Press release: 28 January 2008

Play for Young People Premieres at Local Colleges

American-born playwright Dana Bagshaw originally set her drama Karate for Kim in California during the 1970s while she was a student at San Jose State. In January of this year, she worked with the Guiding Lights Youth Theatre in Oadby to set the play in England and update it to contemporary times.

“Working with the young people has been a delight,” Bagshaw states. “They helped by contributing the right jargon and the right tone for British audiences. In the process I believe they improved the overall effectiveness of the play.”

The play sees thirteen-year old Kim clamouring for attention and respect from her family, friends, and an admired school teacher, Ms. Moreland. Shunning the opposite sex and preferring to spend her time with newts, Kim also manages to persuade her parents to let her take Karate. Then she meets Mark.

Directed by Eva Ziebecki, the play includes two adult actors. Leanne Mitchell, who starred in Bagshaw’s award-winning play Cell Talk, plays Kim’s understanding mum, while newcomer Russell Smith plays her not-quite-so-understanding father.

The play will open in the Studio Theatre at Beauchamp Community College in Oadby on Friday 7 March 7:30 pm and Saturday 8 March 2:30 pm. An excerpt from the play will be performed during the Leicestershire Drama Festival at Countesthorpe Community College April 7 to 12.

For tickets to the Oadby performance, contact Dana Bagshaw: 0116-2714837. For further information on the drama festival at Countesthorpe, contact John Clarke: 0116-2848911