Red Ladder And Leeds Conservatoire Join Forces To Boost Creative Talent In West Yorkshire

Red Ladder Theatre Company and Leeds Conservatoire have launched a new partnership aimed at developing new talent for the stage and championing diverse, northern voices.

This three-year collaboration between the acclaimed Leeds-based theatre company and the specialist creative higher education institution will enable both organisations to pool their resources and expertise to boost opportunities for local actors, writers and directors.

Through this dynamic partnership students, graduates and emerging artists will have the opportunity to work with and learn from a diverse range of actors and theatre makers via workshops, masterclasses, placements, performances and rehearsed readings.

As part of this month’s Leeds Theatre Festival, organised by Leeds Conservatoire, Red Ladder is involved in a series of rehearsed readings of original works from new northern writers, performed by Leeds Conservatoire undergraduates and graduates, along with a scratch night featuring extracts created by playwrights from its recent writers' workshops. This will culminate in an evening showcasing brand new shared pieces created through these workshops.

Red Ladder’s artistic director, Cheryl Martin, said: “I am delighted that Red Ladder and Leeds Conservatoire have agreed this latest, exciting partnership.

“Both organisations are dedicated to creating more opportunities for a wide range of young people in the arts and by pooling our resources we are able to maximise these opportunities and champion new and diverse voices.

“Leeds has a rich history when it comes to producing great acting and writing talent for the stage. What I’m hoping to find through this partnership are future collaborators, and I am confident we will.”

Patsy Gilbert, vice principal of Leeds Conservatoire, said: “At its core theatre is really about storytelling and it is thrilling to be partnering with Red Ladder who have, for almost 60 years, continuously championed the stories of those who aren't usually heard - giving access and supporting those to tell their real stories through theatre.

“We share this commitment to platforming these stories and supporting Yorkshire talent. This partnership also shows our shared commitment to new writing and pushing the boundaries of what theatre can achieve, laying out how we can work together to create excellent, accessible routes into theatre and the arts for all.”

Lara Wilson, a Leeds Conservatoire graduate who is directing the rehearsed play reading of Bring Me the Head of Dr Vohra on July 19, said: “This opportunity arose after Cheryl Martin approached me, impressed by my work on Red Ladder's directing course last year.

“Working with external industry professionals in training was invaluable, I learned different skills from visiting artists, and through assistant directing in my second year, discovered my enjoyment for directing alongside acting. It's essential that emerging talent gets these opportunities to hone their craft.

“The partnership between Leeds Conservatoire and Red Ladder will nurture professional experiences in a safe training environment. It’s crucial to give underrepresented voices a platform, as everyone deserves to feel seen.

“Leeds Conservatoire not only embraced me as a disabled actor but actively pushed me to find new and exciting ways to tell stories in my wheelchair. I once wanted to hide that part of myself, but now I am proud to be a disabled actor and director as the industry slowly becomes more inclusive.”

Leeds Theatre Festival events involving Red Ladder:
Rehearsed Reading: Dirty Angel by Mae Milburn – Wednesday, July 16, 12.45pm. (show contains antisemitism, violence, drug use, sex)

Rehearsed Reading: Close Enough to Touch by Henry Roberts – Thursday, July 17, 12.45pm.

Rehearsed Reading: Gogh Angel by Tina Firthlock – Friday, July 18, 12.45pm.

Rehearsed Reading: Bring Me the Head of Dr Vohra by Sameer Ali – Saturday, July 19, 12.45pm.

Red Ladder X Leeds Conservatoire Scratch Performances – Saturday, July 19, 5pm. This features four, 10-minute scratch performances by writers from Red Ladder's emerging writers programme, performed by actors from Leeds Conservatoire.

Red Ladder's 2025 Writing/Directing/Acting showcase – Thursday, July 24, 6pm. An evening celebrating all the actors, directors and writers from recent workshops.

All the events are at Room 219, Leeds Conservatoire, 3 Quarry Hill, LS2 7PD.

For more information and to book tickets visit leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/