Pupils bring professional theatre to school
A group of dedicated students are taking the spotlight by organising a live professional theatre show at their school.
With help from Black Country Touring, year 14 students from Pens Meadow School have been tasked with organising every aspect of the show as part of the Young Promoters project.
The school offers places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities and BCT has been working alongside them on this project for three years.
Students will be bringing in professional theatre company, Mad Etiquette, for a performance of award winning show, Captain Cauliflower and Marvin the Mischievous Moose.
Black Country Touring partner with schools and youth groups across the area to put young people in the driving seat; they choose a professional show, host the performers, sell tickets, publicise the show, while learning about the arts and business.
This year's group of students will be the first from the school to put on two shows; one in January 2020 at the school and another in the summer at the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton.
Natalie Kidman, promoter manager at BCT, said: "There are a lot of people who wouldn't go to the big shows at theatres in the city centre for various reasons such as cost, anxiety and travelling.
"So, we bring the arts and theatre to their community and make it accessible, then they can go to see a professional show in a welcoming space where they feel comfortable.
"We also show the kids that it's not the actors on stage who are the most important people in the performance, everyone is a key player and is doing a job as part of a team to make the show happen.
"The journey that the young people involved go on throughout the project is unbelievable. It is such a big thing."
The students are divided into teams for marketing, stage management, front of house and backstage, working together to plan every detail and ensure the show is a success.
Becky Lynch, a teacher at Pens Meadow School, said: "The Young Promoters is a fantastic project, the students not only grow their self-esteem and confidence, but they also learn literacy and numeracy skills, as well as communication and teamwork in a fun and practical way.
"It's not just a pen and paper exercise, they are learning how to do real vocational jobs in the arts in a fun and practical way with something to show at the end of it through the performance.
"It's also about community engagement and showcasing out students to other people in the local area and showing how amazing they are."
The performance will take place at Pens Meadow Post 16 School on January 24 2020 at 6pm.
Tickets are £4 for adults and £2 for children and can be purchased by contacting the school directly.
