A UNIQUE arts educational project is now back on the road celebrating its fifth Christmas season. (Dec 19)
Known as TOPS - the Theatre Opportunities Project - it offers learning-disabled people the chance to achieve their potential and excel in the arts, while entertaining and educating school children in skills of citizenship.
It is run jointly by Bournemouth Borough Council's Education Directorate (Life Long Learning) and Leisure and Tourism Directorate (Arts, Libraries and Museums).
Rehearsals of the latest Christmas production, Thorn Rose, The Sleeping Beauty, took place at their base at BCC (Boscombe Centre for Community Arts) with the nine TOPS members and Tony Horitz of Bournemouth Council's Theatre in Education team.
The production is being staged in the round and includes colourful costumes, puppets and exciting, original music, specially composed in workshops with members of the group with musician Melanie Ledwith.
It has been touring schools since December 4 but there are also two public performances to look out for at BCC - on Thursday, December 19, at 1pm and 7.30pm.
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