Newport Youth Theatre Workshops Announced

Newport Youth Theatre Workshops Announced

Following its successful launch this year, the Newport Youth Theatre is set to continue building confidence, collaboration, and camaraderie for children from the Telford & Wrekin area with a series of workshops in 2023.

‘Folktales of the Shire’ will involve children in research and creative storytelling through a range of workshops which will be accessible to both younger and older children.

The Drama Club will introduce 7 to 10-year-olds to acting and movement and is aimed at younger children or those with little experience who want to explore drama and develop their skills in fun ways without the pressure of a big performance.

The Devising Club is for older children, aged from 9 to 14, who want to develop their drama and theatre-making skills further through the unique experience of co-creating an original performance from scratch. The Devising Club will share their folktale performance on the 24th of June.

There will be free taster sessions to kickstart both clubs on Saturday 21st of January 2023 held at St Nicholas’s Church Parish Room in Newport, Shropshire. Sessions will then continue every Saturday during term time until May for the Drama Club and July for the Devising Club.

The Arts Council of England and Waitrose are just two organisations supporting the 2023 Youth Theatre to subsidise costs and make them affordable for all. Hannah de Quincey, Artistic Director and founder of Moonstruck Astronaut Community Theatre Company said: “I am bowled over that Arts Council England has awarded us a grant to develop my work co-creating theatre with children. This grant also enables Anna Belyavin, a movement/dance specialist to join the delivery team and other professionals to mentor me in growing the community theatre company.”

Last year’s project had such great feedback from parents/guardians, children and the local community. Rebecca whose daughter, Charlotte, aged 9, took part last year said: “My daughter joined the drama group and she loved it from the start. They started off with fun, confidence-building games then went on to create and practise the show. I was astonished whilst watching the show as it seemed more professional than I imagined.”

Volunteers are also vital to the Youth Theatre’s work and the theatre company has vacancies for drama workshop assistants, stage management, technical, backstage and operational support.

Applications are welcomed from volunteers aged 16 and over, with or without drama, or theatre experience interested in getting to know and nurturing local children whilst developing excellent transferable skills.

To learn more about the theatre company, volunteering or the ‘Folktales of the Shire’ workshops go to https://moonstruckastronaut.com.

Pic: L to R, Mikayla Jones, Charlotte Garratt, Zachary Bates (as Robobuddy) and volunteer Megan Jones rehearsing 2022’s Youth Theatre performance of ‘The Funky Future of Newport’