Students explore the meaning of ‘Home’ in powerful new theatre project
Students from Outwood Academy City Fields have debuted their original performance, 'Home', following a six-week after-school theatre project that has enabled them to explore identity and belonging.
The project, open to students aged 11-16, provided a creative space to explore complex themes of migration, identity, and what it truly means to belong. Under the guidance of arts practitioner Hannah Megan Butterfield, the students participated in a series of six intensive workshops designed to build confidence and teach the fundamentals of theatre-making.
Students didn’t just look inward; they reached out to the wider community, conducting interviews with local residents. These recorded stories were woven into the final performance, resulting in a piece that was a true reflection of Wakefield’s diverse voices and deeply connected to the local area.
The programme culminated with the students sharing the work on the professional stage at Theatre Royal Wakefield. For many of the students, performing in such a prestigious, historic venue was a sense of achievement, boosted their confidence, and created a space for meaningful dialogue with the audience.
Erin Braithwaite, Trust Strategic Lead for Arts Enrichment & Engagement at Outwood Grange Academies Trust, said:
“It was brilliant to see the students take to the stage and express themselves through theatre that incorporated their own stories. The blend of voices and languages made the piece very emotive, and you could see that the audience was moved.
“During the discussion afterwards, one young person from a local primary school said how much he liked hearing his first language spoken on stage. The production felt like a celebration of the diversity we find within Wakefield.”
A spokesperson for Theatre Royal Wakefield added:
“We are proud to be a Theatre of Sanctuary and a place of safety, welcome, and creativity for refugees and people seeking asylum in Wakefield, as well as other groups within the local community.”
The project provided young people with a platform to share their migration and identity stories and experiences of professional stage performance, and bridged the gap between generations and backgrounds through community storytelling.
Supported by a culture grant from Wakefield Council and championed by the Outwood Grange Academies Trust, the 'Home' project reflects a core belief in the power of the arts to build resilient, empathetic young citizens.
Following the success of the initial performances, the creative team is now looking to take the project on tour to local community venues, ensuring these vital stories reach an even wider audience.
