Photographer: Charlie Hopkinson
REPORT
Christina Baily and Marcus Romer accept the TMA Award for Best Show for Children and Young People for Looking for JJ from Catherine Comerford, Managing Director of The Stage.
This has been a truly momentous year in Pilot Theatre's history. Not only have we toured extensively throughout the UK with over 260 public performances, but we have found inspiration, developed new relationships and forged exciting partnerships across the world through a range of international projects. These have taken us to the USA, Russia, China, Malaysia, Poland, Norway, Germany, Slovakia, Portugal and Holland, in addition to Lord of the Flies touring to the islands of Bermuda and Jersey. In our awareness of being increasingly part of a global community, Pilot Theatre continues to embrace the opportunities presented by digital technologies for connection, engagement and distribution. The first Shift Happens conference in 2008
was a watershed event for the industry, and we are delighted to be developing this through an extended second event in summer 2009: Shift Happens 2.0. Recognised as pioneers in this area, Pilot Theatre have begun to deliver training to other organisations; a great opportunity to share our knowledge and experience. With 42 freelance staff employed this year we have created more opportunities for our artists, stage management and technical team than any other year in our 26 year existence. We have been reminded of just how much Pilot has developed by celebrating the tenth anniversary of Lord of the Flies, which, after a fantastic ten years, with 6 full productions playing to nearly 500,000 people, we finally brought to a close. This was a tremendous project for us as a company, and undoubtedly helped us to where we are today. I would particularly like to thank the most recent touring team, who brought a freshness and new interpretation to the show. They have worked incredibly hard to maintain the profile and standing of Pilot Theatre; it is they who are the Company to the public and our audiences, and I want to extend my thanks to each and every member of the teams who have worked with us over the last 12 months.
The opportunities for us to be able to connect and communicate and therefore to engage with our audiences, artists, staff and colleagues has never been greater. We look forward to developing new creative partnerships and to embracing the changes and shifts that will happen in the year ahead. It is the duty of all of us to not stand still, but to be part of developing thinking and effecting change within the sector for the benefit of all. It is why here at Pilot Theatre our mission of inspiring creativity is at the core of all the work we do and it informs all our practice. On behalf of the core team and the Board I would like to thank you for your continued support; onwards and upwards! Marcus Romer, Artistic Director Pilot Theatre have had an exciting, creative and productive year managing to both produce engaging and creative theatre for young people and also pioneering the use of digital technologies in our work. I'm looking forward to the continued creative growth of Pilot as a theatre and digital pioneer over the next few years. Dave Moutrey, Chair, Pilot Theatre Board