Public Record, developed through a collaboration between the National Theatre, Sunderland Culture and Sunderland Empire, will feature more than 100 community performers alongside professional musicians and dancers, when it is staged at The Fire Station in April.
The production is part of the National Theatre’s Public Acts programme, a nationwide initiative creating extraordinary acts of theatre and community.
Dance JAM, a street dance school based in Sunniside, Sunderland, has been chosen to be a part of Public Record.
Jennifer Oswald, also known as Pinky, leads Dance JAM, and said: “It’s great for us to be part of such an important show. We’re involved in sections at the beginning of the show, at the end and we have our own section too.
“We’ve started rehearsing by ourselves and with Public Record Co-Director and Choreographer Dan Canham at Southpaw Dance Company’s studio at Sheepfolds. We have 23 dancers involved in the show – aged from seven to 15-year-olds – and they’re from four different Dance JAM crews.
“Helen Green, Head of Performance at Sunderland Culture, asked if we wanted to get involved and put us in touch with Dan. The dancers are loving the rehearsals and are already looking forward to the performances at The Fire Station in April.”
Public Record will transform The Fire Station into a recording studio to create a new album; a portrait of the city through its people. There will be four performances of Public Record at The Fire Station, from Friday, April 25 to Sunday, April 27, and tickets are now on sale.
Pinky added: “The show is about life in Sunderland and how everything is recorded. We’ve not performed at The Fire Station before, so that’s something else to look forward to. There may also be roles for myself and Dance JAM teacher Amy Richardson – we focus on street dance, but the style for Public Record is more contemporary dance which has been really interesting for us.”
Public Record features original music and songs from Ross Millard (The Futureheads guitarist and singer) and is split into 13 ‘tracks’ each celebrating an element of Sunderland and its long and proud musical heritage.
National Theatre’s Director of Public Acts Emily Lim has teamed up with Co-Director and Choreographer Dan, writer Stewart Pringle and Ross to develop Public Record.
The community performers are drawn from four groups: Back on the Map, Connect Company from Sunderland Empire, The Odyssey Alumni group and Sunderland Nigerian Family Group. There are also two ‘cameo’ groups involved – Dance JAM and the Young Musicians Project, led by Laura Brewis.
Helen Green said: “We’re delighted that Pinky and her talented Dance JAM crews are involved with Public Record. One priority for us was to include as many local people as possible in Public Record and we’re able to do just that. It’s also a great opportunity for the Dance JAM crews to work with Dan, a nationally-recognised choreographer.”
Public Acts is supported by Arts Council England’s Strategic Touring Fund, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The CareTech Charitable Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Mosawi
Foundation and The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust.
For more information or to book tickets, go to https://www.thefirestation.org.uk/whats-on/365//sunderland-culture-sunderland-empire-national-theatre-present-public-record