A COUNTY Durham playwright has become the new leader of dale youth theatre group The Turrets.
Christina Castling has taken over from James Barton, who led the group, based at The Witham, Barnard Castle, last year.
Ms Castling, from Spennymoor, was the founder and director of Off The Page Drama for more than a decade and from 2015-18, she worked with Live Theatre to establish the North East’s first writing centre for children.
Her latest play, A Way Home, which highlighted the plight of County Durham’s ‘D classified’ villages deemed beyond saving in the 1950s, toured the region’s venues last year.
She is currently working on a play exploring life in a care home.
Ms Castling said her love of youth theatre had drawn her to The Turrets.
“I am really passionate about the impact being involved in theatre can have for children and young people and in Teesdale there is the sense of family and community that surrounds it,” she said.
“I am excited to be involved in the group and to help them learn new stuff and create beautiful theatre as well as to see them develop as children and young people, see their confidence grow, see them develop brilliant friendships – and have a lot of fun along the way.”
Ms Castling has begun her tenure by introducing the students to different theatre skills with a view to them devising their own characters and stories for an informal show in the spring.
Later in the year, she plans to work on scripted performances and hopefully involving other youth theatre practitioners.
After that the group will be “dreaming big about what we can do,” she added.
Joint leader Laura Shaw said she was thrilled Ms Castling had joined the group.
“I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Christina, she’s already gelled so well with the Turrets family,” she said.
The Turrets meet on a Wednesday evening at The Witham and run two groups.
Sessions for juniors, open to ages eight to 11, run from 4pm to 5.30pm, while the senior group (ages 12-18) meets from 5.45pm to 7.15pm.
Although the new term has started, there are still a few spaces for anyone interested.
For full details go to https://thewitham.org.uk/event/turrets-youth-theat…
