The International Youth Theatre from Limerick has been selected to represent Ireland at a European street theatre event in Austria later this year.
Four members of the teenage theatre group, which was founded last year by the Friars’ Gate Theatre and is hosted by Scoil Carmel Secondary School, will join an Irish-based choreographer at the ‘Biondekbhune’ European Street Theatre event in Baden from 11th to 18th August.
The group will perform street theatre around the medieval Austrian town and participate in numerous workshops focusing on improvisation, street theatre, and creating and presenting scenes.
The announcement marks off a busy week for the International Youth Theatre which performed their play about the famine at Culturlann Sweeney in Kilkee on Saturday as part of the 2013 National Famine Commemoration. Written by the County Limerick Youth Theatre and supported by the Limerick County Arts Office, ‘The Voyage of the Orphans’ tells the story of the 4,000 Irish famine orphans that were transported from the workhouses of Ireland to Australia by the British Government between 1848 and 1850. The group also performed the play at Scoil Carmel Secondary school last week before hosting a free drama workshop for secondary school students.
Commenting on the upcoming trip to Austria, Limerick County Arts Officer Joan MacKernan explained: “The project, called “barriere.frei” (barrier-free), is hosted by BiondekBühne youth theatre near Vienna. Youngsters from four different countries of Europe will track down ‘barriers’, inaccessible areas, in the city of Baden and draw the attention of the public to it by means of street theatre.”
She added: “There will be an exciting team of facilitators from each country with expertise in a range of approaches and techniques. While each youth theatre member will be allocated a core group and a core facilitator, they will get a chance to work with a number of facilitators and trained youth leaders over the course of the summer camp. The facilitator from Ireland will be choreographer and movement specialist Mireya Coloma who will travel to Austria with our four chosen participants from the International Youth Theatre.”
Commenting on the progress of the Youth Theatre over the past year, Youth Theatre Director Fiona Quinn said: “A large part of the success of the Youth Theatre is down to the support and encouragement all members receive from the staff and management of Scoil Carmel who generously give of their time and facilities every week. All young people living in Limerick are welcome to join the Youth Theatre regardless of ethnic background, education or arts experience. It truly is an innovative, intercultural and inclusive experience for all young people and we are delighted they are now sharing their vision across Europe. Friars’ Gate Theatre would like to acknowledge the support of the Youth in Action programme.”
Acting Principal of Scoil Carmel, Aine Burke stated: “We are delighted to host the International Youth Theatre who meet here for workshops every week. It is a wonderful way to learn.”
For more on the County Limerick Youth Theatre contact the Limerick County Council Arts Office on 061 496 498 / 496 300
Four members of the teenage theatre group, which was founded last year by the Friars’ Gate Theatre and is hosted by Scoil Carmel Secondary School, will join an Irish-based choreographer at the ‘Biondekbhune’ European Street Theatre event in Baden from 11th to 18th August.
The group will perform street theatre around the medieval Austrian town and participate in numerous workshops focusing on improvisation, street theatre, and creating and presenting scenes.
The announcement marks off a busy week for the International Youth Theatre which performed their play about the famine at Culturlann Sweeney in Kilkee on Saturday as part of the 2013 National Famine Commemoration. Written by the County Limerick Youth Theatre and supported by the Limerick County Arts Office, ‘The Voyage of the Orphans’ tells the story of the 4,000 Irish famine orphans that were transported from the workhouses of Ireland to Australia by the British Government between 1848 and 1850. The group also performed the play at Scoil Carmel Secondary school last week before hosting a free drama workshop for secondary school students.
Commenting on the upcoming trip to Austria, Limerick County Arts Officer Joan MacKernan explained: “The project, called “barriere.frei” (barrier-free), is hosted by BiondekBühne youth theatre near Vienna. Youngsters from four different countries of Europe will track down ‘barriers’, inaccessible areas, in the city of Baden and draw the attention of the public to it by means of street theatre.”
She added: “There will be an exciting team of facilitators from each country with expertise in a range of approaches and techniques. While each youth theatre member will be allocated a core group and a core facilitator, they will get a chance to work with a number of facilitators and trained youth leaders over the course of the summer camp. The facilitator from Ireland will be choreographer and movement specialist Mireya Coloma who will travel to Austria with our four chosen participants from the International Youth Theatre.”
Commenting on the progress of the Youth Theatre over the past year, Youth Theatre Director Fiona Quinn said: “A large part of the success of the Youth Theatre is down to the support and encouragement all members receive from the staff and management of Scoil Carmel who generously give of their time and facilities every week. All young people living in Limerick are welcome to join the Youth Theatre regardless of ethnic background, education or arts experience. It truly is an innovative, intercultural and inclusive experience for all young people and we are delighted they are now sharing their vision across Europe. Friars’ Gate Theatre would like to acknowledge the support of the Youth in Action programme.”
Acting Principal of Scoil Carmel, Aine Burke stated: “We are delighted to host the International Youth Theatre who meet here for workshops every week. It is a wonderful way to learn.”
For more on the County Limerick Youth Theatre contact the Limerick County Council Arts Office on 061 496 498 / 496 300
