Theatre Centre facts for kids

Theatre Centre is a theatre company in the UK. It travels around the country, putting on brand new plays for young people. Their shows are for audiences aged 4 to 18.

The company was started in 1953 by Brian Way. Over the years, many talented writers have created plays for Theatre Centre. These include Lisa Evans, Noël Greig, Mike Kenny, Bryony Lavery, and Benjamin Zephaniah. Theatre Centre is also part of a group called Theatre for Young Audiences UK (TYA-UK). This group helps connect people who make and promote theatre for young audiences.

Brian Way and Margaret Faulkes began Theatre Centre in 1953. They once put on a shorter version of a play by Dorothy L. Sayers. This play inspired Sayers to give £200 to help start the company. At first, the goal was to give unemployed actors a place to practice. But it quickly became a leader in bringing educational theatre to schools. Brian Way became a huge influence on this movement worldwide.

Many of Theatre Centre's first plays were written by Brian Way himself. He believed that plays should be written for specific age groups. He also thought that performances were better with smaller audiences. Early Theatre Centre shows were often performed informally. They would be on the floor of a school hall, with the audience sitting all around the stage. Today, Theatre Centre still tours its shows to schools and venues. The company focuses on finding writers who create exciting plays for young people.

Theatre Centre is a registered charity. This means it's a non-profit organization that helps the community. It also gets support from Arts Council England.

Awards and Recognition

Theatre Centre helps manage two special awards for writers. These awards celebrate new plays for young people. They are the Brian Way Award for Best New Play and the Adrienne Benham Award.

The Brian Way Award

The Brian Way Award is given every year. It goes to a writer whose play for young people has been professionally performed. This award used to be called The Children's Award. It was first set up by Arts Council England.

Winners of the Brian Way Award for Best New Play:

• 2012: Evan Placey for Holloway Jones
• 2011: Keith Saha for Ghost Boy
• 2010: Laurence Wilson for Blackberry Trout Face
• 2009: Douglas Maxwell for The Mothership
• 2008: David Greig for Yellow Moon
• 2008: Fin Kennedy (runner-up) for Locked In
• 2007: Tim Crouch for Shopping for Shoes
• 2007: Deborah Gearing (runner-up) for Burn
• 2006: Neil Duffield for The Lost Warrior
• 2005: Abi Bown for Hey There Boy with the Bebop
• 2004: Charles Way for Red Red Shoes
• 2003: Phil Porter for Smashed Eggs
• 2002: Brendan Murray for Eliza's House
• 2001: Mike Kenny for Stepping Stones

The Adrienne Benham Award

The Adrienne Benham Award is for writers who want to create a play for young people. It's given to someone who has not written a play for this audience before.

Winners of the Adrienne Benham Award:

• 2012: Kenneth Emson
• 2011: Marcelo Dos Santos
• 2010: Paula B. Stanic
• 2009: Steven Bloomer