We are now thinking about creating new devised pieces for our Summer Shows in the woods.  Here are the Intermediate Group playing with ideas on the theme of It’s The End Of The World (As We Know It). Huge potential here!

We finished the Growtheatre Youth Theatre term on a lovely mild and starry night, with some great performances, fun games, appreciative audiences, awesome fire and marshmallows.
Merry Christmas one and all!

Growtheatre Youth Theatre had its Summer Show in early July and we were blessed with beautiful weather. The kids were brilliant and audience BIG!!! Gorgeous day moving round the sunny woods watching creative and collaborative children and young people at work! Well done guys!

Today the sun was shining when I went into the woods with 14 intrepid Y3, Y4, and Y5 pupils from Saint Marie’s Primary School. We worked all afternoon in the woods and had a fabulous time, work included creating these gorgeous Boggarts creeping out of stones and trees for Reception and Year One to find on Wednesday. Can’t wait to see their reactions!

Now that the clocks have gone back, we can work outside in light with all 3 groups – I love the summer term!

JUNIOR GROUP

Nelly who is a large and careless dragon sat down on top of the little folk’s village and destroyed all their homes – so Growtheatre Junior Group rebuilt the homes of the wee people who lived there!

INTERMEDIATE GROUP

Rehearsals in the woods tonight with our Intermediate Youth Theatre were lush! Gorgeous weather, creative juices flowing and lots done. Photos testify to their creative work.

SENIOR SESSION

Brilliant session with our Senior group too but we had to beat a hasty retreat when we were attached by millions of midges!  We managed to work out the majority of the plot line for our devised piece, find a location for each scene and develop to scenes. Photos do not do them justice!

After a lovely, long summer Growtheatre Youth Theatre started last Thursday in Ecclesall Woods.  It was brilliant to see so many familiar faces back again all ready and raring to go and lovely to welcome many new children and young people trying us out.

It felt truly Autumnal as the Junior Group got very excited about developing scenes about wolves in the rain under the canopy of Ecclesall Woods. The Intermediate Group has lots of new members and we spent lots of time playing new and familiar games so that we could all start to get to know each other and as the light began to fade, we took torches outside to make some outdoor drama.  The final session of the night was our brand new Senior Group – there was much laughter and chat as the group worked hard to get to know each other – they did loads of brilliant work all of it felt fun.

So great to start a new Youth Theatre year with such lovely, creative kids in such an amazing setting!

This summer we are taking part in the Record Breakers Reading Scheme at libraries across Sheffield. These puppets have been made by young children who attend Manor Lodge Library and the Children’s Library at the Central Library. We have been making record breaking puppets – some based on actual record breakers and some based on the record breakers children would like to meet. There is lots of fun to be had at Libraries in Sheffield this summer!

Our Intermediate Youth Theatre produced and performed a fantastic promenade show called the Golden Goose.  It was LOOSELY based on the Brothers Grimm tale but had become something far more fanciful and bizarre than the original.  We are so proud of them!

They have brought amazing levels of creativity, imagination and consideration to the show and it was a lovely product of their collective imaginations.  All scenes, ideas, props and costumes came from the young people in our Thursday sessions.

Well done to all our  lovely members in the Intermediate Group!

Feedback from audience members has included, “Just wanted to say what a fabulous day we all have had, the performance was absolutely amazing. So creative, original and brilliantly funny.  All the kids thrive and it is so evident how much they adore Growtheatre. Long may it continue.”

A few photos.

Since Easter we have been out working outdoors with both our Youth Theatre groups and we have been so lucky with the weather.  Everyone’s projection is building as they get to grips with outdoor theatre and they are completely getting how they can use the environment to inspire and enhance their performances.  Our recently formed Junior Group are building drama and teamwork skills through the use of games and improvisation. The Intermediate Group are busy devising, rehearsing and making things for our summer show The Golden Goose how lucky we are to do all this in the glorious setting of Ecclesall Woods.