Young people take over theatre

By Izzy Madgwick Head of Communications, TakeOver 09

Regular theatre staff take a back seat and let young people take over

TakeOver09 is a unique project run by young people, with young people, for everyone as part of the Arts Council's Free Theatre Initiative, A Night Less Ordinary. The regular staff at the theatre will take a back seat and let a team of young people under 26, take over the reins of the theatre for three weeks from 19 September until 10 October.

We are hoping that it will become a regular part of York Theatre Royal's programming. This is a new and unique initiative that will have a lasting impression on York Theatre Royal as an organisation, York as a city, and cultivate the young people involved into Arts leaders of the future.

TakeOver is managed by a group of senior staff who work closely with a board of young people to develop and lead the festival. The positions are unpaid but require a substantial time commitment as well as a responsibility for ensuring the success of the event.

As the TakeOver Head of Communications I am shadowing Abbi Wright, York Theatre Royal's Head of Communication. I have been around the theatre for most of the summer, designing the brochure, liaising with theatre companies and press and most importantly marketing the shows! It is an amazing opportunity for a new graduate like me to gain practical experience in the working world and have a lot of fun at the same time!

Izzy is happy to be gaining experience while having fun!

I work alongside two TakeOver Artistic Directors, an Associate Director, a Festival Producer, a General Manager, a Music Associate, a Youth Theatre & Education Associate and a Pilot Theatre Associate.

In keeping with our motto, 'by young people, with young people, for everyone', we spent a lot of time trying to make our festival programme as varied and interesting as possible. One highlight is the world premiere of A Five Star Werewolf by brilliant new playwright Gabriel Bisset-Smith whose writing credits include Channel Four's Skins.

We have some great productions of Shakespeare's greatest plays including the Simon Goodwin directed production of The Winter's Tale and the Factory Theatre's production of Hamlet where the action will be completely determined by the audience.

York Theatre Royal's Young Actor's Company is producing Peter Shaffer's Equus which is a gripping psychological thriller and we also have local theatre company, Belt Up (Award-Winners at Edinburgh Festival) producing Moliere's Tartuffe and Kafka's The Trial.

As part of A Night Less Ordinary anyone under the age of 26 qualifies for free tickets for all TakeOver09 shows, as well as for performances in York Theatre Royal's normal programme.