Ben and Rachel Aldridge are the winners of a competition to bring Razzamataz Theatre School – which featured on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den 19 years ago – to Burton-on-Trent, making incredible performing arts opportunities accessible for local children aged 4-18
Burton-based husband-and-wife team, Ben and Rachel Aldridge are celebrating after being announced as the winners of the Future Founders competition that is allowing them to launch their own performing arts school.
The couple have been named the winners of the competition, run by the award-winning Razzamataz Theatre Schools, and awarded the means to launch their own franchise worth thousands of pounds, in addition to a £10,000 business grant. Razzamataz Burton-on-Trent is therefore scheduled to open its doors in September 2026, bringing an abundance of new opportunities for local children to develop their confidence and life skills while boosting their creativity through dance, drama, and singing.
Razzamataz Theatre Schools famously appeared on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den in 2007 and is now celebrating 25 years of supporting young people and entrepreneurs throughout the UK. In light of this quarter-of-a-century milestone, the company opted to launch the Future Founders competition to “pay it forward” and help budding business owners start their own theatre school.
Rachel’s Razzamataz journey had long begun in the classroom, as she said: “I had worked as a teacher at Razzamataz Mansfield and Nottingham for several years and absolutely loved it. The ethos is so inclusive; it’s not just about teaching children how to dance or sing, but about helping them grow into confident young people. Being able to bring that to our own community is incredibly special.”
Ben continued: “I had always wanted to run my own theatre school. Razzamataz stood out because it’s not about just creating professional performers; it’s about belonging, confidence, and personal development. Winning a franchise and a £10,000 grant really is a dream opportunity.”
Ben and Rachel impressed the judges with the amount of detail they put into their application, as well as their shared values and commitment to inclusivity. They also dove into weeks of preparation and delivered a live pitch to a panel of industry experts, which amounted to them being announced as winners – on the same weekend as Rachel’s birthday.
Speaking of what it was like to find out they had won, Ben said: “It was a total surprise. We were already with friends and family, so it turned into a double celebration. We were just so proud that we fully committed to the process.”
Rachel added: “We want our school to be open to all children – not just the strongest performers. It will be non-competitive, nurturing, and community-focused, where families feel they’re part of something special.”
Founder and Managing Director of Razzamataz Theatre Schools, Denise Gosney was on the judging panel and she only had praise for Ben and Rachel’s vision. She said: “Ben and Rachel stood out for their passion, preparation, and shared commitment to inclusivity and community. They truly understand what Razzamataz stands for, and we’re incredibly excited to welcome them into the network.”
Ben and Rachel have now begun their training and onboarding with the Razzamataz head office team, while also going along to national events to learn more from other franchise owners, in preparation for their September 2026 launch.
Razzamataz Burton-on-Trent is set to be a part-time performing arts school, hosting singing, dancing, and drama classes on Saturdays during term time for children aged 4-18. Students will have the chance to take part in a range of exciting activities, including performing on London’s West End, overseas trips, and scholarship opportunities to continue training even after they graduate.
Families local to Burton-on-Trent will soon be able to make the most of this brand-new theatre school right on their doorstep – and for Ben and Rachel, there is so much more yet to come.
To learn more about Razzamataz Burton-on-Trent, visit the Instagram page here.
To book a free taster session, contact Rachel and Ben on burtonontrent@razzamataz.co.uk or 07455065462.
To register your child for September’s launch, you can submit the online form.
Great to hear!