Mountview Alumni News May 2024

May was bursting with exciting updates from our graduates. Read on to find out more about their latest projects and…

A NEW FULL FEE SCHOLARSHIP IN PRODUCTION ARTS TRAINING Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts is delighted to announce an exciting…

Mountview bids farewell to a titan of the stage as Peter James retires after a decade as Head of Theatre…

April has brought even more fantastic alumni updates! Read on to find about their latest projects and achievements. Are you an…

The highly-anticipated Olivier Awards were held on Sunday 14 April, hosted in the beautiful Royal Albert Hall, and once again…

We are thrilled to announce the programme for the Mountview Directors’ Showcase 2024. The Directors’ Showcase is a vibrant theatre…

Lots of exciting updates from our graduates this month! Read on to find about their latest projects and achievements. Are…

Millie Ashdown graduated from BA Technical Production Arts in 2017. She has contributed to scenery at the V&A and the…

Our MA in Theatre Directing is well-known for being an intensive course which is committed to developing the next wave…

We are delighted to announce Mountview’s Summer Season of productions, showcasing the talents of our BA (Hons) Performance – Acting,…

This International Women’s Day, we asked members of our community to nominate a woman with a connection to Mountview and…

More exciting updates from our graduates! Read on to find out more about their latest projects and achievements. Are you…

In our latest Alumni Spotlight, Lighting Designer Adam King discusses his journey into the profession, creative process and favourite projects.…

Berta Pibernat Trias, Senior Lighting Tutor, sat down with us to discuss her background, what studying Technical Production at Mountview…

We are thrilled to announce the launch of Mountview Exams, our own examination board. Mountview is synonymous with exceptional Musical…

December and January were bursting with exciting updates from our graduates. Read on to find out what they’ve been up…

We are delighted to be launching a new two-term Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) in Musical Theatre across four locations…

We are excited to announce Mountview’s Spring Season of productions, showcasing the talents of our BA (Hons) Performance – Acting,…

November was full of exciting updates from our graduates. Read on to find out more about their latest projects and…

Paule Constable and Alison King were awarded Honorary Doctorates at Mountview’s graduation ceremonies on Monday 20 November. The graduation ceremonies…

From the West End to the small screen, October was bursting with exciting updates from our graduates. Read on to…

As Mountview’s Manchester team welcome their second cohort, we caught up with one of the inaugural students, Frankie Robertson, to…

We recently sat down with Dan Herd, Head of Public Performance, to hear about the process of choosing Undergraduate productions,…

Student Emily Rodríguez examines the interplay between the arts and capitalism, which is studied as part of Mountview’s MA Theatre…

From award nominations to an impressive range of stage, screen and radio projects, September has been full of exciting updates…

We are excited to announce Mountview’s Autumn Season of productions, showcasing the talents of our BA (Hons) Performance – Acting, Actor…

We are delighted to announce a major new partnership with Crossroads Live, one of the world’s leading producers of musical…

From the small screen to the West End stage, August has been bursting with exciting updates from our graduates. Check…

It’s the Mountview Alumni News Edinburgh Fringe Special! Read on to see where you can catch our graduates’ work at…

June has been another busy month for our graduates. Read on to find out more about their latest projects and…

Samuel Anderson – Young Scottish Musical Theatre Performer of the Year 2023 The Young Scottish Musical…

Recently, we were delighted to welcome alum Jim Howick back to Mountview. Jim Howick in conversation…

We recently sat down with MA Theatre Directing graduate Liam Maddin to talk dealing with rejection, the pressures of ‘traditional…

We are delighted to announce VIEW Festival 2023. VIEW Festival 2023 is an exciting new theatre festival showcasing the work…

May proved to be another busy month for our graduates. Read on to find out more about their latest projects…

We are delighted to announce Mountview’s Postgraduate Season of productions, showcasing the talents of our MA Acting and Musical Theatre…

We would like to join in congratulating Mountview alum Nicôle Lecky, whose show Mood (BBC Three) picked up the awards…

We recently sat down with MA Theatre for Community and Education course practitioners Maria Askew, Arji Manuelpillai, Lerato Islam and…

We are thrilled to announce the Mountview Directors’ Showcase 2023. The Directors’ Showcase 2023 is a vibrant theatre festival celebrating…

April was bursting with exciting updates from our graduates. Read on to learn more about their latest projects and achievements.…

We were saddened to hear of the recent passing of Mountview alum Paul Cattermole (7 March 1977 – 6 April…

From Netflix to the RSC, take a look at some of the projects our talented alumni have been working on…

Whilst studying at Mountview, some of our Production Arts students choose to undertake freelancing work in the industry. In addition…

We are thrilled to announce our Summer Season of productions, showcasing the talents of our BA (Hons) Performance Acting, Actor…

Our inspirational graduates continue to shine on stage, screen and the red carpet. Take a look at a few highlights…

Josh Bryant-Jones in the Mountview atrium (photo credit: Nina Photography). We are delighted to share the…

Elaine Paige with her scholar Chumisa Dornford-May. “Mountview’s revival was so impressive. I got the feeling…

Mountview Senior Acting Tutor and BA Musical Theatre graduate Alan Pearson talks training, and finding your feet in the industry.…

The first month of 2023 was full of exciting news from our graduates. Read on to find out what they’ve…

Sam Fellows has been a scenic artist for over 25 years, working across the theatre, film and television industries, as…

Anna Hulm graduated from our MA in Creative Producing in 2022 and is now working as Production Assistant on the…

Ryan Eales Ryan Eales graduated from our BA (Hons) in Theatre Production Arts in 2019, and…

We recently sat down with musical director Caitlin Morgan to discuss her training at Mountview and transition into the industry.…

As we enter the new year, we’re looking back at what our alumni were getting up to in the last…

This Spring we are thrilled to announce four productions, showcasing the work and talents of our third year BA (Hons)…

Our MA Theatre for Community and Education students had a brilliant time developing their facilitation skills for multi-faith and intergenerational…

October was once again a busy month for our alumni. From picking up awards across theatre and TV, to joining…

Leading arts professionals encourage the next generation to build expertise on solid foundation skills for a long-term career. Mountview has…

Summer graduated from BA (Hons) Musical Theatre in 2022, having previously completed a Foundation course at Mountview. Just months after…

We asked our resident team what advice they could give to applicants preparing for drama school auditions and, with their…

As we kicked off the term here at Mountview, our graduates continued to create and perform across stage, screen and…

Carryl graduated from Mountview’s BA Musical Theatre course in 2001. During her third year she was cast in the National…

We recently sat down with MA Acting grad Melissa Kiplagat, to catch up on her career since training and to…

Lord Michael Cashman CBE © http://www.lordmichaelcashman.com/ Mountview is delighted to announce Lord Michael Cashman CBE as…

This Autumn we are thrilled to announce five productions, showcasing the work and talents of our third year BA (Hons)…

We recently sat down with MA Acting graduate Vinnie Monachello, who after leaving us in 2017 has embarked on multiple…

August is a particularly exciting time for theatre in the UK, when Edinburgh is taken over by its annual Fringe…

August was yet another month full of exciting news from our graduates. Catch up on all things Edinburgh Fringe in…

  We at Mountview were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of alumnus Ben Woods. Ben graduated from our…

Over the summer Mountview is buzzing with students from around the globe, taking part in our Acting and Musical Theatre…

We recently sat down with MA Acting graduates Sophia Hirsch and Heather O’Sullivan, to discuss their collaborative process, creating new…

Ben Joyce, Back to the Future | photo Matt Crockett Ben Joyce was announced as the…

We are thrilled to be extending Mountview’s world-class Musical Theatre training to a new home in Manchester. We spoke to…

Welcome back to Mountview Rewind – a series where we revisit graduating year groups throughout Mountview’s history, finding out what…

At The Other Palace, Joe Boyle and Jacob Young joined the cast of fan-favourite show Heathers The Musical.  [caption id=”attachment_98453″…

We are thrilled to be embarking on our first training course outside London this September, at the Z-arts centre in…

Photo by Mark Senior Dean John-Wilson, Kelly Price and Adam Robert Lewis star in a reimagining…

In March we took a look at what our 2021 undergraduate performance alumni have gone on to achieve since finishing…

We are thrilled to announce four productions showcasing the work and talents of our Postgraduate Acting and Musical Theatre students this summer.…

Second year Lighting student Efa Jane recently spoke to Light&Sound International about studying a technical theatre course. Find out what…

Actor Musicianship alum Reuben Greeph joined Sophie Wojna and Matthew Gent in the company of Cabaret. Nathan Banks, Evangeline Dickson, Jacob Jackson, Jamie Piggott and Ash Weir…

Katy Richardson graduated from our Postgraduate Diploma in Musical Direction (now the MA Musical Direction) in 2015. Since graduating, she…

Mountview is delighted to announce that we have been awarded £86,650 over three years by The Portal Trust in support…

The new trailer for fan-favourite TV series Derry Girls dropped this month, featuring grad Louisa Harland. Also on our small…

We spoke to Hope Killen (Stage Manager and third-year student) and Katie Browes (Assistant Stage Manager and first-year student) about…

We are thrilled that 98% of our undergraduate Acting, Musical Theatre and Actor Musicianship 2021 alumni have secured agent representation.…

The trailer for Downton Abbey: A New Era was released this month, featuring Brendan Coyle in the role of John…

We are thrilled to announce the second half of our Spring Season 2022, with five shows performed by third year…

Sha Dessi graduated from our BA in Musical Theatre in 2021. Shortly after, she was cast as Éponine in Les…

Meet Jeremie Ndombasi, our first year FDA/BA Theatre Production Arts – Sound Student  What attracted you to this industry, and…

Meet Billy Highfield, our second year FDA/BA Hons Theatre Production Arts – Lighting student What attracted you to this industry,…

With the arrival of a new year, our graduates continue to flourish on and off stages across the UK and…

Meet Anna Matthiesen, our third year FdA/BA (Hons) Theatre Production Arts – Stage Management student What attracted you to this…

Auditioning can be a stressful process, and we’re here to help! It’s completely understandable to be nervous about the filming…

This Spring we are thrilled to announce four productions and a film project, showcasing the work and talents of our…

We are thrilled to present Mountview Rewind – a new series where we will be revisiting graduating year groups throughout…

Claudia Kariuki entered the role of Jane Seymour in Six, with fellow grads Ellie Haffenden as Deputy Stage Manager and…

On 4 November, legendary producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh visited Mountview for a special performance of Les Misérables to celebrate the naming of…

A host of alumni were announced in the cast of the Les Misérables UK Tour, with Nathania Ong as Eponine,…

We are thrilled to welcome our new Student Union team for 2021/22. Made up of second year students from across…

Directed by Emily Aboud, Pink Lemonade opened at the Bush Theatre after a sellout Edinburgh Fringe run in 2019. Call…

This Autumn we are thrilled to announce five productions, showcasing the work and talents of our third year BA (Hons)…

We can today announce that our main theatre is to be known as The Mack, in honour of Sir Cameron…

Congratulations to Conor Thornton who recently joined Bat Out of Hell The Musical as LX3. Have you been watching the…

We are absolutely thrilled that Mountview has received a RIBA London Award. Huge congratulations to Turner Works on this fantastic…

Mountview have today launched a new role – the Ptaszynski Producer – funded by donations in memory of theatre producer…

Mountview is delighted to announce that we have been awarded £348,128 over three years in support of scholarships by the…

Congratulations to Ben Joyce, who is soon to graduate from Mountview to become Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys. A huge…

We are thrilled to announce four productions showcasing the talents of our Postgraduate Acting and Musical Theatre students this summer…

On Friday 18 June 2021, Dawn Walton gave the inaugural Mountview Prize talk in front of an audience of students…

In the third and final episode of our miniseries, Dr Joe Parslow discusses Politics, Play & Performance with Mountview graduates…

In the second episode of ‘& Performance’ host Dr Joe Parslow discusses Creativity, Criticality & Performance with Mountview graduate and…

As part of MA Theatre for Community and Education, students investigate the potential of theatre arts to address social, political…

From Gibraltar to Covent Garden, here’s the latest update from our alumni around the globe… Our grad Maisey Bawden has…

Introducing our new three-part miniseries & Performance, in which Mountview tutor Dr Joe Parslow interviews our postgraduate alumni about their…

We are very excited to share our third-year BA (Hons) Acting students’ film project. Written by emerging writers Esme Allman and Asa Haynes and…

On the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, we are proud to share this incredible piece of work by members of…

We are thrilled to announce that Mountview is launching The Mountview Prize to celebrate trailblazers who inspire social change and…

Mountview has today announced its joint Chief Executives Stephen Jameson, Principal & Artistic Director, and Executive Director Sarah Preece will…

Here’s the latest news from some of our talented alumni as restrictions lift and live theatre returns! Produced by our…

This Summer we are excited to announce five productions, showcasing the work and talents of our third year BA (Hons)…

The first course of its kind in the UK, our MA in Site-Specific Theatre Practice offers our students highly specialised…

Our alumni have been busy creating and performing, read on for some of their latest news! In May Amy Trigg…

  Since graduating from Mountview’s MA Theatre Directing course in 2017, Denzel has worked extensively at venues including the Almeida…

Our Sound courses see graduates go on to a whole range of careers in sound engineering and design for theatre…

Our MA Theatre for Community and Education course explores the power of theatre in addressing social, educational and political issues…

Hate crimes against Asian people have surged in the UK during the pandemic. Whilst we continue to educate ourselves about…

Ahead of the UN Anti-Racism Day 2021, you can read Mountview’s Black Lives Matter March 2021 Report here: In June…

This Spring we are excited to announce five productions, showcasing the work and talents of our third year BA (Hons)…

Our MA Musical Direction course focuses on the core skills required to a launch a career in musical leadership. Hear from…

Meet Nancy Lopez, our first year FdA/BA (Hons) Top-Up Scenic Art and Prop Making student What attracted you to this…

The theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge: a timely reminder to recognize the achievements of women, challenge gender…

Congratulations to Mountview graduates Beth Hinton-Lever and Emily Aboud, who have been announced as winners of the Evening Standard Future…

This week the Digital Showcase for all Mountview’s 3rd Year BA (Hons) Performance Students was released to the industry, and…

Mountview has today announced the appointment of Dame Rosemary Squire, the Joint Chief Executive of Trafalgar Entertainment, to be the…

Our MA Creative Producing students spend an intensive year training for careers in the wonderful and challenging world of theatre-making.…

On Friday 5 February, MA Creative Producing students Amy Mann, Jonathan Pohl and Tanya Truman produced WE MOVE, a love…

Meet Shaneice Brown, our third year FdA/BA (Hons) Theatre Production Arts – Stage Management student What attracted you to this…

Meet Conor Thornton, our third year FdA/BA (Hons) Theatre Production Arts – Lighting student What attracted you to this business?…

In June 2020, in response to the murder of George Floyd and the rising up of Mountview students and alumni,…

Our first ever cohort of MA Theatre for Community and Education are part way through their first term of training.…

Meet Libbie Read, our third year FdA/BA (Hons) Theatre Production Arts – Sound student What attracted you to this industry,…

We are thrilled to announce the line-up for the fourth season of Mountview LIVE, our series of online conversations with…

It was a wonderful night for Mountview at the Southwark Business Excellence Awards yesterday where Mountview was Highly Commended in…

In spite of lockdown, our graduates are busy appearing in and creating shows both online and off. Hiba Elchikhe has…

Last weekend saw Mountview success at two major awards ceremonies: the Black British Theatre Awards and the Olivier Awards. We…

As the first course of its kind in the UK, Mountview’s MA Site-Specific Theatre Practice is unique – and part…

Mountview congratulates its chairman Vikki Heywood, CBE on being appointed Dame Commander, which has been awarded for services to drama…

Mountview and Kiln Theatre today announce a new joint scholarship that will provide access for a talented Theatre Production and…

A new term at Mountview means a new season of incredible work! This Autumn we are excited to announce five…

Coinciding with the start of Black History Month 2020, we are excited to announce the launch of the Mountview African-Caribbean…

We are thrilled to announce that applications for 2021 courses at Mountview are now open! Whether you want to act,…

After being closed to students and the public for nearly 6 months due to the COVID-19 lockdown, we are excitedly…

We are excited to announce our guests for Season 3 of Mountview LIVE. Reflecting the breadth of skills taught at…

Today marks 75 years since Mountview’s first show was performed. A production of ‘Outward Bound’ – performed at a naval…

We’re celebrating our amazing Scenic Art and Prop Making students and their work. Although they haven’t been able to make…

We were devastated to hear of the death of André Ptaszynski in July this year. André was an award-winning producer…

In celebration of Peter James’ 80th birthday, Mountview are proud to share this exclusive interview with him and conducted by…

Mountview and Dame Judi Dench, President of Mountview, today launch the Judi Dench Fund for Access to Drama Training. Dame…

Mountview may be well known for its Musical Theatre alumni, but the school is well-represented on the small screen too!…

On Monday our free online series Mountview LIVE returned for a second instalment. Our first guest was actor, playwright and…

We are very excited to announce our next three guests for the next series our Mountview Live series.  The second…

In response to George Floyd’s murder and the Black Lives Matter movement, Mountview today issued a newly-formed Statement of Intent…

The Mountview building may be closed to the public for now, but it’s still being put to good use –…

Mountview is thrilled to be working alongside Geraldine Pilgrim Performance Company to present Handbag at Home – a celebratory online participatory performance…

On 12 June Mountview’s Joint CEOs Sarah Preece and Stephen Jameson sent the below statement to students and recent alumni.…

Ameera Conrad is a Visiting Lecturer on Mountview’s MA in Theatre for Community and Education. She has worked internationally as…

We are excited to announce that our Peckham home has today been shortlisted for the 2020 RIBA London Regional Awards. The…

Mountview is committed to ensuring our school and stages reflect our diverse society. We stand in solidarity with our black…

“Say Their Names. Black Lives Matter even when it’s not trending.”  We are so proud of this powerfully moving work…

Dame Judi Dench, Mountview’s President, will share insights into the acting profession with Olivier Award-winning actor and Mountview alumnus Giles…

Noma Dumezweni’s Top Tips for Actors On Monday we launched our new series of live conversations ‘Mountview LIVE: Giles Terera…

We’re very proud that our alumni and current students are involved in the Barn Theatre’s series Bard from the Barn…

Mountview LIVE…a series of live-streamed conversations with Mountview alumnus Giles Terera and guests was due to launch today with Hamilton…

We’re thrilled to announce that ‘Mountview LIVE – Giles Terera meets…’ launches on Monday 11 May. In this brand new…

Continuing on from last week’s blog post, we we’re taking time to celebrate all the ways in which Mountview’s staff…

Life in lockdown can seem pretty scary, strange and overwhelming. The press is full of sadness and fear, and we’re…

Geraldine Pilgrim is Head of Site-Specific Theatre Practice, and a director/designer and installation artist working across theatre and the visual…

Celebrating its 75th birthday this year, it’s fair to say that Mountview has seen plenty of changes over the years!…

While staying indoors this month, you could do worse than catch up on some of the creative offerings available on…

Maria Askew is an award winning theatre director, performing artist and educator. Maria is artistic director of Superbolt Theatre, a…

Mountview is aware of the increasing risk of COVID-19. Having taken account of government advice, the decision has been made…

Mountview’s joint CEOs Stephen Jameson and Sarah Preece were honoured with Special Recognition Olivier Awards at the annual Olivier Nominees…

Our graduates are as busy as ever. Here’s where you can see just a few of them in action this…

We are thrilled to announce that Sarah Preece and Stephen Jameson, Mountview’s joint Chief Executives, will be receiving Special Recognition…

We’re just two months into 2020 and our grads are taking the new decade by storm. Here’s where you can…

Our alumni are kicking off the new decade with a flourish of new and exciting ventures. While we would love…

On 23 September Greta Thunberg delivered the defining speech of 2019.  Addressing world leaders at the UN Climate Change conference…

Mountview has been nominated for The Stage – Theatre Building of the Year 2020. The Stage was impressed not just…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for our alumni who are involved in a range of festive shows…

Amanda Holden was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at Mountview’s graduation ceremony on Wednesday 20 November. The award was made in…

Our graduates are involved in a whole host of exciting projects this autumn. Here’s where you can see their work…

Lexi Clare graduated from her MA Musical Theatre at Mountview in 2016. A year later she launched Maiden Speech Festival,…

On 15 October Underexposed Arts and Mountview unveiled the installation of six portraits at Mountview. The portraits of Don Gilet,…

There’s no slowing down for our super busy alumni. Here’s where you can see some of our grads in action…

We are thrilled to announce an Early Bird Application Fee (£35) valid for our 20/21 intake.  In order to qualify…

We’re always excited to see what our alumni are sinking their teeth into. Here’s where you can see their work…

For our August news we’re focusing on The Edinburgh Fringe Festival where each year many of our alumni take to…

It’s warming up but the heat’s not stopping our alumni. Here’s where you can see them at work this month.…

Last week we welcomed Professor Sergei Tcherkasski from the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts and Dr. Sreenath Nair from…

From Ackley Bridge to Pitlochry Theatre to the West End, there are plenty of places to see our grads in…

We are thrilled to announce that Sir Cameron Mackintosh has today announced a gift of £1 million to Mountview. This…

There’s no stopping our super-busy alumni. Here’s where you can see some of our grads in action this month. Forest…

Sally Ann Gritton began her career as an actor before working as both a freelance director and running Sorted Productions,…

Spring has finally sprung and with it comes new roles, shows and projects from our prolific alumni. Here’s where you…

After studying theatre at university, Dan worked as a freelance theatre director for ten years with the Lyric Hammersmith, The…

Carol Harvey trained as an actor at Royal Central School of Speech & Drama and has worked as both an…

What do VAULT Festival, Comic Relief and Dumbo all have in common? You’ve guessed it – they all have Mountview…

 At Mountview we are always keen to stay up to date with the latest technology and thinking in physical…

Panto season is once again with us (oh no it isn’t, oh yes it is!) and as always Pantomimes and…

This term, Mountview students were fortunate enough to receive talks from actor Adrian Lester and musical director Sarah Travis. The…

Mountview students brought festive cheer to Peckham Square on Thursday 13 December, helping Mayor of Southwark Cllr Catherine Rose turn…

Theatre awards season is well and truly upon us, with a number of major ceremonies taking place in the last…

14 November 2018 Five of the UK’s leading musical theatre conservatoires are collaborating to form the Alliance of Musical Theatre…

18 September 2018 We are extremely sad to learn that playwright and Mountview artistic associate Stephen Jeffreys has died. Stephen…

Mountview has received an overall satisfaction score of 94% in this year’s National Student Survey (NSS). This represents a 5%…

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is almost here and is once again set to be a hub of activity for Mountview…

Summer is well and truly upon us, but the scorching weather hasn’t slowed our graduates down as June has kept…

We are delighted to announce that several Mountview students (and one recent graduate) have recently won awards, with one including…

The Donmar Warehouse has announced that Mountview alumnus Michael Longhurst will be the theatre’s new Artistic Director from March 2019.…

May has been a jam-packed month for news, updates and even award wins from our students and graduates. Third year…

On Thursday 10 May Mountview’s production of Made in Dagenham was visited by some very special guests from the Trade…

It may not feel like it now but summer is just around the corner and our graduates show no sign…

We are thrilled to announce that for the second year running, a Mountview graduate has scooped a top gong for acting…

Spring has sprung and it’s almost Easter, so we thought we’d provide you with some treats in the form of…

Mountview has today been awarded £843,543 by the Greater London Authority’s Good Growth Fund. The grant will go towards building…

We are very excited to announce that Mountview is one of five schools entering into a landmark partnership with Diversity…

It may be cold outside but that hasn’t stopped our graduates from being involved in a whole host of exciting…

A QAA Higher Education Review (Alternative Providers) has found that Mountview is meeting UK expectations in all areas. This is…

The Admissions office will be shut for the Christmas vacation from 3pm on Friday 15th December. It will reopen on…

Panto season is once again upon us and as always there is a wealth of Mountview talent involved in productions…

The autumn season has brought with it a flurry of graduate activity, here’s what our alumni have been up to…

A choir of Mountview students will join legendary musical theatre performers Michael Ball and Alfie Boe for one-off ITV1 special…

Directed by alumnus Jonathan Butterell and starring fellow graduates Mina Anwar and Luke Bayer, Sheffield Crucible’s production of Everybody’s Talking…

The Edinburgh Fringe is upon us and once again the festival will be a hub of activity for Mountview graduates.…

We are delighted to announce that several students have been awarded bursaries to support their training, with one third year…

Harriet Harman today (Tuesday 16 May) visited the site of a major new home for world-class drama training in the…