Chelmsford Theatre provides platform for vibrant youth voices

Chelmsford Theatre has teamed up with Essex Music Services and local secondary schools and youth community groups from across Essex to provide a platform for young people to showcase their talent and creativity.

Vibrant Voices saw more than 150 students from Chelmsford and Brentwood perform in an evening of performances on Monday 3 February. The project was free for schools to take part in, offering a chance for young artists to perform on a real theatre stage to a live audience. Participants also got a taste of what it takes to put together a live production.

Presenting an evening of performances led and delivered by young local creatives

Pupils from six secondary schools – St John Payne, The Boswells School, Chelmsford County High School for Girls, Thriftwood College, Brentwood School, and Chelmer Valley High School – took part in the project.

Each school group gave an eight-minute performance of a piece of music or drama as their proud guardians, family and friends watched on. The performances ranged from a Symphony Orchestra by Chelmsford County High School for Girls, to an Oliver Twist extract from The Boswells School.

Vibrant Voices saw students from six local schools perform varied pieces of drama live on stage. Photos by Aaron Crowe.

Gifted theatre student, Mia, from Chelmer Valley High School performed a monologue of Emma Gordon’s Mobile Madness, and there were also performances of Matilda the Musical Jr by St John Payne and an abridged version of Romeo and Juliet by Brentwood School. Thriftwood College, which provides education for a range of students with moderate learning difficulties, also showcased their talented choir.

In addition to the presentations from local schools, youth county music groups from Essex Music Service also performed. The audience enjoyed two music sets from Essex Youth Rock Band ‘Pin Drop’ and Essex Youth Jazz Octet.

The show was hosted by three young creatives: conductor, composer, trombonist and pianist, Atharv Gupta; Essex Youth Orchestra’s Principal Viola, Charlie Newman; and acting and production student and Spark! Chelmsford member, Isobel Arden, who acted as compères for the evening.

The evening was hosted by three young local creatives. Photos by Aaron Crowe.

Supporting schools to help students thrive creatively

As Chelmsford Theatre continues to focus its efforts on expanding access to the arts for all, Vibrant Voices aimed to explore opportunities to work more closely with schools to aid the development of young artists.

The project is part of the theatre’s wider Discover for schools programme, designed to introduce students to the theatre, help them to grow their creative side and encourage them to consider a career in the arts. The programme offers a diverse range of masterclasses, tours and aspirational career workshops exploring all aspects of the theatre, from technical lighting to front of house.

Councillor Jennie Lardge, Cabinet Deputy for Cultural Services at Chelmsford City Council, says arts programmes such as the theatre’s Discover for schools are crucial for nurturing our next generation of artists:

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“It’s vital that young people considering a career in the arts receive the support they need to build their skills, confidence and ambitions. Sadly, many schools just don’t have regular access to the venues, resources and equipment required to best nurture this creative curiosity, so it’s wonderful to see Chelmsford Theatre providing a free opportunity for local schools to perform on a real stage in a professional performance venue. I look forward to seeing this event grow and support many students in the coming years.”

Cllr Jennie Lardge, Cabinet Deputy for Cultural Services, Chelmsford City Council

The theatre’s Creative Engagement Officer, Megan Crisp, worked closely with the six local schools and Essex Music Service to bring the inaugural Vibrant Voices to life:

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“Chelmsford Theatre is committed to supporting the development of our future actors, dancers, singers and musicians, and over the last few months I’ve been working closely with six local schools and Essex Music Service to identify meaningful ways to help students to thrive creatively. Vibrant Voices is the outcome of this work, providing young people with the opportunity to experience the rewarding thrill of performing to a live audience. I’m so pleased that Chelmsford Theatre has been able to provide a professional stage and staff expertise to support schools in this way.

“This is just the start for Vibrant Voices, which will return year on year. We hope to expand the event in 2026 to reach even more talented students.”

Megan Crisp, Creative Engagement Officer, Chelmsford Theatre

Teacher Liane Lindo from Thriftwood College says the first Vibrant Voices event was an incredible experience for her students:

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“The whole evening from start to finish was just incredible. It was such an amazing experience for our students to perform, not only on stage, but also with students from the other schools. Our students, parents and staff enjoyed the event tremendously. It is something that our students will remember forever! We can't wait for next year and we are already discussing how we can make the performance bigger and better. We would love to take part in more events like this. Thank you to Megan and everyone involved who worked so hard to make this happen for all of the young people.”

Liane Lindo, Teacher, Thriftwood College

Take part in next year’s Vibrant Voices programme

Vibrant Voices will return in March 2026 and applications for schools to take part will open in the coming weeks.

Find out more about the Discover for schools classes and workshops your school or youth group could attend at Chelmsford Theatre on the Discover for schools hub.

Coming up in the Discover programme for kids and adults

There’s so much more to Chelmsford Theatre’s wide-ranging Discover programme. Most events for the coming February half term are now sold out, but there’s plenty available to book for kids aged 5-18 over the Easter holidays. Lively sessions include the return of acting, singing and street dance workshops with dance teacher and choreographer Grace Walker. There’s also a brand-new Wonders of Disney workshop (9-12 years) with former Disney actor Tara Stapley, and a technical theatre props session (13-18 years) led by an experienced stage manager.

Smaller children can enjoy an introduction to theatre with Baby Boogie classes, held monthly on Monday mornings. These fun and relaxed sessions for little ones aged six months to five years provide a space for them to express themselves, gain confidence and mix with other children while enjoying stimulating music and interesting props.

There’s also plenty for adults who may be looking to explore new hobbies or have a chilled evening out. Midday Mindfulness sessions on Monday mornings give you some time to reconnect with yourself and enhance your wellbeing over a lunch hour, while life drawing evenings with Gareth Barton are a chance to get some expert guidance on capturing the human form. For a more energetic activity, there are also more West End Workouts coming up, with each offering a different musical theme including Chicago, SIX and Hamilton.

Explore the full programme and book your workshop space via Chelmsford Theatre’s Discover for adults and kids hub.