White City Black Country by Peter Cann · Celebrating the Black Country’s role as a home to...
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For immediate release 10/8/2011 The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain presents White City Black Country by Peter Cann A world premiere at the Black Country Living Museum on 27, 28, 29 August 2011 This August the prestigious National Youth Theatre will stage a spectacular new promenade piece of theatre at the open-air Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, exploring the Olympic heritage of the region. This ambitious intergenerational production will feature a cast of 50, including some of the most talented young performers from around the UK, local young performers and local older people. Celebrating the Black Country’s role as a home to veteran Olympic medallists, this thrilling show is inspired by untold local stories and first-hand accounts from Olympic competitors. One of the older participants who has inspired the production and will be performing is 1948 Olympic medal winner and current president of Solihull cycling club Tommy Godwin, who is now 90 years old. Godwin won two bronze cycling medals in the 1,000m time trial and the team pursuit 1948 games, dubbed ‘the austerity Olympics’ and is an ambassador for the 2012 Olympic Games in the UK. Paul Roseby, Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre and broadcaster said: “With less than one year to go to the 2012 Games, White City Black Country is set to be a fitting celebration of the rich Olympic heritage of the West Midlands. We’ll be drawing on some astonishing local and national talent to create an entertaining and moving show full of wit, energy and a good old story.’ Memories and stories gathered from local people including Tommy Godwin will be recreated with spectacular choreographed movement, music and animated storytelling. This is a unique opportunity to see the ground breaking National Youth Theatre at one of the UK’s most epic outdoor museum’s, which will close in the evenings for the performances. National Youth Theatre would like to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund, without whom it would not be possible to stage White City Black Country. Anne Jenkins, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund West Midlands, said: “The return of the Olympics to the UK in 2012 provides the perfect opportunity for us to reflect and celebrate our sporting heritage. Through collecting, exploring and sharing the stories of Olympians from the West Midlands, these young people will create a lasting record of this important part of our social history.”
Transcript of White City Black Country by Peter Cann · Celebrating the Black Country’s role as a home to...
For immediate release 10/8/2011
The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain presents
White City Black Country by Peter Cann
A world premiere at the Black Country Living Museum on 27, 28, 29 August 2011
This August the prestigious National Youth Theatre will stage a spectacular new
promenade piece of theatre at the open-air Black Country Living Museum in
Dudley, exploring the Olympic heritage of the region.
This ambitious intergenerational production will feature a cast of 50, including some
of the most talented young performers from around the UK, local young performers
and local older people.
Celebrating the Black Country’s role as a home to veteran Olympic medallists, this
thrilling show is inspired by untold local stories and first-hand accounts from Olympic
competitors.
One of the older participants who has inspired the production and will be
performing is 1948 Olympic medal winner and current president of Solihull cycling
club Tommy Godwin, who is now 90 years old. Godwin won two bronze cycling
medals in the 1,000m time trial and the team pursuit 1948 games, dubbed ‘the
austerity Olympics’ and is an ambassador for the 2012 Olympic Games in the UK.
Paul Roseby, Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre and broadcaster said:
“With less than one year to go to the 2012 Games, White City Black Country is set to
be a fitting celebration of the rich Olympic heritage of the West Midlands. We’ll be
drawing on some astonishing local and national talent to create an entertaining
and moving show full of wit, energy and a good old story.’
Memories and stories gathered from local people including Tommy Godwin will be
recreated with spectacular choreographed movement, music and animated
storytelling. This is a unique opportunity to see the ground breaking National Youth
Theatre at one of the UK’s most epic outdoor museum’s, which will close in the
evenings for the performances.
National Youth Theatre would like to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund, without whom
it would not be possible to stage White City Black Country.
Anne Jenkins, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund West Midlands, said:
“The return of the Olympics to the UK in 2012 provides the perfect opportunity for us
to reflect and celebrate our sporting heritage. Through collecting, exploring and
sharing the stories of Olympians from the West Midlands, these young people will
create a lasting record of this important part of our social history.”
Listings
White City Black Country by Peter Cann
7pm 27,28,29 August 2011
Black Country Living Museum
Directed by Paul Edwards and Marcia Carr
ENDS
For more information contact Joe Duggan on [email protected] or 020 7036
9018.
Notes
National Youth Theatre
The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain discovers, inspires, and trains diverse
young
talent from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It embraces young
people’s fearless energy and individual voices to produce powerful theatre by
telling stories of our time to critical acclaim. NYT has been providing the next
generation of creative, articulate, responsible citizens for 55 years and are as
ambitious as the young people they serve. You can see NYT on stage, on screen, in
stadiums and in unusual spaces both at home and abroad. The National Youth
Theatre is an epic, ensemble company that changes lives through its passion for the
arts.
Black Country Living Museum
(Please enter notes to editors here)
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and
learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic
buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions,
customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation’s heritage for everyone else to
enjoy. Since 1994 it has supported more than 26,000 projects, allocating over
£4billion across the UK. www.hlf.org.uk
