Wolverhampton based youth theatre companies Stagecoach and Central Youth Theatre have gone outdoors for this years summer activities, successfully delivering their socially distanced workshops in NAC’s outside spaces.

Lots of safe fun has been had over the last few weeks by drama and dance students in Newhampton Arts Centre’s open airred courtyard. The space is currently closed off to vehicles creating a larger and safer environment to be enjoyed with the number of places limited to 15 per activity.

Central Youth Theatre named this year’s summer school Star Gazers with a focus on the theme of star gazing. And asked their students how do we all keep ourselves motivated and hopeful in times of crisis? The exciting new drama and dance programme featured master classes on playwriting, spoken word, prop-making, promenade performance skills and installation design. The Central Youth Theatre’s summer school will come to a close with a celebratory festival style open-air performance on Sunday 6th September. 

NAC’s Marketing Coordinator, Stacey Cross commented ‘It has been great to see and hear students back on site, enjoying their summer workshops and the courtyard in safe and sensible fashion. We are now all looking forward to seeing CYT’s end performance in early September.’ 

Stagecoach has also taken full advantage of the arts centre’s secure outdoor environment, welcoming nearly 100 students over the last two weeks, in safe bubbles of 15 per workshop. Drama and dance activities where delivered by 8 professional performing arts teachers, The stagecoach family decided to go back to the fundamentals of performance with a focus on communication, expression and creativity.

A parent commented about her daughters wellbeing after just one day of these workshops saying ‘Her mental health has improved just with one day of being able to release her emotions through drama and dance. Thank you so much, I can now see a glimmer of the daughter I know and love returning to us after all the grief and disappointment she has had to suffer through.’

More COVID safety measures have been put in place my NAC including signing in and out for track and trace purposes, new entry and exit points and a one way system to follow when on site. This is what Stagecoach Wolverhampton Principal Hannah James had to say about the behind the scenes collaborative work between theatre groups and NAC that made these workshops happen. ‘The arts are more important than ever right now, we need to build our students back up again, gaining confidence, self-expression and most importantly being happy.  Huge thank you to Newhampton for all their policies and health and safety. It’s been refreshing to see and I’m really proud to have such a great partnership with Newhampton.’