Teens in Tech | waterfordyoutharts

Waterford Youth Arts presents

STEP INTO THE STORY

Hands-on experience behind the scenes of live theatre for 15 to 19 year olds, working alongside industry professionals.

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

Learn how theatre really works

At Waterford Youth Arts, we support the creative ambitions of young people across the South East. Teens in Tech is our new programme giving young people the chance to explore the inner workings of the performing arts, guided by industry professionals.

Participants shadow professionals as they work on live productions, learning in real time and gaining the hands-on experience needed in their chosen field, all in a fun and respectful environment.

The programme is designed for young people aged 15 to 19 who are curious about a future in the arts, and aims to build awareness and understanding of careers across the creative industries.

15–19

Open to young people aged 15 to 19

LIVE

Shadow professionals on real productions

WATCH · LEARN · CREATE · BELONG

WATCH

See how professionals work on a live production, from the first rehearsal to opening night.

LEARN

Pick up real skills in your chosen area, taught on the job rather than in a classroom.

CREATE

Put those skills to work and make your own contribution to the show.

BELONG

Join the crew. Work alongside other young people who love what happens behind the scenes.

Current areas

Areas you can explore

Lighting Design

Discover how light shapes a scene, sets the mood and guides the audience's eye, and see how cues are built and run from the lighting desk.

Set Design

See how the world of a show is imagined, planned and built, from early ideas to the finished set on stage.

Choose the area that interests you most and shadow a professional working in it.

Photography & Videography

Document the production from rehearsal room to stage, capturing the images and footage that tell the story of the show.

Stage Management

Learn how the people on headset keep a production running: organising rehearsals, calling cues and making sure every performance runs smoothly.

2026 pilot

Where it started

Teens in Tech was piloted in 2026 on two productions: Our Dream Of The Shaman, an Erasmus+ project, and Revenge at Hotel Rapscallion, this year's Summer Project.

Participants joined the production teams on both shows, working behind the scenes on lighting, stage management, set and documentation.

The Teens in Tech crew at work in rehearsals

IN THEIR WORDS

What our crew said about stepping into the story

“

With teens and tech, i got to shadow Dermot the lighting designer and learn how to set up, program and cue lights for a show. I got hands-on experience which I wouldnt have gotten anywhere else. I also got to operate the show all 3 nights.

I enjoyed teens in tech and my experience with the show so much. I really enjoy backstage and stage design, and this solidified it for me that this is something i want to pursue in the future. The show itself was also fantastic, which made it ten times better overall.

I would heavily recommend the Teens In Tech program as it gives you experience you wouldnt get elsewhere especially at such a young age, and working on a show in any regard is always loads of fun

Emma,

Lighting Technician

Get involved

Please email your expression of interest to info@waterfordyoutharts.com, referencing Teens in Tech with the following details:

Name (of the Young Person)
Parents' Details/Contact (Phone and Email)
Area of interest

COMING NEXT

We're planning to grow the programme to include more areas of the creative industries, including:

Sound Engineering

Costume Design

Audio Design

Marketing & PR