Select 
“Learning Together through the Arts.”
Teatru Manoel Learning & Participation Programme: TOI TOI is the wing of the national theatre dedicated to introducing young audiences to the performing arts, whilst developing, nurturing and supporting artistic talent with in-house and outreach projects for all ages. While the much-loved TOI TOI programme is well-known for producing quality theatre for young children, we are at the forefront of producing multigenerational, inclusive projects, as part of our commitment to educate and entertain in a fun and accessible way.
Our long-term goal is to sustain work in communities through the discipline of live and filmed performing arts, acting as a bridge bringing people together, facilitating conversations, and acting as a vital tool for expression.
Multi-Award Nominated TOI TOI has fast become the home of opportunity for many locally-based artists – amateur and professional alike. It is, an imperative mission of the programme to assist aspiring artists by providing professional guidance, artistic development and performance opportunities in our Studio Theatre and other partner venues.
Teatru Manoel Learning & Participation Programme explores culturally relevant and educationally enriching subject matter through classical, folk, and jazz music, an array of dance genres, creative plays and musical theatre. The artistic output continues to grow through commissioned work by expert artists producing engaging performances that are intended to make the audience reflect, question and wonder. That’s why we like to call it thought-provoking theatre!
Watch this space for all upcoming events brought to you by Teatru Manoel Learning & Participation!
Teatru Manoel Youth Theatre Programme (TMYTP) brings together four very important groups, each with a different focus and identity: Teatru Manoel Youth Theatre (TMYT), Teatru Manoel Youth Opera (TMYO), Teatru Manoel Youth Dance (TMYD) and the TOI TOI Collective.
The overarching goal of TMYTP is to nurture the talent of young artists through training and performance opportunities. Participating in the training gives budding performers access to a professional environment that helps them develop their performance skills, as well as important life skills through teamwork and creativity.
TMYTP hosts world-class visiting tutors who lead specialist learning workshops and give participants the expert guidance they need. Members even get the exciting opportunity to perform on the main stage of Teatru Manoel.
The programme offers a full season of technical training for each discipline, alongside collaboration on devising new works, which culminates in a showcase performance in the spring term.
Conceived by former Arts Education Consultant Rosetta Debattista, the initiative was launched in 2011. Ever since, TMYTP has produced work of the highest quality, some of which went on to receive international recognition.
The critically acclaimed CLUB, a production created and directed by Denise Mulholland for the ŻiguŻajg 2013 Festival, was staged in Scotland as part of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme and the 2016 Chrysalis Festival at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.
The award-winning HUSH, an original musical written and directed by Denise Mulholland with music and lyrics by Luke Saydon, won the Production of the Year Award and the award for Best Work for Young Audiences at the second edition of Premju Għall-Arti, hosted by Arts Council Malta.
The Youth Theatre programme offers a first-class training and performance experience for young people aged 16-25. During intensive three-hour sessions held weekly, members work alongside professional directors, learning how to artfully devise and enact a professional performance. Once a year, they also enjoy the unique experience of putting up a production on the main stage.
Several worthy performances have been produced since the programme’s inception in February 2012, including Lord of the Flies, Rubbish, Speak No Evil, NOW and Pjazza Pastizzi. The many genres that have been staged range from Shakespeare to physical theatre and mime, to commedia dell’arte and musical theatre.
TMYO sessions cover acting for singers in opera, operetta and musical scenes, but also allow students to join forces with professional artists and dive into the creative process of co-creating engaging new work.
Reflecting the realities of 21st Century singing, students are encouraged to explore various musical genres and practise singing in French, German, English, Italian and Russian with visiting tutors, who include local and international composers.
TMYO students also have the opportunity to attend masterclasses with visiting vocal répétiteurs from across Europe, who have all coached at one or more of Europe’s leading opera houses.
This programme welcomes dancers with previous performance experience who are comfortable on stage. That said, anyone from a different background who shows dance potential is also encouraged to apply.
The main training programme, which runs from October to April, is free for successful applicants to attend, in line with the theatre’s commitment to the development of artists and the creation of new artistic work.
The theatre’s training alumni, all of whom have participated in our training programmes, make up this small company of players, under the wing of the theatre’s support and expertise.
There are plenty of learning and performance opportunities in drama, music and dance, encouraging young talent to grow. Led by industry experts, young artists can write, direct, co-produce, compose, conduct, and participate in their own work – Youth-For-Youth at the heart of the programme.
Missed a production you really wanted to attend? We’re happy to announce that you can now experience Teatru Manoel from the comfort of your home!
Enjoy an evening in watching recorded performances from our online series, or browse through photos of past productions. The series is sorted by age group for ease of reference.
Top recommendation: The Storm.
Written and devised by TTC, this production tackles the tough subject of anxiety in children, and explores the best ways to cope in stressful situations. This is currently still being offered as a paid-for package to schools.
While the performances are free to watch, they are not free to produce. Any donations are very welcome and can be sent through this link. All proceeds will go towards paying artist fees.
Each production, live or online, comes with a resource pack for teachers, parents or guardians, and includes more information about the performance, details of the cast and production team, and what to expect from the production. In addition, the guides go one step further and provide learning material such as the educational topic, relevant discussion points, suggested activities and more.
There is plenty of engaging content available in these packs, and subjects range from classical instruments, dance styles and artistic expression, to the history of Carnival, teen angst and Shakespeare Bites, among a host of others.
