OCTOBER 2003
Mary has already given three performances of her new play "The Unwelcome Hero" with other performances booked. This is a new version of Odysseus' last adventure and his return home after the war in Troy .
She has written and performed a new play for pre-school children. It is another story about Miss Miggins and is called “Miss Miggins and The Fox Cub”. Miss Miggins cat is missing the morning after the fox attacked the chickens in Farmer Jack's hen run. She is eventually found in the company of a new friend who also becomes part of Miss Miggins' household. The play premiered at Loughborough Town Hall at a pre-school event with another performance booked, October22nd, at the nursery unit, Angram Bank Primary school , Sheffield .
On Saturday October 25th Mary will be working in collaboration with children's book illustrator Lynne Chapman at Rotherham Arts Centre over two days. On the first day, Mary will be giving performances of some of her plays from “The Adventures of Odysseus” series followed by drama workshops where the children, inspired by Mary's performance, will devise their own stories.
On the second day, using these stories as a starting point, the children will then create illustrations with Lynne from which they will design and make a unique mask. Lynne's web site is www.lynnechapman.co.uk
The Disabilities Arts Project is now well under way and should be operative in January. This is an arts project for young adults that Mary is setting up with funding from Social Services Derbyshire County Council. Mary, (who will be teaching drama), is working on another collaboration, this time with Beki Betts music therapist. Mark Money, a multi media consultant, who will be making a photographic record of the work helped by the young people, will join them.
AUGUST 2003
The autumn Term is to be an exciting one for Mary. Firstly, she is to work in collaboration with two different artists on two different projects.
For one of these, Mary has received funding to set up an arts project for young people with learning disabilities. She will be working intensively with a music therapist, Beki Betts, for a period of eight weeks and their work will lead to a public performance by the young people. Look out for more details in the weeks to come!
For the second project Mary will be working with children’s book illustrator, Lynne Chapman - www.lynnechapman.co.uk - at an event at Rotherham Arts Centre in October. Mary will give performances of some of her plays from "The Adventures Of Odysseus" followed by drama workshops and a creative writing workshop. Lynne will then continue this work, helping the children to illustrate their writing.
In addition to these collaborations Mary will be touring her new play, "The Unwelcome Hero". This is a new version of Odysseus’ last adventure and his return home after the war in Troy. It is yet another exciting and thrilling story about the Greek hero, Odysseus.
MAY 2003
Since writing the new series "The Adventures of Odysseus", Mary has been engaged by many schools to perform a selection of them depending upon topics and projects being studied in school.
This summer term sees her, in addition to performing from her established repertoire, touring some schools in NE Derbyshire with selections from "The Adventures of Odysseus" and "The Hero Returns".
Mary will be touring the play "Theseus" in Sheffield.
The performances will be followed by Drama workshops leading into creative writing workshops, all taught by Mary. These will be aimed at children in Years 2 & 3. She will also be following the same format of workshops for Year One children but the plays performed for them will be from The Railway Series.
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