Wolverhampton’s Arena Theatre has raised more than £30,000 to develop work with the town’s children and young people.
Three projects have been underway for some months and the youngsters are preparing to perform them.
On Friday 21 March, they will be sharing with audiences the work they have done on the project Counter Culture. This is a heritage, education and theatre project in which the children have been working with Wolverhampton City Archives and professional artists on creating a piece of theatre based on their own research and interviews they have conducted with Wolverhampton people.
The children visited shops, snack vans, the police station, library, Citizen’s Advice Bureau and a host of other locations to find out how people communicate and make relationships.
The performance will take place at the town’s Arena Theatre. The main funder for this project is the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Since last September a group of secondary-school pupils has been meeting at the theatre every Monday evening as the Arena Young Rep, a youth theatre developed in association with Birmingham REP.
On Wednesday and Thursday, 2 and 3 April, the youngsters will perform Shakespeare’s Macbeth at the REP. This is part of the Young Rep Festival.
The Arena Young Rep will be looking to recruit new members at a taster session on Wednesday 28 May. There will also be a week-long summer school beginning on Monday 28 July. Places can be booked by calling the Arena’s box office on 01902 321321.
The Arena Young Rep has received financial support from the William Adlington Cadbury Trust.
Theatre development officer Alison Vermee said, “The Arena is delighted to be able to offer such great, innovative opportunities to young people in the city.
“We very much hope that people will support them by coming to see the work they’ve created.”