Audience will be asking for more after Project Theatre perform Oliver

The organisation, which was founded back in 2008 by former Young Portonian star Jamie O’Rourke, recently took up residence in the former Semi-Chem store in Grangemouth’s La Porte Precinct, which will allow them to build and store their sets for forthcoming productions.

Earlier this year they also signed the lease on their very own studio space in the Flexspace Business Park in Earls Road, Grangemouth, which will become the new central location for all Project Theatre activities.

The talented youngsters, under Jamie’s guidance, are now hard at work learning their lines and dance steps for their production of Lionel Bart’s Oliver, which will be performed at Falkirk Town Hall from 7pm on Tuesday, October 8 and Wednesday, October 9.

Visitors to the recent Falkirk Arts Festival got a sneak preview of the youngsters in action as Oliver Twist, the Artful Dodger and all the other well known Dickens’ characters.

The musical will feature Project Theatre’s young thesps singing their hearts out on numbers including Consider Yourself, Food Glorious Food, As Long As He Needs Me and I’d Do Anything.

Oliver is just the latest production for the theatre group – last year they made a big splash with The Little Mermaid and in the past they have breathed new life into well established musicals like Bugsy Malone and lots more.

Ever since it began over ten years ago, Project Theatre, a registered charity, has had the aim to promote youth involvement in the creative and performing arts across the Falkirk area, through workshops, productions and other events and initiatives.

Under founder Jamie’s artistic direction, Project Theatre has grown over the years to include a number of initiatives and activities – including the youth theatre, Inov8 Dance and Summer drama and creative learning.

The organisation has always provided a supportive and safe environment for young people to engage in drama and theatre related activities on a regular basis – a place that will encourage and facilitate the development of skills related to theatre and drama.

Many of the young people and volunteers involved in Project Theatre have worked with various professional companies and arts institutions, including the BBC, Scottish Kids are Making Movies, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and use the experience they gain to pave the way for their future careers.

As Jamie told The Falkirk Herald: “We give people a good grounding in theatre – a strong foundation. A lot of children don’t get parts because they don’t have enough experience, so we try to give them the experience.”

Visit www.projecttheatre.org for more information.