Extension cords resembling neurones hang from the ceiling of the 70-seat tiered theatre at Western Plains Cultural Centre (WPCC).
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On stage are 10 teenagers looking at their phones and practising their lines for an Australia-first show that aims to get families talking.
WPCC’s Black Box Creatives (BBC) youth theatre company is rehearsing for three performances of Brainstorm across Friday and Saturday.
READ ALSO:
BBC founder and Brainstorm director Camilla Ward says it is an “exploration of the teenage brain through a theatrical experience”.
Brainstorm was first performed in the United Kingdom (UK) after the discovery of a surge of neurons in teenagers’ brains, influencing their behaviour.
The UK production incorporated scientific content and the experience and ideas of young performers.
In Dubbo the same formula applies with Mrs Ward confident that the cast and audiences of the one-hour show will walk away feeling hopeful.
The teenage years are messy,” she said. “There are things you do and you don’t know why you do them. But it’s all normal..and you’re not the only one who is going through it. It’s genetically what we are engineered to do.”
Mrs Ward said the show aimed to help “keep the conversation going”.
“Once it shuts down that’s when people are isolated,” she said. “Hopefully, we're providing a platform for parents and teenagers to bridge that gap a bit more and see things from each others’ perspectives.”
Dubbo author Toni Grant has developed the script through the words of the cast aged from 14 to 19 years.
She grabbed the chance, knowing “mental health in our teens is a huge discussions point at the moment”.
The Brainstorm cast comprises Shanae Gosper, Jack Cumming, Taamin Boland, Kyla Turner, Maeve Sparrow, Sally James, Isabella Leggett, Veronica Mitchell, Lorna Mitchell and Lana Barclay.
Hopefully, we're providing a platform for parents and teenagers to bridge that gap a bit more and see things from each other's perspectives.
- Brainstorm director Camilla Ward
They will perform from 7.30pm on Friday, 3pm on Saturday and 7.30pm on Saturday.
Tickets are available at westernplainsculturalcentre.org.