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How do we tell our youth theatre stories? | Rhona Dunnett Guest Editor Journal
2011-02-11
How do we tell our youth theatre stories?
It can be difficult to communicate your youth arts practice to the wider world. Sometimes youth theatres can find it hard to represent their work in a way that does it justice. Theres always that temptation to show people an end product a finished art-work, a short film, a recording of a new song which in youth theatre ends up being a video of their latest production. But does that represent their youth theatre experience to the wider world? Does it capture their process and practice? Whats the best way of telling our youth theatre stories?
This is often on our minds at NAYD. Over the past year or two weve devised a new resource project called Capture YT to explore how we can tell our youth theatre stories better. We work with youth theatres over a period of a few months to capture their work in a short video - working together to identify the message they are trying to communicate, the audience they are trying to reach, the best way to get that message across.
I was in Roscommon last Saturday to work with the Roscommon County Youth Theatre on the Capture YT project. We worked with the youth theatre members (as well as a few older, ex-members), the artistic director of the youth theatre and the Roscommon County Arts Officer. The youth theatre already had lots of footage of performances, photos of workshops / rehearsals / productions, and images of posters and programmes, but had pinpointed some areas of work / people / practice that werent included.
We filmed interviews with the artistic director of the youth theatre and the County Arts Officer. Workshops are at the heart of the youth theatre experience, so the leaders and members were keen to film themselves in workshop mode, taking part in active drama games and exercises. It was important to everyone that the voice of the youth theatre members was at the centre of the video piece, so we spent the afternoon engaged in an evaluation / feedback style workshop that led to young people volunteering for filmed interviews. I always find the workshop a really useful build-up to the interviews. Its always hard doing interviews to camera! Im terrible at it. The evaluation activities in the workshop are practical and active. The ideas is that they help the young people to explore their ideas, memories and opinions in a safe workshop setting before being faced by the camera.
The youth theatre members were a really great group - a testament to the work going on in the youth theatre. They had lots of interesting things to say about their experience of Roscommon County Youth Theatre. I was transcribing parts of the workshop this week - here`s what some of the young people had to say:
Youth theatre for me is a learning experience. Ive got new friends and learned about all kinds of theatre.
The youth theatre is based in the arts centre but we get to travel to other places to. Were always going somewhere. But not just places on a map... we go to other places on stage - we jump back in time, weve been in a courtroom, weve been to the DART and been to Gaza, weve had car rallies on the streets of Roscommon.
The youth theatre has made me more confident in everyday life.
Theres no other feeling like the one you get acting on stage.
Youth theatre has taught me to be myself and no-one else, and to try and be the best person I can be.
I think thats why most people enjoy youth theatre so much, because they enjoy the social side of things and meeting new people. But they also really enjoy putting it [a piece of drama/theatre] on its feet and really engaging with a piece of work.
Youth theatre has changed my perspective on what I want to do with my life. I wanted to be an actor but now I know that I want to be a drama facilitator.
Its open to anyone whos just willing to turn up and give it a go, and engage with the group.
Id be really interested to hear about how other youth drama practitioners document and communicate their work. How do you tell your youth drama / theatre stories?
By the way, if anyone wants to find out more about Roscommon County Youth Theatre log on to: http://www.roscommonarts.com/artsoffice/programmes/rcyt.htm
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