Theatre Hullabaloo in partnership with Northern Stage, Live Theatre and Dance City have offered three new commissions to artists based in the North East, or with a strong connection to the region, who are interested in developing theatre for young audiences.
- Live Theatre : a writing commission for new work for audiences of 6+
- Northern Stage : a commission for an early years theatre maker
- Dance City : a commission to an artist developing a new piece of dance theatre for children and families.
All three commissions will be presented in scratch during TakeOff Festival of Theatre for Children and Young People, 19th – 24th October 2015, as well as having a platform in Newcastle.
The aim of the project is to create a critical mass of artists engaged with creating dynamic work for young audiences in our region.
Dance City’s Take Off commission has been awarded to Holly Irvine
Working title: Red Tracks
Choreographer/ director/ Performer: Holly Irving
Assistant choreographer/Performer: Jackson Watson
Holly has been working professionally choreographing, performing and teaching for 7 years. She specialise in running outreach programs with young offenders, homeless young people, mental health institutions, people with disabilities and with ethnic minority groups.
Since 2012 Holly has been making work which inspires, teaches and educates audiences, using contemporary and ballet, hip-hop styles and theatre in her work.
Holly recently worked as movement director with Open Clasp Theatre Company and choreographed on nine local community groups in Newcastle, making work which was performed as part of the New Year’s Eve Parade. Holly regularly work with the Prince’s Trust’s engagement programme “Get Into Dance”.
Take Off Project Outline
My idea for this project is to develop an existing piece of work, working title “Red Tracks”
Last year I created and performed a hip-hop theatre show based on the fairy tale Red Riding Hood. With this commission I will be reworking and adapting the piece for younger audiences. (key stage 2, 7-11 years).
I will develop the piece using other well-known fairy tale characters making them more relevant to issues children face today. Some of the issues that interest me are racism, sexuality, bullying, puberty and the development of technology and its effect on social interaction.
I recently returned from Brazil where I worked with two charities who support young people living in the favelas (slum areas). This experience has inspired my interest to create work for a younger audience.
Through the Take Off Dance City commission I will be able to further my understanding of making work for young people and to work towards creating a full length piece for 2016.