For almost 50 years, East 15 has produced actors, directors, theatre practitioners and technicians for the international stage, TV, film and radio.

East 15, based in Loughton on the edge of East London and founded by Margaret Bury, grew from the work of Joan Littlewood's famed Theatre Workshop, which broke new ground, re-interpreting the classics for a modern age, commissioning new plays from socially committed writers, and creating an ensemble capable of inventing new work.

Much of the original approach was based upon the theories of Stanislavsky and over the years new training methods at East 15 have now embraced approaches from diverse practitioners.

Since 2007, under the directorship of Leon Rubin, more than ten million pounds have been spent on new buildings and facilities for East 15 in Loughton and Southend-on-Sea, including the Clifftown Studios, offering studios, workshops and a state-of-the-art theatre and performance space. Several new programmes have also been developed to take the school into a new era of international and culturally diverse theatre and physical theatre performance territories.

Now part of the University of Essex, East 15 is also a member of the leading group of UK conservatoires, CDS, and with appropriate courses accredited by NCDT, is now one of the largest specialist theatre schools in the UK, with a distinguished international teaching staff and an undergraduate and extensive postgraduate population of over 650 students.