We have just added a new resource on artistic planning to the NAYD Advice Centre. Here Youth Theatre Officer, Alan King, explains the rationale for its development: 

Since starting as Youth Theatre Officer, almost two years ago now, one of the mainstays of my work has been helping and guiding people with their artistic planning and strategy.

Through our ongoing discussions with groups in development and even with our long established members we have found that long term planning is one of the most challenging areas of youth theatre activity.

For many new and developing groups, so much energy and preparation goes into setting up the youth theatre through such tasks as forming committees, drawing up child protection policies, recruitment, that the one area that can take a back seat is the actual artistic activity.

Once a group has been set up and the first few introductory workshops of getting to know each other and simple improvisation have been explored, where do you go from here? We often plan from week to week with no regard for what happens in week 16 or years two and three.

What is long term planning? Well it’s the ability to plan way into the future, maybe as far as five years. It gives you achievable goals and an interesting and rewarding artistic programme to try with your group.

There is no hard and fast approach to planning your year, and as there are many different types of youth theatres, with different development needs, resources and members, no two youth theatres are ever alike.

It is for that reason that there is no ‘standard youth theatre syllabus’. NAYD has never developed one, nor to we feel it is appropriate to do so. What is appropriate and vital is to develop a programme that reflects your own needs and your desire to engage your members with interesting and challenging work. It is also vital that the group is encouraged to develop artistically, personally and socially and over time develop their own style and take some risks with the artistic programme.

If you were to do the same thing every year, boredom would soon set in and it is unlikely the youth theatre would survive.

We have recently developed a sample three-year artistic plan for youth theatres. It is not absolute or foolproof, but a well thought-out guide that can at the very least form a starting point for your own artistic plans.

It is a three-year cycle with separate terms in each year, programming workshops, with scope for productions. It also addresses the needs for social and fundraising activities for all members and their wider community to take part in and enjoy.

The resource comes in two parts.

The first part is a series of three easy to follow diagrams for each year in the plan. They are clearly laid out month by month. They list a series of artistic and strategic approaches for that time of year. For each year in the cycle the progress and development for the group is very clear.

The second part is a very comprehensive document that lists each activity with a further expansion and explanation as to the logic behind such activities.

Together they form a good guide to help you with your planning.

The three-year plan allows for development and trying new things while putting a strong weekly workshop at the very core of activities. It can be used for a group about to start for their very first year or can be applied to any group at any stage. It works off the rhythm of the academic year and if this doesn’t suit you please use it to coincide with the time-frame that best suits your group.

As I said it is not an absolute but merely a guide and a starting point. We hope that it helps and inspires you to plan effectively for your youth theatre!

Alan

View the 3 year Sample Artistic Plan

NAYD recently ran a two-day Introduction to Drama Facilitation training weekend in Galway. It was for those wanting to introduce drama workshops with groups of young people but who may not have any practical experience.

Martin Lucey travelled up from Cork for the weekend and had this to say about the weekend.

This two–day intensive workshop-based training could not have come at a better time for me and my group at CDYS in Mallow, Co Cork. I had been volunteering with the Youth Service for a while and due to my background as an actor on stage and screen I wanted to introduce the kids to drama. But how????????

With these kids you only get one chance but I knew from experience that drama would be invaluable. The confidence building alone is worth the effort. But how????????

After all the experience I have it should be no trouble at all. Wrong.
Facilitating drama workshops has little to do with having an acting or theatre background, in fact you don’t need any experience but a willingness to plan, take some risks and a desire to improve the kids social and personal skills in a fun way.

Be there for nine thirty to start at ten we were told. We were and we did. I had decided to throw myself into the workshops, as I know how awkward and silly one can feel, especially in front of total strangers.
After about 10 to 15 minutes of warm-up exercises I was totally focussed on the 1st workshop, which turned out to be Getting to Know You. There wasn’t a second to lose as the two facilitators; Alan King and Colin Thornton, kept us on our toes both physically and mentally. Our Circle was a nice link between the various exercises and really did feel like Our Circle. (We form a circle alphabetically…really!) At tea break we chatted as if we knew each other all our lives.

Back promptly; no time to waste for the second workshop, Teamwork.
Following on from the introductory workshop we were now focussing on team exercises. This was perfect as we now were comfortable with each other and made working or playing together very enjoyable. This was all very low focus work and gave everybody a chance to get more and more at ease within the group.

After we all ate lunch together we returned for workshop 3: Taking Safe Risks With Drama. It does exactly what it says on the tin. After a morning where it was the same people (me included) volunteering, Alan and Colin invited others to do the same and it worked. Now there was a bit of competition to get a place on one of the performing exercises. The Rules of Improv exercise led us to a fantastic finale when there were hilarious results from the Sit, Stand and Kneel game.

We wound down the first day with exercises that didn’t require a lot of physical movement but did need some concentration. The title of this workshop was Containment on Chairs.

When day 2 started the following morning, we were all mixed up. Deliberately. After leading us in a warm-up, Alan and Colin then suggested the exercises. We were all over the place; first we were in a circle, then in pairs, then back to a circle, then in groups of four, then groups of three, then a circle.
We then looked at the way that particular group of exercises should be done. It was a great lesson.

For the last workshop Making it Your Own we had a go at delivering an exercise to the whole group and adding bits to the game. The feedback was uniform in that it looks easier than it is and you really have to plan if you are to give drama workshops.

The skills learned here are invaluable if you want to introduce drama techniques in a Youth Theatre, Youth Club or other settings. By using these drama exercises you can enhance the lives of the participants.
It’s not all about putting on plays and performing but also plays an important part in the social and personal development of all young people taking part.

All in all this was a fantastic experience and I cannot wait for more of it.

My sincere thanks to Colin and Alan and to the other participants for making this trip to the West very worthwhile. And it was free!

Martin

 Two members of Monaghan Youth Theatre share their experience of the New Stage Launch that took place on 19 November. They performed some scenes from one of the New Stage plays On Track by Ursula de Brun

Starting out from our little home, the Garage Theatre at eleven on a Saturday morning, to travel to Dublin and perform in the Lir Academy Theatre for fellow members of the NAYD, was one lie-in I didn’t mind giving up! After our quick once-over rehearsal, making sure it was perfect, we hopped on the bus, carrying two extra drama members that couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be there with us. After enduring a half-hour of our wonderful singing on the bus, Barry and Krista decided we should use our time a little more wisely. We began practicing projecting our voices over the loud noises of the bus, while saying our lines. After three verbal run-through’s and a quick stop-off at an Applegreen (we love us some Apple!), we arrived at the theatre.

We took some photos outside and then waited around in the theatre, getting the feel of the stage. After the other two youth groups arrived and had set up their stage, we all took our seats. During the other two fantastic performances, we were shown how simple it can be to create comedy, and how good the young members of our group can be. Even though we already know our junior members are amazing! We got up to perform our own ‘trailer’, (with butterflies in our stomachs!), and, if I do say so myself, it was pretty good! Meeting the playwright and getting told that we brightened her day was probably the highlight of the day. She was so nice and praising of our performance, best compliments to get after a play! On the way home we celebrated our performances, with lots of singing, junkfood and yes another stop at Applegreen! The day itself was an amazing experience and was made even better by the fact I got to do it with my best friends. Learning from other drama groups and the NAYD itself, was fantastic and I’m glad that the Monaghan Youth Theatre was chosen to take part. For us the members, as well as our mentors Krista and Barry. I love drama and thank you NAYD!

Eimear Deery

The day started off with a quick rehearsal and then we were all squished onto a bus and set off to Dublin. Again we ran through lines  on the bus but as soon as we had finished we relaxed and sang at the top of our lungs.
When we arrived we were led into a black box theatre. This was the first time I had ever seen let alone performed in one. The first play It Only Ever Happens in the Movies  was instantly my favourite. I enjoyed the concept of sixteen year old Derek seeking love. The ideas that his friends come up with are not the best bits of advice. The chat up lines were brilliant.
In Quest of A Play was the second play which also had a genius concept of a play about making a play. The sounds created by the cast really put us into the jungle along with the twins.

Finally we were up. I felt relaxed performing the play but I was slightly nervous because I had never used a black box theatre. Our play went well and I was shocked to hear that the writer Ursula De Brun was there but was overwhelmed when she told us how much she enjoyed it.

Overall I enjoyed the entire day and would like to thank NAYD for organizing the great day out.

Josh Mc Phillips

Find out more about New Stage. 

NAYD has just added a new Forum Theatre Resource to our website. The creator of the resource John Taite, ArtsTrain Assistant Coordinator, gives us some background on Forum and his own interaction with the form:

Forum Theatre is a form of interactive theatre developed by the late Brazilian Theatre director, Augusto Boal as part of his Theatre of the Oppressed. In Forum Theatre, an audience is shown a short play in which a central character encounters an oppression or obstacle they are unable to overcome. When the play has been performed members of the audience can take to the stage and replace the character, acting out alternative paths and decisions. The aim is not to discover the ideal solution but to encourage the audience to analyse the situation and to try out strategies for countering oppression. The format encourages a positive and thoughtful approach to social problems through debate and theatrical interaction.

I first encountered Forum Theatre through participation in workshops over ten years ago and found it a fascinating and very worthwhile concept. Over the years I have been lucky enough to meet and workshop with some of the leading figures in the movement including Augusto Boal and Adrian Jackson. As I discovered more about the material and techniques used in Forum, I also found it to be a wealth of workshop material that can be applied to all types of drama and theatre exploration. I began facilitating Forum workshops to Artstrain in 2002 and the training has remained a part of the programme ever since. This year we were given the opportunity to expand on this training and to deliver some of the material to a number of youth theatres as part of a project in conjunction with the Equality Authority of Ireland. The Forum Theatre training was delivered to the Artstrain group and they were then supported in designing their own workshops and drama pieces within a Forum Theatre framework. They delivered these workshops to each other as part of a peer process before writing them up and then identifying youth theatre groups to deliver them to. The workshops were then delivered over a series of weeks to a number of youth theatres.

As part of the project the Introducing Forum Theatre:Workshop Resource Pack has been created. It is hoped that this will be a valuable resource for drama practitioners and youth theatre leaders who wish to explore and deliver Forum Theatre but also as a source of material for all types of workshops. The Resource Pack is now available for download from the Resources section of the website.

John

The Lir, National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin, which opened last month, is offering an exciting opportunity to hone audition and application skills with a series of Public Q&A Sessions and Audition Workshops throughout Ireland. Aspiring actors and stage technicians will get a unique opportunity to find out all about training at The Lir, and will get top industry tips on how to perfect audition and interview techniques that will help them long into their careers.

The evening Roadshows will involve a free, open pubic Q&A session in venues in Waterford, Belfast, Longford, Dublin, Cork and Limerick. Hosted by The Lir’s Director, Loughlin Deegan, and Academic Director, Brian Singleton, the sessions will give a unique insight for budding actors into the important factors to consider when going for an audition, and will provide information on the courses offered by The Lir. This will include information on The Lir’s newest course, a two-year Professional Diploma in Technical Theatre and Stage Management, which will commence in September 2012.

There will also be further advice and training available for aspiring actors at Audition Masterclasses- with full day workshops held the weekend after each public Q&A, and extended four-day Masterclasses in The Lir Academy in December and January.

The application process is now open for both the Bachelor in Acting (Hons) degree and the two-year Professional Diploma in Technical Theatre and Stage Management, and application forms can be downloaded from www.thelir.ie.

Below are dates for The Lir’s Q&A’s and Workshops. NAYD will also be running an audition technique workshop in February 2012 for affiliated youth theatre members looking at further training opportunities. Our Youth Theatre Officer, Alan King, put together guidelines for auditioning, which can be downloaded here: http://www.nayd.ie/resources/show/advice_centre.

REGIONAL TOUR LISTINGS

Waterford (presented in partnership with Waterford Youth Arts)

• Public Q&A, 16th November, 7-9pm, Waterford Youth Arts, The Arch, The Barracks, Barrack St, Waterford, Phone: 051-879377, Fee: Free.
• Full Day Audition Workshop with David Horan, 19th November, 10am-5pm, Garter Lane Arts Centre, O’Connell St, Waterford, Booking: 01-8962559 or info@thelir.ie, Fee: €60.

Belfast (in partnership with The Lyric Theatre, Belfast)

• Public Q&A, 23rd November, 6-8pm, Lyric Theatre, 55 Ridgeway St, Belfast BT9 5FB, Phone: 048-9038-5685, Fee: Free.
• Full Day Audition Workshop with David Horan, 27th November, 10am-5pm, Lyric Theatre, 55 Ridgeway St, Belfast BT9 5FB, Booking: 01-8962559 or info@thelir.ie, Fee: £55.

Longford (in partnership with Backstage Theatre, Longford)

• Public Q&A, 30th November, 6-8pm, Backstage Theatre, Farneyhoogan, Longford, Phone: 043-3347888, Fee: Free.
• Full Day Audition Workshop with David Horan, 3rd December, 10am-5pm, Backstage Theatre, Farneyhoogan, Longford, Booking: 01-8962559 or info@thelir.ie, Fee: €60.

Dublin

• Public Q&A, 3rd December, 2-4pm, The Lir, Grand Canal Quay/Pearse St, Dublin 2, Phone: 01-8962559, Fee: Free.
• Full Day Audition Workshop with David Horan, 4th December, 10am-5pm, The Lir, Grand Canal Quay/Pearse St, Dublin 2, Booking: 01-8962559 or info@thelir.ie, Fee: €60.

Cork (in partnership with Graffiti Theatre Company)

• Public Q&A, 7th December, 6-8pm, Graffiti Theatre, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork City, Phone: 021-4397111, Fee: Free.
• Full Day Workshop with David Horan, 10th December, 10am-5pm, Graffiti Theatre, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork City, Booking: 01-8962559 or info@thelir.ie, Fee: €60.

Limerick (in partnership with CentreStage Theatre School and Limerick Youth Theatre)

• Public Q&A, 14th December, 6-8pm, CentreSpace Studio, St Alphonsus St, Limerick City, Phone: 061-311100, Fee: Free.
• Full Day Audition Workshop with David Horan, 17th December, 10am-5pm, Limerick Youth Theatre, 73 O’Connell St, Limerick, Booking: 01-8962559 or info@thelir.ie, Fee: €60.

Four Day Masterclass - Auditioning

• Course 1: 10th-18th December 2011, 10.30pm-5.30pm.
• Course 2: 3rd-6th January 2012, 10.30am-5.30pm.

These courses will take place at The Lir, Grand Canal Quay/Pearse St, Dublin 2, Booking: 01-8962559 or info@thelir.ie, Fee: €350.

We have a very exciting announcement here at NAYD. We have entered the Better Together Campaign at http://www.bettertogether.ie/

Our short film, NAYD Better Together, relives the highlights of our National Festival of Youth Theatres in Kilkenny back in July. For those of you that were there it should bring back some fond memories.

We would urge all our youth theatres, members past and present, family, friends and anyone you may know to look at our video. We feel that the video excellently and truthfully captures the magic of NAYD and its members and the great times we had in Kilkenny this year.

Ultimately we want you to watch, vote and spread the word about the campaign. We want this video to go viral and get as many views as we can. With your help we can make this possible and show the wider public how great youth theatre is and how young people who get involved can have such a special time.

How can you help?

•  Please watch the video and vote for it where it says VOTE FOR THIS (you can ‘Like’ it as well, but the votes are what counts!)
•  Post it on your Facebook or other social networking pages
•  Retweet it on Twitter
•  Include it in your signatures on your emails.
•  Send it to influential people in your community: funders, politicians, policy makers
•  Leaders can pass it onto youth theatre members and encourage them to repeat the above steps.

This video can benefit all of us involved in youth theatre and maybe give some of you some inspiration to make your own Better Together video. You can watch our video here.

I would love some feedback from you as well and to hear your responses to the video.

Thanks!
Alan

NAYD is delighted to welcome Michelle Carew as the organisation’s new Director. 

Originally from Thurles in Co. Tipperary, Michelle Carew comes to NAYD with ten years of experience in the cultural sector in the areas of youth theatre, film production and cultural festivals. Most recently she was manager and producer of Kinsale Arts Week, and her film credits include production roles on five feature films including Ken Loach’s the The Wind That Shakes the Barley.  Michelle’s involvement with theatre and young people stretches back to the early 2000’s where she spent her early career in youth drama facilitation firstly at the Haymarket Theatre in Basingstoke, England before moving to Cork to work with Boomerang Theatre Company. At Boomerang she worked on local, cross-border and international projects as a youth theatre facilitator and project manager and delivered the company’s education programme to schools, youth groups and Boomerang Youth Theatre. Her most recent work with young people was as tour manager for the Irish and European tour of ‘FML’ - a co-production between Cork Midsummer Festival and CAMPO Theatre, Gent with a cast and crew of 18 young people. Michelle holds a BA in Devised Performance from the University of Leeds and an MA in Cultural Policy and Arts Management from University College Dublin and her primary research interest has been on the topic of European cultural funding and the performing arts.

Michelle comments on her new post: “Joining NAYD in such challenging times is a welcome prospect for me. At a time when members are working hard to maintain the quality and consistency of their offer to young people in the face of tighter resources, NAYD provides unity for the sector. Together we are better placed to make the case for the value of youth theatre and youth arts more broadly and to lobby for continued and improved support for the work that we do. I look forward to meeting you over the coming months and working with you over the coming years.”
Michelle will begin work at NAYD next Monday, 3rd October. We look forward to welcoming her on board.

Co. Limerick Youth Theatre report back on their exchange with Loimaa Youth Theatre from Finland. This exchange happened as a result of links formed during NAYD’s Making Connections Training Course last year.

Exciting, transformative, great fun with life long friendships being forged is how the young members of County Limerick Youth Theatre described their recent exchange with Loimaa Youth Theatre from Finland. This great adventure that happened over 10 days had the members of Co. Limerick Youth Theatre and Loimaa Youth Theatre meeting up at the holiday village of Carne, Wexford for an exciting intercultural experience through theatre, music and dance. The exchange, which was organised by both youth theatres, was funded by the Léargas Youth in Action Programme, with support funding from Limerick County Council and Loimaa Youth Theatre.

The exchange was initiated by Lisa Cahill, dance facilitator with the Co. Limerick Youth Theatre, when she met with Sari of Loimaa Youth Theatre at the Making Connections European Training Course run by the National Association for Youth Drama. An application for funding for young people from both countries to engage in an in-depth intercultural programme was successfully made to Léargas Youth in Action Programme. The holiday resort of Carne in Wexford was chosen as the location as it was decided early on in the preparations to give the Limerick participants the experience of time away in the exchange and give them the sense of being on holiday just like their Finnish counterparts.

Eighteen members of Co. Limerick Youth Theatre which is based at the Honey Fitz Theatre, Lough Gur and 18 Finnish young people took the musical, Grease, as their inspiration to explore cultural difference, peer pressure, teenage pregnancy, smoking, alcohol use, aids, education and youth unemployment.  These quite serious themes were all explored in a safe, fun learning environment where the development of understanding and friendships were key. The Co. Limerick Youth Theatre exchange was lead by arts facilitators, Lisa Cahill and Fiona Quinn, with youth leaders, Marcus Quane, Sarah O’Shea and Laurence Kirby, drawn from the youth theatre members. The Finnish youth theatre was lead by Sari Aikaa-Torkkeli and Lida Vanhanen.

“I absolutely loved the experience,” says Laurence Kirby of Holycross. “For many of us, both the Finnish young people and the Irish young people, it was our first time away from our families and there was a great sense of us working as a team and being given the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of activities. Also, we had the opportunity to develop our leadership skills and there was a great emphasis on integration and open communication.”

Marcus Quane from Lough Gur described how the Finnish young people were given a flavour of Irish culture: “We all went to a hurling match and spent an afternoon playing tag rugby and we had an evening of Irish Dancing and everyone loved the Céilí.”

Sarah O’Shea of Bruff describes one of her highlights: ‘We had great fun putting on an X-Factor talent show and it was amazing to see people’s hidden talents being revealed. One of the Finnish participants gave the most incredible jazz performance on the night and she was sharing this talent for the first time with her Finnish friends.”

“A lot of preparation went into the Youth Theatre Exchange,” said Lisa Cahill. “There was a planning meeting held in Carne in April and then there were a number of meetings held with Limerick County Council Arts Office to ensure that aspects such as a full programme and health and safety were covered. A journal was prepared by Bríd Bradshaw of Limerick County Council, which was given to each participant. This journal included information on Finland and Ireland as well as the activities over the exchange and asked each person to reflect on what they had learned and enjoyed over the days of the exchange. The journal also allowed the young people to exchange contact information and build future friendships and networking opportunities.” 

Fiona Quinn drama and arts facilitator who has lead the Co. Limerick Youth Theatre from strength to strength over the last number of years said, “I think this exchange and this intensive, fun and informal way of learning has been an enriching and empowering experience for all our youth theatre members. All have been awarded the European Youth Pass, which identifies their learning and skills development on the youth exchange. This youth pass can be used to access employment opportunities in the European Union. There was such energy and commitment evident at all times that for all the facilitators involved it was just inspiring to be with such an enthusiastic group of young people.”

Plans are now under way to apply to Léargas to fund a return trip to Finland by Co. Limerick Youth Theatre. All the young people are keen to develop the relationship further and all are looking forward to meeting up in Finland next summer.

This year’s National Youth Theatre production, It Only Ever Happens in the Movies, directed by Mikel Murfi came to a close last weekend. Cast member, David Atkinson reflects on the experience.

National Youth Theatre 2011 was:

Five weeks, of living in each others pockets of laughing, complaining, expressing all our feelings about anything from pompous popstars to dutiful directors, of adaptation and creation, of finding yourself and of learning of others, and most of all, it’s about living, breathing, inhabiting a pure form of youth arts. NYT isn’t a summer camp, it’s  a portal to another brighter life.

If you were to ask me 6 months ago “Dave, what IS national youth theatre?” I wouldn’t have been able to answer with such intent or pride as I have done above. The past five weeks have been a blur, of rehearsal rooms, buses, beds and breakfasts,
devising, warm-ups, brainstorming sessions, lunches, photographers, costume designers, PR gurus, well-wishers and cynical critics. A cacophony of creativity all initiated on a dull Monday morning, when we first sat down and began devising our play : “It only ever happens in the movies”.

No one knew each other, yet within hours we were sharing toothpaste, and hairdryers. 16 people thrown into a room with one mad middle-aged, big chinned GENIUS and told “ok guys his name is Derek, he wants a girlfriend, GO”. The rest as they say is history.

John’s warmups every morning, Mikel’s hilarious stories and wacky ideas. This is the first time NYT have devised a show and I think it was a smart move by the NAYD, this
show has taught me more than projection and stage presence, I now think like a
writer, I critically analyse scenes now and try to understand the intent and reasoning
as to why it is in the play.

One day, during a dance workshop, early on in the devising process. We were trying out a dance sequence for the opening of the show. During a break some of the NYT members approached Mikel and John saying that they weren’t happy with the way the dance was progressing. After half an hour of a brainstorming session the scene was radically changed into a ballroom sequence. This satisfied both cast and creative team. What got me about this situation was the respect. Mikel took on board all the issues and accept the cast’s suggestions utilising them to make a scene which left no bitterness or exclusion, just a good opening of a maaad show!

The professionalism and kindness with which the 16 of us were treated was what I
will always appreciate. How the team were able to get the most out of us without having to raise their voices serves as an example, I feel, to other people (whether they are in the arts or in any field of work) . Everyone had a positive mindset/outlook on the show even during those long 11 hour days.

Sorry to get soppy now but I must be honest, NYT has been the best theatrical experience of my life, an intense 5 week rehearsal period in which I made some very close friends who I know I will perform with in the future. So from me, thank you for
the opportunity in which any actor my age would give his right arm to be a part of.

David Atkinson, County Wexford Youth Theatre.

The Skills Sharing Network is a independent collective of drama facilitators and youth drama leaders who meet bimonthly at agreed venues throughout the country hosted by different facilitators each time. It is back after a short hiatus and Alan King, NAYD’s Youth Theatre Officer, was at the recent meeting in Monaghan:

So as I caught the early bus to the Garage Theatre in Monaghan I began wondering what the day would look like for the upcoming Skills Sharing Network daylong workshop.

As someone who facilitates regularly it is always a nice treat to go a workshop as a participant and not have to lead a group. I am sure those of you who facilitate regularly often feel the same. The feeling of just standing in a workshop and being able to play and have fun is a rare one these days and one that I welcome with open arms.

As I arrived the atmosphere was relaxed and inviting. Krista and Eileen hosted the event in the wonderful Garage Theatre. The participants were a mixture of old friends and new unfamiliar faces. Over tea we swapped stories of recent encounters and upcoming plans for youth theatre events.

Niamh McGrath led us through her workshop on Recyclable Puppets. We did a thorough warm up; especially focusing on our arms and fingers, essential for puppetry don’t ya know. Following some fun improv exercises we got down to the very serious work of making our own puppets from junk.

Niamh had brought a huge selection of everyday household items; milk cartons, scrap fabric, brushes and kitchen utensils along with other arts and crafts materials. Her many boxes of eyes I found fascinating and disturbing in equal measure.

I would consider myself someone who is not every creative when it comes to arts and crafts; my paintings and drawings are basic at best. Soon I was shifting through the tables of junk, finding new creativity with every new piece I discovered, be it a BBQ tongs or a pipe cleaner. I wasn’t alone; everyone was milling around, gluing, tying and stapling incongruous pieces of junk together to make recognizable faces and characters. By lunchtime we had a cast of characters ready for play.

Thanks to our gracious hosts we all enjoyed a wonderful lunch and another round of tea and chats. More ideas were swapped and plans made for future events.

After lunch we presented our puppets and performed some short improvs. There was such creative enjoyment in the room and all in a very fun and supportive environment. Certainly this is the type of workshop we could all do again and again. It was so enjoyable.

To finish off the day we all had suggestions for our favourite games and exercises and played these out. It was great to see similarities in familiar exercises but also how subtle or radical variations can make a tired game come alive with renewed vigour.

I think this is what makes the Skills Sharing Network such an essential asset to our work as workshop facilitators and youth theatre leaders. We all facilitate week in week out and are always on the look out for new and interesting ways to engage with our groups. Whether it’s teaching them new skills, building on what we already have or just exploring new ways of having the craic, we all need new ideas.

What’s more given this country’s current economic woes we don’t have a lot of money to spend on taking training courses. Training courses can be expensive and are sometime offered so the facilitator can generate some income. Nothing wrong with that except very often these courses can have little new to offer or the material is delivered at the most basic level. I’ve certainly left some of these with a feeling of ‘well sure I knew that already, I could have done that myself’.

The Skills Sharing Network is different in that those offering workshops are doing so for free. As they are committed youth theatre leaders I can only assume that their hope is to share their knowledge with fellow youth drama practitioners in the hope that they too will take something new away with them. I certainly did.

This is a great initiative and special recognition must go to Aine Caulfied for taking the ball and running with it. Very often we all say that we will do things and often don’t. Aine said she would take the lead on this and she certainly has. Those who were in attendance in Monaghan certainly got the benefit of her hard work and networking skills. Special mention must go to Kirsta, Eileen and Barry for hosting the event all to all those that attended. It was a brilliant day and well worth all the effort.

This is going to be the start of something great so you better get in there early if you want to host or take part in future events. Ultimately we will all benefit from initiatives like the Skills Sharing Network, and this can only be a good thing. For everyone.

Alan

Aug 2011

To find out more about the Skills Sharing Network, visit their Facebook page.