Tim Bray Theatre Company is expanding its Youth Theatre offering in 2021 with Extraordinarily Creative, a new accessible drama class developed in collaboration with Children’s Autism Foundation.
Extraordinarily Creative drama classes are created to enable children and teenagers who are differently wired find their own voice and place. It’s a weekly class for those who skip to a different beat, who see and experience things in their own extraordinary way.
Jo Sutton, General Manager, Children’s Autism Foundation, says it’s “a positive, fun and safe place for children and young people with ASD/neurodiversity to use the creativity of drama and express themselves as never before.”
Extraordinarily Creative is a safe haven where everyone’s unique abilities and gifts are celebrated. Focused on building confidence and developing skills to have a better experience of the world, the classes embrace students’ exceptional brains and energy, and, through acting techniques, guides them in a journey of self-discovery. Students play out emotions and experiences in class allowing them to build their emotional language and understand their feelings better. Interacting with classmates and tutors builds communication abilities, grows social skills and creates friendships.
Extraordinarily Creative drama classes have been developed in response to seeing the personal growth in Youth Theatre students, like that of regular student, Luke Woolley. Luke, 16, has grown in confidence through Tim Bray Theatre Company’s weekly drama classes over the past three years, building his self-esteem and social development.
Luke shared his experience of attending Tim Bray Youth Theatre and how he has benefitted from them.
What have others noticed about your involvement with Tim Bray Youth Theatre?
It is difficult to understate the enormous impact the Youth Theatre has had on my life. My parents watched me transform from an angry, isolated loner into a chilled, socially competent individual who now runs two separate tabletop gaming clubs.
Do Tim Bray Youth Theatre classes help students in ways other than performance skills, and, if so, in what way?
I think the classes have helped many students like me find acceptance and develop social skills that we may have previously struggled with. The classes bring together all kinds of people: introverts, extroverts, athletes and intellectuals, and gives them the chance to really connect with one another.
What have you learnt from drama classes that you have used elsewhere?
The drama classes taught me, more than anything, that it is okay to step outside my shell and make an effort to interact with and learn how to interact with those around me. I find myself using those skills every day now, going back to those lessons to remind me that for all the ups and downs, life is still worth living.
What strengths do you think the drama classes have brought out in you?
I discovered a natural charisma thanks to these classes, as well as a surprisingly funny sense of humour. I found out that not only did I enjoy interacting with people, but I was good at it.
Extraordinarily Creative drama classes are an extension of Tim Bray Theatre Company’s Accessible Theatre offering, with the aim of making theatre a welcoming place for all to grow. In 2020 Tim Bray Theatre Company has been recognised for their accessible programme development and receiving the 2020 Arts Access Creative New Zealand Arts For All Award awarded by Arts Access Aotearoa.
Kicking off in Term One, 2021, the first Extraordinarily Creative classes runs in North Shore at Meadowood Community House, with one hour weekly classes, in age groups from 5–16 years. For a full class description, head along to timbray.org.nz.
