Derby Theatre has been chosen as one of the regional venues which will play host to the National Theatre’s Connections Festival.
Each year the National Theatre commissions ten writers to create ten new plays for schools and young theatres. This year 5,000 young people aged from 13 to 19 have been involved in the Connections Festival.
Derby Theatre will host the East Midlands regional showcase from Monday until Wednesday, 14 to 16 April.
Each day will culminate in two youth theatre companies performing a new piece. This year’s authors include Catherine Johnson, the award-winning writer of Mama Mia!, Pauline McLynn, known for her television role in Father Ted and Luke Norris whose debut play Goodbye to All That premièred at the Royal Court in 2012.
The evening performance schedule over the three days includes Pronoun by Evan Placey performed by Derby-based CAST Ensemble and also New College Nottingham, A Shop Selling Speech by Sabrina Mahfouz performed by Derby East Gang Show company Flying High, Heritage by Dafydd James performed by the De Ferrers Academy from Burton-on-Trent, The Wardrobe by Sam Holcroft performed by Lakeside Youth Theatre from Nottingham and A Letter to Lacey by Catherine Johnson performed by JWC Theatre Company.