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Current News & Press Reviews from Action Transport
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April 2008
Drama Students Aim Higher with Professional Theatre Company
Action Transport Theatre Company is offering a unique arts experience for drama students from local secondary schools, colleges and universities, allowing them to gain an insight into the professional performing arts industry.
Working in partnership with Aimhigher; an organisation which aims to widen participation in higher education (HE) by raising the awareness, aspirations and attainment of young people from under-represented groups, and sponsored by Shell UK, a two week residency will take place between 14 th- 25 th April in Ellesmere Port at Whitby Hall Studio Theatre, the base of professional theatre company; Action Transport.
Students from Ellesmere Port Specialist School of Performing Arts, Cheshire Oaks High School, Ellesmere Port, The Catholic High School, Chester, West Cheshire College and the University of Chester have been chosen to take part in this project. Students from the college and university will act as mentors to the younger participants and in turn hone their own skills ready for professional employment. There are also a further two university placements from Lancaster University and the University of Chester taking on roles of press and marketing assistant and stage manager, totalling over 25 students involved in the project.
Working in a purpose built studio theatre, the young people will create a performance which will reflect their learning, resulting from working with professionals who specialise in directing, writing, lighting and sound, marketing and finance. This will be shown as a final performance at the end of the residency.
A participant from The Catholic High School in Chester commented;
“I am looking forwards to the project because I want to extend my performing arts skills and I think I could really benefit from this opportunity”.
The young people involved were introduced to the work of Action Transport Theatre Company in October 2007 where they saw the company’s professional performance of Fly Away Peter. Thirty young people were selected by their schools and attended an interview day with Action Transport after which the final fifteen were selected to take part in the two week residency. Ahead of the residency, four workshops took place at EPPSPA, lead by a professional writer and director, preparing them for the two week residency.
Aimhigher is a pilot project that is an example of how the structure of the Creative and Media Diploma could run for students in Ellesmere Port and Neston from September 2009. Diplomas are a new type of qualification, which for 14-16 year olds, will take up two days per week of their timetable if they should choose to do one of the eventual 17 that will be on offer. It’s main value being that it provides industry experience.
Jess Egan, Company Producer at Action Transport says;
“Through the support of Aimhigher, Shell UK and the local schools, we are really pleased to be able to share the expertise of our professional theatre company with local young people who are interested in developing their own career in the performing arts. Who better to be working with than those young people on our doorstep. We are both confident and excited to see their ideas and the work they produce”.
Coming next from Action Transport Theatre Company;
Playing in the Gardens - a promenade performance in Whitby Park written by local writers and performed by Action Transport Junior Youth T heatre with support from professional actors . This project is c onnected to the Cheshire Year of Gardens 2008 and performances will take place in Whitby Park between 24 th- 26 th July 2008.
For more information on any of the projects mentioned here please call Jess Egan on 0151 357 2120.
March 2008
Shell shows Commitment to Young People’s Theatre.
SHELL UK has signed up to support Action Transport Theatre Company for a 7 th consecutive year.
This successful and long term partnership will see 4 separate arts projects, taking place in Ellesmere Port and beyond, benefit from Shells’ investment.
The Action Transport Senior Youth Theatre production of Melt will kick start this year long activity for young people. Performed by 15-18 year olds from across Ellesmere Port, Melt is a new, highly ambitious, piece of musical theatre written by and with the Senior Youth Theatre, alongside professional musical composer, Mark Melville. The performances took place this week at Whitby Hall on Tuesday 11 th March and Wednesday 12 th March, and were a big success with the following feedback from the audience members;
“ A beautiful piece of theatre”
“Lighting effects were brilliant and the acting was great”
“ Excellent music…very moving…when the next’s play?”!”
Future projects include;
Aim Higher - a two week schools residency project, bringing together 15 aspiring drama pupils from Ellesmere Port Specialist School of Performing Arts, Cheshire Oaks High School, and The Catholic High School in Chester. 4 students from West Cheshire College and two from the University of Chester are also involved, with Action Transport allowing them a practical insight into the day to day running of a professional theatre company. The residency will take place and culminate in a performance on 25 th April 2008.
Playing in the Gardens - a promenade performance in Whitby Park written by local writers and performed by Action Transport Junior Youth T heatre with support from professional actors. Action Transport is keen to c onnect with the local community encouraging involvement from f amilies and young people as volunteers a nd audience members. This project is c onnected to the Cheshire Year of Gardens 2008 and performances will take place in Whitby Park between 24 th- 26 th July 2008.
The Bomb – autumn 2008 will see Whitby Hall host a number of performances of this award winning play that will be touring the UK with a two week run at the Dukes Theatre in Lancaster as well as playing as part of the Belfast Arts Festival. Whitby Hall Studio Theatre is getting a name for itself as a sought after theatre space in the region and this is a chance for the local theatre going audiences to catch this play for tickets as little as £2. The Bomb will be showing in Ellesmere Port in November 2008.
Jess Egan, Company Producer at Action Transport has said;
“We are thrilled to be working with Shell UK again. The success of our long term relationship is testament to the shared belief in the importance of allowing young people and their families across Ellesmere Port the access to high quality creative experiences”.
For more information on any of the projects mentioned here please call Jess Egan on 0151 357 2120.
February 2008
Thank you for your interest in the post of Director at Action Transport Theatre Company.
The closing date for completed application forms and CV’s is 28th March 2008.
Short listed candidates will be notified the week commencing 14th April 2008 and the final selection process will take place over two days – 29th and 20th April 2008 – at Whitby Hall – the company base. The successful candidate will be expected to be in post from 1st September 2008.
Please see the Application Form and Application pack below, available to download. If you have any difficulties in downloading this information please call the office number on 0151 357 2120.
- Application Pack (.doc)
- Application Form (.doc)
(available as word .doc > right click > save as)
January 2008
Action Transport recruiting for new Director
Action Transport Theatre Company will be recruiting a new Director over the next three to six months. We are looking for a professional theatre maker with a minimum of five years successful experience to lead a team of dedicated, experienced and successful fellow professionals.
The main focus of this role will be to lead the development and implementation of the artistic vision and programming of this award winning company with a 23 year history that holds its head high as one of the leading UK ’s children and young people’s touring theatre companies, with new writing and participation at its heart.
An exciting first project will see the new director take up the development from first draft stage of the next commissioned play, Fool on the Hill, by Kevin Dyer (writer of The Bomb). An intergenerational play with puppets, for primary age children and their grandparents, that looks at the passing of time, who is really looking after who, and the exhilaration of awakening long gone feelings.
Based fewer than 10 minutes from Chester , 20 from Liverpool and 40 from Manchester , and the Year being 2008 Capital of Culture, it is a really exciting time to be joining Action Transport, which now has a new management team in place.
Karen Parry and Jess Egan have been promoted internally to General Manager and Company Producer respectively. These posts incorporate existing responsibilities and are a consolidation of roles within the company.
Overall the Action Transport core staff now consists of five; Jess Egan, Company Producer, Kevin Dyer, Associate Writer, Mike Francis, Company Stage Manager, Nina Hajiyianni, Associate Director and Karen Parry as General Manager.
In the interim period before a new Director is appointed, David Selzer, Chair of the Board , is acting Chief Executive.
Action Transport has been built on an ethos of collaboration, experimentation, boldness and bravery in promoting the tools and techniques for making high quality work at a national level and in doing so, challenging the sector by setting new standards.
If you are interested in the role and would like a representative of Action Transport to see any work for which you are responsible between now and April, please contact David Selzer, in confidence, via david@selzer9394.freeserve.co.uk
The post of Director will be advertised in late February/early March 2008 and application packs can be requested in advance by calling Karen Parry on 0151 357 2120 or emailing karen@actiontransporttheatre.co.uk
December 2007
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Artistic Director of Action Transport
Theatre Company to Move On
Joe Sumsion, Action Transport’s Artistic Director/Chief Executive, has been appointed as the new Director of The Dukes, Lancaster. He will take up his new post in mid January.
Successes
Joe’s successes over the last 7 years can be highlighted in three main areas : the groundbreaking partnership with South African company Vulavulani, resulting in 3 co-productions which have toured internationally; commissioning and directing the The Bomb, working closely with Jo Berry and Pat Magee; sparking the company’s interest in creating plays which are ‘a fiction based on fact’; and realising his idea for a new writing festival, The Lockpickers' Ball, about unpicking the secrets of creating fantastic work for, by and with young people, and the subsequent book The Skeleton Key, which has grown out of this.
All are the legacy Joe leaves behind.
The ethos Joe has introduced and instilled in the company is one of encouraging ‘creative personal bests’. Innovative, quality work has been produced by taking risks, nurturing new talent, and leading through practice. Unique team work has led to an enviable team to be a part of.
Embedded in the company, as a result of Joe’s leadership, are ambition, excellence, innovation and a willingness always to learn and change.
In Joe’s time at Action Transport, the core team has grown, the turnover tripled, and the company’s profile and direction strengthened, paving the way for a very bright future.
Joe has worked hard to raise the profile of the young people’s theatre sector by challenging the sector in setting new standards. This has gone a long way to setting a ‘ripple effect’ into the wider theatre sector. This is highlighted through his appointment at The Dukes and paves the way for other professionals to join and strengthen the sector.
Joe said:
“I’m proud of the success which Action Transport has achieved over the last seven years. As a team we have produced some fantastic work and at the same time developed ourselves and our own creativity. I’ll miss the company very much, but am excited by the new challenges which The Dukes will bring .”
David Selzer, Chair of Action Transport, reflected:
“Joe has programmed, produced and directed wonderful life-changing theatre for the company. He is able to bring the best out of fellow professionals through example as well as interpersonal and intellectual skills . Though he will be exceptionally difficult to replace at Action Transport, the type of opportunity which The Dukes’ post represents comes at just the right point in his career.”
November 2007
Action Transport Theatre Company has teamed up with Chester Performs; a new organisation driving the development of the performing arts in Chester and Cheshire, to deliver a programme of Youth Arts Projects aimed at young people this autumn.
The programme kicked off during the October half term with Chester Beats, a junkyard orchestra led by Mark Melville, Associate Artist of Action Transport. The group has created a piece of music using found and improvised objects that will be performed at Up the Wall on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th November. Up the Wall is a promenade event which will take place at twilight on and around Chester’s City Walls between 4-7pm.
Following on from this, there is an opportunity to get involved in New Writing Taster Workshops, on Monday 19th November and the Wednesday 19th December 6.30 – 9.30pm.To find out more about how to register for one of these FREE New Writing Tasters and also how to get involved in a new collective writing project in 2008
For more information please contact Louie Ingham on 0151 357 2120 or email louie@actiontransporttheatre.co.uk
View the full flyer as .pdf - click here.
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October 2007
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View / print flyer as .pdf? - click here / right click > save as
October 2007
Action Transport Theatre Company seeks submissions for
“Night Train” a new play by Roy Barber, Curtis Cole, Kevin Dyer,
Sarah McDonald Hughes, and Dee Shepherd`
“The play was powerful and magnetic…it was like watching a piece of life unfold.”
Janna Feldman, Education Officer, Polka Theatre
“Night Train”
view more info?
Auditions – Thursday 18 th October 2008 between 1pm – 5pm – at our base in Cheshire
Friday 19th October 2008 between 10am – 4pm – at our base in Cheshire
Rehearsing – Monday 14 th January – Thursday 24 th January 2008
Touring – Friday 25 th January – Saturday 23 rd February 2008 (With the possibility of an additional week of touring, meaning the tour would end on Saturday 1 st March 2008 ) North West tour includes predominantly secondary schools and selected venues (tbc) including Whitby Hall Studio Theatre
Director – Joe Sumsion
Designer – Alison Heffernan
Composer – Mark Melville
Contract – ITC/Equity small-scale touring, £350 per week + relocation of £73.80 where applicable
“Night Train”
Night Train is a hard hitting drama about a world most of us know nothing about. Unheard voices, Untold Stories.
“I’m getting off. Going to jump off a bridge.”
“Can I come?”
“Yeah, you can hold my hand on the way down.”
Audience
This is a re-tour following the success of the May 2007 production. Aimed at young people 13+ predominantly in school settings. There will be some post show discussion/activity which actors are invited to lead and participate in.
Playing style
Night Train is an acutely observed, moving and funny character-based play. For the most part it requires a realistic acting style, supported by more abstract moments and an original sound score.
Part to cast
Deano – a 13 year old working class northern boy, a difficult, erratic, unmanageable lad, but a kid at heart with a sensitivity and humour – A likeable rogue. Finds himself running away on his first night at the residential centre with feisty Tanya, who’s hiding a secret from everyone….
Please send CV, Headshot and short covering letter expressing your interest in this project by Friday 5 th October 2007 to: Louie Ingham, Projects Manager, Action Transport Theatre Company, Whitby Hall, Stanney Lane , Ellesmere Port , CH65 9AE .
Submissions by post only – no emails or telephone calls.
Action Transport is an award winning new writing theatre company creating plays for, by and with young people.
Feedback on the company’s previous work:
“A timely, multi-faceted work and an emotionally explosive piece of drama”
The Guardian on ‘The Bomb’ Oct 2006
“The incredibly gifted Vulavulani Company of Soweto and Action Transport Theatre of the UK explode onto the beautiful Unicorn stage with enough talent, energy and charisma to fill the Albert Hall.”
Emma Thompson on ‘Tselanes’ Song’ June 2006
September 2007
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Shell UK helps Ellesmere Port Shell UK is proud to be sponsoring a brand new play by Ellesmere Port writer, John Moorhouse. Professional new writing theatre company, Action Transport, who are based in Whitby Hall, will be touring Fly Away Peter to secondary schools across Cheshire , opening on Tuesday 25 th September at Whitby Hall Studio Theatre, in Ellesmere Port. There are a week of performances at Whitby Hall Studio Theatre from 25 th – 28 th September, with tickets at just £4 (£2 conc.) Action Transport have been working with John, as he has been developing his writing skills over the last couple of years and are really pleased to be professionally touring a play written in, and inspired by, Ellesmere Port and the people that live here. John’s play, Fly Away Peter, is set in a pigeon loft and charts the story of a young boy who becomes fascinated with the sport of pigeon racing but there are a number of consequences along the way. |
| John says; Many things have changed in the development of this play. But the important thing stayed the same. We all have to fly away sometime. | |
In preparation for the forth coming tour, research has been taking place in pigeon lofts across Ellesmere Port. The photo shows Rachel Strefford, Public Affairs Assistant from Shell UK, sponsors of the play, and Jessica Egan, Promotions and Marketing Manager from Action Transport Theatre, getting to grips with the pigeons! Pupils in secondary schools across Cheshire will be watching this performance, and many have already had an insight into what to expect with drama workshops run by the Director Nina Hajiyianni. Nina, who is directing her first play for Action Transport says; The play is all about a teenage boy’s world crashing into the pigeon ‘world’. Peter, the central character, steps outside his ‘normal’ life and into someone else’s - the pigeon man’s, which has real consequences. It shows us that sometimes it’s hard to fly free and do something different. Young people from the Catholic High School , Ellesmere Port Specialist School of Performing Arts, Cheshire Oaks High School and West Cheshire College will all see this play, some as part of a new residency project, Aim Higher, taking place in spring 2008. Shell UK is also sponsoring a vibrant new senior youth theatre production, taking place in March 2008 and young performers, musicians and people interested in developing their performance skills are currently being recruited for this new play. You must: Be 15—18 yrs old and live in Ellesmere Port. To Get Involved: Come along to one of the Open Wednesdays 3rd, 10th, 17th October 2007, 4:30pm—6:30pm. Held at Whitby Hall, Whitby Park , Stanney Lane , Ellesmere Port. Pleasecontact Nina on 0151 357 2120 or nina@actiontransporttheatre.co.uk to book your place. There are limited places, so get in quick! For more information on any of the above please contact Jess Egan |
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August 2007
The Croak
Supported by The Granada Foundation
Action Transport’s latest new writing project The Croak attracted over 125 writers - eleven have now been chosen and are well underway with writing their 20 minute plays - inspired by the question ‘what play would you write if you only had six months to live’?
Over the next six months the eleven writers, will have the chance to work with professional new-writing company, Action Transport, and see their play performed, script-in-hand by professional actors, in Action Transport’s studio theatre in November and December 2007.
Click here to meet the writers and find out more about this project....
The Croak performances will take place on Friday 30th November and Saturday 1 st December 2007 at Whitby Hall Studio Theatre. For more information or to book tickets please call the box office on 0151 357 2120.
June 2007
The Croak
The latest new-writing project from Action Transport Theatre
Imagine… what if you were going to die in six months time? What play would you leave behind? Your final mark? Your legacy? Your last dramatic kick? Imagine you only have time to write one short play, a play for kids, children, young people, whatever you call ‘em.
Interested?
Over the next six months 10 people will have the chance to work with a professional new-writing company and then see their script performed in Action Transport’s studio theatre.
Here’s how it works:
We all meet on Sunday June 24 th 2007 . We’ll have ideas, get to grips with what plays are, what’s special about theatre for young people. We’ll have a laugh and some biscuits. We’ll sow a seed that might become a play.
Then you go away, think, make scratchings on paper, and pitch an idea (one side of A4 max) to Action Transport. The 10 writers of the 10 most promising ideas will then be invited to continue the process with us – to write the play you’ve just got to write before you CROAK .
There will be other sessions; supporting your writing; reading your drafts; giving you new ideas; meeting the director and other theatre professionals. And there’ll be writing to be done at home.
Action Transport will help you take your idea through several drafts - and professional actors will put it on in a script-in hand performance.
THE CROAK will bring together experienced writers, aspiring writers, and new writers. It is a learning experience, the chance to write your own play supported by one of the UK ’s leading companies for young people. Experience is not required; wanting to write is the only qualification.
Please contact writing@actiontransporttheatre.co.uk for more details and to express your interest in taking part.
May 2007
A collectively written play by Action Transport Theatre Company
in association with Cheshire County Council.
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It’s the only way to get them to listen. Run away. Going back is like giving in. Emma, never went to school because she was moved about so much from care centre to care centre. |
The police came and picked me up. I was livid. It took ‘em three hours to get me in the car. Sarah, taken into care at the age of 9 and split up from her 5 brothers and sisters. |
I ran away from a social worker and hid in the boot of her car. Hours later she found me when she came to get her handbag. Liam, who was taken into care at the age of 6 and was in over 40 foster homes. |
On the outside you look happy but you are just a scared little child. Jeff, in care from the age of 12 and calls his foster carers Mum and Dad. |
Unheard voices, untold stories.
Night Train is a sparkling new play about a world most of us know nothing about.
It comes from the true stories of young people who run away…
from home, foster parents, residential units, the coppers, everything…
The play has been made with four young people with experience of being `looked after’, and also by interviewing many more young people and professionals in residential centres. It is a hard-hitting drama looking at the hidden lives and untold stories of young people who run away.
Night Train is a play about hope, living life and an amazing will to survive.
Written by the actors - Roy Barber, Curtis Cole, Sarah MacDonald Hughes and Dee Shepherd alongside Kevin Dyer, Associate Writer, Action Transport.
Contains strong language. Suitable for an audience 14+
Touring 8 th-19 th May 2007 and re-touring Spring 2008.
| Tuesday 8th May Whitby Hall Studio Theatre, Ellesmere Port 7pm Tickets £4 (£2 conc.) Box Office: 0151 357 2120 SOLD OUT Wednesday 9th May Thursday 10th May Saturday 12th May |
Monday 14th May Knutsford Civic Hall 6:30pm Tickets £4 (£2 conc.) Tuesday 15th May Wednesday 16th May Friday 18th May |
This North West tour includes a New Writing event on collective writing and making theatre for, by and with young people. This is on Friday 18 th May at The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster . This will be followed by the launch of The Skeleton Key – an inspiring book for theatre makers.
For more details on attending this event, please contact Jess on 0151 357 2120.
Night Train will be re-touring in January and February 2008 to schools, venues and arts centre and children’s homes. Please call Jess Egan for booking details on 0151 357 2120.
Night Train is the result of hundreds of hours of research and the truth of many voices. It is written by five writers – which makes it five times better than most ordinary plays!
“ I hope you enjoy the play and I hope you learn something from it. I hope you
don’t get in your cars and turn your radios on or your MP3s and forget”. Liam
Further Information is available HERE
April 2007
Action Transport Senior Youth Theatre invites you to
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| Photo credit Sylvia Selzer |
TICKETS - £4 (£2 for concessions) – please call 0151 357 2120 to book.
If you are 15 – 18 years old, and want like to talk to us about how to get involved in the Senior Youth Theatre,
Action Transport are looking for young people aged 11+ in Ellesmere Port who are interested in making, creating,
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| Photo credit Sylvia Selzer |
Action Transport Youth Theatres
are supported by Shell UK
March 2007
The Skeleton Key
Sharing the secrets of writing fantastic plays for, by and with young people.
The Skeleton Key is a practical book for writers, theatre makers, teachers and students who are interested in making new plays with a writer at the heart of the process.
The book contains contributions from some of the UK ’s leading writers and companies working in young people’s theatre. It is both inspirational and practical – offering rare insights and the chance to learn techniques and approaches from others.
The launch of this book will take place at The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster on Friday 18 th May at 6pm . This will follow a New Writing Event taking place that afternoon – for more information on booking a place on this see below...
March 2007
Action Transport Theatre present
Collective Writing – a successful recipe
A new writing event including a performance of Action Transport’s next collectively written play Night Train, followed by the launch of The Skeleton Key.
Are you interested in learning how to write plays collectively? Do you work with young people and want to find out more about creating plays from true stories and real experiences?
Action Transport are hosting Collective Writing – a successful recipe; an afternoon new writing event which will explore the secrets of writing collectively for, by and with young people.
You will have the chance to see Night Train – Action Transport’s latest experiment in collective writing; working with actors who want to write and will be performing their own work. You’ll meet the actors and see how collective playwriting could work for you. Night Train will go on to re-tour in Spring 2008.
Who is the event for?
- Foranyone who is interesting in creating new plays collectively, which are based on true stories.
- Writers, Directors, Theatre Makers, Teachers and Students.
What's in it for you?
Cost- £35 - What do you get for this?
- The opportunity to participate in two practical hour-long writing sessions.
- The experienceof watching a performance of Action Transport’s next collectively written play Night Train.
- The chance to enjoy lunch & refreshment breaks, whilst networking and sharing ideas.
- An invitation to the launch of The Skeleton Key (taking place directly after the event) and your own copy of this book to take away with you for the train journey home! The Skeleton Key is a practical book for writers, theatre makers, teachers and students who are interested in making new plays with a writer at the heart of the process. This has grown out of The Lockpickers’ Ball New Writing Festival which took place in October 2006 For more information – www.thelockpickersball.info
Where?
The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster.
When?
Friday 18 th May 2007 between 12.30 - 5.30pm – followed by the launch of The Skeleton Key at 6pm .
There will be a further performance of Night Train that evening at 8pm at The Dukes. Action Transport staff will be around throughout the evening so do join us for a chat and a drink or two.
How can I book?
Please contact Jessica Egan on 0151 357 2120 or by email at jess@actiontransporttheatre.co.uk to book your place by 18 th April 2007 .
For more information on Action Transport – www.actiontransporttheatre.co.uk
March 2007
Ride
By Action Transport Theatre Company
For reasons to do with the ego, the desire for notoriety,
SCRATCH NIGHT PERFORMANCES took place on 13th and 14th March and the final performances will take place between 4th-6th July 2007 at Whitby Hall Studio Theatre.
Directed by Jilly Sumsion and Nina Hajiyianni
Email: info@actiontransporttheatre.co.uk
February 2007
Shell Support of Local Theatre Company
to Continue for 6th Successive Year
SHELL UK has signed up to support Action Transport’s work with young people from Ellesmere Port.
This is the sixth year running that Shell has backed the theatre group’s efforts to encourage young people into the theatre.
The good news of the sponsorship deal comes in time for the development of Action Transport’s brand new play called Fly Away Peter. This will tour in autumn 2007 to secondary schools across Ellesmere Port and Cheshire .
Ellesmere Port schools will be offered the opportunity of seeing this new play at Action Transport’s base in the centre of Ellesmere Port - Whitby Hall Studio Theatre when it opens in September 2007. This will be offered at a reduced rate thanks to the support from Shell. The young people will also have the chance to be involved in workshops to help in the development of the play, after-show talk backs with the actors and writing workshops with the writer of the play – John Moorhouse.
Action Transport is excited to be working with the talented Ellesmere Port based writer John Moorhouse – see photo. John, who is a teacher himself, has previously written ‘The Universal’ for Action Transport’s Senior Youth Theatre and ‘August 1916’ for the S P A C E New Writing site specific project at Whitby Hall.
(L-R) Rachel Strefford, Public Affairs Assistant, Shell, Nina Hajiyianni, the new Associate Director at Action Transport and Director of Fly Away Peter and John Moorhouse, Writer of Fly Away Peter.
Photo by Sylvia Selzer.John says:
“ Ellesmere Port is full of great people with great stories. I hope this is one of them”.
For Year 9 upwards, Fly Away Peter is set in a Pigeon Loft and is about Peter, a teenage boy, and his friendship with Bill, the owner of the Pigeon Loft. This is a play about prejudice, friendship and the consequences of your actions.
People who have read the script have said;
'I've not read a play like this before, there's nothing like it around. Conflict and resolution... courage... caring... empathy' . Kate Allerston, Community Arts Officer for Fairfield High School , Widnes.
“Fly Away Peter” will be touring between 25 th September – 9 th November 2007 .
Shell is also sponsoring both the Junior and Senior Youth Theatre groups at Action Transport. Both groups are growing rapidly and are very popular. If you are keen to join Action Transport’s Youth Theatre and are between 11-18 years old, please call 0151 357 2120 to register your interest and speak to either Louie or Nina.
For School Booking Information click here.
Awards & Nominations - view all here
TMA Awards Nominee – Best Actor, Paul Dodds for Ned Driscoll, The Bomb, October 2006
TMA Awards Nominee– Best Director, Joe Sumsion, The Bomb, October 2006
Winner– Writers’ Guild, New Writing Encouragement Award, Joe Sumsion for The Bomb, October 2006
Feedback on The Lockpickers’ Ball, October 2006
An amazing job…fantastic teamwork with an amazingly pro-active Board…great attention to detail…the perfect festival! Generosity of approach & warm hospitality encouraged participants to relax & open up to each other.
Jude Merrill, Artistic Producer, Travelling Light Theatre CompanyGreat festival - offered a real variety of work stimulating juicy debate
Chris Elwell , Director, Half Moon Young People’s TheatreWhat a wonderful thing The Lockpickers’ Ball was…right through to the nail biting end!
Ben Musgrave, PlaywrightIt was an amazing three days - lots of warmth for the soul and food for thought. Many thanks for looking after us so well.
Dot Wood , Artistic Producer, M6 Theatre CompanyA brilliant three days. Inspirational, thought-provoking and superbly well organised….I met some fascinating people….the festival really helped me think deeply about what I do and why I do it. I think it will have a lasting impact on my work.
Paul Whitfield , Artistic Director, Brief Candle Theatre CompanyI was thrilled to have attended The Lockpickers’ Ball and enthused by the lively debate and interaction with fellow industry professionals.
Holly Hughes, Education and Literary Assistant, Hampstead Theatre.An amazing, inspiring, conference! I came back refreshed, exhilarated, excited and inspired about young people’s theatre and I can’t thank you enough!
Janna Feldman , Education Officer, Polka TheatreConfident, well programmed, well scheduled and very well run…fantastic to be part of this. The effects of this festival will ripple out through the delegates’ lives, and those they meet, for years to come.
Han Duijvendak, Director, Handstand Productions, LiverpoolSharing creativity is a wonderful fulfilling experience and Action Transport certainly grasped what it's all about. I was mesmerised by all the people who were there this rare experience should definately be furthered.
Micky DacksUnfortunately, I could only attend the Wednesday of The Lockpicker's Ball… I wanted to run away from work and come back for Thursday and Friday! It was clearly a very special occasion and I hope that it will be repeated. It made such a difference to have someone personally address you by your name!
Julie McKiernan
North West Playwrights DelegateThe Lockpickers’ Ball was an excellent opportunity to examine, experience and explore the work of young people’s theatre in a relaxed and open environment. Action Transport Theatre Company worked hard to create an atmosphere of mutual trust that enabled honest and free discussion of the work. The structure of the event was expertly executed and the organisers should be congratulated for creating such a stimulating and enjoyable 3 days.
Sarah Lovell
Young People’s Participatory Project Co-ordinator, Arts Council England
