A Vodafone backed anti-bullying competition, ‘Cut it Out’, launches today to give school children the chance to redesign the famous Technicolor dreamcoat from the West End musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The seven best designs from across the UK will be brought to life by aspiring designers from the London College of Fashion and worn on stage at the Adelphi Theatre by Lee Mead during Anti Bullying Week (17th-21st November), before being auctioned for the UK’s leading bullying prevention charity, Beatbullying.
Competition entry packs including educational classroom materials and lesson plans will be sent to over 2000 schools across the UK as well as being available to download from the competition website at www.cutoutbullying.com. The website will also inform teachers and young people about how they can get involved in the competition and contains practical advice from Beatbullying for those who are being bullied or who are affected by bullying.
Lee Mead, the star of the show: “I was shocked to hear that 60% of young people have experienced some form of bullying1 and through my role in Joseph, I can understand the huge impact, both emotional and physical, bullying can have on people’s lives. During anti-bullying week, I will be wearing a different Technicolor dreamcoat each night to raise awareness of bullying in society and hopefully help stamp it out!”
The “Cut it Out” competition will challenge school children to re-design the famous Technicolor dreamcoat based on the theme of bullying. To ensure the designs stand out on stage children will be asked to consider how different colours, textures and fabrics can be used to communicate the anti-bullying message. All entries will be accompanied with a short statement on the inspiration behind the design.
Once the seven best designs have been selected by a panel of fashion experts, graduates from the London College of Fashion will work closely with the children to turn the designs into reality. The seven winners will be invited to London with their classmates to meet the star of the show, Lee Mead and to see their coat worn on the west end stage.
Nicki Woodhead, Corporate Responsibility Manager for Vodafone UK: “We are committed to raising awareness of the impact of bullying and we are delighted to partner with one of the most successful musicals of all time which continues to be extremely popular within schools. This campaign is designed to reach teenagers but also teachers and parents who are looking for advice in providing support to those being bullied.”
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat celebrated its fortieth anniversary earlier this year. Based on the biblical tale of Jacob's son Joseph, it was originally written as a fifteen-minute, pop cantata for a school choir to perform at their end of term concert. It was an immediate success and has since proven to be one of the most enduring and endearing shows of all time. In addition to the current hit, West End production, Bill Kenwright's UK touring production is in the Guinness World Records Book as the longest-running touring stage musical.
Andre Ptaszynski from The Really Useful Group said “The Really Useful Group are proud to be part of such a worthwhile initiative as Anti Bullying Week. Joseph is so popular in schools and with families it is fantastic to be able to engage thousands more young people in such an innovative way.”
Sarah Dyer, Director at Beatbullying: “Anti Bullying Week is a key moment in the year to raise national awareness of the serious impact of bullying. In the build up to the week, this campaign will genuinely motivate schools and young people to participate in a fun and engaging anti-bullying activity, as well as provide a way for young people to find support and advice on how to deal with bullying.”
Each week at least 450,000 young people are bullied in school2 and a further 500,000 are bullied outside of school3. Anti Bullying Week is held between 17th and 21st November this year and is an annual UK event which focuses on the problem of bullying and how to prevent it.
For more information please contact:
Nia Evans
Threepipe Communications
Tel: 0207 632 4800
E: Nia. Evans@threepipe.co.uk
Notes to the editors
1 Research undertaken by Beatbullying, 2007
2 Research undertaken by the Anti-bullying Alliance, 2005
3 Research undertaken by Beatbullying, 2005
Beatbullying
*Founded in 1999, Beatbullying empowers young people to lead anti-bullying campaigns in their schools and local communities, and builds the capacity of local communities to sustain the work. Beatbullying has directly and indirectly worked with 700,000+ young people over the last 5 years, assisting and supporting young people that are being bullied, re-educating and changing the behaviour of young people that bully, and preventing bullying in schools and communities across the UK. http://www.beatbullying.org/
Vodafone UK
Vodafone UK has 18.5 million customers and is part of the world’s largest mobile community offering a wide range of voice and data communications. The company is committed to providing mobile solutions that allow both consumer and business customers to make the most of now. Vodafone customers can now use Internet on your Mobile to view and navigate web pages and their favourite sites such as YouTube, eBay and the BBC. In addition, Vodafone connects customers across the globe with roaming agreements worldwide. It provides 3G roaming in 29 countries and offers great roaming value with Vodafone Passport.
Vodafone UK is in the top 20 Best Big Companies to Work For in the Sunday Times Best Companies List, March 2008. For more information, please visit www.vodafone.co.uk.
The Really Useful Group Limited (RUG)
The Really Useful Group Limited (RUG) was founded in 1977 by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The group is wholly, privately owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is an established international entertainment company, actively involved throughout the world in theatre and concert production, recording, merchandising, music publishing, television, film and video.
The group co owns The Adelphi Theatre and owns seven theatres in the West End including the world famous Theatre Royal Drury Lane and The London Palladium. The Really Useful Group produces, co-produces, licenses and general manages theatrical productions worldwide. At the heart of the business lie the musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Song & Dance, Starlight Express, The Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard, By Jeeves, Whistle Down the Wind, The Beautiful Game and The Woman In White. Productions by other composers include A.R.Rahman’s Bombay Dreams in London and New York and Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music currently playing at The London Palladium and opening in Toronto, Canada in 2008. Forthcoming projects include a sequel to The Phantom of the Opera and General Managing the Australian production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert when it arrives in London.
RUG is a UK based company with its head office in London and an office in Sydney.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Lyrics by Tim Rice Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was first performed in 1968 and was written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber for Colet Court School as an end of term concert piece.
In subsequent years it was expanded and performed all over the world both professionally and by amateurs.
In June 1991, Steven Pimlott directed a new production starring Jason Donovan which opened at The London Palladium and was seen by over 2 million people during its 2 and a half year run and grossed over £47 million.
The current Adelphi Theatre production is based on the 1991 verison and stars Lee Mead who was cast in the role having been chosen by the public on BBC 1’s Any Dream Will Do.
A video/DVD version of Steven Pimlott’s production starring Donny Osmond, Maria Friedman, Sir Richard Attenborough and Joan Collins was released in 1999 and is still available.