A new performing arts festival will be taking over several venues in Auckland for two weeks this month. We The Young in Tamaki Makaurau is celebrating art and imagination with 19 performances, workshops and interactive art experiences targeted at children and teenagers.
Among those events are two workshops by Massive Theatre Company for those between the ages of 12-16 at the Concert Chamber in the Auckland Town Hall.
Teaching artist Jes'mine Palaaia attended a Massive workshop as a 16-year-old in Otara, sparking a career as an actor, performer and teaching artist. It's a full circle moment for her, now offering similar workshops in which participants are encouraged to explore their identity, confidence, physical movement and working with others to devise a piece of theatre. Palaaia speaks to Culture 101 about the importance of accessibility and opportunities at a community level.
