The Shoeman has entered into a partnership with EDGE Outreach Links of London Sale Louisville to participate in more extensive programs, including the ability to help 2,000 people in a tent city, two orphanages, one medical center and a church and its surrounding community in Haiti. "What I'm most proud of is that everyone we help gets water for free," he said. "People go from hopelessness to being able to help themselves -- it's a jot to do something like this. "Madison County has helped me so much," he continued. "I'm able to drill for water in Kenya this year because of the schools in Madison County." Area schools participating in the drive include Alton, Triad, Highland, Edwardsville, Bethalto, and Granite City School Districts along with the Motivational Achievement Center, St. Ambrose in Godfrey and St. Mary's in Alton.He's written more than 40 plays for young audiences, although the term family audiences might be more appropriate inmost cases. It was [Mike Kenny] who adapted E Nesbit's The Railway Children for York Theatre Royal's Links of London Rings at the National Rail Museum featuring a real steam train. The show has transferred to the former Eurostar terminal at London's Waterloo Station with plans to go international with a staging in Toronto next year. Barney George's design took into account Kenny's worries about Aladdin's story being loaded down with a "fake Eastern thing - curly shoes, turbans and those sort of things". So the set resembles Leeds Market. The stuff on the stalls takes the audience all over the world, achieving an exotic and universal appeal. Market signs have been created by local schoolchildren. "I get all the best jobs, really interesting and exciting adventurous stuff to do all the time, " he says. "A lot of TV is just 'let's keep them happy, keep them entertained'. That's okay, that's all right, but there are so many other places you can go to."Playwright Mike Kenny has a magical touch when it comes to adapting classics. Steve Pratt reports AWARD-winning playwright Mike Links of London Red Valentine Bracelet is sitting outside the rehearsal room when I call, a telephone interview taking precedence over watching the cast of Aladdin go through their paces. "I love rehearsals, " says the York-based writer, the first ever recipient of the Arts Council of England's Children's Award in recognition of his work for children, young people and their families. The reason he likes the rehearsal process is that the play is still a work in progress when he hands over the script. The words don't change that much in rehearsal, but the production does. "I like to leave a lot of room for experiment and fresh air around my scripts, " he explains. "In some ways I feel it's a conversation with the directors and actors and designers. So I never have stage directions. I say something like 'this might happen around this time'." He's written more than 40 plays for young audiences, although the term family audiences might be more appropriate inmost cases. It was Kenny who adapted E Nesbit's The Railway Children for York Theatre Royal's production at the National Rail Museum featuring a real steam train. The show has transferred to the Links of London Reindeer Charm Eurostar terminal at London's Waterloo Station with plans to go international with a staging in Toronto next year. He also adapted Wind In The Willows this summer for York Theatre Royal and will turn his attention to JM Barrie's Peter Pan next year. He's also adapting the York Mysteries for the staging in Museum Gardens in 2012.
Commentaires