Derby Theatre is thrilled to have been nominated in two categories, linked to two projects which the Theatre leads on in partnership with organisations across the city and beyond, one for Digital Project of the Year for Odyssey, as part of Plus One; and one for Community Project of the Year, as part of Derby CAN for Over to You.
The Stage Awards launched in 2010 to highlight the achievements of theatre companies and individuals across the UK and globally. Now in its thirteenth year, The Stage has awarded 95 winners with its prestigious accolades, from national theatres and large-scale organisations to small theatres above pubs and individual unsung heroes behind the scenes.
For the Digital Project of the Year and Odyssey
A needs analysis gauging the interests of young people across the care sector showed that while they didn’t see themselves as participating in arts, video games were popular, particularly in residential care. Odyssey was Derby Theatre’s imaginative response to that research. Producer Tom Craig and digital curator John Whall ran virtual-reality workshops to investigate the idea of offering an immersive state of play that would encourage young people to create without committing to the idea of ‘art’. There were initially no rules: just turn up and try on a headset. They were then invited to design their own bedroom. How would it look and what if there were no limitations? Playwright Simon Marshall and spoken-word poet Ndukwe Onuoha joined the team and together they created an immersive digital VR performance experience. As the young people curated their worlds, stories emerged. Leicester organisation MBD created the virtual experience, and to make it as immersive as possible, University of Derby audio engineering students designed an ambisonic rig to spread the sound for a more realistic experience. Musical composition, songs and sound were added via the company, participants and a composer. At the Roundhouse at Derby College, audiences experienced the piece performed live by the young people with the audience immersed in the virtual world of their ideas. Stepping through a series of rooms, audiences saw ‘home’ and the reality of transient lives but also looked towards hope for the future, with the final space, a large open stage that looked out, not into an audience but an endless sea and a bright horizon.
For the Community Project of the Year and Derby CAN for Over to You
Derby Theatre’s aim to be a producing hub for everyone, realising the creative potential of all, is manifest through Derby Creative Arts Network and its summer festival Over to You. The statement is in the title of this multi-partner network, which is working hard, and with a furious energy, to develop local skills, talent and opportunity for the people of the city. It’s an infectious can-do attitude. The work is ongoing, has many manifestations and it never stops, as it recognises that you have to meet people where they are and on their terms. The work that Derby CAN does has been scaling up, and in September 2022 Over to You was a month-long community festival hosted by Revel Puck Circus in a big top in a local park. Including a co-created show called Made by Us, the festival also offered paid training placements, paid opportunities for local performers and companies, and significant parts of the programme were created by the community after open calls for artists. It was marketed by the community, too. This festival was part of an ongoing drive on the journey from community participation to community ownership. The project underlines the fact that if you build it, they will come, and that if you build it together there will be a lasting impact
The winner of each category in The Stage Awards 2023 will be announced at an awards ceremony on Monday 30 January, 2023 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London.