The Creation of LOUD Creative

We are always intrigued and excited when new things pop up. This is no different. We managed to catch up with Mel Martin to chat a little bit about LOUD Creative, how that came about and their upcoming show Pitching A Tent. Take a look:

What was the driving force behind the creation of LOUD Creative?

Accessibility, ultimately. There are loads of inclusive arts companies in Wellington and Auckland, but none based in Hamilton. I myself have been told that “we haven’t cast you because your disability isn’t suited for this type of theatre.” I’ve heard similar stories from other performers re: their disability/ethnicity/gender/sexuality/etc. LOUD’s Chairperson Kate Booker created a piece of theatre for children with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities as a part of her Masters research, which was a starting point, followed then by our combined passion for making the arts inclusive of everyone.

With the upcoming show Pitching a Tent – what has been your favourite moment in rehearsals?

Working with our tremendous, and diverse cast and crew. We’re very close and have pushed each other in ways we didn’t know we could be pushed, which has been life changing.

If you could describe the show in 5 words – what would they be?

“Where are the tent pegs?”

What do you want the audience to take away from this show?

First and foremost, we want them to be entertained for the sake of being entertained. But, we also want our audiences to feel like we’re telling stories of real diversity, and these stories/communities have a home here with LOUD Creative.