Cinemagic hosted a Devising Musical Theatre Camp in for 11-18 year olds from across Northern Ireland in Portadown Town Hall supported by OFMDFM Together: Building a United Community.
Over the course of two weekends the young people developed new creative skills through unique workshops with industry professionals which focused on drama, devising theatre, acting, singing and dancing. The preparation and rehearsals culminated in an outstanding performance of an original production for invited families and friends which exceeded all expectations. Cinemagic filmmakers filmed the project and young people and the audience enjoyed the screenings of the behind-the-scenes footage on the final day of the camp.
Cinemagic Chief Executive, Joan Burney Keatings, MBE said “ We were so impressed with the passion and enthusiasm displayed by all of the young participants in the project. With funding support from OFMDFM Together Building a United Community, we were able to provide an outlet for creative talent and an opportunity for young people to develop a range of new skills and work collectively on a mutual goal with people from different cultural backgrounds.”
A spokesperson for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister said: “We commend Cinemagic’s Musical Theatre Camp which has been made possible by a £1million programme of Summer Camps funded through the Executive’s ‘Together: Building a United Community’ Strategy for good relations.
“We welcome that through these camps, a range of valuable opportunities have been provided for young people to come together for academic and leisure purposes on a cross-community basis. We have no doubt that the safe and enjoyable setting in which participants come together will build lasting understanding and friendships, and will help them discover what unites, rather than divides.”
OFMDFM is working in partnership with the Education Authority to administer the programme in 2015.
