GREENOCK’S Beacon Arts Centre is stepping up its offering for children and young people.
Fifteen shows for children and families have been programmed this year, including the popular festive pantomime which this year is Sleeping Beauty.
The wide range of productions has been specially developed for younger audiences and families, to encourage a lifelong love and enjoyment of the arts, and include adaptations of popular children’s books, science shows, and children’s comedy adventures.
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s popular story, A Squash and Squeeze, has been brought to life by Olivier-nominated duo Barb Jungr and Samantha Lane, while Nick Sharratt’s Shark in the Park, Quentin Blake’s Angelica Sprocket’s Pockets and an interactive musical adaptation of You Choose by Nick Sharratt and Pippa Goodhart also feature.
The Beacon is also putting the fun and magic into learning, with a live stage show by the Science Museum and a 10-year anniversary special of Mark Thomson’s Spectacular Science Show.
The McDougalls will also be appearing live in a fun-filled musical production of The McDougalls: Pirate Adventure. Created and performed by Ruairidh Forde and Ryan Moir, it reunites Auntie Aggie, Max and Morag the Rabbit on a swashbuckling adventure to find buried treasure.
Younger audiences are sure to be delighted by The Dinosaur that Pooped: A Rock Show. Adapted from the number one bestselling book by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter and directed by Miranda Larson, the show has brand new songs and lots of laughs. The Beacon is also serving up Dinosaur Adventure Live and a Fireman Sam live stage show over the summer.
Theatre is top of the bill, with the sold-out The Ancient Oak of Baldor, which comes to the Beacon in April. The multisensory show has been created for audiences with profound and multiple learning difficulties.
The Beacon, which was recently awarded multi-year funding from Creative Scotland to support its work, also runs a series of popular theatre classes for children.
Beacon Youth Theatre is open to children from across Inverclyde, giving them a space to explore the arts in a friendly, welcoming environment, while the Beacon Young Company is aimed at 16 to 21-year-olds looking for more focused grounding in performance and theatre.
Beacon Arts Centre co-director Lesley Davidson said: “Many local children have their first experience of live theatre at the Beacon, and it is something we are enormously proud of.
“We are passionate about ensuring that everyone can benefit from the joy and magic of the arts, and this varied and exciting range of shows developed specially for younger audiences is an important way that we can light up lives.
“We know how hard it can be to find fun family activities to enjoy together, so we are delighted to have put together this programme, which, together with our youth theatre groups, provides a much-needed resource for Inverclyde and beyond.
“Our recent award of multi-year funding from Creative Scotland means we are able to do even more to support our local communities and bring fantastic shows for everyone to the Beacon.”
Show dates and times are as follows:
Science Museum: The Live Stage Show April 6, 2025. 12.30pm
Shark in the Park April 9, 2025. 1pm
Angelica Sprocket’s Pockets April 13, 2025. 2pm
The Ancient Oak of Baldor April 29 – April 30. 1.30pm
The McDougalls: Pirate Adventure May 3, 2025. 1pm
You Choose May 5, 2025 (multiple showings)
Grado’s Big Family Wrestling Bash July 5, 2025. 2.30pm
The Dinosaur that Pooped July 13, 2025 (multiple showings)
A Squash and a Squeeze July 22 – July 24, 2025 10.30am
Dinosaur Adventure Live: The Big Jurassic Storm. August 8, 2025 (multiple showings)
Fireman Sam Live. August 16, 2025 (multiple showings)
Mark Thompson’s Spectacular Science Show. October 10, 2025 (multiple showings)
Dino Tales- Jurassic Rescue. October 19, 2025. (multiple showings)
Top Secret – The Magic of Science. October 10, 2025. 2pm
