Unless you have been living under a rock for the entire history of mankind, which I can assure you that you haven't, you will be aware that young people exist, writes Mya Middleton, of Logan Park High School.
You should also be aware that the art of theatre exists.
The idea that these two things can work in unison is foreign to some and may trigger images of chaos and confusion.
Young Wild and Fortunate - a festival that showed for four nights during May at Dunedin's Fortune Theatre - is proof that when youth and theatre combine, the results are brilliant.
The festival itself is a forty minute show comprised of five seven minute extracts from plays.
The idea behind the festival was, according to co-producer Bronwyn Wallace, "youth theatre made by New Zealanders for New Zealanders".
The extracts used in the festival are taken from New Zealand plays written by playwrights all under twenty five.
The extracts are directed and performed by youth. The stage crew are all youth. The lighting and costuming was done by youth. The posters were designed by and the event was photographed by a young person.
Even the producers, organisers and creators Bronwyn Wallace and Piu-Piu Maya Turei are youth.
It's safe to say that not an adult was in sight during the organisation and production of the festival.
The idea sprouted inside co-producer Turei's head early last year and has been a work in progress ever since.
The first meetings with the Fortune Theatre began in May when Wallace came along to a meeting to be Turei's ‘right hand man' and ended up becoming co-producer.
In terms of what it was like to be involved with the festival Josh King (17) who was a stage manager at the festival said "it was really good to be able to be involved in a more professional level production."
And be more involved with the people who work with the Fortune Theatre.
"The festival has been well received by both audiences and theatre professionals alike. I think it was well received...it was something different to do for kids and everyone was really stoked about it,' according to Wallace when asked about how the audience reacted to the festival.
The festival had decent audiences each night (around 50-60 people).
With such a great response from the public it is certain that the festival will be gracing the stage of The Fortune Theatre once again next year and hopefully for many more years to come.
"It could become an annual thing. We could come back in thirty years and it would still be there. That's my aim. My aim is for my children to be able to do it,' claims Wallace.
All of this would not have been possible without the support of the people at the Fortune Theatre.
"Everyone was always really supportive which is really awesome," says Wallace.
A special mention should be made of Lara MacGregor and Jeremy Smith and all of the other beautiful people at the Fortune Theatre who gifted Wallace and Turei "the rehearsal space and everything".
Young , Wild and Fortunate created opportunities for young people that would seem otherwise unlikely.
Let's hope this festival continues on into next year and further on from there.
To get involved email youngwildandfortunate@gmail.com.
- Mya Middleton is a Year 13 student at Logan Park High School.
