NYT in 2012

THE QUARRY 

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THE MISADVENTURES OF THE URCHIN THEATRE 

The Misadventures of the Urchin Theatre
Directed by Katy Maudlin.

Born from the the dust of a near future dystopia, comes a rag-tag theatre troupe of teenage renegades bound for misadventure.
Enter the underground world of the Urchin Theatre, a world bursting with secrets, a world full of danger and delight, a world unlike any you've ever encountered before.
Come and runaway with Northland Youth Theatre's Senior Company for a savage evening of mayhem, music, lion taming, dance, magic and murder!

THE BLUE AIRPLANE 

From: David Stevens 
Subject: Letter to the Editor - The Blue Airplane - NYT
Date: 6 December 2012 10:37:25 AM NZDT
To: letters@northernadvocate.co..nz
THE BLUE AIRPLANE:
The Northland Youth Theatre has another small triumph on its hands with "The Blue Airplane" being presented at the WGHS. It is a piece of extraordinarily inventive theatre.
The plot, such as it is, is simple. An aeroplane loses faith in its ability to fly ("metal can't fly!") and what we watch as its faith in itself and its ability is restored. It's a metaphor, of course. The aeroplane represents any child, any young person, any one, whose dreams of life are shattered by cynical reality and I found it completely involving - and completely charming.
I take my hat off to the playwright, Ben Anderson, who has attempted something really quite difficult to do and has succeeded admirably. If his message is simple, it is important and most engagingly presented.
I also take my hat off to the director, Robert Pollock, for his marvellous staging. There are moments of great theatrical effect, achieved with minimal staging. I shall not soon forget the fly trapped in a startling (and totally believable) web before our eyes, and the terrified look on the fly's face as it realises its fatal predicament.
The evening is filled with magic moments like this - the sky itself makes an appearance - and all credit must go to to the young cast who have embraced the play and the staging wholeheartedly, and all of whom acquit themselves admirably.
I also take my hat off to the audience. I think I'm pretty smart at working out a play's intentions, but many in the audience (including several young children) were way ahead of me. And, while I'm throwing out plaudits, I have to congratulate Peter Larsen, the NYT's Artistic Director, who recognised the merit of the play, which can't have been easy on a cold reading.
Those expecting an old fashioned, naturalistic drama should stay away, this is not for you. But anyone who wants to see energy, imagination and inventiveness should be sure to see this this. I hope the play gets a much wider exposure.
It makes us care about an imaginary aeroplane which represents all of our dreams - and self-esteem - in a sometimes cruel and unforgiving world.
cheers
David Stevens
Come see the absurd and exquisite world première season of Ben Anderson's 'The Blue Airplane'.
Written for the 'man who thought he was ugly, 'The Blue Airplane' is a whimsical and moving theatre that celebrates the unique qualities in us all. 

When an Airplane suffers chronic self doubt it plummets from the sky. It is up to one of the passengers, 'Man', to reawaken Airplane's self belief before they all perish in a spectacular crash.
It's a powerful and fantastic story populated with talking vases, gigantic spiders, terrorist fruits, sniffer dogs and even the sky itself.
Join the twenty two members of the Northland Youth Theatre Junior Company for an hour of beauty and magic that you and your family will never forget.

SCRIPT TO STAGE & THE SHORT AND SWEET TOUR

Script to Stage 
Tutor/Leader  - Damian Pullen
Production Assistant - Dallas Rees
Writers - Chelsea Farr, Dallas Rees, Damian Pullen, Kipling Davis-Colley, Michelle Elvy, Miranda Hallett-Pullen, Tahlia Studdart, Tim Atkins.
Sponsors - GJ Lighting, Venues and Events Whangarei, Lilly Hallett-Pullen & Trove Petterson.

Starting as a writing process lead by Damian Pullen and then developed into a 'Season of Shorts' performances.

SHORT and SWEET TOUR
Touring to Auckland for the Short and Sweet event at the Aotea Centre.