Youth Drama Group

Next performance for Youth Drama Group

Our Youth Drama Group, only formed in early 2011, goes from strength to strength. There are now 20 to 30 members meeting regularly, and they are planning their third performance. This is a play entitled ‘Flowers in the Desert’, By D M Larson. Rehearsals are scheduled to start on 3rd January, and there will be three performances in February. These are at 2.30 on Sunday 12th February, and 8.00 on Tuesday 14th, with a private performance for the visiting BATH group, with whom we have ever-strengthening ties (see below), on the evening of February 13th.

Youth Drama Group goes International!

The Glengarriff Theatre Group formed a youth branch at the beginning of the 2011, headed up by Maria O’Sullivan and assisted by Deborah Hogan. The youth were traditionally included in the annual pantomimes in December but after that there were no further opportunities to develop their theatrical abilities. The youth wanted to experience the more challenging area of drama and, as a result, performed two very successful shows in February and June (“Teen Angels” and “Take Three Girls”). The group are responsible for their own set design, stage management, sound and lighting so not everyone has to act on stage. They are active from January to June and usually get together on Monday evenings in the Glengarriff Parochial Hall. If you are interested in learning more or want to join the group, call Maria at 087-9141206.

In addition to the above, the Glengarriff Youth Theatre Group, in conjunction with Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai, has formed a partnership with King James I Academy in Bishop Auckland, England to work on joint projects affecting youth and conveying the issues through debate and drama.  The drama group at the King James I Academy are known as the Bishop Auckland Theatre Hooligans (BATH) and have visited Glengarriff several times in the last few years. The current project is based around Youth Democracy - young people having a voice in their community, whether they think their views are considered and heard or whether they feel they are not listened to. The King James I Academy also has a partnership with a school from Montego Bay in Jamaica, with eight young people included in this joint project. 70% of the funding for this project has been provided by the “UN Youth In Action” programme with the difference made up by the Glengarriff Theatre Group, King James I Academy and Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai. The BATH group will be visiting Glengarriff in February 2012. The project continues until September 2012.

One of the participants in this project is Michael O’Sullivan from Glengarriff and the following describes his experience in Bishop Auckland:

“On Friday the 23rd of September 2011, a group of students from Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai ( Lauren Arundel , Stephen O’Sullivan, Michael O’Sullivan, Aoife Cotter, Abbey Desmond and Caoimhe Barry), accompanied by Clodagh O’Driscoll and Maria O’Sullivan, flew from Cork to Newcastle. On arrival we were greeted by Debbie Connell of the BATH group and of the King James I Academy in Bishop Auckland. 

We spent five fun filled days with the BATH group and the youth forum group and enjoyed many trips and activities such as, The Hub (outdoor education centre) and King James I Academy.  On Sunday morning we attended a very eventful Methodist mass and a rehearsal of ‘Behind My Eyes’, a drama performed by the BATH group and Jamaican group. In the evening the drama was performed in front of a packed house. We were all inspired and blown away by the sheer talent of both the BATH group and Jamaican group. What made it so special was the convincing performance of every single actor and the simple but effective set they produced it on. This drama was by far one of the most impressive aspects of the trip.

The Jamaican group are from the Montego Bay Boys and Girls Club and established a link with the BATH group over the past few years. Members of the Jamaican group have visited Bishop Auckland twice. In a joint venture, having had only three rehearsals and one Skype rehearsal, both groups performed a play about racial differences.

We enjoyed two days at King James I Academy and this was certainly an eye opening experience for all.  The differences between Irish and English Educational systems are interesting and were apparent from the beginning. The school day was divided into 5 classes, all 1 hour long. They had student assembly, student ratio, House competitions (Something along the lines of harry potter). In England drama is a subject curriculum and can be chosen by students when studying their GCSEs (Junior Cert is Irish equivalent). We watched and participated in a number of drama classes which was entertaining. The BATH group is a drama group but it is closely linked with the school. The drama teachers Joanne and, particularly, Steve manage the BATH group.

The whole purpose of the trip was to discuss Youth Democracy and to question, in particular, “do young people have a say in their local communities?” The three groups came together, the BATH Group, the Jamaican Group and the Irish group and they examined this question through drama
and then discussed the issues that arose. They then discussed how they could further this project in their communities such as writing a letter to someone in power stating the issues that arose in the meeting.”