| National Student Drama Festival | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Arts festival |
| Dates | 2022: 9–15 April (exact dates vary each year) |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Founded | 1962 |
| Website | nsdf.org.uk |
The UK based National Student Drama Festival (NSDF) was founded in 1956 with the purpose of creating new art, new artists and new communities. It also runs a charity aimed at empowering young artists. The NSDF is targeted towards people aged 16–25 years old (in 2021–22 they extended the age bracket to include 26-year olds).
NSDF is a year-round organization whose work peaks at its annual festival: for one week, in one chosen city. There is a daily magazine, Noises Off, written by a team of writers and participants at the festival.
The NSDF was founded in 1956 by the Sunday Times arts columnist Kenneth Pearson, Sunday Times theatre critic Harold Hobson, and National Union of Students (United Kingdom) president Frank Copplestone. Pearson went on to become the organization's first artistic director. Early supporters also included Sunday Times Editor Harry Hodson and Professor Glynne Wickham, a pioneer of the academic discipline of drama based at the University of Bristol.
Even before 1956, The National Union of Students had organised dramatic festivals, like in 1947 at Birmingham,[1] but this was the first year that it had been backed by the Sunday Times.
Scottish universities that were a part of the Scottish Union of Students were not allowed to participate till 1962, as universities not affiliated with the National Union of Students were not allowed to participate before that year.[2]
On its 50th anniversary in 2006, a book was published called "Fifty years of the National Student Drama Festival: Oberon Books 2005".[3] This book included a full list of shows for those 50 years.
Past NSDF participants include Harold Pinter, Caryl Churchill, Meera Syal, Simon Russell Beale, Ruth Wilson, Marianne Elliott, and Lucy Prebble. Companies with past affiliation with NSDF include Slung Low, Jamie Lloyd Productions, RashDash, Barrel Organ and LUNG Theatre.
NSDF 22 took place from 9–15 April 2022 in Leicester.[4]
At the end of the festival there is a Closing Ceremony where prizes are presented. Some of which are named after prestigious theatrical institutions or people. For example, the Buzz Goodbody Director Award which was named after the first female director for the RSC, who attended the festival in 1967. Previous winners include Roland Smith (artistic director of Theatre Delicatessen), Phil Young, Jane Prowse, Fiona Clift, and Richard Hurst.
Named Awards
THE BUZZ GOODBODY DIRECTOR AWARD Ellie Gauge (Thick Skin)
THE STAGE UK DIRECTORS AWARD Josie Davies (Say It Loud)
THE CAMERON MACKINTOSH AWARD Alex Mackinder (Ordinary Days)
THE SUNDAY TIMES HAROLD HOBSON DRAMA CRITIC AWARD Lily James
THEATRE RECORD CRITICS AWARD Florence Bell
THE SUNDAY TIMES PLAYWRITING AWARD Ben Kulvichit & Clara Potter Sweet (Celebration)
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Harvey Comerford (Hidden & Thick Skin)
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Annie Davison (Swallow)
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE TECHNICAL TEAM SUPPORTED BY SLX Sam Levy
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE TECHNICAL TEAM SUPPORTED BY SLX Sam Costelloe
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE TECHNICAL TEAM SUPPORTED BY SLX Mel Wells
MANAGEMENT TEAM AWARD Chris Bell
CAMDEN PEOPLE’S THEATRE AWARD Josie Davies
SAMUEL FRENCH NEW PLAY AWARD Caitlin McEwan (Thick Skin)
OBERON BOOKS NEW PLAY AWARD Miriam Schechter (Blackbird)
FRECKLE PRODUCTIONS FAMILY SHOW AWARD Emergency Chorus (Celebration)
THE FESTGOERS’ AWARD Celebration
Judges Awards
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DESIGN David Callanan for Nothing Is Coming, The Pixels Are Huge
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC AND COMPOSITION Oscar Lane, Oliver Rudge and the band from O Collective for he she they
Named Awards
THE BUZZ GOODBODY DIRECTOR AWARD Modupe Salu (I Can't Breathe)
THE STAGE UK DIRECTORS AWARD Joe Bunce (Departures: A Song Cycle)
THE CAMERON MACKINTOSH AWARD (Departures: A Song Cycle)
THE SUNDAY TIMES PLAYWRITING AWARD Joe Bunce (Departures: A Song Cycle)
THE SUNDAY TIMES HAROLD HOBSON DRAMA CRITIC AWARD Kate Wyver
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Bróccán Tyzack-Carlin (The Addams Family)
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Modupe Salu (I Can't Breathe)
THE FESTGOERS’ AWARD The Addams Family
MANAGEMENT TEAM AWARD Oscar Owen
Judges' Awards
Acting | Sadie Fitch Kempner for Morticia in The Addams Family
Acting | Becca Jones for Sylv in West
Choreography | Will Emery for The Addams Family
Composition | Matthew Malone for Departures
Contribution to the Festival | Durham University Light Opera Group for Kiss Me Kate and The Addams Family
Creative Collaboration | The Company for Daniel (Footprint Theatre)
Design | James Bailey for Departures
Directing and Casting | Josie Davies for Over There
First Time Directing | Jenny Walser for Cock
Judges' Commendations
Acting | Shannon Smith for Mike in West
Acting | Bryony Davies for Karl in Over There
Comedy | Harvey Comerford and Dominic McGovern for the Gangsters in Kiss Me Kate
Composition | Ronan Hatful for Over There
Directing | Elin Schofield for Daniel
Supporting Actor | Jennifer Bullock for Wednesday in The Addams Family
Supporting Actor | James Roscow for Ken and Pat in West
Supporting Actor | Harry Adair for Lurch in The Addams Family and General Harrison in Kiss Me Kate
Named Awards
THE BUZZ GOODBODY DIRECTOR AWARD Joe Bunce for The Nutcracker
THE DIRECTORS' GUILD AWARD Matt Stevens-Woodhead for The 56
THE CAMERON MACKINTOSH AWARD The Creative Team and Company of The Nutcracker
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Vincenzo Monachello for his performance in Parade
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Dannielle Phillips for her performance in The 56
THE SUNDAY TIMES HAROLD HOBSON DRAMA CRITIC AWARD Eve Allin
THEATRE RECORD CRITICS AWARD Becky Shepherson
THE SUNDAY TIMES PLAYWRITING AWARD Josh Overton for Angry
Outstanding Contribution to the Technical Team supported by Stage Electrics | Jasmin Davies
Outstanding Contribution to Sound supported by Shure and The Association of Sound Designers | Ali Stringer
Outstanding Contribution to Lighting supported by Ambersphere | Caoimhe Young
Management Award | Aisling Gallagan
The Festgoers Award | The Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas
Judges’ Awards
Outstanding Performance in a Musical | Georgina Ambrey for The Baker's Wife in Into The Woods
Musical Direction | Ash Jacobs for Into The Woods
Ensemble | The 56
Theatrical Imagination | The Nutcracker
Choreography | Beth Hinton-Lever for Parade
Judges' Commendations
Acting | Euan Kitson for his performance in Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons
Acting | Miriam Schechter for her performance In The Nutcracker
Playwriting | Sam Steiner for Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons
Musicianship | The Band of Into The Woods
Directing and Producing | Ellie Gauge and Sophie McQuillan for Congestion
Sound and Music Design | James Melling and David Denyer for The Bacchae
Lighting and Design | Aaron Smith for The Dumb Waiter
Mise En Scene | David Johnson-Morgan and India Smith for Wastwater
Contribution to Technical Team | Fiona Porritt and Conor Morris
Contribution to Sound | Olga Kravchenko
Contribution to Lighting | Laura Heinl
Named Awards
Buzz Goodbody Director Award | Ali Pidsley for Road & Nothing
The Sunday Times Play Writing Award | Lucyna Raczka for Nothing
The Directors’ Guild Award | Genevieve Skehan for Spring Awakening The Musical
Cameron Mackintosh Award | Spring Awakening The Musical
The Sunday Times Harold Hobson Student Drama Critic Award | Billy Barrett
Theatre Record Young Critic's Award | Georgia Snow and Adam Foster
Spotlight Most Promising Actor Award | Angus Imrie for Brink, Skin-Lad, Blowpipe, Soldier, Barry in Road
Spotlight Most Promising Actress Award | Katherine Thorogood for Stalker in Nothing
Sound Award supported by Sennheiser and The Association of Sound Designers | George Veys
Lighting Award supported by Ambersphere | Ruth Luckins
Technical Achievement Award supported by Stage Electrics | Matthew Norwood
Management Team Award | Alex Williams
Festgoers Award | The Duck Pond
Judges’ Company Awards
Creative Risk | Nothing
Ensemble | Road
Collaborative Creation | The Duck Pond
Judges’ Company Commendation
Ensemble | Punk Rock
Judges’ Individual Awards
Musical Direction | Katy Richardson for Americana
Musical Performance | Verity Blythe for Peaches in Americana
Spirit Of Invention | Tom Coxon for The Duck Pond
Performance | Beth Holmes for Louise, Molly, Mrs Bald and Scotch Girl in Road
Judges’ Individual Commendations
Performance | Barnaby Chambers for Bennett in Punk Rock
Video Design | Stevie Partington for Enron
Writing | Jenna May Hobbs for Your Fragrant Phantom
Musical Performance | Hannah Bloom for Wendla in Spring Awakening
Musical Performance | Laura Johnson for Jackson in Americana