Maldon Theatretrain

From rehearsals in a quiet Maldon church hall to the bright lights of London and a live performance at the Royal Albert Hall? Sounds like the unrealisable dream of a wannabe Denise Van Outen or an aspiring Daniel Radcliffe.

A date with destiny in the capital however is just one of many thrills in store for young students attending the Essex town’s newly opened performing arts school – Maldon Theatretrain - courtesy of a Foundation East loan and the determination of centre manager Mark Everard.

Having grown up in Maldon himself and felt the lure of the stage early on, Mark – who has since appeared professionally in TV and corporate work - was well aware of the opportunities and need for a new facility in the town.

With the money for a Theatretrain franchise in hand Mark still needed to raise the finance for vital pre-launch advertising and publicity material. Which is where he hit a snag:

“As I had no previous business experience, I was not successful in getting a business loan from a bank, even though I was only after a few thousand pounds”

The Braintree Enterprise Agency helped Mark explore some alternative lenders. He approached the Princes’ Trust but working full-time as a kitchen assistant made him ineligible for any support.

“So I met up with Valerie Jarrett, Foundation East Business Loans Manager,” says Mark, “and we looked closely at the viability of my plans, how much I might need as a loan to best promote the venture. Valerie also gave me some pointers on how to generate further interest.”

The £2,000 he was able to borrow paid for a series of adverts in local newspapers and magazines and helped attract some free editorial coverage.

Maldon Theatretrain opened its doors in September 2007, offering three hours of song, drama and dance to young people from ages 6-18, all led by a group of qualified teachers and choreographers.

In drama classes the students get to work on voice and speech, improvisation and physical theatre. Dance sees them take on sessions in Modern and Jazz, while singing classes comprise warm-up, breathing, diction and tone.

“It’s great sharing my passion for theatre with young people,” says Mark. “There was a real need for something like this in the community. I know I would have loved it when I was a child and I am glad to be able to provide such a service.”

“There’s more to the classes than just stage skills though,” he continues. “For some students what they learn here does a lot for their confidence and communication.”

In fact, Mark got a letter from one parent telling him that since he started at Theatretrain his schoolteachers have seen marked improvements in his interactions with fellow pupils.

Student numbers have grown from an original 20 to an impressive 60+, the business goes from strength to strength and Mark is already considering plans for another franchise.

“My relationship with Foundation East has been fantastic,” he says. “The support is constant and they have shared business insights with me all the way. If I need to take another loan in the future I would definitely want it to be with them.”