Z-arts has announced its brand-new Spring season, including a family membership programme of events.
Alongside children and family theatre is a programme of events including a Musical Family Fun Day (Sat 11 March), a neon knees up for nippers (Let’s Glo Social, Saturday 18 March) and Haphazard, a uniquely bizarre, regular day-out for all ages, this time with an April Fools theme (Saturday 1
April).
Z-arts family membership programme Bright Sparks has grown and is now bigger than ever, thanks to funding from Children In Need. Due to popular demand, there are now more dance classes at weekends and during the week, a performance class for little-ones, a Lego Café and a weekly film-making class.
Bright Sparks is a membership scheme that supports creative learning for children and families, giving access to the Z-arts programme of activities all year round. New members can join online, over the phone or in person at the Box Office
So, what’s on?
Performing Arts:
Beasty Baby – Presented By Theatre Rites
Saturday 28 May, 11am & 2.30pm, £6 – £12, Running Time: 50 Minutes
Deep in the forest, in a wintry land, lives a gorgeously grizzly Beasty Baby. Mayhem and laughter await around every corner as three people embark on a wild adventure to bring up a very mischievous and totally lovable child. Beasty Baby is a lively celebration of family, growing up and the rituals both children and adults go through in those extraordinary early years of life. Using an inspired mix of puppetry and live music, Theatre-Rites create a funny and magical shared experience.
Ground Control – Presented By Non Zero None
Saturday 11 February, 11am & 2.30pm, £6 – £12, Running Time: 65 Minutes
You are Ground Control, and Futuretron is asking for your help to decide the future of a new planet. Here’s the situation: in 1974, a manned mission was sent into space to look for inhabitable planets. Now, in present day, the sensors aboard Shuttle X27-40 indicate that it may have found just such a planet. The three astronauts on board are about to be woken from their hypersleep… and they need your help. Using a giant projection screen and a live, highly intelligent computer (well, Futuretron), you will be part of a team deciding on an identity for the planet and its laws and values.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf – Presented By Dommy B
Saturday 4 March 2.30pm, £6 – £12, Running Time: 1hr 35 Minutes with an interval
If the wolf sneaks out from the forest the watching boy must shout and scream WOLF! so that everyone from the village can come and chase the wolf away. Watching sheep is boring. Waiting for a wolf that never comes is boring. Very boring. Instead of watching the sheep, Jamie’s head fills with made-up adventures. In his imagination, Jamie rides dragons and defeats deadly monsters with amazing magic spells. In his imagination, Jamie isn’t looking after sheep – he’s a hero with a sword and he’s the one who saves the village when the wolf comes. Adapted from the Aesop’s fable, The Boy who Cried Wolf is Dommy B’s fifth nationally touring show for children and families.
5 More Minutes – Presented By Travelled Companions
Saturday 25 March 11am & 2.30pm, £6 – £12, Running Time: 50 Minutes
When Moon and Stars are shining in your eyes then I will sing to you a lullaby. The day is over now it’s time for bed… But with five more minutes we can play instead? 5 More Minutes is a funny and magical show about bedtime for children and their grown ups, in which we’ll explore the fun, frustration and fantasy that can be had in that magical time between awake & asleep. Real world play will blur with the magic of dreams as we all try to settle down and finally get ready to say goodnight, and go to sleep… unless that is, we can have 5 more minutes!?
Monday’s Child – Presented By Barnstorm Theatre Company
Sun 9 April 2.30pm, £6 – £12, Running Time: 50 Minutes
Monday’s Child tells a simple, poetic story of the unique bond between a little girl and an old woman. Together, in a dream-like garden, they sing and dance and dress up as they joyously explore a treasure trove of memory boxes. Sensitive, poignant, funny and exuberant Monday’s Child has wowed adults and children alike.
Bright Sparks Activities:
Mondays:
Paint Pots for Tots – 10.30am – 12pm, ages 2+
Bring your preschool children down to join in with specially themed art and story sessions in the cafe. Each session is based on a popular children’s book and will end with story time, encouraging little ones to love reading. Parents must stay with their children but can enjoy special offers from the cafe whilst getting creative. Limited places available, book online and check the website to see chosen stories and submit requests!
Let’s Imagine – 10:30am – 11:15am , ages 2-4
Let’s Imagine is a brand-new performance class for ages 2-4. Each week children are given the opportunity to try out new dance and drama styles, led by resident dancer Tasha!
Jitterbugs – 10.30 – 11.30am, every 3rd Mon of month, ages 2+
Bring your preschool children down and boogie with Jitterbugs, a dance and movement class led by dance teacher Bridget Withycombe-Wharton. Like all Monday preschool sessions parents and guardians must stay with their children and booking is necessary.
Polkadots – 10.30am – 11.15am, The first Monday of each month, ages 2+
Polkadots are fun music and movement sessions for young children, giving them the opportunity to make and experience music with others including singing, playing percussion instruments, moving to music,
puppets and playing as a group.
Bright Stars – 4pm – 4.45pm & 4.45pm-5.30pm Ages 6-10
Bright Stars drama club promotes communication, self-confidence and problem solving whilst helping develop imagination and creativity through fun activities each week. Sign up for each half term, where Z-arts will focus on specific performance techniques or plays and work towards a performance every six months.
ZYP – Unusual Theatre in Unusual Spaces – Mondays, 5.30pm-7pm, ages 11+
Hone performance skills working on an indoor devised piece for a performance. The first major immersive performance is planned for summer 2016 and will be based on Alice in Wonderland.
Tuesdays:
Baby Play – second Tuesday of every month, 10.30am – 11.15am
Play is crucial for your child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth. It’s your child’s way of learning especially in the first years. What does this feel like? What does this sound like? Help your baby develop with an interactive session with a different theme each month for you and your baby to discover together. Limited places available, book online.
Tongue Tied – 5pm-6pm, aged 6-10
Learn languages from around the world through play, puppetry and song at Z-arts exciting new interactive session.
Allsorts Essential – 4pm-5pm, ages 6-10
Learn play, perform, improvise and create music from around the world.
Urban All-Stars – 5pm-6pm, ages 6-10
From beatboxing to breakdance and graffiti to grime, you’ll be able to give anything a go in a fun environment.
Wednesdays:
Mix It Up Art Club – 4-5pm, ages 6 – 10
This is a great activity for young people with creative talent and who enjoy making stuff. It’s also a fantastic way to make new friends! Only 15 places per workshop. Limited places available, book online.
Generation Z – 5.45pm -7pm, ages 11+
Workshop for young emerging artists interested in developing their portfolio, learning about contemporary artists and developing new art skills. Practical sessions will explore printmaking, drawing, painting and
sculpture. Regulars have the opportunity to achieve Arts Award.
Thursdays:
Beat Street Elevate – 4pm-5pm, ages 6-10
Find your feet with this weekly street dance class for those who want to develop their skills and learn new techniques.
Beat Street Supreme – Thursdays, 5pm -6pm, ages 11+
Beat Street Supreme develops experienced street dancers who want to develop their skills.
Fridays:
Film Club – 6pm, ages PG
Pick up some popcorn and come along and chill out in the cinema room with a film club classic each week.
Film Studio – 5pm-6pm, ages 6-10
Z-arts are going digital! Learn film-making techniques including animation, green screen editing and much more.
Saturdays:
Children’s Yoga – 9.15am – 10.15am, ages 4+
Yoga is a great way to boost children’s health and wellbeing. These fun and creative sessions blend yoga and mindfulness practice with storytelling, games, singing and dancing.
Ballet Attitude Elemental – 10am, 11am & 12pm, ages 4-6
Ballet with a funky fusion attitude. Elemental is our introduction class for our youngest dancers. Dancers can progress to the next level, Elevate, when instructed by the choreographer.
Beat Street Elemental – 10.30am, 11.30am & 12.30pm ages 4-6
New times and new format! Join the Beat Street crew. Elemental is Z-arts’ introduction class for our youngest dancers. Dancers can progress to the next level, Elevate, when instructed by the choreographer.
Ballet Attitude Elevate – Saturdays, 12pm – 1pm, ages 4-6
Ballet with a funky fusion attitude. New class for dancers who have a bit more experience and concentration to learn some more advanced ballet technique.
Allsorts – 11am-1pm, ages 11+
Back for 2016! Z-arts are very excited to announce the new phase of Allsorts. For 2016 they are going to be live and Unplugged. Music-making at its best; learn new instruments in new genres and write music that represents your life.
Mix It up Families – Saturdays, 12pm-1pm, all ages
Ever popular art class, this time in a family sized portion. Come down, muck in and make some art as a family. No skills required – just enthusiasm.
Film Club – 1pm, all ages
Come down every week to watch modern blockbusters or widen your horizons with a more eclectic range of films. All films are chosen by our Film Club for our Film Club and families are welcome too!
