AYO: Actor Call out
AYO is an Arts Council funded piece of children’s theatre which is in the Research and Development stage. AYO is also supported by Derby Theatre, The LEVEL Centre, Graeae Theatre, Spark Arts for Children, Rebel Sparks and Leeds Playhouse.
The R&D period will take place from 10th-21st March 2025 in Derby.
Following the R&D, there will be a series of sensory based workshops with our target audience to help build on and inform some of the sensory elements of the piece.
The Project:
SYNOPSIS: Ayo is a young girl who goes on a family holiday to her Father’s home Country Nigeria. Ayo meets an enthralling butterfly in Lagos whilst on the way to the beach. The butterfly distracts her and they go on a journey together overcoming traffic, trips, falls and the unfamiliar sights and smells. Ayo gets lost in Lagos and has to get to the beach to be reunited with her parents. Ayo also happens to have Cerebral Palsy.
‘Ayo’ is a multisensory piece which aims to engage neurotypical and neurodiverse children through how the story is told in a sensory approach. The piece will be inclusive of children who are visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing and learning disabled. The piece will also provide tactile opportunities and ways for parents and carers to support disabled children with a range of access requirements as well as capturing the attention and interest of their neurotypical siblings and peers.
Artist Bio:
Sarah ‘Rain’ Kolawole is a playwright, spoken word artist, facilitator and published writer from Nottingham. Sarah is currently an associate with Rebel Sparks, a Beyond Artist with Graeae Theatre in partnership with Derby Theatre and an ideas fund Artist with Spark Arts for Children.
She has previously been an associate with Nottingham Playhouse, New Perspectives Theatre and a Soho writers lab alumni.
This show has come about from Sarah’s experience as a mother of a disabled child finding a lack of sensory led theatre that both her disabled and non-disabled child can experience together.
The Role(s):
I am looking for two performers who have experience or a keen interest in making work for disabled children and young people with a strong focus on exciting and engaging different senses.
1. Role 1: AYO. Black or Black ‘mixed race/dual heritage’ (Black British, Black African, Black Caribbean background) and female. The main character AYO has cerebral palsy. It is important to the integrity and representation of the piece that the actor has cerebral palsy and/or has lived experience of disability.
2. Role 2: The Butterfly. Actor-musician. Preferably a wind instrument, but this could be flexible. Preferable to have some fluency in BSL. This role is for actors who are either deaf, hearing impaired or hearing, ideally this person has some knowledge of BSL or is a BSL user.
Timeline:
R&D from 10th-21st March in Derby.
Sharing in October, exact date TBC.
Fee: £1,202 each.
(plus travel, accommodation and any access costs).
To Apply:
Please send your CV/spotlight link and a self-tape of the ‘AYO’ poetry to: sarah.kolawole@hotmail.com
We encourage applications from people from the Global Majority and those underrepresented in the theatre industry. Deadline for applications: Friday 31st January 2025 at 4pm.
Please let us know if you need any information about this role in a different format or if you have any specific access requirements. Requests will not affect the decision-making process itself.
#J-18808-Ljbffr