TWO North-East youth groups have been chosen to perform at one of the country's most prestigious theatres.
Groups from Ryton Comprehensive School, in Gateshead, and Stockton and Billingham Community College, beat off competition from more than 150 groups throughout the UK to win places in a festival at the National Theatre.
Ryton will perform Moontel Six at the National's Cottesloe Theatre, in London, on July 17. Stockton and Billingham's show, Multiplex, will appear at the Olivier Theatre on July 21.
The groups are among 14 from the UK, Eire and Australia taking part in the festival to mark the culmination of the National Theatre's Shell Connections programme.
Between July 15 and 22, they will each perform one of ten newly-commissioned pieces by top writers, including Mark Ravenhill and Phillip Ridley.
The young people are aged between 11 and 19, and none have ever appeared on National Theatre stages.
Shell Connections began in November, with a workshop for directors writers, and National Theatre representatives in Keswick, Cumbria.
Groups premiered play at local venues, including the Theatre Royal, in Newcastle, and were assessed by judges.
Nicholas Hytner, director of the National Theatre, said: "The Shell Connections programme has everything: exciting new plays, committed and inspired performers and an audience that wants to be challenged, provoked and entertained."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article