RSC Partners With TikTok For £10 Tickets to MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO
A targeted programme of insight sessions, in-school workshops and subsidised theatre tickets has been made possible through this partnership.
By: Stephi Wild Dec. 20, 2022
Over 400 state school pupils from Barking and Dagenham have enjoyed an exclusive insight into the making-of the landmark theatrical adaptation of Studio Ghibli's My Neighbour Totoro. A targeted programme of insight sessions, in-school workshops and subsidized theatre tickets has been made possible through the RSC's partnership with TikTok.
Working in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and Improbable, nine state schools from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham took part in a programme of educational experiences throughout November and December, inspired by the stage adaptation.
The activity included:
- Two hour-long insight sessions held at The Barbican Theatre attended by 561 young people aged 9-25. Lead by the RSC Learning team and My Neighbour Totoro Associate Director, Ailin Conant and featuring cast members Arina Ii and Li-Leng Au, the interactive sessions explored the role puppetry plays in the production and the techniques used to bring Puppetry Designer Basil Twist's iconic creations to life on stage. The session included the opportunity for all the young people to try out the skills and techniques they'd learnt by making their own paper puppets.
- In school leadership workshops; working with pioneering theatre-makers Improbable and using the principles of 'Open Space Technology' to inspire creative problem-solving, improved communications and collaborative working with peers.
TikTok subscribers were also offered unique insight into the range of theatrical and creative career paths open to young people. The launch of a new RSC content series showcasing a day in the life of My Neighbour Totoro includes production team members Wen-Hsin Chiang (Assistant Stage Manager), Tess Dacre (Sound Number 2), Daiz Westbury (Wardrobe Technician Grade 2) and Izzy Nicholson (Associate Set Designer).
Participating schools were able to access subsidised tickets to see My Neighbour Totoro through the TikTok £10 Tickets scheme, which offers young people aged 14 -25 and full-time students access to see an RSC show in Stratford-upon-Avon or London for just £10, and £5 for reduced-price previews. State schools can also book £10 TikTok Tickets for group visits in Stratford-Upon-Avon - a reduction of £2.50 on the RSC's previous schools' price.
The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is one of over 120 local authorities in the UK to be assigned a Priority 1 tier as part of the Government's new £4.8 billion Levelling Up Funding plan and one of the priority areas that the Royal Shakespeare Company and TikTok are focusing on through the RSCs long-term partnerships with schools in areas of structural disadvantage.
Harry Japes, RSC Youth Advisory Board member said, 'The TikTok £10 Ticket scheme is a way of engaging with and inspiring the next generation of audience members. Cost can be an immediate barrier for so many young people who don't necessarily have the income to afford tickets to come to the theatre. We want full accessibility for all different types of people, whatever their background or financial status. Without that equality of access, it's easy for the arts to get lost or side-lined and to be perceived as less relevant to young people's lives. Affordable tickets mean that a lot of people who would normally miss out on the experience of seeing live theatre, now have this incredible access.'
Jacqui O'Hanlon, Director of Learning and National Partnerships at the RSC added, 'Children in the UK do not have equal access to the arts. Research suggests that a third of young people will only ever access arts experiences through school, which is why partnerships such as TikTok £10 Tickets are so important. They help ensure that more young people experience high quality live theatre. This is a vital part of the arts rich education we believe all young people can benefit from. Arts subjects and experiences can develop the life chances of children, contribute to their wellbeing, develop skills and behaviours that mean they do better at school, get them ready for work and for life, and create engaged citizens who make a positive contribution to their communities and society as a whole.
'By focusing our activity on areas of structural disadvantage, we hope to level the playing field for young people, ensuring a new and diverse generation of theatregoers can enjoy the benefits of a lifelong relationship with theatre and the arts'.
About TikTok £10 Tickets
In February 2022, the Royal Shakespeare Company announced a new collaboration with global entertainment platform; TikTok to inspire the next generation of theatre audiences with TikTok £10 Tickets.
Developed in consultation with the RSC's Youth Advisory Board, TikTok £10 Tickets aims to open up access to high quality theatre for young people, particularly those living in communities facing structural disadvantage.
Although open to any 14 - 25-year-old, the scheme has been designed to engage those communities most in need through subsidised travel, information and support alongside a targeted programme of educational experiences, in-school workshops and insight sessions designed to deepen young people's engagement with theatre and live performance.
Since first launching in February 2022, the RSC's partnership with TikTok has provided over 14,500 young people from across the UK with affordable access to world-class theatre, with over 8900 tickets sold to state school groups at a discounted rate of £10 in 2022.
Starting in Stratford-upon-Avon with Gregory Doran's production of Richard III in June 2022, the TikTok £10 Tickets scheme has, so far, provided discounted access to eleven RSC productions, including All's Well That Ends Well, First Encounters with Shakespeare: Twelfth Night, A Christmas Carol, My Neighbour Totoro and the multi award-winning Matilda The Musical.
The TikTok £10 Tickets scheme has a specific focus on increasing access to theatre among young people living in areas of structural disadvantage, providing subsidised travel, information and support to help grow the number of state schools engaging with the Royal Shakespeare Company's work and working in partnership with over 220 Associate Schools to prioritize engagement with young people who are most in need.
Selly Park Girls' School, Birmingham - Case Study
On Friday 11 November, a group of 42 students from Selly Park Girls' School accessed TikTok £10 Tickets and TikTok subsidised coach travel to attend a performance of Twelfth Night, part of the Royal Shakespeare Company's First Encounters with Shakespeare series.
The secondary school is situated in south Birmingham and is one of the RSC's Associate Schools. The proportion of students eligible for free school meals (FSMs) is well above average (over 50%).
Rachel Gartside, Head of Drama, Selly Park Girls School, Birmingham said, 'Seeing the production and visiting Stratford upon Avon was a first for many of the group. In terms of cultural capital, it was incredible. It is hard to conceptualise the gap in experiences for some students. This wouldn't have been possible without the combination of TikTok tickets and travel subsidy.'
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