WYP Touring

West Yorkshire Playhouse Touring Company performs at the Playhouse and tours to schools. Plays are created through collaboration with artists from a wide variety of art forms to produce challenging, high quality work.

The plays allow children and young people to see new, accessible theatre. They are accompanied by workshops and resource packs to support the teacher in the classroom. All of our resources are written by or developed in consultation with teachers.

Gail McIntyre has been working as director of the company since 1994 and is also Associate Director, Young People’s Theatre, at West Yorkshire Playhouse where for the last 6 years she has directed their acclaimed Christmas productions for ages 4 and above.

For more information about West Yorkshire Playhouse Touring Company please contact Gail McIntyre on 0113 213 7225 or email gail.mcintyre@wyp.org.uk

current Projects

FIRST CUT

West Yorkshire Playhouse Touring Company
By Michelle Scally-Clarke

In a Leeds graveyard a mother stands to the side of a young girl’s grave. But it’s not her own daughter Gem that she’s come to talk to. Gem is in prison: given 14 years for stabbing Louise, a girl in her class.

It’s Louise that needs to hear this story - she’s the one that deserves an explanation. To hear about Shaun, Gem’s best brother, the one who got her the Ugg boots, looked out for her and would never let anybody call her a chav. Shaun, who went to Afghanistan to fight for his country and didn’t come back.

Written and performed by poet Michelle Scally-Clarke, this powerful new play is accompanied with original music by Christella Litrus.

THE WORM COLLECTOR

West Yorkshire Playhouse Touring Company
By J.C. Marshall
Director: Gail McIntyre

Continuing to present work of an outstanding calibre in Leeds’ schools, West Yorkshire Playhouse Touring Company presents The Worm Collector, directed by Gail McIntyre. This is the first production to form part of the long term project SHARP, which has been designed to tackle head-on the issue of knife crime affecting teenagers across the UK today. The Worm Collector will tour to primary and secondary schools from 6 October 2009 to 12 February 2010.

Figuring out how to be a teenager, what to say, who to hang out with, what’s cool and what’s not, is hard enough when you’re not being bullied. Mark has been given a project, a hobby to take his mind off Gary. Armed with a digital video camera he’s running a competition to see who in his family has the best scar. They all count, even the tiny ones, because it’s not all about the size of the scars, but about what you did to get them that determines whether you’re a winner or not. Perhaps looking at other peoples scars can put all of your own into some kind of perspective.

J.C Marshall returns to the Playhouse following her production of Tender Dearly and Non Contact Time.

Teacher's Resources

Part One: Before The Worm Collector
Part Two: The Workshop
Part Three: After The Worm Collector

past projects

Full of noises
Devised by Daniel Bye, Gail McIntyre and the company
Daniel Bye Director
Barney George Designer
Richard Ormrod Composer
Gail McIntyre Associate Director

Cast: Richard Ormrod, John Tearney, Ben Van Der Velde.

A new play for students at KS3 studying The Tempest

Having returned with the King’s ship from Prospero’s isle, Stephano and Trinculo realise Butlering and Jestering no longer holds any joy for them, compared with the prospect of ruling over an island. One drunken night they resolve to retun…

Created for a teenage audience the production used clown techniques, live music and story telling to tap into The Tempest’s key themes of POWER and RESPONSIBILITY – both POLITICAL and MAGICAL. As in Shakespeare’s theatre the theatrical style develops out of the traditions of medieval voice plays, folk story telling and minstrelsy. Through the world of Trinculo and Stephano it will provide a refreshing new way of encountering characters and sequences from the play and also function as a more generic introduction to Shakespeare’s language.

The Full of Noises Teacher Resource Pack supports KS3 curriculum objectives. It has been devised and written by Simon Guilfoyle, previously Head of English at Wortley High and currently teaching at Guisley High School.

Download the Teacher Resource Pack
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the yellow doctress
By Marcia Lane
Director Gail McIntyre
Designer Emma Williams

The Yellow Doctress is the story of Mary Seacole, pioneering nurse and heroine of the Crimean War. Mary learned her nursing skills from her mother and went on to nurse on the battlefields of the Crimea where she tended the wounded and was known by the soldiers as 'Mother Seacole'. A nurse at the same time as Florence Nightingale, Mary was also a lover of adventure and a clever business woman. Rejected by Florence when she applied to join her nurses, Mary refused to give in and set out on her own for the Crimea (1854). Her story had until fairly recently remained hidden from history.

The free resource pack for this production can be downloaded here.

RUNAWAY DIAMONDS
Devised by David Hamilton, Gail McIntyre and Joe Williams
Director Gail McIntyre
Choreographer David Hamilton
Designer Emma Williams

Born to a slave mother and a white father he never knew, Frederick Douglass grew up to become a leader in the abolitionist movement and the first black citizen to hold high rank in the US government. Throughout his life Douglass took every opportunity to educate himself. He provided a powerful voice for human rights during the American Civil War and was recognised as one of America's first great black speakers. Premiered at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in March 2005 and subsequently toured schools and other regional venues. To mark the bicentenary of the abolition of slavery a new production was toured in 2007, with all available dates sold out within one month of being advertised. It was also presented in the Courtyard theatre as part of the Autumn 2007 Season. See the original production details

The free resource pack for this production can be downloaded here.

Trouble
Mike Kenny's new play for 3 to 5 year olds
Trouble, a toddler, and his Mum spend a lot of time in the kitchen together. He has a vivid imagination and when Mum suggests going shopping, Trouble’s imagination takes flight and being in the kitchen takes on new meaning. Trouble uses live music and puppets to celebrate children’s imaginative play. Much of the story is told through non-verbal communication, and explores problem solving through play.

The Dutiful Daughter
Ke Zin is always obedient and never questions her past or her future until the day the sea brings to her island home a man who will challenge everything she believe in.Performed in the Courtyard Theatre in June 2005, followed by a tour to Leeds schools.

Crap Dad by Mark Catley
When Paul meets Marie outside the headmaster's office it's hardly love at first sight. When the two sixteen-year-olds find out Marie is pregnant, things get a little dicey. As a grown up Paul waits to meet his children for the first time it's time for some serious thinking.
Crap Dad enjoyed sellout performances in the Courtyard Theatre in June 2004 and toured schools throughout autumn 2004. See the original production details

Displace
A piece of story-telling which draws on the experiences of asylum seekers and refugees to explore what it means to leave one country and settle in a new one. For Years 4 & 5. Toured to Leeds schools from September 2003 to March 2004. See the original production details

Visiting Grandad
For children aged 3 to 7, exploring the relationship between grandchildren and grandparents. Toured and performed at the Playhouse during 2000 and 2001.