Pledge of support to York Mystery Plays 2012

The York Mystery Plays have received a major funding boost from York St John University to help bring the significance of the plays to school children across York.

York St John University has pledged a total of £11,000, with £5,000 being used to create York Mystery Plays education packs which have been sent to every primary and secondary school in the city. The packs contain different workshop and activity plans to encourage schools to engage with the plays across the curriculum, including activities in history, art and drama.

Siona Mackelworth, Director of Marketing at York St John University, said:

“We are delighted to be supporting the 2012 York Mystery Plays. The University has a strong track record in community performing arts and has enjoyed a long history of collaboration with the Mystery Plays. We are actively engaged with schools in lots of different ways and it is fantastic to be able to widen our involvement by supporting the educational work of the Mystery Plays.”

The York Mystery Plays have received a total of £18,000 from organisations and businesses in the city. Alongside York St John’s funding, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has donated £5,000 and MooD International has pledged another £2,000. The three separate organisations’ contributions will help York Theatre Royal, York Museums Trust and Riding Lights Theatre Company as they prepare to stage the outdoor production in the Museum Gardens between 2 and 27 August 2012.

The new adaptation of the York Mystery Plays is written by the Olivier award-winning Mike Kenny, who adapted York Theatre Royal and the National Railway Museum’s The Railway Children. They will spectacularly tell the story of the cosmic battle between good and evil – from creation to the last judgement. The community cast, which has included many York St John University staff and students over the years, will be complemented by two professional actors who are yet to be announced.