Youth Summer School

From 2010 - 2016, the Starling Arts team spent School Holidays running a Musical Theatre Summer School in Devon.

For us, working with young people is so valuable, not just to enhance their artistry as performers, but to develop life-long skills such as confidence, public speaking and team work, and above all to encourage creativity and a better understanding of the world around them.

Our Summer Schools involved around 50 young people in both the cast and crew, working for up to two weeks to rehearse and perform a full musical or revue.

Participants came from a wide catchment area across west Devon, many of them having limited access to extra-curricular arts education on account of their rural location.

In February 2015, twenty-five of our summer school participants performed in High Five, our gala concert in London. 

In August 2016, we produced our final full production Finding Time to packed houses!  

In Spring 2018, we returned to Devon with Spring Song, a supercharged 'choir bootcamp' open to children aged 9 - 21. 

The history of Starling Arts' Summer School Productions:

2010: Honk! Jr.
Stiles & Drewe's Ugly Duckling musical

2011: Moon
Our original musical about human adventure and understanding 

2012: Beauty & the Beast Jr.
Disney's stage version of the hit film 

2013: A West End Spectacular
A selection of songs from the shows for young performers  

2014: Return to Aesop
Our second, original full length musical, based on Aesop's Fables 

2015: Seussical Jr.
All of your favourite Dr. Seuss characters in a fantastical musical extravaganza

2016: Finding Time
Our original musical, based in a world obsessed with time

2018: Spring Song
A supercharged 'choir bootcamp'