West Yorkshire PlaYhouse / arts DeveloPmentsePtember 2008 – august 2009

Welcome to the ninth edition of Connect, the annual record of West Yorkshire Playhouse’s community and education work. The highlight of the year has undoubtedly been the opening of First Floor on 23 January 2009 by our patrons the Right Honourable Hilary Benn MP and Jack P Shepherd.

The theatre now has a fantastic new resource and we are able to focus on working with young people in a way that was not previously possible. The space looks great; if you haven’t managed to see it yet please do get in touch to book a visit. We’re very keen to show it off!

Thank you to all those who continue to support First Floor, including our audience members who have donated to the project when buying tickets

– every little helps. We are already starting to see the benefits of our work for the young people whom we’ve helped to direct into other creative opportunities, further education or employment.

With the Arts Council’s under 26 ticket scheme now onstream as well we have been able to improve our offer for young people immeasurably.

Thank you

Sam PerkinsDirector of Arts Developmentsam.perkins@wyp.org.uk

Ian BrownArtistic Director & Chief Executiveian.brown@wyp.org.uk

When the West Yorkshire Playhouse opened in March 1990, it pioneered a new way for a theatre to approach education and community work. Placing a radical emphasis on the power of the arts to transform people’s lives, it developed a range of projects and partnerships quite distinct from the work on stage. With the aim of engaging people with theatre and the arts, a much broader, creative and challenging ambition than selling tickets to schools.

Welcome about arts DeveloPment

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(Standing L - R: Jack P Shepherd, Sam Perkins, Ian Brown, Hilary Benn MP)

to inspire and empower people of all ages and abilities through creativity

(Above L – R – Ashley Lumb and Ruth Hannant; Below – John Mee; Right L – R back row – Sam Perkins, Nicky Taylor, Saira Mughal, Lisa Parrott, Jessica Farmer. Front row – Gail McIntyre, Ian Brown, Vivienne Hughes)

Nearly ten years on, this ambition remains just as broad and challenging. Arts education is absolutely at the heart of the Playhouse and all its work and we continue to develop new projects and new partnerships across the ever-changing landscapes of Leeds and Yorkshire. Identifying gaps in creative provision across the region, working with the incredibly diverse communities around us and continuing to challenge the way that arts education is seen, we hope to continue and extend

that original radical vision. Above all, our aim is to continue to make a difference; to enrich people’s lives through offering them an access to the arts and a chance to find their own creativity which they might otherwise never have.

If you would like to find out more or feel you can support our work, please contact Sam Perkins 0113 213 7289 sam.perkins@wyp.org.uk

secondary schools & collegesshow-related eventsCreative Education runs a range of projects to give students a greater understanding of productions at the Playhouse. This programme of activities is detailed in our PLAY brochure and includes Theatre Days, where students participate in practical activities and then see a production, pre-show Encounters where students meet the creative team and actors from a production and tailor-made workshops.

‘the pupils and our staff got such a lot out of it, especially grasping a clearer understanding of the story and plots/

sub-plots behind othello. We will definitely be looking to go back!’

Teacher from Caistor Yarborough School on Othello pre-show workshop

industry Days This year 239 students have taken part in Industry Days at West Yorkshire Playhouse. These workshops give students an insight into the world of work in a theatre and include a backstage tour, meeting Playhouse staff and industry-based tasks.

turning Points Turning Points is an in-role workshop in which a group is presented with a character whose story is developed, encountering moral dilemmas and challenges along the way. This year we have worked with mental health workers and service users through Mind Odyssey, Eckington School and York St John University.

PLAY, our creative education brochure is available to download from our website at www.wyp.org.uk

Professional Developmentmasterclasses Our Masterclass programme continues to be popular amongst teachers and theatre professionals. This year we have hosted workshops with Geoff Readman, a drama teaching specialist, Barrie Rutter of Northern Broadsides and Improbable Theatre Company.

Preview/reviewThis year the Theatre in Education Company, Theatre Company Blah Blah Blah and students from David Young Community Academy have all presented work to an invited audience at the Playhouse.

Projectschrist church armley Youth Project: crossing bridgesIn 2008 Creative Education worked with Christ Church Armley Youth Project as part of their Crossing Bridges project, bringing local children together with the children of asylum seekers and refugees. Weekly drama sessions were based on Peter Pan and the group of young people also came to see the performance at the Playhouse.

national theatre new connectionsThis year, West Yorkshire Playhouse was a partner in the National Theatre’s New Connections project, working with six companies from the region who performed at the Playhouse over 3 nights.

For more information on Creative Education, please contact Jessica Farmer 0113 213 7800 jessica.farmer@wyp.org.uk

creative eDucation

early Years and Primary schoolsstorymakersNow in its tenth successful year, Storymakers continues to inspire children to create their own imaginative stories. This year three exciting parcels arrived from the Storymaker; an ice flower, a magic carpet and a hat.

‘on my magic carpet ride i went to the zoo. i saw a giraffe, a kangaroo and a

lion. it was a bumpy ride’ Child from Barwick in Elmete

C of E Primary School

creative education WeeksEach month, the Playhouse offers a week of workshops for Primary School children. The workshops are inclusive, imaginative, fun and educational, allowing children to develop confidence, creative ideas and many other skills. This year’s themes have included Making Sense of Shakespeare and Wriggle Jiggle Jungle as well as a week linked to our production of His Dark Materials.

Pudsey bolton royd Primary enrichment DayThis day of activities for 50 five year olds around the theme of clothes included exploring our costume hire department, trying on costumes and a practical drama workshop. For many of the children, this was their first experience of being in a theatre.

Just the JobAn annual project run in partnership with Education Leeds, Just the Job brought a group of Year 6 children from Bankside Primary School to experience the world of work. The day included a backstage tour, shadowing members of staff, making pizza and a drama workshop.

The experience allows the children to identify the positive aspects of work and encourages them to think about jobs they may not have thought about before their visit.

Work experience PlacementsPlacements offer young people the opportunity to gain experience in a busy working theatre. Students work in the offices as well as in our practical sessions with children, young people, adults and older people. We aim to inspire the students we work with and encourage them to think about what they may like to do in the future.

‘thank you so much for the most fantastic week. seeing the diversity of all the great work you do has been hugely

inspirational. it has been something i will remember for the rest of my life’

Beth, Year 10 student, St Mary’s Menston

get creativeGet Creative is a collaborative project led by Leeds City Council and involving West Yorkshire Playhouse, Northern Ballet Theatre, Yorkshire Dance, Phoenix Dance Theatre and Opera North. This year the Playhouse and Yorkshire Dance worked with 12 – 14 year olds on Make Space. 27 participants spent a week making alien masks, planets, playing drama games and creating an alien dance. The project took place at First Floor for the first time and culminated in a sharing of all the groups at the new Howard Assembly Rooms.

For more information on Creative Education, please contact Lisa Parrott 0113 213 7290 lisa.parrott@wyp.org.uk4 5

Working with children, young people and their teacherscreative eDucation Working with children, young people and their teachers

Spark, funded by Bradford-based Provident Financial, has been the Playhouse’s largest creative education project to date. Involving eight venues across England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, Spark has reached more than 50 schools and over 6,000 children.

In December 2008 this three year national partnership came to an end. However, Provident Financial has continued to fund Spark in all eight venues individually for an extra year. While this has marked the end of a unique educational collaboration, it is testament to the strength of the project that all venues are independently keeping the strong identity of Spark.

As well as taking on the overall management of Spark, West Yorkshire Playhouse has played its part by working with eight Bradford Primary Schools over the last four years, developing some key partnerships which will go beyond the life of Spark. In this final year around 930 pupils from Bradford will participate in workshops themed around the Playhouse’s Christmas production of The Secret Garden and culminating in a celebratory showcase on stage at the Playhouse.

Spark has been accompanied by an extensive research programme into its impact on the participating schools, arts organisations and young people. The report covers the national picture of Spark, highlighting the stories of each venue and is available from Ruth Hannant.

‘i think my highlight was seeing the finished results and seeing the look on the children’s faces that they had produced some really good works of art. and for the less able children it was especially

nice for them to see their successes’Teacher, Buttershaw Primary School

‘i learnt that everyone has a talent’Stacy, 9, Woodside Primary

For more information on Spark, please contact Ruth Hannant 0113 213 7295 ruth.hannant@wyp.org.uk

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West Yorkshire Playhouse touring companyFull of noisesUsing clowning and live music, this sequel to The Tempest told the story of Trinculo and Stephano’s return to the island. Designed specifically to support KS3 work, it toured to a total of 29 Leeds schools in Autumn 2008 with performances also at the Playhouse. It proved highly successful in engaging young people with the story of The Tempest.

‘brilliant – for difficult to motivate students with very short attention spans,

they were captivated’Teacher from Eastmoor Secure Unit

shakespeare WorkshopsThe Playhouse’s highly successful workshops for KS3 and KS4 on Romeo and Juliet and The Tempest ran in Spring 2009 with 24 workshops for 19 schools.

‘the students were very enthusiastic and positive – they got so much out of

it. a big big thankYou!’ Horsforth School

the Worm collectorCommissioned in partnership with the Royal Armouries, this new play will tour Primary schools in Leeds in Autumn 2009. The Worm Collector tells the story of one boy’s journey towards independence and reveals the consequences of aggressive behaviour and the impact on his family. Intensive professional development days during Summer 2009 brought teachers together with the creators of the show to devise follow-up classroom programmes and to support teachers in their understanding and exploration of the play’s themes.

The Worm Collector will tour a small number of Leeds Secondary Schools in Spring 2010, supported by intensive residencies as part of the development of the new Year 7 curriculum. This pioneering project will also take place at First Floor during Autumn half term 2009, when young people will develop their own creative work with help from the Playhouse and Royal Armouries personnel. This element is funded by the Home Office Community Fund.

The Worm Collector will be performed at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Spring 2010 prior to touring to Berlin as part of a three-year international partnership with Theater an der Parkaue.

For more information on the Touring Company, please contact Gail McIntyre 0113 213 7225 gail.mcintyre@wyp.org.uk

creative eDucation Working with children, young people and their teachers

(Above – Steven Downs at SPARK)

sPark igniting children’s creativity

the Dandy lion clubOur inclusive and uplifting project for young people with learning disabilities, their families and friends held its second event in March 2009. Over 200 people took part in this creative arts day with activities including taster sessions in DJing, music, dance, singing and drama. Young people also tried out a sensory area, a magic mirror room, visual arts, dressing up and face painting. Throughout the event guests were entertained by Beautiful Octopus Club DJ Gareth and the dance floor was packed with young people.

Volunteers at the event included members of the Octopus Crew who developed their skills in assisting to run workshops. The project is currently funded by Wade’s Charity, George A Moore Foundation, The Constance Green Foundation, The Yorkshire Bank Charitable Trust and Leeds Building Society Charitable Foundation.

community networkCommunity Network enables around 150 community and voluntary groups to experience what the Playhouse has to offer at a reduced price. We work specifically with groups who would have difficulty attending due to financial, social or cultural barriers. Groups can choose which benefits to use to their advantage; some may wish to see a captioned or audio described show or find out about what goes on backstage. Others may request assistance in their own drama projects, or offer their services for consultations on access.

Events in the Community Network calendar include an Open Day, a Christmas Party for drinks and socialising before the show and Network Leader events to keep group leaders in touch with plans and events at the Playhouse.

For more information on Creative Communities, please contact Nicky Taylor 0113 213 7296 nicky.taylor@wyp.org.uk or Ruth Hannant 0113 213 7295 ruth.hannant@wyp.org.uk

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heydaysThe Playhouse’s workshop programme for people over the age of 55 continues to offer creative and social opportunities for over 400 enthusiastic members each Wednesday. In addition to the regular drama, visual arts and writing courses, this year’s highlights included:

Heydays ‘Nutty Knitters’ created knitted artworks • for an Under the Sea display which will travel the country on a national tour in aid of the RNLI

Heydays dancers were inspired by street jazz, • Hollywood musicals and 1920s show dancing

Heydays ‘DJ Divas’ performed at the International • Day of the Older Person at Leeds Central Library

Heydays members contributed their wedding day • photos, memories and tips on marriage in an exhibition titled Heydays – When We Were Married which was on display at the Playhouse during the run of J.B Priestley’s When We Are Married

Heydays opened its doors to visitors during Carers • Week and Adult Learners Week, and for a delegation of Japanese arts professionals

Heydays members took part in a poetry reading • as part of Oxfam’s Bookfest

The Singing group took on modern tunes from • Coldplay and Sam Sparro in their repertoire alongside traditional show and folk tunes

Complimentary therapies including Indian Head • Massage and Reflexology were on offer to members who wanted to relax at lunchtime

Feeling good theatre company2009 marks the 10th Anniversary of Feeling Good Theatre Company. Formed when Heydays members were invited to attend drama sessions at the University of Leeds, the company has created exciting work focused on issues of ageing and has toured both locally and nationally to audiences in residential and community settings, plus conferences and occasional TV and radio appearances.

With shows tackling issues as diverse as distraction burglary, osteoporosis and life within a supermarket, this company does not let age stand in the way of educating others or simply telling a good story.

beautiful octopus clubThe Octopus Crew, made up of 30 adults with learning disabilities, prepared two fantastic nights out for clubbers with and without learning disabilities. In September 2008 clubbers were offered A Pirate Adventure with original music and dance routines created for the event, plus some brilliant costumes. In March 2009 all previous attendance records were broken when 630 clubbers came along for a 1970s Disco, complete with disco balls and flares. All the entertainment including live performances and DJ sets on the night is created by the Octopus Crew with occasional performances from visiting companies including Phoenix Showstoppers who are based at Moorend Fulfilling Lives in South Leeds.

Workshops in DJing, live music and club artwork are held at the Playhouse in preparation for the club. The Octopus crew works with professional artists to create the entertainment, and alongside Playhouse staff to gain an insight into box office, front of house and stage management skills.8

creative communities Working with communities

creative communitiesWorking with communities

The

Dandy

Lion

Club

(Right – Nicky Taylor at Heydays)

West Yorkshire Playhouse’s new place where young people can engage in drama, music and art opened officially in January 2009 with a launch event attended by First Floor Patrons Hilary Benn MP and Jack P Shepherd who plays David Platt in Coronation Street.

Since First Floor opened, we have worked with over 540 young people, hosted two Open Days, eleven different projects and 36 drop-in taster sessions. The taster sessions have formed a vital part of the project, offering young people the chance to sample different art forms. Sessions have included creative writing, screen printing, sculpture, physical theatre, singing, drawing, mono printing, song writing, clowning techniques, rap and DJing.

‘my life has been a bit all over the place, but the workers at First Floor have really been able to help. now i’ve been accepted

on a level 2 btec media course’ Cassie, aged 18

breeze arts FoundationThis twelve week programme for young people aged 15 – 19 who are not in education, employment or training has become a regular course at First Floor. The young people learn about the theatre industry, work towards creating their own drama piece and, as part of the project, gain Arts Award accreditation. Over the last year we have run three courses and each project has explored a different theatre style.

othello: The group came to see Othello at the Playhouse and were so inspired they decided to devise their own version of it. They had a question and answer session with Lenny Henry, who was in the title role, and worked with the Assistant Director in breaking down the story. For most of the young people this was their first experience of Shakespeare.

‘getting referred here was the best thing that ever happened to me. i was never

into drugs or anything else like that but i don’t know where my life might be heading if it wasn’t for this place’

James, aged 19

Find us here: First_Floor, 6 st Peter’s building, st Peter’s square, leeds ls9 8ah call 0113 245 5252 or email firstfloor@wyp.org.uk

connectedAn intergenerational project linking First Floor and Heydays, Connected ran in Spring 2009 with funding from Leeds Primary Care Trust. It involved thirteen young people aged 15 – 19 alongside ten older people, all of whom were members of the Playhouse’s Heydays. The young people came from Intake High School’s Inclusion Unit or were not in employment, education or training. They included two young people with visual and hearing impairments.

Through five full days of drama workshops, the project looked at communication, comparing how members of Heydays communicated when they were teenagers, with the immediacy of today’s communication.

‘some of the older teenagers were wonderful role models and a joy to

work with’ Barbara, Heydays Member

The result was a funny and poignant series of group sketches, monologues, duologues, raps and a gesture dance. This was performed to Heydays and to an older people’s group who are members of Community Network.

As a result of the project one duo has been asked to perform at the International Day of Older People as well as at the Intergenerational Yorkshire and Humber launch in September 2009. One of the young people from the Inclusion Unit is now enrolled in regular drama sessions at First Floor.

‘the sessions made me more confident, i can talk to people more confidently’

William, aged 15

For more information on First Floor and a current programme, please contact Saira Mughal 0113 213 7288 saira.mughal@wyp.org.uk

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the John thaw Foundation

West Yorkshire Police community trustleeds Primary care trust

Positive activities for Young People

First Floor Project supporters

a new creative space for young people in leeds

get in touchFor more details about any of our projects please contact a member of the team. You can also find our current programme of activity and more about the Playhouse by visiting www.wyp.org.uk

sam Perkins Director of arts Development0113 213 7289 sam.perkins@wyp.org.uk

gail mcintYre associate Director (Young People’s theatre)0113 213 7225 gail.mcintyre@wyp.org.uk

First Floor

saira mughal arts Development officer0113 213 7288 saira.mughal@wyp.org.uk

ashleY lumb arts Development apprentice0113 245 5252 ashley.lumb@wyp.org.uk

vivienne hughes Project Development officer*0113 213 7289 viv.hughes@wyp.org.uk

creative eDucation

lisa Parrott creative education manager*0113 213 7290 lisa.parrott@wyp.org.uk

Jessica Farmer creative education officer0113 213 7800 jessica.farmer@wyp.org.uk

John mee creative education consultant*07775 782603 john-mee@ntlworld.com

creative communities

ruth hannant creative communities and spark manager*0113 213 7295 ruth.hannant@wyp.org.uk

nickY taYlor community Development officer0113 213 7296 nicky.taylor@wyp.org.uk

* Part-time

Photography by Brian Slater, Leanne Mallinder, Lorne Campbell for Guzelian, Mic Pool, Simon Warner

Edited by Kate Sanderson, Indigo Ltd

the arts Development team

West Yorkshire PlaYhouse

PlaYhouse squarequarrY hillleeDs, ls2 7uPtel: 0113 213 7800Fax: 0113 213 7250www.wyp.org.uk

leeDs theatre trust ltD.registereD 926862 englanDregistereD charitY no.255460vat no. 545 4890 17