WOW - What a Week!

Hey Everyone,

I am exhausted!!!! But for all the best reasons. We have had a roller coaster of a week in Wales with Awards night and yesterday we performed at the brand new rugby stadium Parc y Scarlets and had soooo much fun doing belly dancing and getting henna tatoos and I even had the chance to do some Djembe drumming which we haven't done in AGES!!!! I am so going to dig out those drums and get drumming in the new year!!!

I would like to say a HUGE thank you to Carrie and Rhyanon for their wonderful technical skills, Jacob and Andrew for their stage management and health and safety initiatives and all the performers for performing so beautifully and sensitivly in the most fabulous costumes.

Thank you all for working so hard this week and really looking forward to BASE's Christmas event to celebrate before we break up for the holidays.

For those of you who are coming carol singing - YAY! Can't wait for that either!

See you soon!

Peri :)

TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT!!!

Hello everyone,

Well its been a while since we posted on our first and original strangers blog and so many project blogs have come along since.

I would just like to say that I am so proud of our project and every single person who has ever been involved in all three countries as well as those who have even been part of the project from another country again such as Mel in the USA!

Tonight in Wales in our fantastic community centre, the Children's Commissioner For Wales will be presenting the Wales group with their certificates and DVDs to keep as we launch the official and fabulous documentary.

I know that everyone is pretty excited and although some people are unable to be with us tonight, either due to clashes or because they have moved on I want EVERYONE to know how this project only worked because of every single person's contribution big or small.

A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERY STRANGER>

Here's to a great party tonight!!!

Peri xxx

Good Luck!

Hi,

Just wanted to say Good Luck to you guys on your way to London!!! Hope you have a lovely time there. Well done to all involved, the award represents all the hard work each and everyone of you put in!

Well done!

Juls

Congratulations

Hi MUTM Wales,

Just wanted to let you know how proud we are of you for winning The Impetus award on behalf of the Strangers worldwide. Great to see the pics on the other blog-very presentable you all look too. Wish we could be with you to celebrate in style but maybe you could represent us in October by singing a kiwi song at the showcase in London? Just a thought!

Keep up all the great work with Peri for MUTM and make sure you keep these blogs updated so that we over here still know what you are up too.

I'm having lots of meetings over here to try to secure support for Strangers 2 so watch this space. We are hoping it will involve MUTM Wales, NZ and a youth theatre called Back Bone Youth Arts in oZ!

Keep in touch,

Sarah
MUTM NZ

Hey Strangers :D

OK so I really am a stranger!! I haven't been on here in months.. I was just sitting here watching 'The Bill' and the word 'Strangers' ran through my mind.. So I decided to jump infront of the computer and post something!!

So.... not much has happened in the 10 months that I've been on the other side of the world!
I got back from the D&A rehab about 2 months ago and things have been going great! I am completely SOBER aaaand I managed to get the whole eating thing sorted - but I'm not 100% happy as the weight came back at an alarming rate.. so I am SO afraid of going back to step 1... which would be the worst thing in the world!! AND I've been cut free for almost 2 months :D *very positive!!*

Anyhoo.. enough of the boring stuff!!
I recently decided that I needed a change after all of my personal changes.. SO I decided to ditch the blondes and I am now - BRUNETTE!! *dun dun duuuuun!!!* lol
But yeah.. I like it and I'm getting used 2 it!!

Anyway.. hope all is well and can't wait to see whats next from the Strangers Worldwide!!
Write me back!!
Mel
xoxo

Just a Hey

Hey everyone,

i thought i'd just pop and say how much fun me, peri and peter had in 2active8 today. we had a chance to help lots of disabled children and play new games with them. they also tought us a few new games too. i just hope we can do more with them in the future. peter also made a new friend called shaun. lol. anyway i know this is only short but i have to go. See you soon.

Laura
xxxx

The longest gap!!! It will be DENIED!!!

I just HAD to write a post when I realised that it is now almost a month since we updated here!

Strangers developments...

We now have a rough copy of the promotional DVD for the entire project in the three countries! WOW!!! "How exciting," I hear you cry! Well this means that in the coming months over the summer (thats winter in NZ of course!) there will be launch nights happening across the world to spread the strangers love and create more plans for Strangers 2, The Return...!.

I will update the Wales criw with dates soon and I'm sure Sarah will be already rounding up the NZ guys for their get togethers over there! We need to present certificates to all involved and invite everyone to watch the three countries' films of the shows...So watch this space....

In the meantime the Keeping it Real Project is developing smoothly in Wales alongside the Music Video project CFC/MVC which is really getting exciting now we're ready to take our ideas to Tinopolis Production Studios!!!

More watching of this space needed BUT there are plans to develop bebo/facebook/myspace/youtube pages V soon so any thoughts very well received yes please thank you!

Peri :)

grrrgg

and so.......work experience draws to a spectacular, fantazmagorical and even.....sad end...im sitting here in my kitchen, waiting for my food to cook.....reflecting at all the amazing experiences we've had...all the people we've met......and how it all seemed to not last long enough.....in one week of working with peri, ive learned more skills than i have in one year of drama classes.....i just shows how determined peri is to get young people into theatre.


.....but.....

there is one thing i will never do.........never ever in a million years will i ever do this thing that i am about to tell you.....it is so horrifyingly dreadfuly horrific....that i have forgotten what it was.....



the week we had was so fun....it was soo random aswell....some of the people we met were realy profetional.....when others were talking about the time they got a kettle to start boiling after the show!!whitch is realy cool, i never thought of doing that.....getting a kettle to boil just before im off stage....i'll have to do that......anyway on to something a little more to the point.......errrm.......


i wish i was back on work experience :'(




i do like spoons

Yet another WOW

Hey Y'all,

Over halfway thru work experience week at MUTM headquaters and so far so good - I'm having a cool time too!!!

Carmarthenshire Theatres are so cool. Yesterday we got to watch a really good piece of children's theatre by renowned Welsh company Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch form Aberystwyth ALL FOR FREE!!! We even got to interview one of the actors after the show and went right up into the top of the fly tower and Mike the technical guy explained how it all worked.

Unfortunately Tess couldn't make it today but luckily for Lewis that meant there was more room in the car and he could join us in our adventures! And now he's also going to join the team for animation training on Friday so we're adding to the troops each day now...soon to take over the world!!!

Talking of which, had a great Skype with NZ HQ last night and ran through loads of plans and ideas with Mrs Sarah Jones. She has just returned from Australia at the World Conference of Theatre for Children and Young People. I'm sure she'll be on here writing about her experiences soon but just thought I'd give you news hot of the press that global connections with other youth theatres are blossoming and Strangers Two is becoming more than a very eciting idea.....

So, next week is Half term and there's loads going on like dance workshops and trips to TV studios and make up workshops NOT TO MENTION DRAMA ON TUESDAY NIGHT!!! So get in toucgh if you want to get involved...

See Y'all.

;P

Work experience ( this tk me 3 times 2 write)

Heyy its Tash frm WALES again........ Just 2 say me, jake nd tess r all doing work experience with Peri ....... and it is awesum!!! We do all different kinds of stuff evryday we've already learned how to do basic lighting skills and to do animation. Yesterday we all played around with moving stick men, it sounds boring but it was really cwl and my cousin taught us aswell which made it even better!!!!

2day wer all going to Carmarthen theatre to watch a performance ... wer all waiting for Jake to arrive he's 50 mins late!!!!!!! :O...

So 2day is goin 2 b awesum!!

JAKE JUST TURNED UP ND IS NOW TELLING US HIS SOB STORY WHILE CROUCHED IN THE CORNER NEARLY CRYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


nd Peri isn't even shouting at him but sayin sugar will help u nd complimenting him on his theatrical performance



byeeeee Tash



xXxXxXxX

apologies for my rudness

well.....i feel like a noob......ive been part of this shindig for the better part of 5 or 6 months.....and i have yet to post a propper (....errr.......what do you call these things??).....see.....thats how much of a noob i am....i dont kno what these are called!

anyway, my full name is Jacob Gregory Thomas.....i live in a place called Ammanford....and im moving out of it as soon as the opertunity comes around.....not because of the people living there...or theres nothing to do....its just.......i n to going to get anywhere living in ammanford.....you know?? like im not going to reach the places i want to reach.......if any of that makes sence to youm, please comment me to say so......because you can;)

i was born in swansea city....not sure what hospital......im sure it wasnt expencive tho........swansea is a good place to go......to go meet my peeps from the town that is swansea is always a good way to spend a saterday.......go into the town and spend unnessisary amounts of mony on things you don't really need.....always fun..........yeah.......but then you realise that you just spent the money you need to use to get on the bus.....then you panic......but then one of your amazing friends that you have gives you a lift.....so all in all you've gaind XD


the most important thing to me...........i hard question that.......a question that few people can answer.....but a question that all can ask.....if i was to say the most important thing to me was my life.....i would be lying to you......it is important to me.....but not the most important.......i would say........love.....not as in romantic love......we can live without that........but its the friendhip love that keeps this world from falling in on itself......and i think that can be everyones answer to the question: "what is the most important thing to you?"


my life.........i live my life following simple rules that you too can follow:

1)no matter what happens, get out of it with a smile, and you'r head held high.

2) the only people who's opinions should change you, are the people you love, and the people who love you back.

3)not everything in life is there to be taken seriousely, lighten up.

4)if you don't want to hear something, don't listen. a simple solution to an anoying problem.

5)if it ist you'r problem, don't make it you'r problem.

6)who care's? sing it loud, sing it proud!



and thats me......not much to me........but i've lived with it so far.....might aswell carry on......

wanna talk??MSN addy!!

jacob-greg-thomas@live.com


we love you all

errrrr....sup?

Hello in the land of wales:)

my name is jacob.....im this tall.....im 15......and i dont realy know why im telling you this.........yeah........ive been with the strangers progect since september, 2007.......and im now currently doing work experience with mess up the mess.....so really what im doing is filming random stuff, and going to theatres for free:).......so while everyone else is making tea for some monkey in a suit....im here with my friends having a great laugh! and to top it off.....some monkey is making me tea!!........irony or what?

In work experience, its not all fun and games.....peri made sure:(..........so we are traveling the country, searching for the perfect spoon......i like spoons.......but more to the point, we are making animations, music traks and editing films profetionaly.....we are also intervewing profetionals in thier fild of work, in the theatre.......tis good fun:)

Sun is shining !!

Well its been ages since i commented last. The sun is SHINING brighter than ever!!!!
i should be doing my coursework but it popped into my head to do this.
So we have strangers on tuesday i think were rehearsing for the Global Day!!
Any ideas?? Its all about economical issues involving young people and stuff??


Time to bounce and get back to my essay
Cheerio
Alex

Hey!

Hey everyone

Sorry I haven't been on here in AGES! life's been a bit stressful of late! exams, revision, drama mock devised piece! it all builds up! but anyway as it is the bank holiday tomorrow! (WWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO) I thought I would pop onto the blog and say hey! anyway...
Firstly huge congratulations to EVERYONE who took part in the mini festival! I heard from someone in school that it was excellent! so a massive well done and huge apologies that I couldn't be there, I was sat in a very boring meeting in Carmarthen, but being in that meeting does mean that I am now officially Brynaman's Carmarthenshire Youth Council Rep, so if you have any issues you'd like sorting (in Wales only, sorry New Zealand and Slough) give me a shout and I'll see what I can do! but back to the festival, I can't wait to hear about it and hopefully there might be a video of it somewhere?

Secondly another thank you note to all of the Strangers who attended the BASE DVD premier on Tuesday, I hope you all enjoyed it! and there should be a press release about it in the paper soon! (if you would like to buy the dvd give Alex, Me or Owain a shout and we can get you a copy)

Thirdly another thank you (there seems to be a pattern forming) to Peri for organising the trip to see Full Circle in Ammanford, it was absolutely great! and defiantly did deserve its title of wow!

well that's enough of me rambling, hopefully I'll see the Wales lot on Tuesday and we can catch up on all the gossip! hope all of the other strangers groups are well!

Speak soon!
Pete

"WOW"

That was the response from all of us after watching Hijinx's summer production "Full Circle" on Thursday night. It was such a beautiful piece of theatre with such strong and clear messages about following your dreams and having a circle of friends around you to support you. The audience even got the chance to join in kareoke stylee!! Wicked!

I must also point out how fortunate we all at MUTM were to be offered such reduced rate tickets. £2 to see such an amazing production is really special - the tickets were actually £7.50!!! A big thank you to Hijinx Theatre and The Miners' Theatre for that opportunity of which 8 lucky young people from MUTM took advantage of - Peter, Tess, Jacob, Sophie, Katie, Laura, Haddy and Alex - really glad you could make it.

After the show I was bombarded by you lot with ideas and feedback on the performance and its style and how we reckon we might be able to work with Hijinx in some way in the future....I spoke to Gaynor Lougher, the artistic director, after the show and they are keen for us to get involved in stuff going on at the Wales Millenium Centre, Cardiff - where they are based - some time in June...SO WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

In the meantime, plans are coming together for the Keeping it Real project in July and I am currently recruiting professional bilingual theatre artists for us to work with....Keep watching this space!!!

Anyway, I'd just like to say how much I enjoyed the trip to the theatre on Thursday and how you guys make a fab audience and are clearly watching theatre with a reflective eye. I drove home with a really happy feeling and am getting really excited about all our summer events!!!

Take it easy y'all,
Peri :)

MINI FEST-TASTIC and lots more to come!!!

Hey everyone,

"Our Square Mile" fest took place at the Pensioners on Wed and was a great success. Using all the work and ideas you guys came up with over the past month with Sarah was a great way to showcase and highlight your hard work for your parents and local community. Jess from Siop Laria was very impressed with the physical nature and style of your performance as she is a movement performance artist. So huge thanks to her for making the effort to come along and support your work.

In the meantime, the MUTM plans keep on rollig and the next events are

Trip to AMT tomorrow night to watch Hijinx Theatre perform Full Circle - Eloise from Play in a Day will be performing so please come and support the show if you can - tickets £2.50 if you meet Me at the door.

Saturday 17th May is Global Day at Glanamman Resource Centre - Last year Tess, Jacob and Sophie attended and took part in a workshop and mini performance. This year I hope there will be a few more of us so that we can perform bits of strnagers and some of the work from Our Square Mile. We will rehearse for this on the next 2 tuesdays, k?

Monday 19th May is a youth event in Brynaman with hotdogs, climbing wall and DJ workshops at St Catherine's Hall which I'm volunteering at and everyone is welcome to attend.

Also that week Tess, Tash and Jacob will be on work experience with Mess Up the Mess at the community centre and Ammanford Miners Theatre...Looking forward to seeing you guys soon!!!

The following week is May half term and The CFC Music Video Project starts up with trips to Tinopolis Studios and Makeup workshops and dance sessions. This project will continue through the summer and there are loads of ways you can get involved so watch this space...

Also during the summer there will be drama workshops which I will keep you updated on as we go along.

WELL...I think thats enough to be getting on with and I'm bound to have missed something out!

Hope all you strangers out there are cool and you guys in NZ are looking forward to getting Sarah back in a few weeks time when she gets back from the World conference of theatre for children and young people in Adelaide Australia ... WOW!!! Good luck Sars!!!

Peri xxx

Hey

Hia Strangers....

Just thought id say hello...i havent blogged for ages!!

As Peri mensions on the next comment we had a Physical Theatre Workshop in BCC Thursday...It was great but my legs hurt after.

Also we have a Mini fest as Peri also says 'Our Square Mile' ... cant whait!

Wel speak soon

Owain

xx

Physical theatre in Brynaman is energetic and amazing!

I simply HAD to post about last night's amazing physical theatre workshop at the community centre.

9 young people from the Amman Valley attended and created 2 full hours of incredibly focused and high quality physically devised theatre. The level of concentrationa and standard of work was excellent and Sarah and I are both VERY impressed with the maturity of the group.

Only 6 days now until the mini fest at the pensioners hall and I've no doubt that some of last night's work will be included in some way or another....

Looking forward to putting the structure of work together on Tuesday and planning the stories/images you guys want to tell the audience.

Please remind your parents and friends that we need an audience on Wednesday at 7.30 (only for 30 mins or so) and that tea and biscuits will be provided!

See you Tuesday!!!

Peri ;)

Exciting things still going on...!

Hey everyone,

Just a quick post to update everyone on the world of Strangers - post Strangers in Brynaman.

The group are currently still meeting every week for physical theatre and devising workshops with Sarah and Peri at the Pensioners Hall and coming up with some FANTASTIC ideas and possibilities. We have now set a date for the "Our Square Mile" mini drama festival wich will take place at either the Aelwyd Hall or the Pensioners on Wednesday 23rd April . . . only 2 weeks away!!!

We're going to use the event as an opportunity to present our work to parents and friends during the evening and it will start at 7.30pm.

Its all about the way we feel about the area we live and work in and what Brynaman means to us...ITS GOING TO BE WELL COOL!!!

Looking forward to Tuesday, Guys. And if you're reading this in Wales and feel like you've been missing out - come and join us again - you're MORE than welcome!!!

Peri :)

A few months on.....

Just a message to see how people are? I know slough are only just breaking up for holidays (ive been off for 3 weeks and i go back monday its been seriously boring) so i hope you all have a nice break. We've been slowly getting busier lol with more drama to do and gatherings/meetings to organise. Some of us met up today to arrange a parrty lol whilst peri chris and julianna worked on an old dvd adding welsh subtitles... ITS ALLL GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.
So anyone got any ideas for futurew strangers???


[Bounce Back]

Alex

(p.s. we've kidnapped sarah mwahahahaha)