A look ahead at Stockton ARC’s spring theatre and dance programme

A look ahead at Stockton ARC’s spring theatre and dance programme

ARC Stockton’s spring 2017 theatre and dance programme launches next week when local disabled playwright Vici Wreford Sinnott brings her play Butterfly to the stage.

The new programme will take in 20 performances written and performed by individuals and companies from across the UK and beyond, with some home-grown talent playing a part too.

Vici Wreford Sinnott’s Butterfly opens the season on Thursday 26 January. The Saltburn-based disabled artist, theatre director, and Creative Lead for ARC’s Cultural Shift programme, wrote the play to challenge the stigma that surrounds mental health.

Teesside born dance artist Nathan Johnston, who originates from Grove Hill in Middlesbrough, brought his first full dance production to the stage at ARC last year which sold out completely. After the success of Sleight of Hands, he will be bringing The Band to the stage on Wednesday 29 March - a show about a fame hungry one-hit-wonder singer who makes a big comeback.

(l-r) Alex Elliot, Maria Crocker

and Ross Millard (The Futureheads).

Photo: Unfolding Theatre

Putting the Band Back Together on Wednesday 1 February is a show that is going to do just that. It has been partly devised and performed by Middlesbrough-born Maria Crocker and features Ross Millard of Sunderland band The Futureheads, who will be providing the musical expertise. It is about shower sing-alongs and dust gathering instruments that lie dormant in homes across the country. It is also for anyone who just loves music. There is a chance to take part in a small live musical performance during the show and no previous experience is required. Email band@unfoldingtheatre.co.uk if you are interested in taking part.

Partus is a show about the everyday miracle of birth on Tuesday 28 February and there is a parent and baby friendly performance on Wednesday 1 March.

Quarter Life Crisis is one for the millennials. It is about big dreams for 16 – 30 year olds, letting go of your young person’s railcard, zero hour contracts, Youtube tutorials and social media induced stress.

Levantes Dance Theatre will be popping up in Stockton town centre to perform their free walkabout show, Canape Art, to passers-by on Saturday 4 March. The unique pop up explores everyday life with some peculiar twists and stunning visuals that will trigger smiles and happiness all day.

 Tickets:

To find out more about all of ARC’s upcoming theatre and dance performances, visit www.arconline.co.uk. Tickets can be booked online or by calling the Box Office on 01642 525199.

All performances in the season are priced on ARC’s innovative Pay What You Decide pricing policy, meaning you literally pay what you wish. Most of the performances in the season will be BSL interpreted as part of the venue’s commitment to making art accessible to everyone.

A full break down of ARC’s spring theatre and dance programme is as follows:

Butterfly - Thu 26 Jan, 7pm    BSL interpreted

Putting the Band Back Together - Wed 1 Feb, 7pm  BSL interpreted

Two Man Show - Wed 8 Feb, 7pm  BSL interpreted

A show about masculinity, gender and family.

Partus - Tue 28 Feb, 7pm &  Wed 1 Mar, 10.30am  BSL interpreted (Tue only)

Canapé Art – Sat 4 Mar, 10am – 4pm in Stockton Town Centre

The Enormous Room - Thu 9 Mar, 7pm 

A show about love and family, coping with loss, hope, and moving on.

The Best of Both Worlds: A Busker’s Opera - Wed 15 Mar, 7pm BSL interpreted

A dance themed show about money worries and the UK’s class system informed by workers from market traders to company CEOs.

The Crossing – Wed 22 Mar, 10am – 5pm 

A conversational drop in at ARC about how you would like to be remembered. The answers will be recorded in a booklet and customise with beautiful illustration.

Out of the Shadows - Thu 23 Mar, 1.30pm & 7pm  BSL interpreted 

A show from disabled led Full Circle theatre about what’s behind the shadows, dreams and escapism using real life stories.

The Band – Wed 29 Mar, 7pm

Quarter Life Crisis – Wed 12 Apr, 7pm

Trade – Wed 26 & Thur 27 Apr, 7pm

A show looking at the Slave Trade, storytelling and reconnecting.

Meet Fred – Wed 3 May, 7pm BSL interpreted

A show containing a funny puppet who just wants a normal life.

Another England – Thur 18 May, 7pm

A story about two very different people living in a modern British society who overcome their different beliefs to find some modern ground to survive through difficult times.

Declaration – Wed 24 May, 7pm

Declaration examines when we want, need or are forced to declare our differences and the faces we wear to fit in.

Heads Up – Thur 8 Jun, 7pm

Multi award-winner Kieran Hurley weaves a picture of a familiar city at its moment of destruction, asking what would we do if we found ourselves at the end of our world as we know it.

Declining Solo – Thur 15 Jun, 7pm BSL interpreted

A story set in sunny eastern Europe about family, ageing, politics, memories and accepting decline.

Recreation – Thur 22 Jun, 7pm

A choreography about the things that we do that aren't work, or that aren't quite work. It's a show about caring, about cooking, about sex, about gardening and meditating and singing in the kitchen and playing 5-a-side and about dancing.

Never-Never Land – Wed 28 June, 7pm BSL interpreted

21st Century storytelling, using projections and original illustrations, some of Grimm’s favourites appear in this cautionary tale of modern life if you’re poor.

Exhibition performance

Still Alone in Her Voices Tues 14 Mar – Sat 22 Apr

Writer and performer Sean Burn displays his visual poetry exhibition in a response to his experience of living with psychosis.

Tatooing Lorca - Wed 5 Apr, 7.30pm  BSL interpreted 

Following on from Still Alone in Her Voices, Sean Burn will give a short performance of his sequence of poetry Tatooing Lorca.