Case Study 2024: Rogue Theatre – Bringing Music to Theatre in Wild Spaces

Project Overview
Rogue Theatre, a Cornish theatre company renowned for its wild space performances, has collaborated with ASONE Hub to incorporate musical and singing activities for young people into their theatrical experiences. Over the last six months, Rogue Theatre has engaged more than 1,300 young people, blending music and theatre in a way that nurtures a love for music through collaborative singing and dancing activities within immersive performances.

Activity
- ASONE Hub commissioned Rogue Theatre to explore how singing and music within their performances, might deliver fundamental music education principles across Early Years Foundation Stages (EYFS), Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, and Key Stage 3 students.

- Rogue Theatre’s musical director and creative team designed an innovative platform that incorporated audience singing activities in theatre, dance, and narrative.

- Quality assurance, led by Chris Morgan’s team from Falmouth university, evaluated Rogue’s methods, providing guidance on aligning musical terminology with educational standards without impacting the organic, improvisational style of their performances.

- Rogue Theatre committed extensive in-kind support, developing singing resources and dedicating time to the programme, enhancing young people’s exposure to music within the theatre arts are broadening an enthusiasm for music across families. 

Impact
The project has effectively introduced young people to musical elements within a theatrical context, sparking interest in music and creative arts careers. The engagement of over 1,300 young participants underscores the project’s success, with feedback highlighting a strengthened understanding of music and an improved ability to recognise standard musical language. The project received a positive evaluation from quality assurance, commending its innovative approach to blending music and theatre for educational benefit. Playing with the relationship between narrative, mood and melody within an audience setting was an immersive and empowering way of bringing young people into the story through music and giving them a sense of leadership.

Legacy
ASONE Hub aims to expand this collaboration with Rogue Theatre, promoting knowledge sharing between theatre leaders and music educators. Future plans  include peer-to-peer mentoring workshops, allowing theatre and ensemble leaders to learn from each other’s expertise. This initiative will create a lasting impact by  integrating music education within theatre, enriching learning experiences for young people across Cornwall.

Further comments/information
ASONE Hub is excited about the potential to foster even greater collaboration between music and theatre, with Rogue Theatre’s unique approach offering a valuable model for future educational projects. This partnership not only showcases creative arts careers but also serves as an inspiring example of how immersive theatre can enhance music education.