Children head for the woods in week-long outdoorsy theatre workshop
This holiday, dozens of creative children have taken to the woods for a week-long theatre workshop.
Newport-based community theatre company Moonstruck Astronaut has been hosting the week-long outdoor holiday club thanks to a recent funding boost.
The company was awarded a £10,000 grant from the People's Postcode Lottery to support their holiday workshops at the Wrekin Forest School near Kynnersley.
The 'Drama in the Forest' workshops encourage teamwork and play through drama, music and movement.
Artist director Hannah de Quincey explained: “What’s magic about 'Drama in the Forest' is that they expose young children to the combination of movement, music and drama skills in an idyllic setting supported by wonderful, heart-centred staff and volunteers keen to make sure all the children thrive and grow.
"The concept is to unite children from an eclectic mix of backgrounds in creativity and the outdoors who would never get to meet otherwise and introduce them to the thrill of making community art while getting to play and chill in nature too.”
The funding has allowed the company to keep costs for families low, and Hannah says it has been monumental in helping her fulfil what she calls her 'soul purpose'.
A former secondary school drama teacher, Hannah began Moonstruck Astronaut in 2017, with the aim of fostering a joyful, loving world in which creativity is valued and celebrated.
She said: “Setting up a not-for-profit community theatre company in Newport is a steep mountain to climb, and I’m still climbing!
"This grant has enabled the theatre company and myself to start to function as a viable not-for-profit business where I can make a living honouring my soul purpose, fairly paying myself and a team of admin, creatives and educators in order to introduce children and families to the powerful benefits of communal creativity."
More information about the company is available online at moonstruckastronaut.com.
