SCHOOLCHILDREN have been enlisted to help create a new flagship theatre for youngsters in the North-East.

It was announced in July that Theatre Hullabaloo had been awarded £1.5m of Arts Council funding to build a specialist facility in Darlington aimed at youth audiences.

The £2.65m project will also receive £650,000 from Darlington Borough Council and will include a 150-seat studio theatre, family cafe, creative play spaces and rehearsal and office space.

Youngsters from Northwood Primary School and The Rydal Academy, in Darlington, joined theatre staff for two days of creative design workshops to help the team get a child’s perspective on the development.

Using guided visualisation and drama exercises, the groups designed their ideal bedrooms, cafes and places to play, which featured slides, secret tunnels, child-only access areas and chocolate walls.

Miranda Thain, creative producer of Theatre Hullabaloo, said: “The opportunity to build a child-centred theatre in Darlington is a dream come true and as the only theatre of its kind in the north, The Hullaballoon will be a fantastically creative place for children and families from Darlington and beyond to be part of for years to come.

“It will also make a significant contribution to children’s theatre nationally and internationally. Working with local children as creative collaborators is a core part of what we do, whether we are developing a new production or designing a new theatre.”

The development is set to open in 2017.