Young Producers: The Boy Who Became A Beetle (2015)
This was a project partnership between Little Earthquake and Black Country Touring.
Over the 2014-2015 academic year, 100 pupils in five Black Country primary schools became Young Producers, working with Little Earthquake and Black Country Touring to commission and create a brand-new piece of theatre for family audiences. The finished production, The Boy Who Became A Beetle, embarked on its first tour in Summer 2015, with public performances in each of the Young Producer schools and in a range of venues across the Midlands. Each Young Producer group (in Walsall, Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Dudley) was heavily involved in making collective choices about every aspect of the new production.
Between them, the Young Producers selected which show was developed from three ideas. They helped to recruit the performers and creative team. They worked with these professional artists and contributed to the story, script, music and design. Plus they developed their own promotional campaigns with marketing professionals.The very first performance of The Boy Who Became A Beetle premiered at a special gala performance for our Young Producers, complete with red carpet, photographers, VIP passes, and cupcakes. Held at the Arena Theatre. Finally, they took charge of marketing, box office, front-of-house, and stage management when the production visited their schools during the tour.
Check out the curtain raiser video below featuring students from the participating schools.
(Copy above written by Phil Holyman and Gareth Nicholls from Little Earthquake.)
With thanks to the five schools involved in the Young Producer project; Penn Hall School (Wolverhampton), Queen Victoria Primary School (Dudley), St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School (Sandwell), St John’s C.E Primary School (Walsall), and Upland’s Manor Primary School (Sandwell).