Youth drama festival coming to Woking

A NEW drama festival is heading to Woking and young amateur thespians are being invited take part.

The first Woking Youth Drama Festival (WYDF) will be held in the town's Rhoda McGaw Theatre in The Peacocks Centre from March 18-23 next year.

The six-day festival, organised by Woking Drama Association and Woking Borough Council's Celebrate Woking project, will give amateur groups the chance to perform in front of established judges and qualify for the national All Winners Festival.

Drama enthusiasts under the age of 21 who belong to a youth or school drama group are invited to take part and are being asked to submit scripts of plays for the festival. 

Stewart Mison, chairman of the Woking Drama Association, said: "This is the first drama festival we have organised for young people in Woking and we hope it will build from the success and reputation of Woking's long standing current drama festival in October each year. 

"It's a fantastic opportunity for groups to really build on their talent and to have fun whilst doing so. Woking Youth Drama Festival is the perfect place for groups to take their talent to the next level and we look forward to seeing what local groups are working on."

Cllr David Bittleston, Woking Borough Council's portfolio holder for cultural and community development, said: "This is a wonderful six-day event that really engages young people in the Borough with an interest in drama. 

"There is a wealth of talent in local and school drama groups and I'd encourage them to enter the festival to display this."

A school or group may enter more than one team, and the play must run for longer than 20 minutes and for no more than 60 minutes.

There will be two age group categories, 16 years and under, and groups aged 16 to 21 years.

Awards will be presented in the categories of Festival Winning Play, Festival Runner Up, Best Actor (under 16 and 16 to 21 years), and Best Actress (under 16 and 16 to 21 years).

The deadline for entries is Monday December 3 and groups must also submit their script at this time along with a £20 entry fee.

For more information, please contact Hannah Smith on 01483 743702, email hannah.smith@woking.gov.uk or visit www.woking.gov.uk/arts or www.wokingdramafestival.co.uk for an application pack.