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Children and Families
Laughter, joy and creativity for every family.
“Really good to be able to do things together – for parents and kids… we will be coming again! Thank you” – Participant feedback, Imagination Fuel
Summer Holiday Club: Theatre Magic!
Norwich Theatre is the place to be this summer! Our new Summer Holiday Club is a great place to meet new friends, build new skills, and ignite your imagination through the magic of theatre. From wish-granting genies to ‘Wicked’ witches, anything is possible with the magic of theatre! Incredible stories are brought to life on stage through movement, drama and stagecraft, and this week, you will get the chance to sample it all in a fun, friendly and inclusive environment.
Over five fun-filled days, children in age groups of 7-10 and 11-13 will dive into the fun of theatre-making. Each day features masterclass workshops led by professional theatre makers and Norwich Theatre’s own team, as well as a host of fun games, backstage tours, activities and exercises designed to spark their creativity and provide lots of fun.
This club is suitable for anyone aged 7-13. The focus of this week is on having fun, growing confidence, and exploring how theatre can unlock a world of imagination. You don’t need any previous drama experience.
Activities for little ones (and their grown-ups)
Sing, Dance, Play provides energetic musical sessions for parents and their babies and toddlers. A chance to connect with your little one and other parents in a creative and supportive space.
At Norwich Theatre, we provide a comfortable and welcoming environment for parents, carers and children. Baby changing facilities are available in all accessible toilets, we have designated spaces to store pushchairs and buggies, and a welcoming café at Norwich Theatre Royal serving tasty treats and delicious coffee. Please enjoy our friendly space.
“We love our weekly visits! My daughter joined the class at 18 months and her confidence has grown so much. Abby’s classes have the perfect mix of free and structured play and her creative use of props and imagination creates a brilliant hour of fun.” – Participant feedback, Sing, Dance, Play for toddlers
Creative Families
We believe that creativity is great for everyone, it brings us closer together and allows us space to connect with ourselves and the people we love. Our Creative Families programme means that everyone can access the magic of theatre through workshops, drop-in activities, festivals and performances.
Free for Families
Our Creative Families programme offers creative experiences designed for families to enjoy together. Bring your loved ones to explore a variety of brand new family friendly performances, sneak previews, and enchanting storytelling sessions for all ages. It’s the perfect way to spark imaginations and inspire a lifelong passion for creativity!
All of our Creative Families work is free or pay-what-you-can. We invite families to come along and try something new, everyone is welcome.
“My granddaughter loved the experience and the fact that the children wrote the story! Your ‘pay what you can’ scheme enabled Chloe to attend. Her mum is a single parent mature student midwife with three children and cannot afford holiday activities normally.” – Participant feedback, Play in a Day
Creative Families is supported by the Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust, The Geoffrey Watling Charity, the Simon Gibson Charitable Trust and The Educational Foundation of Alderman John Norman.
Projects
Family Festival
Our annual Family Festival is a celebration of creativity and connection, with events, shows and activities for the whole family to enjoy. From drop-in drumming to family discos, there’s something for every family, and every family is welcome!
“(We enjoyed) everything about Family Festival – the price was good, the range of activities was great, we felt really welcomed by the staff, it was lovely to have free activities in between shows.”
– Participant feedback, Family Festival 2024
“The people running the workshops were very positive and approachable. My children got a lot from the activities and it was great to be able to join in and do activities alongside my children.”
– Participant feedback, Family Festival 2024
“Lovely to share the experience with my Granddaughter.”
– Participant feedback, Family Festival 2024
Our 2025 Family Festival programme is coming soon! Sign up to our mailing list to be the first to hear about it.
Children’s Theatre Partnership
The Children’s Theatre Partnership (CTP) was established in 2010 to produce and tour bold, ambitious and imaginative theatre for young people.
The aim of the partnership is to excite and engage new and diverse audiences, often introducing them to the theatre for the first time, bringing communities to their local theatres, inspiring a life-long love of theatre and supporting the UK’s most talented artists.
Running alongside this is a story led resilience programme led by Blackpool Grand, which combines the stories on stage with elements of the Resilience Framework (based on Resilient Therapy). We work with partner organisations such as schools and Norfolk County Council to look at themes of resilience within the stories and how the outcomes for the characters could change. We also seek to identify and learn from characters whose choices in stories demonstrate resilience.
Previous Children’s Theatre Partnership shows and projects include Holes, The Jungle Book, Animal Farm, Unexpected Twist, The Boy at the Back of the Class and Pig Heart Boy.
Theatre of Possibility
Our Theatre of Possibility programme aims to engage with children and young people who have experienced hardship in their lives. We provide a safe, creative and supportive space away from traditional education settings for individuals to explore complex topics, learn vocational skills and routes for professional progression, and have positive and enjoyable experiences.
Thanks to a generous public donation from Norwich Theatre’s Christmas Appeal, the project was reintroduced with a 3-day holiday programme for young people with autism, exploring what was important to them and how they envisioned their futures.
The project’s ability to respond to the needs of a specific group is an important factor in its success. Theatre has the power to share stories from a safe distance, places importance on ‘play’, and can improve wellbeing through games and creative exercises. The many disciplines involved provide a wide range of opportunities for young people, from technical roles to performing.
“I believe the project has been life changing for the young people involved who have had the opportunity to develop their creative skills and talents to tell stories that are incredibly powerful and important to them…”– Karla George, Children and Young People’s Participation Coordinator at Norfolk County Council
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