The Lanterns Studio Theatre black box style rehearsal and performance venue is now entering is second year of development, and continues to provide unique Theatre Educational experiences and performing opportunities for all.
Several users of the space are now supported through the Lanterns Studio Theatre Funding for Outreach & Education initiative. Support is offered to both Educational groups and Local Schools, as well as to other groups based throughout the UK who have a message based in education, inclusivity and the involvement of the local community. The Theatre continues to successfully develop in the local cultural space by generating an awareness of what we are producing and providing the professional performance aesthetic while maintaining a focus on affordability and inclusion for all ages and cultural backgrounds.
The Theatre also regularly holds open rehearsals for those commercial productions using the space, and gives many local children and adults a window into the exciting world of Theatre Production, Lighting, Sound and Performance. Every commercial production company who we engage here at the Lanterns Studio Theatre is always asked to do as much as possible to involve residents of the wider East London area, and this has always been an essential part of the remit of the Lanterns Studio Theatre; being created for the Local Community and as part of the Docklands growing cultural Infrastructure.
The London Amateur Ballet and its vision of giving opportunities in Ballet for all, has always been a project of which our own Director, Janet Viola, has been a supporter. The London Amateur Ballet grew their own numbers and support for their cause by using our first class facilities and the abundance of space we offer, to hold open ballet classes for its many members and with the extra space available, many newcomers gave Adult Ballet Classes a first try through the LAB Program. The Lanterns Studio Theatre also supported several performances, along with a summer course intensive training program, attracting interest within the local community and providing the Docklands & wider East London Communities an affordable theatre experience. Open classes are offered as part of the programme. For more information on the London Amateur Ballet, please visit: http://www.londonamateurballet.com
The Chelsea Ballet Company has over 47 years of experience providing Classical Ballet classes and performance opportunities to amateur dancers of varying abilities and experience. It meets once a week to rehearse for a number of major productions per year and a programme of smaller scale shows performed at residential homes and hospitals. Chelsea Ballet first performed at The Lanterns Studio Theatre in summer 2014, and will be returning to the space in late 2015 for another run of shows. Chelsea Ballets performances are another example of a company who perform at the Lanterns Studio Theatre for its own supporters while also opening its doors to the wider community and growing a new local audience. Chelsea Ballet’s affordable performances and its open adult classes give the local and wider East London Communities the opportunity to experience Classical Ballet in a welcoming environment. For more information visit: http://www.chelsea-ballet.com
In 2013, Director of the Lanterns Studio. Theatre, Janet Viola, became a Patron of the New English Ballet Company. Having used the space for rehearsal and performance in the past, The Lanterns Studio Theatre funding for Education & Outreach programme gave its support for the company’s rehearsal period and support their aim of giving unemployed dancers a platform for self-development and a chance to perform for potential future employment. This is a cause very close to the Director’s heart, and through this support, several local business’ have now become involved with the company, which resulted in a pop up public performance in Docklands own Canary Wharf to raise awareness for the company’s future seasons of dance. Having NEBT in residence also gave students of the Lanterns School of the Performing Arts and children of the local area a chance to be see professional Classical Ballet and learn about how a Ballet company rehearses for is shows. NEBT now tours nationally and to find out more visit: http://www.nebt.co.uk/index.html
The Ballet Central touring company, the 3rd year touring company of the Central School of Ballet, was given support to perform their summer show in 2014. This performance consisted of many of the UKs most current choreographer’s works, and gave East London audiences a taste of a professional standard of Classical Ballet, Jazz dancing and Contemporary movement.
The Lanterns Studio Theatre hopes to welcome Ballet Central back again in the near future for more performances. This gives the students of the Central School of Ballet a chance to perform in front of London audiences, and also add the Isle of Dogs to their programme.
Matthew Bournes dance company Re:Bourne is the charitable arm of the World Famous New Adventures production company. Re:Bourne invests in the future of dance and is a crucial mechanism for finding and nurturing the next generation of dancers, choreographers and audiences, and in 2014 it rehearsed its most successful Educational Project here at the Lanterns Studio Theatre, “Lord of the Flies.” Using a cast of young boys mixed with some adult male professional dancers, the production has done untold good for the engagement of the younger generation who want to get involved in dance and live performance.
The Lanterns Studio Theatre hopes to welcome back Re:Bourne for future educational Projects, and for more information visit: http://new-adventures.net/rebourne/projects/lord-of-the-flies
Students and Graduates of the TRINITY/LABAN music college often receive support from the Lanterns Studio.
Theatre Funding for Education and Outreach programme every year through discounted hire rates for music recitals and recordings. The variety of instruments and musical styles that the theatre attracts though this scheme has been a success story for the venue, with many graduates using the theatre performances as a platform to launch their careers in live music, recording and conducting.
Local East London Artist Frank Creber collaborated with Janet Viola to create the studio theatre’s artwork that adorns its walls and our website; even creating an Oliver Twist Victorian backdrop for the Lanterns School of the Performing Arts pupils to perform in front of parents; Christmas 2012. These drawings were made to conjure up images of old London Town, and to give the contemporary setting a sense of history. The figures in the paintings are images of travelling minstrels and players, whose performances were often given on the streets of London and to the local community. Franks work is created for the many groups who use the space to enjoy, and his paintings have become the visual symbol for our endeavour to provide East London’s Docklands community with the theatre experience it deserves. Frank is often involved in generously donating his creations to worthwhile causes, and his works included many notable commissions, including work created for the London 2012 Olympic Games. More of Frank’s work can be found at: http://www.frankcreber.co.uk/
East London Pilates is East London’s largest Pilates group, and has used the Lanterns Studio Theatre to host its classes since its opening. Using several other local venues, and as a group firmly based in East London, The Lanterns Studio Theatre aims to provide Pilates alongside its many other classes at the highest standard available, and ELP has become an essential addition to the local infrastructure and the after work activities being offered in the Docklands Canary Wharf Central area. For more information, please visit: http://www.eastlondonpilates.co.uk/
Lanterns School of The Performing Arts has over 25 years of history as part of the Docklands & East London community. It offers classes in Classical Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz, Hip Hop, Music, Singing & Drama for after school and at weekends. Lanterns was the first school of its kind in the area to give the cultural groups in and around the Docklands areas a performing arts centre facility, and the Lanterns Studio Theatre is the fulfilment of Director Janet Viola’s vision of giving local children and Adults the highest standard of Performing opportunities for all abilities, ages and performance genres. From yearly Dance Shows to evening Music Recitals, pupils of the Lanterns Schools of the Performing Arts have benefitted most from the creation of the Lanterns Studio Theatre. For more information please visit: http://www.lanternsschooloftheperformingarts.co.uk/
The Lanterns Studio Theatre would like to thank the local newspaper, The Wharf, for continuing to report on and raise awareness for the many educational endeavours and efforts that have been created, achieved and fulfilled in the last 2 years. The Wharf is an essential part of the connections we make with the communities of the Docklands and Canary Wharf Central areas and they have been committed in keeping East London up to date on all the goings on here at the Lanterns Studio Theatre. Be sure so search for the many articles documenting our progress at: http://www.wharf.co.uk
The Lanterns Studio Theatre hopes to develop the future of the community arts on the Isle of Dogs, South Quay and the surrounding East London areas, and create new links between the many different and exciting cultural groups sharing the same local amenities and public services.Director Janet Viola, who is always striving to develop and vary the provision of Arts and Cultural Events being put on the Lanterns Studio Theatre, hopes to provide a diverse and interesting programme of events to include Pantomimes at Christmas, Musicals, Educational Workshops and Summer Schools for all ages.
The Directors vision is that in the future there will be enough support to establish a Professional Ballet Company based at the Lanterns Studio Theatre.
