Hype has marked 10 years of youth theatre with a birthday celebration.
Hype has marked 10 years of youth theatre with a birthday celebration.
A Levin youth theatre group encouraging participation in performing arts has celebrated a significant milestone this month.
Hype - Horowhenua Young Persons Entertainment - celebrated its 10th birthday with a reunion of past, present pupils and supporters.
The youth theatre group started in 2014 with the aim of developing youth drama with in a safe and nurturing environment. It started with a class of 75 children. Since then hundreds of children have been involved with Hype.
Hype facilitator Linda Buckley has been there from the beginning and said seeing students grow and achieve was incredible.
“It is a rewarding and humbling thing to be able to help our students use their drama experiences as a platform to spring board from. We offer the students awesome opportunities and help sponsor them to achieve their goals,” she said.
“It certainly makes us extremely proud to be sharing our passion with our region’s talented children, and watching them succeed in their chosen fields. My wish is they pay it forward in the future and know how enriched more children will be from their worldly experiences.”
Hype Theatre in Levin has put on 10 major productions now.
Senior students from Hype were recently involved in the Junior Theatre Festival NZ and the International All-stars team.
Amber Rollinson, fresh from a youth drama festival in New York in February, has gained another prestigious place in the International Drama All Stars Team and heads back to the US later this year.
Fellow Hype student Alrich Hoffman hoped to attend this year’s junior festival International in Australia, after winning a scholarship for gifted students in drama.
A crew from Hype Theatre in Levin.
Hype Theatre started under the umbrella of Levin Little Theatre with support from LTT committee members David Latham and Joyce Corrin, later moving to a huge hall at Levin Uniting Church as an independent group.
Buckley said it wasn’t easy starting Hype from scratch, but was able to call on her experience from a lifetime of involvement in theatre. Her motto has been: “Never give up - ambition is great, goals are your focus but resilience is key.”
Amber Rollinson and Madison Walsh cut the Hype birthday cake.
Hype has staged 10 annual productions, winning regional theatre awards in directorship, ensemble, set design and concept and actor awards, while members have pursued their passion for performing arts.
Hype facilitators such as Buckley and Ann-Marie Stapp have provided school holiday programmes, fundraised, sought grants and worked voluntarily with weekly classes.
A scene from a Hype production of Beauty and The Beast JR.
More than 85 people attended the Hype birthday reunion, marking the theatre group’s successes over the years. Buckley said it was amazing to look around and see how much members had grown. The reunion was celebrated with a lot of dancing and live music.
Mikey the lamb made an appearance on stage in a scene from Beauty and the Beast JR in 2021.
“It was such a special evening and a delight to see many past students’ faces again,” she said.
Hype Theatre is now in rehearsals for its next fun0filled family production of The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition, with seven shows to be held between August 28 - September 1.
