Production

The Junior Conservatoire of Production is a three-year programme which offers bespoke training to talented young artists and technicians at Scotland’s national conservatoire. Theatre production is an area of skill shortage in Scotland and this programme aims to address this and train young people for a successful and creative career.

Each Production student in the Junior Conservatoire will be given a tailored timetable which will cater to your individual interests and areas of development. You will be given opportunities to learn more in a range of subjects across the technical and production arts, including set and costume design, prop making, set construction, scenic art, costume, stage management, lighting, sound and stage technology.

At the end of each year, students can present their work either in an exhibition or on a production to demonstrate their progression over the year.

Junior Conservatoire students will gain a comprehensive insight into the world of theatre production and by the end of your studies, you will be working at a high-quality standard and consider applying to full-time production studies.

Entry to the programme is by interview only and we accept a small number of students each year into the programme to allow us to focus our teaching on each individual’s development.

The programme runs across the Scottish academic year from August to June, and there are two comprehensive levels of study available depending on your ability and experience. Many students who graduate form our programme go on to study as an undergraduate student at the RCS in either the BA Production Technology Management or BA Production Art and Design.

Contact us

Please contact us by email at juniorsddpf@rcs.ac.uk if you have any questions and we will be happy to help.

If you’d like to join us for our Open Days please click here to note your interest.

This is the only course of its kind in Scotland and the learning journey of every Production student in the Junior Conservatoire is different; we will work with you to develop your individual skills and talents.

This course is a two-year programme and every student will begin their journey with Production level 1. The intention is for students to then progress onto Production PLUS (Level 2) successfully, however you can, of course, choose to study only Production level 1.

Every student is assigned a mentor who will work with you to create a personal learning plan. This plan will determine your studies for the year and may consist of intensive weekend study options, summer schools, one-to-one lessons with expert teaching staff or masterclasses with professionals or degree students. The programme is designed to be flexible to allow you and your mentor to create a suitable pathway for your interests.

Level 1

Level 1 is taught as a group class. You will work to gain a basic knowledge of all aspects of production from technical theatre to scenic art. Each week you will work with a specialist in an area of production i.e. lighting, sound design, prop making, set and costume design etc.

You will have the opportunity to work in all performance venues in RCS, including the New Athenaeum Theatre. You will also play a key role in the Junior Conservatoire Bridge Week, Winter Show, Theatre for Young Audiences and Youth Arts Festival working with staff from the RCS Central Production Unit to stage manage and assist with all productions.

Production PLUS

Having completed Level 1, you will use the second year of this programme to build on your skills with an emphasis on projects, portfolios and working on performances. In Production Plus you are expected to start focusing on your specialist area whilst building on other skills to enhance your general production knowledge. You will have a team of mentors to guide you through masterclasses, portfolio work, project work and collaborations with other juniors departments. There is a high level of bespoke learning experiences undertaken in Production PLUS. Students are supported and encouraged to take the lead in their projects and develop a deeper understanding, and practical use within their specialist area of Production Arts.

On Production Plus, you will:

• Work on bespoke projects, often in collaboration with students from the Junior Conservatoire of Drama programmes
• Build a portfolio of work required for interview preparation in order to study Production at higher education level
• Hone your specialist skills and develop the technical requirements required to study Production at higher education level
• Have the opportunity to lead on production projects during Bridge Week with students from across the Junior Conservatoire
• Take part in, lead and shadow industry professionals on Junior Conservatoire productions during Bridge Week, Theatre for Young Audiences, JC DDPF Winter Show and Youth Arts Festival.

• Learn about all aspects of production from set and costume design, prop making, scenic painting and construction to lighting, sound and stage technology
• Access RCS production workshops fitted with specialist machinery, equipment and design studios
• Learn from a mentor who will work with you to create a personal learning plan
• Observe undergraduate students in action and see what it takes to be a full-time conservatoire student
• Have opportunity to shadow professionals while working on performances
• Receive regular feedback reports to ensure you are getting the most out of the programme
• Be part of Scotland’s national conservatoire, recognised as one of the world’s top ten performing arts education institutions (2016 – 2018 QS World Rankings)

Our internationally-respected staff include RCS alumni and lecturers that also teach degree-level. All of our lecturers are practicing artists with strong networks within the industry.

JC Production mentors for all levels are

• Meghan Grieve- Production Arts and Design Lecturer
• Neal Clark- Production Technology and Management Lecturer
• Ian Smyth- Production Lecturer

Level 1 teaching staff

• Ros Maddison (Head of Production)
• Martin Mallorie (Prop making)
• Christine Murphy (Costume)
• Gary Fry (Scenic Art)
• Zander Lee (Set Construction)
• Robin Peoples (Set and Costume Design)
• Clare Hibberd (Sound)
• Susan May Hawley (Stage Management)
• Christoph Wagner (Lighting)
• Steve Macluskie (Stage Technology)
• Katy McGlynn (Production Arts and Design)

Entry to the Junior Conservatoire of Production is by interview only, and progression through the levels is not automatic — students will be assessed each year if they would like to continue with their studies.

Whilst we don’t ask for specific entry qualifications, we do ask for all applicants to have a strong interest in theatre productions and a passion to see your ideas come to life. It would be an advantage if you  have some artwork or portfolio to demonstrate your abilities or attend an amateur theatre group where you take an active role in an element of production.

The audition process 

We want your audition to be an enjoyable experience and encourage you to take this opportunity to find out more about the Junior Conservatoire.

The interview will be with a panel of lecturers from the Junior Conservatoire of Production and we want to hear your interests and experience of the theatre. At the interview you should:

• be prepared to talk about theatre productions you have seen recently and what you liked and disliked about them
• discuss your aspirations for your future study and career goals
• bring any evidence you have of your interest in production e.g. artwork or technical drawings, achievement certificates or photographs from events you have been involved with

Everyone, regardless of the outcome, will receive verbal feedback on the day. Above all, remember the panel wants to see you do well and we look forward to meeting you.

We want to ensure everyone has an opportunity to apply for the Junior Conservatoire of Production and everyone who applies on time will receive an audition.

When to apply

Application for entry to the Junior Conservatoire of Production in August 2024 are currently open.

All applications should be completed online and there is an audition fee of £45. If you need financial support to pay for the audition fee please contact us at juniorsddpf@rcs.ac.uk 

Applications close on May 15th 2024.

Interview dates

We will be in touch with applicants with more information regarding interview dates after applications close.

Question?

If you have any questions about the Junior Conservatoire or the application process, please don’t hesitate to contact us at juniorsddpf@rcs.ac.uk.

Term Dates (2023/2024)

Term 1

Student induction- Sunday 20th August 2023

Term 1 starts – Saturday 26^th August 2023

Mid term break- 14-27^th October 2023

Term 1 finishes- Friday 15^th December 2023

Term 2 starts- Saturday 6^th January 2024

Mid term break- 10^th-16^th February 2024

Term 2 finishes- Friday 29^th March 2024

Term 3 starts- Saturday 13^th April 2024

Term 3 finishes- Friday 14^th June 2024

Fees for session 2023/24

Production fees for the year are £3100

Fees for session 2024/25

TBC