The Yard Announce Autumn Season With Two Premieres, NT Collab, and Night Drafts

The Yard's autumn season will include two new theatre premieres by emerging and established artists; ATHENA by Gracie Gardner will open the season, providing a platform for director Grace Gummer following her National Theatre Women of Tomorrow Directors Award. SAMSKARA written, directed & choreographed by Lanre Malaolu, was commissioned by The Yard and examines four generations of black men as they are trying to understand themselves in a world which tells them they have to be strong.

Autumn 2021 will see The Yard return to full capacity for the first time since early 2020, with measures in place to keep audiences, artists and staff safe. The Yard will also present a number of socially distanced performances for audiences who are not yet ready or able to return to a full auditorium.

ATHENA

Following an acclaimed run in New York, ATHENA is a fierce coming of age comedy. Set in a New York City fencing club, warriors Athena and Mary Wallace are training for the Junior Olympics. They practice together. They compete against each other. They spend their lives together. They wish they were friends.

Set in a New York City fencing club, warriors Athena and Mary Wallace are training for the Junior Olympics. They practice together. They compete against each other. They spend their lives together. They wish they were friends.

Written by award-winning playwright Gracie Gardner, the play is directed by Grace Gummer, the first recipient of The National Theatre Women of Tomorrow Directors Award. As part of the award, Grace worked in The National Theatre's New Work department for 6 months, before directing her first full production at The Yard.

A New York Times Critic's Pick: 'A deadly serious comedy about ambition, success, and owning your superiority... full throttle funny.'

The NT Women of Tomorrow Director's Award is supported by the CHANEL Fund for Women in the Arts and Culture.

This production of Athena was developed with support from The National Theatre, Theatre Together & Golsoncott Foundation.

SAMSKARA

Written, directed & choreographed by Lanre Malaolu and commissioned by The Yard Theatre, SAMSKARA examines four generations of black men as they are trying to understand themselves in a world which tells them they have to be strong. Inspired by real-life testimony and told through an explosive fusion of physical theatre, hip-hop dance and text, SAMSKARA explores vulnerability, emotional trauma and how cycles of fathering affect masculinity. This soul-baring odyssey by award-winning artist Lanre Malaolu untangles what it means to be a black man in 21st Century Britain. What will be passed on and what will be left behind.

SAMSKARA is commissioned by The Yard Theatre, with support from Arts Council England, Jerwood Arts New Work Fund, Battersea Arts Centre and The Society for Theatre Research. Supporting partner East London Dance.

The Yard's Founder and Artistic Director Jay Miller:

"After 18 months it is a relief and it is exhilarating to be announcing two shows; ATHENA and SAMSKARA see The Yard's theatre programme both taking risks and nurturing artists. I'm so proud of how the team at The Yard have adapted to ensure that our communities of artists, young people and local residents have been supported all the way through the last year, and it was a delight to celebrate ten years of our space and our company a few weeks ago. Now, with Grace, Gracie and and Lanre creating for our stage, we can't wait for our audience to come and sit in our seats."

NIGHT DRAFTS

The Yard is also delighted to announce a new artist development scheme aimed at supporting a new generation of promoters.

Night Drafts is in partnership with charity Help Musicians UK, pushing the boundaries of clubbing, music and live performance. The programme will support three emerging musicians, collectives or musician-promoters to run a series of events at The Yard over 6 months. In addition to a £3000 commission, the cohort will receive mentorship and guidance from The Yard's team, alongside masterclasses and training with some of the most exciting creatives, promoters and organisations from London's club community like The Good Night Out Campaign.

Night Drafts will create essential space for the next generation of nightlife artists to launch new events, reach new audiences and build resilient careers, with a particular emphasis on artistic innovation, sustainable practices, and health and wellbeing.

The Yard's Music & Events Producer Anjali Prashar-Savoie:

In a context of increasing precarity in the creative and arts sectors, we are thrilled to be able to offer these residencies as a space for new nights by emerging artists to develop into sustainable practices. Our programme has always sought to platform underrepresented communities, and this collaboration with Help Musicians UK allows us to commission and support these communities in a meaningful way.

The Yard's Artistic Director Jay Miller:

The Yard has always been a space for platforming new ideas and nurturing new talent, so I'm thrilled that we're able to offer our first funded residency in our music programme and keep on supporting the next generation of artists working in nightlife. It is here where new voices are heard, new ideas thrive and where a dance can become a protest.

Over the last 15 months, The Yard has supported artists and local residents through a number of programmes including The Exchange foodbank, and Live Lab artist development programme, as well as continuing our Yard Young Artists programmes online, all of which was supported with funding through the Culture Recovery Fund from DCMS and Arts Council England. The Yard has used this funding to ensure opportunities for freelance artists and creatives by increasing commissions and supporting artists to research and develop new work, as well as helping to sustain The Yard through 2020/21 delivering programmes for young people and local residents.