Community

We are excited to announce that ‘Shrek’ is the title for our next Summer Youth Project at the Palace Theatre in Southend, for its 18th year! SYP is for young people aged between 9 and 19 with a passion for performing, or a keen eye for backstage. We take over the Palace Theatre for 2 weeks over the summer holidays where we create, rehearse, and perform unforgettable performances of a well-known and loved musical to live audiences! To secure your space in this year’s production of Shrek The Musical, you will need to apply and audition.

Backstage tours a​re run at both the Palace Theatre and Cliffs Pavilion, and are available for everyone - whether you are a school, community group or simply theatre enthusiasts.

We are delighted to provide drama, singing, acting, dancing or musical theatre workshops that bring learning to life, through the magic of theatre, movement, sound and much more! Workshops can be delivered at the Cliffs Pavilion, Palace Theatre or we can come directly to your school or organisation.

Our workshops can be themed to a topic of your choosing. For example, we can offer workshops around heroes and villains, fairytales, mental health and wellbeing, a certain show, play or musical or something relative to your curriculum. Not only is a theatre workshop something different and fun, but also, they can help to aid young people’s critical thinking, creative problem solving and confidence.

Workshops must be booked via our Creative Learning Manager. Workshop costs vary depending on location, duration, and content.

For more information contact Emma on emmawa@southendtheatres.org.uk

Professional oral storytellers Hannah Brailsford and Peter Optical invite you to listen and engage with folk tales, fairy stories, wonder tales and myths both from our own shores and around the world, whilst enjoying a cup of tea/coffee and a slice of cake.

Our Parent & Toddler drama classes at the Palace Theatre meet every Monday from 1.30pm to 2.30pm during term time. The class is suitable for children aged 2½ to 4 years old and is a great way for young people to explore their imaginations through song, music, movement and storytelling.

The class costs £5 a week.

Or call Emma on 01702 656 408 to find out more.

These magical music classes are the first step in your child's musical development. They will begin to build on their recognition of pitch, rhythm, melody and tempo with the help of puppets, toys, percussion and familiar tunes, musical concepts are introduced. These classes build on listening skills, imagination, play, early musicianship and above all are fun for everyone!

We have our baby group suitable for little ones aged 3 to 18 months and their parents/carers. Our toddler group is suitable for children aged 18 months to 4 years, together with their parents/carers.

The group meets at the Palace Theatre, in our foyer, every Friday during term time. Our baby group runs from 9.30 -10.15am and our toddler group runs from 10:30 -11:15am. Each session is £5 per child, pay as you go. However, pre-enrolment due to popular demand of this class is recommended.

To enrol into these classes, or book a space for you and your child, please email our Creative Learning Manager, Emma (emmawa@southendtheatres.org.uk)

At Southend Theatres we have seven Youth Theatre Groups. Tiny Palace for 4- to 7-year-olds, Little Palace for 7- to 11-year-olds, Young Palace for 11- to 16-year-olds. Palace Youth Company for 16- to 21-year-olds and a Technical Youth Company for 14- to 19-year-olds. Southend Theatres is proud to offer two youth theatre groups, known as Total Palace, for children and young people who may identify as neuro diverse or have additional needs. Total Palace has two classes. Our junior group is for 8–11-year-olds and our senior group is for 12–16-year-olds. Our Youth Theatres' work together to perform an annual show in the summer term at the Palace Theatre, which are always fantastic and original productions devised by the Youth Theatre participants, together with their leaders.

Our Technical Youth Company take part in three masterclasses per term and work on the technical side of the annual Youth Theatres’ production. To find out more or to enquire about joining one of our Youth Theatre Groups, please contact Emma on emmawa@southendtheatres.org.uk