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Young Vic Taking Part: Neighbourhood Theatre Company presents 'The Collective'.

An 8-month co-creation initiative to empower community artists (age 25+) to create a full production from scratch.

We chose 50 local adults to form 'The Collective' and divided them into working groups based on interests & skillsets. These working groups each held a piece of our process whilst being led & up-skilled by industry professionals to actualise The Collective's ideas & concepts.

The process was divided into four terms;

Term 1 Spring 2024 (1 evening a week) - ideas generation & exploring what the participants cared about.

Term 2: Summer 2024 (1 day a week) - writing scripts & initial design.

Term 3 Autumn 2024 (1.5 days a week) - model box presentation, acting workshops & dramaturgy.

Term 4 Jan/Feb 2025 (3 weeks intensive) - rehearsal, tech, 1wk production run.

Every participant actively contributed to each stage in this process and I was lucky enough to facilitate their journey, ensuring they could each see a part of their contribution somewhere in the final show.

CREATIVE TEAM

DIRECTOR Michelle Payne
MOVEMENT CONSULTANT Christopher Tendai
SET & COSTUME DESIGN CONSULTANT Natalie Pryce
SOUND DESIGN & COMPOSITION CONSULTANT Matt Greaves
IN-HOUSE ADDITIONAL SOUND DESIGN SUPPORT Neil McKeown
IN-HOUSE LIGHTING DESIGN CONSULTANT George Heaton
CO-DRAMATURG Emma Dennis-Edwards
CO-DRAMATURG & EXEC PRODUCER Shereen Jasmin Phillips
LEAD PRODUCER Alisha Artry
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Michelle Cullimore
ASSISTANT PRODUCER Enyonam Ansah
TRAINEE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Nim Gill
COMPANY STAGE MANAGER Abi Morris
DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER Valentina Cutri

PRODUCTION PHOTOS

By Aaron Imuere

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The
Participants

Actors:
Adar Owuna, Boma Braide, Yiannis Sykovaris, Kandy Rohmann, Katerina Kaloyerou, Kemi, Adekoya, Ketrina Brisefert, Lorna Miri, Matilde Cerruti Quara, Moe Farah, Nana Yaa Oforiwaa Osei-Bonsu, Peter Barrs, Sasha Winslow, Shahab Awad, Tracey-Ann Henry, Marina Hussain Leones, Michael Sookhan.

Lighting and Sound:
Darren Anthony Spencer, Liz Heasman, Peter Phillips, Ariel Elkarif, Kemi Adekoya.

Movement:
Cherlyn Miller, John Watts, Seamus Kennedy.

Set & Costume:
Anne-Marie Garbrah, Elisa Rovelli, Marilyn Rogers, Matilde Sazio, Ama Ababio, Roxceina Hibbert, Jennifer Anne Marshall (stage management trainee).

Writers:
Elsa Joseph, Frances Timlin, Joyce Abosi, Kandy Rohmann, Kevin O'Neill, Rahkim Thomas Hunte, Simon Bracken, Stephen Foley, Thelma Purcell, Xanthus Peters, Jennifer Haynes.