Woy Woy Little Theatre (WWLT) is set to launch a new theatre program for young people aged 12-18, to culminate in a performance in July.
Long-time WWLT member Greg Buist is spearheading the Spark Festival program, which will be similar to the group’s annual adult Flash Festival of short plays.
A primary school teacher for more than 35 years, Buist has run a drama/theatre group called Comedy Club before school most Friday mornings of the school year for the past 15 years.
He has had lead roles in a number of plays for Woy Woy Little Theatre including Ben Hur, Four Flat Whites In Italy, Arsenic and Old Lace and Dial M For Murder.
Buist also has been in more than a dozen musicals for Gosford Musical Society at Laycock St Community Theatre and was a member of the first committee which worked to create the Flash Festival, which is now in its 10th year.
“Last year, just after we finished Ben Hur, I thought it would be great to have a short play festival similar to Flash but for younger people,” he said.
“I talked it over with a few other members and it snowballed from there.
“We will hold our first introductory session at Peninsula Theatre from 1pm on April 30.
“We will take registrations, show the kids around the theatre and then go over to the adjacent community centre, where our first four-six sessions will be held.”
Buist said drama games would be a large component of these initial sessions, to be held from 1pm to 3pm on Sundays beginning on May 7.
Other WWLT members, including Andrew Thomson, who runs regular adult theatre games nights at Peninsula Theatre, will help conduct the sessions.
“After that, we will be holding writing workshops if there is interest,” Buist said.
“Then we will be starting to rehearse the performance pieces.”
Performances will be held at Peninsula Theatre on July 1 and 2 and will comprise short plays featuring the children.
“There will be no audition process,” Buist said.
“Every child who attends the sessions will be involved in the production.
“The plays performed could be published short plays or pieces written by the children themselves.
“Being our first year, we will be very much playing it by ear.
“We have a few plays in mind for possible inclusion but would much prefer to use plays written by the children themselves.”
Buist has approached several schools to encourage children to register and hopes others will be interested.
“This will be a great thing for the kids themselves, but also for the theatre group,” he said.
“It will hopefully allow Woy Woy to cast shows we haven’t been able to do in the past as we see youngsters develop through Spark.”
For more information in becoming involved in Spark, go to www.sparkwoywoy.com, email 202sparkwoywoy@outlook.com or call 0434 717 087.
Terry Collins