Arts Council of Wales’ Night Out Scheme has begun its first Christmas Show tour since before the covid-19 pandemic. Cardiff based Likely Story theatre were commissioned to create a brand-new Christmas show for touring throughout Wales in November and December.
Night Out has worked with Likely Story Theatre Company for many years and they produce true family shows, appealing to children and their adults at the same time. The company applied for and received a National Lottery grant to create the show.
Created and led by women, Hazel Anderson and Ellen Groves have been the main performers for many years, inviting others to join them when needed. This year’s show is called “The Night Before Christmas” and tells the tale of Christmas elves at the north pole gift wrapping centre.
Commenting today, head of Night Out, Peter Gregory said:
“We are delighted to have been able to work with Likely Story Theatre again to create a fantastic Christmas show for the first time since 2017. The Company have an innate understanding of the difficulties and joys of community touring. Night Out has taken them to a huge variety of communities over the years from isolated rural village halls to community centres in inner city and socially deprived areas. This year will be no different.
“We are also glad to have been able to work with a wide range of promotors, including seven groups of young promoters in Primary Schools, Young Carers in North and Mid Wales, Local Authority Hubs in Newport and some brand-new promoters, working with Night Out for the first time. This has enabled us to take the show to places that normally don’t get to see professional theatre productions which is the whole point of the Arts Council of Wales’ Night Out scheme – to help local people stage professional quality arts events by hiring musicians, theatre companies and performers while minimising the financial risk of doing so. It is absolutely about getting the arts into the heart of the community thus ensuring that the arts are for the benefit of all.
“We are sure that ‘The Night Before Christmas’ will be as much of a hit as previous productions and giving whole communities across Wales a warm festive hug with lots of Christmas spirit.”
The full list of performances are:
Wednesday 23rd November 5pm - Trinant Primary School, Crumlin, Caerphilly
Saturday 26th November 5pm - Glyncoch Community Centre, Pontypridd. RCT
Tuesday 29th November 5pm - Phillipstown Primary School, New Tredegar, Caerphilly
Wednesday 30th November 4.45pm, Old Road School, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire
Thursday 1st December 6pm, St Gwladys Bargoed School, Bargoed, Caerphilly
Saturday 3rd December 4pm – St Hilary Village Hall, Vale of Glamorgan
Tuesday 6th December 4pm– Bettws Community Hub, Newport
Wednesday 7th December 4pm– Ringland Hub, Newport
Thursday 8th December 4pm– Maesglas Hub, Newport
Friday 9th December 4pm– Pillgwenlly Millennium Hall, Newport
Saturday 10th December 4pm – Cwmafan Community Centre, Neath Port Talbot
Sunday 11th December 2.30pm - The Talent Shack, Cardiff
Tuesday 13th December 6pm, Welshpool Primary School, Welshpool, Powys
Wednesday 14th December 5.30pm– Ysgol Aberconwy, Conwy
Thursday 15th December 6pm - Newbridge on Wye CIW Primary School, Powys
Friday 16th December 7pm – Church House, Welshpool, Powys
Saturday 17th December 6.30pm - Christ the Word Catholic School, Rhyl, Denbighshire
Wednesday 21st December 6pm– Hood Memorial Hall, Devauden, Monmouthshire
Thursday 22nd December 6pm– Neuadd St Catwgs Community Centre, Gelligaer, Caerphilly
Friday 23rd December 6pm – Barry Island Community Centre, Vale of Glamorgan
END 25 November 2022