93 young people / 38 workshops / 19 plays
Over the last two years we’ve had the joy of taking our flagship education project, Class Act, on tour around Scotland. Our first stop on the tour was Aberdeenshire partnering with Aberdeen Arts Centre, Aberdeen Performing Arts and Light the Blue Festival, and working with pupils from five schools; St Machar, Bridge of Don, The Gordon Schools, Bucksburn Academy & Harlaw Academy.
Five facilitators ran weekly writing workshops with the pupils who then wrote 19 plays covering topics ranging underground catacombs adventures, false imprisonment, familial relationships, coming out, a rollercoaster journey through one man’s life, a boy who thinks he’s Harry Potter and so much more.
What is delightful about each version of Class Act is you really don’t know what the young people are going to write about. What we do know is, give the tools, the space and the encouragement to be creative and what you will get is stories bursting with energy, and pieces that are a true, honest and insightful reflection of the concerns and excitements of Scotland’s young people.
Every young person has a story, and this project gives them the platform and skills to tell it.
I think by ensuring that the projects that work really well in big urban centres further south can be brought up north, I think that’s a really important thing. It helps us champion and illuminate the voices of local young people in Aberdeen and the shire. When you see yourself and hear yourself and hear your words represented on the stage, that has such an impact.
Here’s a script from the fantastic collection from Aberdeenshire:
MILLION DOLLAR TICKET
by Patricia, Teigen, Elle & Cameron
Characters
SARAH: teenage girl
CJ: teenage boy
BLAIR: teenage boy
-
Sarah stares at the train contemplating whether this was a good idea or not. She lets out a sigh and boards the train.
SARAH: Thank you.
She starts walking down to the back of the train.
SARAH: Row 32… row 33… row 34… row 35.
She reaches her assigned seat and stops in her tracks as she sees CJ, a boy with a black cap sat in the seat across the table from hers.
SARAH: Excuse me, I think you have the wrong seats.
CJ: No, this is my seat, I’m sure of it. Why? Did you book the whole block or something?
SARAH shakes her head and sits down across from him.
SARAH: Yeah, I was told by my parents who booked this train for me that I had the whole section free.
CJ: What, are you that scared of small talk or something? Have to sit by yourself wherever you go?
SARAH sighs.
SARAH: No, I just don’t like creepy people who steal my seats.
CJ: Alright fine, we’ll sit in silence I guess.
A long awkward silence.
BLAIR arrives loudly, and makes himself comfortable in the seat next to SARAH, grinning at them.
BLAIR: Alright lads! Train buddies!!
BLAIR elbows SARAH and she wriggles away.
SARAH: Alright pal.
Awkward silence.
BLAIR: Weird vibe in here.
Silence. BLAIR’s phone rings.
BLAIR: Alright pal? No I know, I just couldn’t cope with Maths anymore. Mr Munro’s doing my head in. Yeah I just snuck out the side gate. See you on Monday I guess. Was feeling sick anyway.
BLAIR drops his phone.
BLAIR: Oh my days! Not again!
BLAIR struggles to pick up his phone from under the table. SARAH leans down to help and CJ joins them.
CJ picks up BLAIR’s phone and sits back up, staring at a text.
CJ: “Now that you’re down, look up.” That’s a weird text.
CJ finds an envelope taped under the table. He unsticks it. SARAH takes it from his hand and reads it out.
SARAH: “Sarah, Blair, and CJ. Open this with care.”
CJ: That’s weird. How do they know my name?
SARAH points at CJ.
SARAH: So I’m guessing you’re CJ and the other one is Blair?
CJ and BLAIR both nod.
BLAIR: That’s mad freaky, what the-
SARAH puts the envelope down on the table.
SARAH: Well, who wants to do the honours of opening it?
CJ shakes his head.
CJ: Not me dude, there’s gonna be a virus in it or something.
SARAH looks to BLAIR.
BLAIR: Nope, you can open it.
SARAH looks at the envelope and opens it. Inside the envelope there’s a cheque and a letter for the group.
SARAH: “Dear Sarah, CJ and Blair, I am writing to you today because you have been selected for the Meikhallhill inheritance. You need to find the person the cheque is assigned to. Good luck, children. Instructions will be texted to one of you.”
CJ: Nope, no, nah, that’s weird, I’m out, cya.
BLAIR: Me too, sorry Sarah.
SARAH: No wait guys! Where is this train going? I was emailed the ticket, and I felt adventurous, so…
CJ and BLAIR’s faces go cold with realisation.
BLAIR: Where are we going?