| National Student Drama Festival | |
| Years Active: | 1962–present |
| Dates: | 2022: 9–15 April (exact dates vary each year) |
| Genre: | Arts festival |
| 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]
Even after NSDF allowed Scottish Universities, the SUS still ran their own Scottish Union of Students National Student Drama Festival[3] from 1963-1967.[4]
On its 50th anniversary in 2006, a book was published called "Fifty years of the National Student Drama Festival: Oberon Books 2005".[5] 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.[6]
| Notable Participants | |
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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.
| 2017 Prize Winners | |
| 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 |
| 2016 Prize Winners | ||||||||||||||||||
| 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 |
| 2015 Prize Winners | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | 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 |
| 2014 Prize Winners | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 |