OPAN festival at Oldham Library

Oldham Theatre Workshop and Oldham Coliseum Theatre have launched a new youth theatre festival.

More than 100 young people from 10 local schools and theatre groups will perform at the Oldham Performing Arts Network (OPAN) Youth Theatre Festival, organised by Oldham Theatre Workshop with the Coliseum, running February 3-6 at Workshop’s new theatre studio in the JR Clynes Building - better known to history as Oldham Central Library, reopened last summer after a £32million refurbishment.

The festival offers a performance platform for Year 7-9 students, at the centre of which is a newly-commissioned play, King of the Trees by playwright Alice Bunker-Whitney. The play is inspired by the loss of the 200-plus year old Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, felled by vandals in 2023. The piece has been shaped through workshops with Oldham’s young people and teachers. Each school will present its own version of the play, with groups encouraged to add their own scenes to make every performance unique.

The festival forms part of an expanding programme of participatory arts between the Coliseum and Oldham Theatre Workshop, to champion creative education, connect local schools and give young people the opportunity to perform on a professional stage.

Coliseum CEO Martina Murphy said, “The festival allows us to open our doors wider and give young people across Oldham the chance to explore their talent, build confidence and make theatre together.”

Oldham Theatre Workshop's artistic director, James Atherton, added, “Young people thrive when they’re given the space to create. This festival brings 10 schools together to fill Oldham with a positive buzz of creativity. We’re proud to collaborate with the Coliseum on a project that not only develops skills, but celebrates youth voices and strengthens our artistic community.”

More info here