Flinders University welcomed 120 high school students from eight schools across Adelaide and regional South Australia to participate in this year’s Young Theatre Makers Award, held at Matthew Flinders Theatre on 30 October.
Delivered in partnership with State Theatre Company South Australia and Drama SA, the award places a focus on theatre-making by young people, in addition to connecting students with professional artists, resources and performance opportunities.
Now in its fourth year, the YTM award involves schools from Adelaide’s northern, eastern, southern and western suburbs – and this year also welcomed students from St Martins Lutheran College in Mount Gambier.
Sacred Heart College received this year’s award for a stirring piece about the Irish Troubles, with honourable mentions awarded to St Martins Lutheran College and Seaford Secondary College. The judging panel brought together representatives from State Theatre Company South Australia, Drama SA and Flinders University.
Responding to this year’s theme of ‘Truth’, students used theatre to explore subjects including the complexity of young women’s relationships, imagining the ways that cults can take over families, and considering how grief resonates in regional communities.
The series of short performances were as moving as they were funny, presented by students at the Matthew Flinders Theatre stage with support from Flinders technical staff Andy Bailey and Scott Castledine, and State Theatre Company Stage Manager Ashlee Scott.
Students contributed as performers, writers, directors and designers, taking responsibility for their own work within a shared creative framework. This year’s focus on physical theatre encouraged ensembles to explore movement, stage pictures and visual storytelling alongside text.
Participating schools were supported by Flinders Drama alumna Kitty Adams (2018), an accomplished actor, puppeteer and devisor who delivered physical theatre workshops, and Dr Peter Beaglehole, who delivered dramaturgical workshops.
“Young people are whip smart, funny and I’m always delighted to see how much they progress between the workshops and the final presentation,” says Dr Beaglehole. “I’m very impressed by their insight and willingness to tackle big ideas and distil them through their own storytelling. I hope to meet them in our creative arts courses in the future.”
The YTM program also introduced students to the practical expectations of theatre production, with each ensemble preparing a 15-minute performance and working within a scheduled technical and dress rehearsal.
“What strikes me most is the professionalism the program asks of young people, and how readily they meet it,” said Petra Kalive, Artistic Director and co-CEO of State Theatre Company South Australia.
“For the students, it is proof that their voice belongs on a professional stage.”
The award’s alignment with Stage 1 Drama assessment enables secondary school teachers to integrate the project into classroom learning, while giving students an opportunity to share their work with a public audience.
A participating teacher said the Young Theatre Makers Program provided a highlight for all students. “Being able to work collaboratively to devise their own work while receiving feedback and support from Flinders and the State Theatre Company has been an incredible opportunity,” they said. “The students have learnt so much.”
For Flinders University, the partnership connects school students with the people, spaces and creative practices of university theatre training, while strengthening relationships between schools and the professional sector.