Some of the Transition Year students on the theatre programme
‘Tenderfoot’ apprentice programme helping develop young voices
“THE Civic is delighted to support the development of new theatrical voices and to work with so many young people across the county.” remarks Niamh Honer, Audience Development and Marketing Manager at the Civic Theatre.
‘Tenderfoot’ is The Civic Theatre’s apprentice theatre programme for transition year students.
Over the weekend of Thursday, January 22, to Saturday, January 24, ‘Tenderfoot’ students performed a programme of plays by 16-year-old playwrights, plays reflecting their lives and their world, and plays exploring their fears, their worries, and their joys.
It was performed and designed by a 70-strong ensemble of young people under the guidance of working theatre professionals.
‘Tenderfoot’ is a model of excellence of an arts in education programme which empowers creative expression in a vocational educational model. Apprenticeship is the mode of learning, as students learn by doing under the guidance of working theatre professionals.
This year’s programme featured the following works: ‘Salem Sisters’ by Holly Murray of Lucan Community College, ‘Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow’, a short film of a script by Blaithín Seville, and ‘Simon Says’, devised by the cast and Esosa Ighodaro.
Other featured pieces included ‘Don’t Be A Stranger’ by Emily Pesak of Deansrath Community College, ‘Names Not Worth Remembering’ by Holly Raftery of Collinstown Park Community College, and ‘I Love You Too, Mam’ by Niamh Balfe of Lucan Community College.
“Expertly” guided by Programme Director Veronica Coburn, the Tenderfoot programme is “unique in providing a professional support system in which young people are empowered to create their own theatre”, according to Niamh.
She continues by commenting that ‘Tenderfoot’ also offers a “valuable platform for this work to be shared with a peer audience”.
Over 700 people attended the four performances.
For more information about ‘Tenderfoot,’ contact the Civic Theatre’s Education Executive, Mary Sheehan, at mary@civictheatre.ie.
‘Tenderfoot’ is supported by South Dublin County Council and the Arts Council of Ireland.
Congratulations to all involved on a successful run of performances.
