78 young people / 27 workshops / 20 plays
The final stop on the tour was to Dumfries & Galloway where we worked with Dumfries Theatre Royal and four schools in the region to deliver writing and song writing workshops; Sanquhar Academy, Stranraer Academy, Dalbeattie High School, and Dumfries High School.
Previously, Class Act worked only with playwrights, but through the tour we’ve been able to expand and offer a variety of creative reference points for participating young people to engage with writing. This has been possible through the facilitators that we employ and through our jotter of guest artists tasks featuring workshop ideas from creatives such as Be Charlotte (Singer & Songwriter), Apphia Campbell (Writer, Performer, Singer & Storyteller), Dave Hook (Rapper & Hip Hop Artist), Douglas Maxwell (Writer of plays and musicals), Iain McGinley (Games Narrative Writer) and so many more. Their writing careers and reference points span theatre, TV, film, music, poetry, animation, gaming. Just about any form of creative writing you can think of!
Getting the young people to explore writing in all its forms gives them a multitude of perspectives and voices from the world of writing and more opportunity to find their voice. We aim to make writing, storytelling and theatre more accessible to young people who might not think it is for them, consider it a possible career option or something to find freedom, joy and self-expression through.
Thanks for following our Class Act On Tour journey – and we hope to see you at a Class Act Showcase soon!
We grew up in Castle Douglas (Galloway), and when we were younger we lacked the role models in the creative arts. For us, we thought becoming musicians was a bit of a fantasy but to be in the room with so many locals who have gone on to work in the creative industries must be massive for those young people.
Enjoy this script from the Dumfries & Galloway collection:
1 IN 2
by Seren
From Dalbeattie High School
GIRL: I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. In school we would always get asked; ‘Where do you want to be in 10 years?’ And I would simply say, ‘I don’t know.’ I guess I just never thought I would end up here, only a year later, with my life coming to an end in a matter of months. You see it on adverts, a big bold message at the end of the TV show that says ‘1 in 2 of us will get cancer’. But for some reason you never think you’ll be the unlucky sod with the disease. I tried to keep a smile on my face at the start but when my hair started falling out I think it made it real.
Having cancer sucks, sure, but it’s my mum I feel the saddest for. Once I’m gone, I won’t be around to experience the pain anymore, but it’s my mum who won’t get to see me in a wedding dress, or experience holding her grandchild in her arms for the first time or even have someone to bitch to when she’s had a rubbish day at work. Sounds silly, considering I’m the one that’s dying, but I’m really going to miss her. I’m going to miss everything. The rain, the early mornings, and even airplane toilets. That’s the beauty of life though, it’s full of both messy and magical moments. And as much as this isn’t my finest one…
She pulls out a gun.
I’m afraid you’re gonna have to give me the money. Because if I can’t be with my dearest beloved mother later on in life, then at least I can leave her filthy, stinking rich. Like mansion rich. I’m talking swimming pool rich. Retire early and head to the Maldives rich. She’s worked hard enough. So have you babes, it’s rough being a bank teller. Especially when you’re robbed by a teenage girl with cancer. That’ll be a fun one to tell the grandkids.
She stuffs money into her backpack.
One in two of us will get cancer in our lives. But only a small percentage of us will do something totally badass about it.
She exits.