The philosophy of the Drama Department is inclusivity. Every pupil at Wellington should have the opportunity to participate in any type of drama performance that interests them, whether as an actor, dancer, director, writer or technician. Access to the arts is at the heart of what we do, encouraging every Wellingtonian to have a lifelong love of drama and performance. As an art form, drama can help build confident rounded adults imbued with emotional intelligence and the skills to collaborate and articulate creative vision.
The department is led by Director of Drama, Nick Huntington and 2nd in charge, Alexander Mancuso. We have four full time teachers, a Head of LAMDA and seven further LAMDA teachers.
The Wellington College Drama department works together to create an exciting programme of events for our pupils, feeder schools and local community. We aim to put on one major professional standard production every term, including a sixth form play, senior and junior musicals, straight drama, outdoor theatre and work directed and devised by the pupils themselves. The biennial House Drama competition showcases devised work set around a stimulus, and the final never fails to be thought provoking and innovative. All these events are open to the public and ticketed through our online box office via the Forthcoming Events page.
Recent productions have included ‘Blue Stockings’ ‘DNA’, ‘Company’, ‘Pride and Prejudice’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ ‘Tuesday’ & ‘The Dreaming’. 2022-23 productions include ‘Shakespeare in Love’, ‘Legally Blonde’, ‘1984’ and ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’. The department organises no less than 6 theatre trips a year and organises a student production to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival each year.
The department is buzzing after school, every evening and most weekends not only with production rehearsals but with Theatre Masterclasses (run by professional practitioners), DramaSOCs, academic rehearsals and Q&A sessions, ‘The Limelight’. We are proud to have successfully prepared several candidates for theatre school auditions and interviews and can boast a growing number of Wellingtonian alumni in the performance industry.
For information about our co-curricular programme, scholarship processes, or with any general questions about what we offer, please contact Director of Drama, Mr Huntington nh@wellingtoncollege.org.uk
LAMDA Lessons (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art)
LAMDA is an important area of the Drama Department and Wellington’s thriving LAMDA school offers students the chance to take practical lessons in communication and performance. Our aim is to inspire and empower students to develop self-confidence, initiative and the communication skills they need to realise their potential. The specialist LAMDA team offer lessons in acting, musical theatre and public speaking. Our students range from those seeking a career in performance, to others simply wanting to speak out more in class. Most students with us study for LAMDA accredited examinations with the opportunity to achieve Grade 8 by the time they leave College. Lessons are fun, active and give everyone their moment to shine, particularly in our termly LAMDA showcase to parents, ‘PIPs’!
To sign up to LAMDA lessons, please contact Head of LAMDA, Mrs Hamilton kjh@wellingtoncollege.org.uk
Production Trailers
