Children get a taste of the limelight with theatre workshop

Young people have been given an insight into the skills, science and psychology behind theatre production.

Swindon's Wyvern Theatre hosted an interactive workshop for more than 30 children and their families.

The classes are part of Swindon's Festival of Tomorrow and the BBC's Bring the Drama Festival, giving people a chance to look behind the scenes of film, TV and theatre.

The day was run by Prime Theatre who specialise in physical workshops and performance projects for young actors and writers.

Three young actors from Prime Theatre performed the witches opening scene in Macbeth with a variety of sound and lighting treatments

Sound Designer, Ben Occhipinti, was inspired by a career in sound design from a young age.

He said: "We all listen to nursery rhymes and songs as we're growing up.

"That forms a real connection between sound, music and stories.

"That's what I love, an audience coming into a space and experiencing a live event together in one room.

"Being able to add the atmosphere of sound and music is really exciting."

Mr Occhipinti said there is a need for more people to choose careers in lighting and sound.

"There's a real demand at the moment for technicians, people working in all different levels of sound and light," he added.

"There are so many different career paths and opportunities within theatre and there's a real need for it."

Ben Occhipinti said there is a need for more people to choose careers in lighting and sound

Lighting Designer, Will Burgher, said he loves the collaboration needed in theatre production.

"When all the departments come together - set, costume, sound, video sometimes, the director, the actors - when you all work together harmoniously and you've got that amazing end product," he said.

"That's what really does it for me."

Mark Powell, Artistic Director at Prime Theatre

Artistic director at Prime Theatre, Mark Powell, said being a part of Swindon's The Festival of Tomorrow has helped prove there is creativity in Science.

"Science and art aren't different things," he explained.

"The festival's really keen to demonstrate STEAM learning - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths."

The BBC's Bring The Drama Festival aims to showcase technical and back stage careers.

Mr Powell said: "Young people have such great imagination and increasing numbers of technical skills.

"They don't quite realise, because we don't demonstrate enough, that there are jobs and careers to be had being creative with sound and lighting in theatre."