Liverpool’s Everyman & Playhouse theatres have announced a new partnership with Digital Theatre+, which will see the digital capture and distribution of at least one piece of new writing annually for Digital Theatre’s education platform.
The first production of ‘Our Town Needs A Nando’s’ by Samantha O’Rourke is already available on the platform, and will also be free to access for schools in the Liverpool City region. The filming of the production was made possible through a grant from The Foyle Foundation, an independent grant-making charity in the UK.
The theatres’ relationship with Digital Theatre+ already spans several years, with a 2011 production of Macbeth starring David Morrissey still available on its platform. The new partnership will encompass productions and the co-creation of additional content and behind-the-scenes resources for the education market, in the UK and internationally.
Mark Da Vanzo, chief executive of Everyman & Playhouse theatres, said: “It’s a real pleasure to finally announce this new relationship, now we’ve signed a multi-year ‘Heads of Terms’ agreement. We’re looking forward to collaborating with the Digital Theatre+ team in the long term, creating exciting new shows that can bring real educational benefit to schools here and globally.”
Neelay Patel, CEO of Digital Theatre+, added: “This is a really exciting partnership for us. Working together on initial ideas, the theatres allowing us to join their artistic planning meetings is incredibly fruitful. This collaborative approach enables us to provide a much richer experience, and speaks to the unique value Digital Theatre+ can offer not just educators and students globally, but also to theatres and companies as they go on a digital journey.”
As part of the relationship, the theatres will be able to offer its Digital Theatre+ productions and additional resources to schools within Liverpool for free. These resources will be in addition to the free learning material created last year called ‘The Street Where We Live’, which explored the role of the slave trade in the development of the UK city.
Peter Greggs, digital producer for Everyman & Playhouse said: “Supporting schools with their learning is a big part of what we do at the theatres and being able to realise this digitally allows us to extend our reach and grow engagement with the theatres and the city. Working with Digital Theatre is a brilliant way for us to fulfil these ambitions.”