A THEATRE company for adults with learning disabilities performed part of a short play they devised to students at Okehampton College as part of the school?s recent impact day.
Members of the Get Changed Theatre Company spent the morning at the college where they delivered five short performances to more than 800 young people on the subjects of stereotyping and bullying.
Get Changed has spent the last 12 months carefully researching the subject of bullying and are currently devising a show called ?Freak Boy?, which aims to inform and educate the audience about disability issues.
Over the last few months, Get Changed has built up a good working partnership with Okehampton College, running research workshops, seeking advice from teachers and liaising with principal Chris Powell.
The company also had input from college students. Year 9 students Helen Cooper and Jess Squire have been working closely with it to assist with the creation of ?Freak Boy?, which was performed.
Nigel Letheren, Stuart Dorey and Matt Way from Year 9 also assisted with technical duties such as sound and lighting on impact day.
Jane Foxwell, artistic director of Get Changed, thanked Helen and Jess and the technical team for their hard work in helping the performance go well.
Vicky Hooper, project co-ordinator for Get Changed, said:?We were delighted to be involved in the impact day.
?Although our members initially found it a challenge, they have gained a tremendous sense of achievement from working with the college and such large audiences.
?We hope that the students have gained some insight into learning disabilities and an understanding that it is not just young people who can suffer from bullying.?
The whole company will be working with Okehampton College again next month when they will perform ?Freak Boy? to students from Year 10.
Get Changed intends to hold several public performances in the summer for all those interested in their work.
If anyone would like further information about Get Changed contact Vicky Hooper on 07879 890895.