14.04.2025
Beacon Arts Centre welcomes local youth theatre groups as it joins celebrations of National Theatre Connections’ 30th Anniversary.
Local young people aged 13-19 will take to Beacon Arts Centre’s stage as part of this year’s National Theatre Connections programme. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Connections is the National Theatre’s annual landmark nationwide youth theatre festival that champions the talent of young people across the UK.
From 14 April, Beacon Arts Centre will host performances from:
Ravers – Theatre Royal Dumfries – Beacon Arts – Ravers – Theatre Royal Dumfries
Brain Play – Inverclyde Youth Theatre (Kayos) – Beacon Arts – Brain Play – Inverclyde Youth Theatre (Kayos)
The Company of Trees – Hamilton District Youth Theatre – Beacon Arts – Company of Trees – Hamilton District Youth Theatre
Fresh Air – Largs Academy – Beacon Arts – Fresh Air
Ravers – Theatre School of Scotland – Beacon Arts – Ravers – Theatre School of Scotland
No Regrets – Mull Theatre – Beacon Arts – No Regrets – Mull Theatre
No Regrets – Glasgow Acting Academy – Beacon Arts – No Regrets – Glasgow Acting Academy
Beacon Arts Centre is one of 33 theatres across the UK joining this year’s celebrations with over 5,500 young people from 275 companies and schools having the chance to perform on professional stages. As headline partner for the Connections programme, BNP Paribas aims to make art accessible to all young people across the UK through their BNP Paribas AccessArt25 programme. Regional festivals will take place at partner theatres nationwide from 12 March – 12 May, culminating in a festival at the National Theatre in June.
To celebrate the vast range of talent on display nationwide this spring, ten youth theatre groups will be invited to perform their version of one of this year’s plays at the National Theatre from 24-28 June, reopening its Dorfman stage. The Connections Festival will spotlight the power of youth theatre nationwide by bringing groups together for a final celebratory moment of the anniversary year.
Over 125,000 young people nationwide have taken part in Connections over the past three decades, giving young people firsthand experience in all aspects of staging and performing a new play. Esteemed alumni include David Oyelowo, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Callum Scott Howells and Keira Knightley. Each year ten new plays are commissioned that explore contemporary themes relevant to young people, creating a cannon of over 235 scripts specifically for young people to perform. Previous playwrights include Alice Birch, Chris Bush, James Graham and Lenny Henry. Connections also takes place internationally, with festivals being hosted in seven countries spanning three continents.
Kirsten Adam, Head of Young People’s Programmes at the National Theatre, said, “We are delighted to be celebrating the landmark 30th anniversary of National Theatre Connections with theatres across the UK. Whether this is the first rung on the ladder to a glittering career on the stage, or the mechanism that builds confidence in a young person to go on and embrace challenges later in life, youth theatre is the foundation that allows young people to flourish and develop. We can’t wait to witness the talent and creativity that these groups will bring both on and off stage this Spring”.
To book tickets to Connection performances at Beacon Arts Centre visit Beacon Arts Centre.
For more information about Connections 2025, visit the National Theatre Website.
