The Stories You Want To Tell

Funded by The Rank Foundation, The Stories You Want To Tell (TSYWTT) is a collaboration between Kyra Women’s Project, York Theatre Royal and Thunk-It Theatre.

TSYWTT (pronounced ‘Tizzywit’) provides a safe, creative space for women to celebrate positive change and the steps they have taken to get to where they are now. There are a variety of ways in which women will engage in the project including drama, poetry, craft making, writing and gardening - there is something for everyone!

There are seven creative sessions that members can engage with, both in Kyra and in the community. In these sessions, members explore creative ways of telling stories and will identify what they want to say in our performance. The content and material gathered during these sessions will be shaped and scripted by a local playwright.

Some members are unable to attend in person sessions, due to personal commitments and circumstances. We have therefore designed a creative activity pack that can be posted to members and this work will also be included in the project, as inspiration in sessions and as part of the final script.

Throughout July and August members will have the opportunity to grow some green fingers and get creative to tell stories in a different way – through gardening in the Kyra courtyard. These sessions are relaxed and responsive to the conversations and ideas discussed by members.

Working from the curated script developed by the creative sessions group, a group of members will rehearse and explore the script to be filmed and captured in December 2022 at the York Theatre Royal. The craft group will have helped to create a set and props for the film too. The final film will be shown in early 2023 to celebrate the women, their stories and the journey they have taken together as part of the 10th Anniversary Celebrations for Kyra Women's Project.

In total up to 80 members will engage in this project, and we hope that many more will be able to join the members to celebrate their performance.

On Friday 3rd February we hosted a SOLD OUT 'Red Carpet Premiere' for this event on - to celebrate the wonderful work created by the Kyra members.

Images by the incredible Jessica Jenyns Photography.