When starting the ‘Once Upon A Time Theatre Group’ I aim to at least attract the children whose school I will be based in. As the company progresses and great interest occurs, I hope to widen my participant group to children in the whole Hitchin area and may even be able to branch out into surrounding areas. My aim is to give every child the opportunity to explore their imaginations and to be able to express themselves through the use of theatre. Every week we will explore all three disciplines; singing, dancing and acting to help generate the content of the end of term performance. These end of term performances will let the children showcase their confidence and talent.

 Aims

• Build positive relationships between the children and myself.
• Help the children gain confidence within themselves.
• Teach and help them exceed in the three disciplines.
• Let them feel comfortable in expressing themselves.
• Give them the opportunity to explore their imaginations.

How will we achieve it?

• I shall deliver activities within the sessions (especially the first couple of sessions) to help everyone learn about each other as individuals, as well as aid with the creation of relationships within the group.
• I will create activities to ease everyone into what we will investigate and will support and encourage everyone in their own development.
• Each week I shall concentrate on a specific discipline. As the term progresses we shall explore further into the disciplines to help everyone feel comfortable within them.
• By the activities set to help build relationships and confidence, I hope to have created a positive and supportive atmosphere that everyone can feel comfortable in expressing themselves.
• In some activities I shall let the children input their own ideas to give them the chance to discover their own imaginations.

My main influence in deciding to create a theatre company for early years came from experience with two specific theatre groups; Stagecoach and Market Theatre Kids Club. I believe that through Stagecoach’s sessions they allowed me as a child to explore theatre and gave me the freedom to grow in confidence. I completely agree with their aims, especially in creating ‘classes for young children enhance learning, encourage development and inspire creativity especially within performance art.’ (Stagecoach, 2014) I want to be able to see and support the development of the children as individuals and as a group. Another company that inspired my choice to work with children is the Market Theatre Kids Club. The main influence was the atmosphere created that made everyone feel comfortable to be able to express themselves. I hope to give the same atmosphere to the children I teach so they do not feel uncomfortable to be themselves.

Works Cited

Stagecoach (2014) Stagecoach. [online] Available from http://www.stagecoach.co.uk/early-stages.html [Accessed 12 November 2014]