Somebody’s Daughter Theatre Company (SDTC) works collaboratively with Newcomb Secondary College, Barwon Child Youth & Family and Courthouse Youth Arts to run Nobody’s Fool Theatre – a creatively led, alternative education program for young people aged 12-18 in the Geelong/G21 region. These programs allow participants that have been disengaged from mainstream education and have little to no experience in the arts to re-engage their learning in a safe and supportive environment by being provided the opportunity to participate in intensive theatre workshops leading up to the production.
Thanks to your donations, a $30,000 grant from the Give Where You Live Foundation allowed SDTC to develop a creative project, ‘Dodging the Path’, which engages young people aged 11-26.
Participants from diverse backgrounds explored the issues that young people face daily including, grappling with anxiety, developing a sense of identity and finding a place of belonging. These young participants celebrated difference by uniting their voice and performing the newly devised theatre work ‘Unapologetically Myself’.
Over 500 people attended the five public performances at the Courthouse Youth Arts Centre in December 2018. The feedback from the audience was overwhelmingly positive, including:
“Creative, rhythmic, kaleidoscope of young people’s lives. Fantastic show! Inspirational! It made me feel human, hopeful, appreciative of life.” (Lawyer 35)
“I loved it. I wanted more. I don’t feel so alone.” (Student 13)
“It was amazing. The performers were so impressive, brave and inspirational. I could feel their pain, strength and pride.” (Teacher 43)
Exceptional effort by all the students and performers involved, especially the students from Nobody’s Fool Theatre who exceeded all expectations and successfully completed their education!
Congratulations to James, a student of four years at the Nobody’s Fool Theatre who was accepted into the Victorian College for the Arts!