Drug Aware New Work Mentorship

Regional Arts WA

The Riptide Youth Theatre ensemble worked with three writer/director teams to develop Tide Tales 2.0 with renowned WA actor, director, and playwright Will O’Mahony.

Will mentored the writer/director teams in a new and improved Tide Tales development structure. His role as mentor offered writing tools and dramaturgical support in the fields of drafting, proof-reading, world-building, character, and dialogue creation.

Eleven young people sit on tall chairs in a semi-circle inside the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre. A banner reading Drug Aware sits in front of them. Drug Aware Tide Tales participants George, Courtney, Mary, Ella, Cameron, Tristen, Connor, Madi, Teaghan, Jess, and Emily. Photo by Ruby Liddelow.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, some planned activities were not able to go ahead, and the young coordinators had to get creative. In the second workshop, teams workshopped small scenes individually with Will online to get focused feedback. When people were finally able to meet in person again, teams did their first readings and completed their early drafts to get advice and broad editing tips in small groups.

The final workshop culminated in a public reading at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, where each team of writer/director shared their final drafts and saw them performed by members of Riptide Ensemble.

“Following lockdown, many of the ensemble were leaping to get involved and DO something, especially something as low-commitment/high-outcome as a play reading, and the open reading was able to contribute to the reawakening of the arts in Mandurah.”

Despite the loss of some planned public events to COVID-19 restrictions, participants enjoyed learning new skills and developing their talents. They found benefits in being able to share their unfinished work with other people and being able to collaborate to get towards a finished piece.

One participant explained she learned a lot about resilience, and “how to accept your first draft definitely won’t be your best. You shouldn’t be afraid of something bad to start with, because that’s how you grow as a creator.”

Two young people lay inside a large banner reading Drug Aware. The girl at the front has her head sticking out and smiles at the camera, there is a boy at the back who sticks his legs out the back, with one raised. This gives the illusion of a very long person with mismatched head/legs Drug Aware Tide Tales participants Tristan and Courtney. Photo by Teaghan Lowry.

Project Name: Drug Aware New Work Mentorship
Project Coordinators: Clea Purkis and Teaghan Lowry
Auspice: Stage Presents Incorporated
Amount Approved: $3,920
Funding Program: Drug Aware YCulture Regional
Region: Peel