Children at Whitfield Primary in Dundee joined professional actors on stage yesterday to give an innovative rock performance to an audience of peers, parents and professionals to promote a new drugs education musical resource.
Hooked On! is based on Hooked! a Kids on Stage resource developed by Aberdeen-based theatre in education company, Live Wire Productions, and which has been distributed to schools across Scotland.
Funded by the 2004/2005 Scottish Drugs Challenge Fund, Hooked! gives young people an opportunity to experience drug-related issues through interactive drama and music.
Live Wire promotes health improvement, citizenship and environmental issues through the medium of the dramatic arts. The children have spent several weeks learning the songs and reciting their lines.
Following a pre-performance visit two weeks ago, the Live Wire team of actors arrived early yesterday to work with their young co-stars and were rewarded with a dazzling performance at the end of the school day.
“The children and their teachers have worked extremely hard on the material and it was wonderful to see them singing and dancing on stage, delivering an important message to the audience while having fun,” said Vanessa Chew, Live Wire's managing director.
The Hooked! resource includes scripts and sheet music, CD backing track, vocal track and all the information needed to stage a full-scale production. Also, there's a full-scale CD-ROM with lesson plans, games and activity suggestions.
The Courier and Advertiser, Dundee Edition, 22nd June 2006