Theatre for the Ages
Mondays during term time | 6pm–8pm
Ages 12+ | Biddulph Town Hall
Theatre for the Ages gives our older young people the opportunity to work together as a theatre company, taking real responsibility for creating and producing an original show.
From acting and directing to set design, stage management, lighting, sound and marketing, they don't just perform the production — they help make it.
MORE THAN PUTTING ON A SHOW
Theatre for the Ages is an in-depth Staged production project giving young people the opportunity to experience what it really takes to create a theatre production.
Participants don't simply rehearse a part and perform it. They work together as a theatre company, taking on real responsibilities both on stage and behind the scenes.
From acting and directing to stage management, set design, lighting, sound, marketing and production, the young people help take an original production from its first ideas all the way to a public audience.
Act • Create • Design • Produce • Perform
They don't just perform it. They help make it.
Theatre for the Ages gives young people genuine ownership of their production.
Most participants take on both an acting role and a production role, while some may choose to concentrate entirely on backstage or production.
Depending on the production, roles can include:
Acting • Assistant Directing • Stage Management • Deputy Stage Management • Set Design • Set Building • Marketing • Lighting Design • Sound Design • Production Management
These aren't simply titles. Young people are trusted with real responsibilities and supported by experienced theatre practitioners as they learn how their part contributes to the whole production.
The aim is for every young person to be able to look at the finished show and proudly say:
“I made that.”
FROM THEIR IDEAS TO THE STAGE
The young people are involved before rehearsals even begin.
Ideas, stories and characters are explored with the group, giving them the opportunity to influence the type of production they want to create.
Our writer then uses those ideas to develop an original script specifically for the group.
When rehearsals begin, that script isn't considered finished. The company can explore it, suggest changes, develop their characters and continue shaping the production as they work.
The result is a professionally facilitated production that is genuinely influenced and shaped by the young people creating it.
LEARNING BY DOING
Theatre for the Ages isn't about expecting young people to create a technically perfect show.
It's about giving them something real to achieve together.
Producing a public performance means working to deadlines, communicating with other departments, solving problems, making decisions and taking responsibility for work that other people are relying on.
And sometimes things go wrong.
A scene change might take too long. A prop might not be where it should be. Someone might miss a line or something might work differently from how it did in rehearsal.
Learning how to stay calm, communicate, support each other and solve those problems is all part of the experience.
Through the project, young people can develop:
Confidence • Resilience • Teamwork • Communication • Responsibility • Creativity • Problem-Solving • Leadership • Practical Theatre Skills
Previous Theatre for the Ages productions
Theatre for the Ages has developed through a number of original Staged productions.
We Were All Young Once
An original drama developed through Theatre for the Ages.
Swings and Roundabouts
An original musical bringing together performance and the wider creative and production process.
131 High Street
A time-travelling sketch show exploring the history and heritage of Biddulph, created and performed as part of Biddulph Festival.
Across previous projects, participants have been involved in areas including script development, casting, character development, set design, marketing, costumes and props, lighting and sound, technical rehearsals and public performances.
Fees
£7 per session
Pay as you go
or
£6 per session
When the full term is paid in advance
Our discounted term rate rewards regular commitment and helps us plan effectively for rehearsals and productions.
If paying for the term is difficult, please speak to us in confidence. We want to support families wherever we can.
Good to know
When: Mondays, January–July
Time: 6pm–8pm
Age: 12+
Where: Biddulph Town Hall
Production: Full public production
Availability: Subject to funding
Refreshments: Free juice and water
Tuck shop: Available
Developing Theatre for the Ages
Theatre for the Ages began with an intergenerational approach, bringing different generations together through theatre and helping to build relationships within the community.
Like any good project, it has continued to develop through what we have learned from delivering it.
Our proposed next stage places greater emphasis on creating a young people's theatre company, giving older young people the opportunity to take on greater responsibility, develop their own ideas and experience the many different roles involved in producing theatre.
This reflects something at the heart of Staged:
Theatre is much more than acting.
Some young people discover that they love being on stage.
Others discover they're great at designing, organising, building, managing, marketing or working technically behind the scenes.
Theatre for the Ages gives them the opportunity to discover both.
Theatre for the Ages 2027
We are currently seeking funding to bring Theatre for the Ages back in 2027.
Our proposed 2027 project is designed for approximately 16 young people aged 12–16 and would run from January to July, with weekly Monday evening sessions at Biddulph Town Hall.
The project would culminate in a full public production created with the young people's involvement both on stage and behind the scenes.
Theatre for the Ages 2027 is subject to funding.
If you are interested in taking part in a future Theatre for the Ages project, please contact us.
Register your interest
Why projects like this matter
For us, the success of Theatre for the Ages isn't measured only by what happens when the curtain goes up.
It's seeing a young person become more confident.
It's watching them solve a problem rather than giving up.
It's seeing friendships develop as a company works towards the same goal.
It's trusting a young person with something that genuinely matters and watching them rise to that responsibility.
And, at the end of it all, it's giving them something they can look at and say:
“We made this.”