Organization:Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

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Short description: Public drama school and conservatoire
"Royal Central School" redirects here. For other uses, see Royal Central (disambiguation).

Royal Central School
of Speech and Drama
The Embassy Theatre, home of the school
Other names
Central, Royal Central, CSSD, RCSSD
Former names
Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, Central School of Speech and Drama
TypeDrama school and public university conservatoire
Established1906; 119 years ago (1906)
2005: Incorporated into the University of London
FounderElsie Fogerty
Parent institution
University of London
Affiliation
  • Conservatoires UK
  • Federation of Drama Schools
Budget£19.4m (2016/17)[1]
ChairmanJohn Willis
ChancellorAnne, Princess Royal (University of London)
PresidentSonia Friedman
Vice-president
  • Maggie Aderin-Pocock
  • Anne Mensah
  • Ben Okri
  • Jenny Sealey
  • Zoë Wanamaker
Vice-ChancellorWendy Thomson (University of London)
PrincipalJosette Bushell-Mingo
PatronPrincess Alexandra
Students(2018/19)[2]
Undergraduates(2018/19)[2]
Postgraduates(2018/19)[2]
Address
Embassy Theatre, Eton Avenue
,
London
,
NW3 3HY
,
England, United Kingdom

Template:Wikidatacoord
CampusUrban
     Red|u}}rs     Red
Websitewww.cssd.ac.uk

The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, commonly shortened to Central, is a drama school founded by Elsie Fogerty in 1906, as the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students. It became a constituent college of the University of London in 2005 and is a member of Conservatoires UK and the Federation of Drama Schools.[3]

Courses

The school offers undergraduate, postgraduate, research degrees and short courses in acting, actor training, applied theatre, theatre crafts and making, design, drama therapy, movement, musical theatre, performance, producing, research, scenography, stage management, teacher training, technical arts, voice and writing.[4]

History

The Embassy Theatre

In 2006, the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art was absorbed into Central.

On 29 November 2012, the 'Royal' title was bestowed on the school by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of its reputation as a "world-class institution for exceptional professional training in theatre and performance studies". It is entitled to use it in official documentation, although it continues to be colloquially referred to as "Central". The school's Patron, Princess Alexandra of Kent, played a role in recommending the institution for the title.[5]

Buildings

The school is located at Swiss Cottage in north London, an area which is being redeveloped as a "civic and cultural quarter" which includes a new extension building for the school, replacing 1960s accommodation. The school's theatre is located inside the new building, which was awarded a BREEAM rating of "very good".[6]

Administration

Past presidents of the school include Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft and Judi Dench.[7] In October 2008 Harold Pinter, who attended the school in 1950–51, became its president, succeeding Peter Mandelson.[7] He was to receive an honorary fellowship in December 2008,[8] but had to receive it in absentia because of ill health;[9][10] he died two weeks later.[11] Michael Grandage was president from 2009 to 2022.[12] Theatre producer and Central graduate Sonia Friedman was appointed after Grandage stepped down from the role.[13][14]

Former presidents

  • Laurence Olivier (1983 to 1989)
  • Peggy Ashcroft (1989 to 1992)
  • Judi Dench (1992 to 1997)
  • Peter Mandelson (2001 to 2008)
  • Harold Pinter (2008)
  • Michael Grandage (2009 to 2022)

Research

In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise the majority of Central's submission was judged "world leading" or "internationally excellent". The school has been ranked sixth in its league of specialist institutions by The Guardian,[15] and ninth for drama and dance.[16]

The school has over 20 doctoral candidates.[17] The first PhD was awarded in 2010.[18]

Alumni

Further information: List of alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and Category:Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

References

  1. ↑ "Where Our Money Comes From". Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (University of London). https://www.cssd.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Where%20Our%20Money%20Comes%20From%20-%20FE%20OCT%2017%20-%20Appendix%20D3_CSSD.pdf. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Where do HE students study?". Higher Education Statistics Agency. https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-study. Retrieved 1 March 2020. 
  3. ↑ Granger, Rachel. "Rapid Scoping Study on Leicester Drama School". De Montfort University Leicester. https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2086/17394/Scoping-Curve_FINAL_Dec2018..pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. 
  4. ↑ "Courses". https://www.cssd.ac.uk/courses. 
  5. ↑ "Central School of Speech and Drama celebrates new Royal Title". Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (University of London). http://www.cssd.ac.uk/events/news/central-school-speech-and-drama-celebrates-new-royal-title. 
  6. ↑ "Page on Central School building". Ellis and Moore Consulting Engineers. http://www.ellisandmoore.co.uk/central-school-of-speech-and-drama-swiss-cottage-g76.html. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Alistair Smith (14 October 2008). "Pinter Replaces Mandelson as Central President". The Stage. https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/22095/pinter-replaces-mandelson-as-central.  Archived 12 June 2011.
  8. ↑ "Central Announces New President" (Press release). Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (University of London). 9 October 2008. Archived from the original on 28 December 2008. Retrieved 15 October 2008.
  9. ↑ "Degree Honour for Playwright Pinter". Press Association (Hosted by Google). 11 December 2008. https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5g9wHQd65MJz32HucJQoNojlnaCVA. 
  10. ↑ "Central's 2008 Graduation Ceremony". Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (University of London). 12 December 2008. http://www.cssd.ac.uk/news.php/14/centralrsquos_2008_graduation_ceremony.html. "Honorary Fellowships for Harold Pinter, Jo Brand and Penny Francis." 
  11. ↑ Mark Taylor-Batty, comp. "In Memoriam". Harold Pinter Society Webpages. The Harold Pinter Society and the University of Leeds. http://www.pintersociety.org/links/inmemoriam/inmemoriam.html. "Harold Pinter – playwright, poet, actor, director, political activist – died on 24 December 2008, aged 78." 
  12. ↑ Fisk, Hattie (13 October 2022). "Michael Grandage CBE to step down as Central's president". Drama and Theatre. https://www.dramaandtheatre.co.uk/news/article/michael-grandage-cbe-to-step-down-as-central-s-president. 
  13. ↑ "Sonia Friedman appointed president of Royal Central School of Speech and Drama" (in En). https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/sonia-friedman-appointed-president-of-royal-central-school-of-speech-and-drama. 
  14. ↑ "Sonia Friedman OBE Announced as the new President of Central" (in en). 17 November 2022. https://www.cssd.ac.uk/news/sonia-friedman-obe-announced-new-president-central. 
  15. ↑ "University guide 2011: Specialist institutions league table". The Guardian (London). 8 June 2010. https://www.theguardian.com/education/table/2010/jun/04/specialist-institutions-league-table. 
  16. ↑ "University guide 2011: Drama and dance". The Guardian (London). 8 June 2010. https://www.theguardian.com/education/table/2010/jun/04/university-guide-drama-and-dance. 
  17. ↑ "Student profiles.". Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (University of London). https://www.cssd.ac.uk/student-profiles. 
  18. ↑ "Central awards its first PhD". Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (University of London). 12 January 2011. https://cssd.ac.uk/content/central-awards-its-first-phd. 
  • "Education Guide" (Higher Education) in The Guardian
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata. The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama – Official Website

Template:Federation of Drama Schools



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