DIRT (Drama In Rural Towns) is a theatre program for 8 to 17 year olds.  Classes are held in Kyogle and Casino in northern New South Wales.

DIRT aims to ignite and nurture a passion for theatre and provide an opportunity for young artists to participate in a collaborative process while having fun and improving communication and team building skills.

The program year is from July to the following June and is two hours a week during school terms culminating in annual (June) productions which offer DIRT students the opportunity to showcase their skills, both on stage and through being a part of a production team.

Classes are led by VHP Artistic Director Lynette Zito and, throughout the year, one or more workshops covering a variety of theatre topics may be held outside class hours.  These are facilitated by industry professionals.  Topics such as stage makeup, working with masks, sound, lighting and script writing are some of the workshops held in previous years.

The DIRT debut performance in November 2011 of the students’ improv piece, Unbreakable, directed by Joelle Foy, was outstanding.

New students need to apply as each class is limited to 15 participants.  To apply, email Lynette. Application forms and full information will be sent to you by email.  Please bring completed forms to class on enrolment.

2018 – 2019

Themed Speak Up, this year classes will focus on helping students to overcome shyness, build confidence and find their creative voice.  In a safe, encouraging and fun environment, students will learn communication skills through in-class monologues and scene work, and through the medium of singing, to help them to speak up for themselves and others and to speak for or against something.

Our final term commences on 30th April for the Casino class and 1 May for the Kyogle class.

The DIRT Annual Production, Treasure Island (a pantomime), will be held in Casino on 23rd June at the Civic Hall and in Kyogle on 30th June at the KMI Hall.  Both performances start at 2pm.

2017 – 2018

For its annual production, Fables and Folktales, the Kyogle and Casino classes once again combined together for a very successful production.

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We acknowledge the Casino RSM Club as our sponsor in Casino and thank them for their support.  

We thank Kyogle Council for its support over the past 7 years.

DIRT Voices

DIRT Voices is a vocal group made up of students from both Casino and Kyogle DIRT classes. DIRT Voices made a special appearance at Divarama on 31st August 2018 at the Casino Civic Hall. DIRT Voices performed at the 2019 Casino RSL sub-Branch ANZAC Day service. One Voice Richmond Valley Community Choir has invited DIRT Voices to participate in its annual concert in September 2019.

Previous Years:

In 2017 CINDERELLA – the Pantomime was the annual production held in June for the combined Kyogle and Casino classes.  It was a huge success with audiences, students and parents.

Students also performed for a number of community programs:

• Fairymount Festival in Kyogle – Alley Cat Jungle by Jenny Strever;
• Emergency services forum in Grafton performing their self-written play;
• Performing with the One Voice Richmond Valley Community Choir for its annual concert in Kyogle and Casino.

In 2016, students from the Kyogle class performed Shadow Boy by John Summons.  This is a full two act play that received a wonderful response from the audience.

Students also performed for a number of community programs:

• Emergency services forums in Casino performing their self-written play;
• Fairymount Festival in Kyogle – Broadway Babes and Bros, a selection of songs from Broadway musicals;
• Performing with the One Voice Richmond Valley Community Choir for its annual concert in Casino.

The students from both the Kyogle and Casino classes also performed in the Kyogle National Youth Week Event held at Anzac Park in April.

In 2015

• Emergency services forum in Kyogle performing their self-written play

In 2014, students wrote and performed the script for the play, Science Fair Melt Down, for their annual production. In addition they assisted with lighting and sound, and backstage work.  Then they did it all again for the Perform Kyogle festival in September. Students also performed in Pesadillas by Jordon Coote, the winning entry the Under-18 Section of the VHP Playwrights competition.

The annual production “Music & Monologues” in June 2015 saw the students each perform their self-chosen or self-written monologues, a short one act play and a musical number under the direction of Jess Davison (of the Ten Sopranos and local all female group, The Pimmadonnas).  Jess took the last 30 minutes of each class throughout the year to teach the children how to sing.

Other years have seen students learning about and working on all aspects of putting on a production, theatre poetry, creating original works in a series of comedy styles, including parody, farce, slapstick and black comedy and performing a Comedy Revue in 2012 which included Shakespeare’s play within a play, Pyramus & Thisbe.