AWARD-winning filmmaker, and former Turrets member, Ollie Smith is set to re-join the dale youth theatre group in January for six months.
Mr Smith, whose debut feature film Verve was filmed in Teesdale, will take over running the Turrets in January while group leader Christina Castling is on maternity leave.
Mum of one, Ms Castling, who became the leader of the Turrets in January, is expecting her second child on Boxing Day.
She said: “I will be away from January until July but the Turrets is in great hands with Ollie.”
Mr Smith, from Barnard Castle, was not only was a member of the youth theatre group for six years, but ran the junior class for 18 months just over a decade ago.
The 34-year-old writer and director was a semi-finalist of the ISA comedy screenplay competition and was placed in the top ten per cent of the BBC writers’ room in 2022.
He said: “I’m looking forward to working with the theatre group again. I have missed the energy of actors that age, with their self-confidence.
“The two groups will be very different to work with and we will be doing more for the memory skills with the older ones.”
During Covid Mr Smith created a documentary for Northern Heartlands recording people’s experiences during the pandemic as well as filming scenes from St Mary’s Parish Church, in Barnard Castle, which was broadcast online due to restrictions.
The Turrets meet on a Wednesday evening at The Witham and run two groups. Sessions for juniors, open to ages eight to 12, run from 4.30pm to 5.30pm. while seniors (13 to 18 years) meets from 5.45pm until 7.15pm.
For more information about the Turrets or to register, email turrets22@the witham.org.uk.
