REVIEW OF 24/25
Last year was our most exciting year to date! We welcomed over 600 children and adults into the building, ran 75 weekly sessions in dance and theatre, launched a new group - our fabulous Young Actors Company- and staged a five-week exhibition of artworks created by local schoolchildren at Cannons House & Grounds, visited by over 400 children and adults.
Over 100 people attended our final performances.
Our dance club staged three performances:
- At New Wimbledon Theatre in January
- As part of Mitcham Carnival in June
- And their spectacular self-created dance performance, “Lost In a Book” at Green Arts Centre in July.
Our Youth Theatre worked from an existing script, The Flying Machine by Phil Porter, creating a captivating and delightful physical theatre piece.
They also were very excited to visit the musical HAMILTON with members of our older group. It was an amazing afternoon in a theatre with 800 other young theatre fans.
Young Actors Company is our newest group! Launched in autumn 2023 and run by the incredibly talented Rachael Black, the YAC staged their own devised production featuring squabbling statues and a pigeon with a death wish. Very bizarre and very funny!
We also ran three weeks of summer clubs with our brilliant partners, Attic Theatre Company.
Mitcham Carnival in June 2024
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN 25/26
Our new year kicked off with an unexpected treat- Dance Club members were all invited to see Alice In Wonderland at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
Sponsored by one of our favourite funders, Taylor Family Foundation this was a grand day out! The production was stunning. Check out our video reviews!
TWIST!
This term, all three of our groups are rehearsing for our production of TWIST! in July. This is a new and original take on the Charles Dickens classic and we can't wait to share it with you.
First Steps Dance are creating their own version of the story for July and will also perform once again at Mitcham Carnival on 22nd June! (https://www.merton.gov.uk/communities-and-neighbourhoods/events/mitcham-carnival). This is a great community event so please come and support us!
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Stories of our Streets
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We are very excited to announce details of our latest community project. Stories of Our Streets is supported by Arts Council England and launches in April 2025 with an interactive exhibition of photographic works by young members of Shine Camera Club, curated by artist and photographer Cindy Sasha.
Staged at Canons House & Grounds on Madeira Road, the photographs will capture and celebrate life on Mitcham’s streets.
Cindy, an established photographer and film-maker who grew up in the area, says of the project, "The exhibition will be a truly special moment for Mitcham’s community, celebrating the purity, joy, and undeniable truth that shines through every photograph taken by these young photographers. It is a fantastic opportunity for Shine Merton children to connect with their community, capturing the people, places, and moments that matter most to them. I’m thrilled to guide these talented young people in discovering the art of photography.”
Local school pupils will be invited to visit the exhibition, followed by a programme of in-school workshops encouraging them to create their own poetry, prose and drama. All the artworks will be created over a period of 12 months ending with celebration events at Green Arts Centre in July 2026.
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What's On
All our groups and classes are FREE so sign up now!
GAC YOUTH THEATRE
Join our Youth Theatre! Perform onstage! Work with experienced theatre directors!
Our Youth Theatre group meets every Tuesday from 4:30PM-6:30PM and is open to ALL young people in Mitcham aged 8-12 years.
There are still places available for this year.
Click the button below to apply.
GAC YOUNG ACTORS COMPANY
We are proud to announce our new Youth Theatre exclusively for young people 13+ years old, living in Mitcham. This new group sprang from our collaboration with our good friends, ATTIC THEATRE COMPANY last year and has gone from strength to strength.
We meet every Wednesday from 4:30PM-6:30PM.
Already proving popular and giving young people opportunities to create their own productions.
We still have spaces available for 2025 so click the link below to apply.
