Centrestage is offering four courses of workshops for young people and adults in the Eastgate Theatre, Peebles, between January and March 2010.

Myriad - Live radio drama

Six Monday evening workshops for adults and young people 12+ culminating in a live performance of Myriad - a comic science fiction radio drama. Also recorded and available as CD and podcast.

Live performance and recording on Thursday April 1st 2010. Tickets on sale now at the Eastgate Theatre.

Centrestage Drama workshops

Our first set of Tuesday Performance Drama classes culminated in an open workshop evening of prepared sketches and improvised activities, drawing in audience members at times to create a fun evening of sharing our work.

Exploring Macbeth

Our course on Macbeth is now completed. Another Shakespeare course is planned for the Autumn.

Wednesday Afternoon Drama Classes for kids

In addition to the specialist courses above we offer an afternoon drama class on Wednesdays for children aged 9-13. Each class lasts an hour and develops drama skills with fun activities such as theatre games, improvisation, short performances, voice training, stage craft, mask work and dramatic storytelling.

Scroll down for full details of these courses

and booking information

Centrestage Drama Workshops

Douglas Roberts presents five evening drama workshops for young people aged 10-15 focussed on performance skills. The course culminates in an evening presentation of short comic sketches, dramatic speeches and other theatre pieces created during the workshops.

Drama builds confidence and creativity. This short active drama course is intended to be fun, inspiring and challenging, building on existing skills and experience.

During the six weeks we explore improvisation, readers theatre, devising short sketches and using light, sound and voice to create atmospheres.

In the sixth week we present an evening of entertainment for parents and friends in the Eastgate auditorium, performing work we have created in the workshops.

Tuesdays  7pm-8.30pm, Eastgate Theatre

A new set of classes begins on Tuesday Feb 23rd

For young people aged 10-15

Maximum 14 places available

Fee: £45 per person for the six weeks plus performance evening.

There will be a small audience ticket price for the performance.

Places can be booked at the Eastgate Theatre, Peebles

Box office: 01721 725777

Myriad - Radio Theatre workshops and performance

Douglas Roberts presents six evening workshops in which we collaborate to create a radio theatre performance of Myriad, a surreal comic science fiction drama.

On the final evening we perform Myriad live as a radio drama in the Eastgate Theatre to a public audience. The play will be recorded and each participant receives a CD version, and the finished recording will also be available for download as a podcast.

During the six-week course participants will learn to create sound effects, mix digital audio and create a lighting set for the show in addition to rehearsing their roles for the performance.

Myriad is an intelligent satirical science fiction play written for radio. The course is aimed at adults and young people. An enjoyable learning experience and a good evening’s entertainment for performers and audience alike.

Mondays 7pm-9pm, Eastgate Theatre

Feb 22, Mar 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and performance on Thursday April 2

For adults and young people aged 12+

Minimum 11 participants, maximum 14

Fee: £60 per person for the six workshops and performance evening, including all materials and CD

There will be a small audience ticket price for the performance evening.

Places can be booked at the Eastgate Theatre, Peebles

Box office: 01721 725777

Wednesday Drama Classes for kids

An afternoon drama class on Wednesdays for children aged 9-13.

The class lasts an hour, developing drama skills with activities such as theatre games, improvisation, short performances, voice training, stage craft, mask work and dramatic storytelling.

Our Wednesday class is designed to be intensive, educational and exciting, focussing children’s natural energy into purposeful drama. This type of drama work is highly creative and ‘hands-on’, using stories, ideas, scenarios and challenges to inspire children to originate their own work, and teaching them how to develop this into engaging stage performance.

We do not take a ‘drama-by-numbers’ approach of simply directing children in staged set-pieces and for this reason we keep our class numbers small. We expect to see rapid skills development, building self-confidence and creativity, and a growing ability to collaborate in groups.

Our drama education is not primarily about training to be an actor but about growing personal qualities. It is about nurturing creativity and imagination, developing skills in awareness, presentation and performance, building confidence and self-assurance. These rich personal qualities remain with us into adulthood and throughout our lives.

Our classes are for children with energy and imagination who are keen to develop drama skills and enjoy performance. They are equally suited to the needs of boys and girls, targetting the particular and distinctive strengths of each.

Wednesdays 5pm-6pm, Eastgate theatre

maximum 15 children per class

course of 9 classes: Jan 13, 27, Feb 3, 10, 24, Mar 3, 10, 17, 24

fee: £45 for the term of 9 classes

Places can be booked at the Eastgate Theatre, Peebles

Box office: 01721 725777

For more information contact Douglas at douglas@centrestagedrama.com