurt Cobain was a significant historical event." "The worst affected can suffer extreme changes in their physical shape which is likely to be pointed out by visiting aunties."