Drama students aged 13-18 are invited to participate in the 2022 National Youth Theatre Connections project taking place at the Youth Arts Centre, Kensington Road Douglas.

An introductory free workshop will be held at the Youth Arts Centre on Wednesday 20th October between 5pm and 7pm.

Each year the National Theatre commissions ten new plays for young people to perform, bringing together some of the UK's most exciting writers with the theatre-makers of tomorrow. 300 youth theatre companies and over 6,000 young people from every corner of the UK are producing a Connections play this year.

To take part you must be aged between 13 and 19. Rehearsals will run on Wednesday and Fridays 5pm -7pm at the Youth Arts Centre. This is open to everyone who would like to take part on stage or off working on other design elements such as lighting design. This year, the partner theatre will be York Theatre Royal. Between the 5th and the 10th April, the cast will be taking their chosen play to York, where they will perform whilst getting the chance to see other plays. They will have the opportunity to participate in workshops led by leading artists. Past Connections members have made lifelong friendships and gone on to great things within the Arts including further education as Drama Schools and one member now filming a series for Netflix.

Directing the play this year will be David Dawson. This will be David's 6th time directing the National Theatre Connections play. David is well known as a performer and director on the Island, most recently directing “Shrek the Musical” with Douglas Choral Union. He is also a NODA award winner receiving the Best Actor award for his portrayal of Gomez Addams in Centre Stage Productions’ “The Addams Family”.

David said: “We are overjoyed to once again be taking part in National Theatre Connections. For the past 6 years we have performed within the world’s largest youth festival taking new plays to Cardiff, Bath, Warwick and Inverness with our young Island performers.”

Peter Shimmin will be this year’s Assistant Director. Peter is an actor and director from the Isle of Man with training from the Arts University Bournemouth (2013). Peter has gone on to perform in Spain and the UK in various touring productions, short films and theatre. Theatre credits in London include London Road, Candide, Lucky Stiff and Frankenstein. Peter was also the director for Dogfight and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, all for SEDOS.

Peter Shimmin said: “I am very excited to be the Assistant Director for NTC 2022, supporting David Dawson who I have worked with on many shows before. I am passionate about creating incredible opportunities for up-and-coming Manx performers, and with this production the young people involved will have every opportunity to shine.”

Interested participants should register interest with Arts Development Manager, Jane Corkill (Jane.Corkill@gov.im) or just come along on Wednesday 20th October.

You can also visit - https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning/connections to learn more about the initiative.

You can follow along with the Isle of Man cast for National Theatre Connections on Facebook by searching ‘National Theatre Connections IOM’ or by following this link: https://www.facebook.com/NTConnectionsIOM. On the page you will be able to see all the most recent updates such as press releases, cast member bios and behind the scenes insights as rehearsals take place.

2021 NT Connections                    

The Youth Arts Centre have taken part in the festival for many years and last year the team production of 'Wind / Rush Generation(s)' written by Dr. Mojisola Adebayo. It was directed Shawn Sturnick with fifteen young actors, ages 14-18, from three island high schools and the University College.

The play was about the British Isles, its colonial past and its impact on the present. Set in a senior common room, in a prominent university, a group of 1st year undergraduates are troubled, not by the weight of their workload, but by a ‘noisy’ ghost.

Dr. Mojisola Adebayo said: "The whole team did an absolutely fantastic job with what I realise is a very challenging script. The sense of collaboration, playfulness, generosity of spirit, care, passion, compassion and emotion, the sensitivity, precision, depth and focus blew me away. What a tour de force!"

Youth Arts Centre, Kensington Road

Formerly the Douglas School of Art, the Youth Art Centre is a performing and visual art venue for young people.