Derbyshire's youth talent will shine in new plays rolled out for NT Connections Festival

The nationwide celebration champions fresh voices and bold creativity among young people, aged 13-19 years. Derby Theatre’s contribution to the festival enables participants to demonstrate their skills in performance, technical and management areas of the industry.

Six youth theatre groups will present new plays when they take over Derby Theatre for the festival. The line-up of plays is: April 24 – Fishville by Afsaneh Gray and Wlldfire Road by Eve Leigh, performed by Inspire Coventry College and Burton and South Derbyshire College; April 25 – Cloud Busting by Helen Blakeman (based on the novel by Malorie Blackman) and Sycamore Gap by Al Smith, performed by Sydney Stringer Academy and Derby Theatre Youth Theatre; April 26 – Ride Or Die by Florence Espeut-Nickless and Sycamore Gap by Al Smith, performed by Flying High and Allestree Woodlands School.

Derby Theatre’s Young Ambassadors will organise and host the city’s contribution to the festival. The stage will be operated and managed by people under the theatre’s technical training initiative.

Sarah Brigham, artistic director and chief executive officer at Derby Theatre said: "In Derby Theatre’s 50th year we are delighted to be welcoming the Connections Festival back for their 30th birthday! We really enjoy making the Connections Festival a real young person’s takeover of the whole building both onstage and off. Audiences can enjoy some fresh new writing by some of the leading writers in the country performed by some of the best young actors in our region.”

The NT Connections Festival will be supported by 33 theatres and more than 5,000 participants from 270 companies across the UK. To celebrate the vast range of talent on display nationwide this spring, eight youth theatre groups will be invited to perform their version of one of this year’s plays at the Connections Festival held at the Lowry, Salford from June 25-28.

Standard tickets cost £10 and under 26s £8 to watch any of the NT Connections Festival plays at Derby Theatre. Places can be booked by calling the box office on 01332 593939 or online at www.derbytheatre.co.uk