Taking Notes

Launched in 2009 by the creators of West End's Notes from New York series, Taking Notes set a precedent in the summer school market, as the first course of its kind dedicated to contemporary musical theatre.

Designed to introduce participants to a wealth of material they have yet to discover, whilst helping them to hone their craft, Taking Notes is an opportunity to delve deeper into the writing that is the future of the West End. Guiding participants through the course will be the original creative team of Notes from New York and West End stars who have appeared in the series.

Last year the teaching faculty included Notes from New York founders and series regulars Julie Atherton and Paul Spicer, star of Avenue Q and The Bill's Clare Foster, award-winning composer Michael Bruce and Olivier and Tony nominated director Sam Buntrock. Offering a fresh, bold and confident perspective, the team led classes in song interpretation, solo work, musical staging, choral and audition technique, all of which are essential elements of an increasingly diverse modern musical theatre landscape.

Taking Notes will concentrate on how to grasp contemporary musical theatre performance, bringing out the reality and immediacy of acting through song. It will offer the opportunity to discover some of the most popular pieces of writing from selected Notes from New York shows, and will culminate in a semi-staged showcase of material at the end of the week.

Taking Notes is open to performers aged 18 and over, whether they are professional actors or currently attending a full time course. Only 50 spaces are available per week and enrolment will be administered on a strictly first-come, first-served basis. Participation in Taking Notes costs £250 for a week's tuition, or £450 for participants choosing two weeks

Taking Notes takes place from Monday 26 to Friday 30 July and Monday 2 to Friday 6 August at the London Rehearsal Rooms, 83 Borough Road, London SE1 1DN. In order to participate in Taking Notes, performers should download an application form from www.notesfromnewyork.com and return it, along with their course fee, by Friday 30 April.