The Loaningdale School Company trustees love to hear how their grants are changing young people’s lives in Clydesdale. As you’ll see below, Corn Exchange Young Performers recently shared how their grant, awarded in December 2023, enabled 20 youngsters to put on a new play in Biggar and on the main stage at the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock.

The trustees are thrilled to see the strides Young Performers have been making in Biggar and beyond. Their dedication to youth theatre is a great fit for charity’s mission, and the commitment of everyone involved is clearly reflected in what they have achieved.

Keep up the tremendous efforts, and we look forward to seeing more incredible results in the future!

Back In The Day and Old Times

Thanks to a grant from Loaningdale School Company, forty young people from Clydesdale performed to packed audiences this spring.

Half of the group performed Back In The Day by Yasmeen Khan, a time-travelling adventure about four friends and their teacher who are transported to the 1980s. This fun, light-hearted piece, partly set on roller-skates, examines the impact of peer pressure and social media on young peoples’ mental health.

Back In the Day was a huge hit, with the young cast performing to a sold-out audience in Biggar before taking the show to the main stage at the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock as part of the National Theatre’s acclaimed Connections Festival. One young actor said “Performing the play in Biggar was amazing, but then we got to do it again on one of the biggest stages in Scotland. It was incredible to stand up there with my friends – we cheered each other on and it was really good.”

The second play, Old Times by Molly Taylor, is a dark and complex piece exploring friendship, guilt and how society treats young people who are caught up in the justice system. The cast and crew of twenty-one young people worked hard to bring this challenging show to life. Audience members flocked to see the play and were struck by its pace, professionalism and rich story[1]telling, with one commenting “I’m so glad this theatre group is available for our youngsters. This experience will influence their whole future.”

These two projects enabled a diverse group of young people to develop skills in drama, dance, music, design, lighting and sound, supported by industry professionals with decades of experience in the creative industries. Anthony Bowers, Project Leader at Corn Exchange Young Performers, said “The effect on our young actors’ confidence, communication skills and sense of themselves as artists is huge. Watching them grow and thrive through these projects is a privilege and we’re grateful to Loaningdale School Company for their generous support in making it happen.”