The Drama Workshop Leader

This comprehensive, easy-to-use guide contains everything you need to plan and deliver effective drama sessions, get the best out of your participants, and develop an empowering leadership style that works for you. Drawing on over fifteen years' experience of running workshops - including for the National Theatre, The Old Vic, Barbican, Battersea Arts Centre and National Youth Theatre - Linden Walcott-Burton takes you through everything you need to know, with essential advice on: - Your Workshop: How to plan and structure a successful session; how to deliver it effectively, whether in-person or online; how to devise and run an entire course. - Your Group: How to motivate and get the best out of your group; how to encourage positive behaviours and manage challenging ones; how to adapt to different groups and needs; how to give and receive feedback. - Yourself as a Workshop Leader: How to empower yourself by owning the space and maintaining boundaries; how to use your voice (and not lose it); how to harness the power of humour and fun. Packed with tips and techniques that work with any setting and age group, whether you're running a short session or a longer course, the book also provides specific guidance on delivering workshops in schools, working with disabled people and those with learning disabilities, and safeguarding when working with children and young people. There's also advice on co-facilitating, working with assistants and finding work. Organised in handy, bite-sized chunks allowing you to find just what you need, the book also includes sample workshop plans and content, with additional insights and examples of best practice from many other leading practitioners in the field. Whether you're just starting out and want to learn the basics, or you're a seasoned facilitator looking for fresh ideas, The Drama Workshop Leader is the resource you need to deliver a great session in any room you walk into, no matter what's thrown your way. 'Every practitioner, no matter their level of experience, will gain so much from this book' Jackie Tait, Primary Programme Manager, National Theatre Learning

Linden Walcott-Burton is an actor, director, producer and workshop facilitator. His acting credits include work for HBO/Punchdrunk, the Royal Court Theatre, the Sherman Cymru, Shakespeare's Globe and the BBC. He is a regular facilitator for the National Theatre and was involved in the development of their facilitator training programme. His facilitating credits also include the Old Vic, The Barbican, Battersea Arts Centre and Punchdrunk Enrichment, as well as corporate facilitation work for Oxford University's Said Business School. He is also an Associate Artist for the National Youth Theatre. He was formerly the producer of the free actor's showcase MonologuSlamUK at Theatre Royal Stratford East, and was a councillor for Equity. He has also worked as a Culture Policy Officer for the London Mayor, as the lead officer for theatre in London and artificial intelligence in the creative industries. He is the author of The Drama Workshop Leader: A Practical Guide to Delivering Great Sessions (Nick Hern Books, 2023).