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As part of its Centenary celebrations, Watford Palace Theatre is working in collaboration with Watford Borough Council on a project entitled Milestones.

The project aims to nurture greater engagement with the local community, promoting participation from the culturally diverse communities of Watford, and will give people the chance to take part in workshops and / or appear in a production at the Palace in November.

The first stage of the project runs through April and May with free adult workshops in singing, dance and drama. They will give people the opportunity to get involved, develop new skills, and share their own milestones with the community.

Ria Parry is the Creative Producer of Milestones at the Palace and told us more:

What is Milestones?

Ria: Milestones is our centenary project, a big community project for the Watford Palace and Watford Borough Council. It's been a long time coming but it eventually all started in September last year with my appointment and the main body of activity happens this year.

There are two main stages. The first stage is a big workshop programme which will give people the opportunity to come and take part in lots of different things - drama, singing and dance. There's stuff for adults and young people and one-off events too, but this workshop period is all about people trying new skills, making new friends and engaging with stuff they might not have done before. It's also about us exploring the theme of Milestones, finding out what that word means to different people, because it could mean lots of different things to different people - individuals, different community groups and the community as a whole.

The second stage is a big show in November which will be created under this theme of Milestones and that show will hopefully involve a lot of the people who have taken part in the workshops.听听听听听听听听听听听

At the moment I presume that you don't know what the production is going to be or what form it will take? It will just come out of the workshops?

Ria: Completely. The director is on board already and he is going to be fully involved in this workshop period. But we need to meet all our lovely members of the community, and do these workshops and find out what people's thoughts, stories and ideas are, it's only at that point that we can use that and be inspired and think about what the show in November should be like. We can then think about What music is appropriate to the communities that we are working with and what stories have jumped out at us in terms of what could create a wonderful story to tell everyone in November.

So you've really got a blank canvas? There's no plan?

Ria: Dinos (the director) and I have been talking about it. I would say that we are probably wanting a whole story, a show with continuity through it but in terms of what that will be, and the actual story, I'm not quite sure yet. There will be a full creative team on it including director, assistant director, a musical director and choreographer and there will definitely be musical and movement elements to it, so there will be ways of involving everyone even if they aren't confident in one area of performing, but might want to explore another.

And there's scope for anybody to get involved?

Ria: Yes - absolutely. And the thing about the different stages is that we really hope that a lot of people who take part in the workshops will want to continue and be part of the show in November. But the way that people's lives work and their commitments, it might not be possible for them. So there's nothing stopping people who didn't manage to commit to the workshop dates from coming on board in September.

It works both ways then, you don't have to do both stages?

Ria: Yes. At the end of the workshops we're going to have a sharing of work, so all the different groups are going to come together and share something. It may be a song or a five minute drama piece but it's so that we mark the end of that stage. Therefore, if people can't continue into the second stage, they still feel a sense of achievement and inclusion in the whole project.

As you say, there is a theme of Milestones, so people who come to the workshops think about that theme and their stories to do with it?

Ria: Yes - there's a fantastic team of workshop leaders, professional artists, who are on board. We've already talked about how the workshops are going to run and it will be an absolute balance between people learning a dance or a song and us using the community to explore this theme. So it's always going to be a mixture of practical hands on enjoyment and moments where people are discussing how to bring this theme of Milestones into a particular scene. It's half exploration and half let's just have a go and enjoy ourselves.

Who can get involved?

Ria: The adult workshops are for anyone over the age of 18 so we've put 18-100 as it's our 100th birthday, but if there's someone who's 101 out there who would like to take part they are more than welcome!

There's also a Youth Week for 13-18 year-olds coming up towards the end of May.听听

And you need to be from Watford do you?

Ria: The project is very much Watford based so it's for the Watford community but if there's someone who lives outside the postcode then that's fine, just get in contact with me.

Is it too late to get involved still?

Ria: There are eight sessions in each of the blocks of drama, singing and dancing, one evening a week in April and May. If you haven't made the first session and still want to come along, then just contact me and I will try and accommodate people as best I can.

What will people gain from doing this?

Ria: A variety of things. First and foremost it's a way of meeting new people and making new friends and working with or spending time with people in the community.

It's a case of people coming together and celebrating something which is why we picked this theme of Milestones. It's a massive year for us, it's our 100th birthday but I've had emails from people from all over Watford saying that they turned 50 or 21 this year or that their daughter was born yesterday, so that's why this theme is so fascinating because it can mean so many different things to different people.

As well as exploring this as a group it's also about learning new skills. People might have wanted to come along to something singing related for years but never had the opportunity or the confidence and this is absolutely a no failure type of environment! It's absolutely safe so people can come along and try something out and have a big smile on their face at the end.

You don't need any previous experience at all then?

Ria: No - there's nothing to be worried about - no previous experience is necessary. All that we would like from people is just a desire to have a go and some enthusiasm to come along in the first place, but it's all very friendly and all very informal so it will be enjoyable for anyone who wants to come along.

So how important is this project to the Watford Palace?

Ria: Hugely important. I am part of the new Creative Learning and Participation Department. Up to this point there has been some fantastic work done here education-wise. But there's never really been a history of much participation work. So, this project is all about kickstarting that. The project has many reasons for happening but one of them is to begin something, begin a new stage of our relationship with the community, to widen access, and to work with people who may have come to see our shows, but might not have had the opportunity to do anything else. Or we can work with people who have never set foot inside the Watford Palace. So it's really about developing a new stage of work and relationship with people.

So that in itself is another Milestone?!

Ria: Absolutely! This project is a Milestone for itself! Hopefully, after this project finishes there will be many more community projects and participation work. As an organisation we are moving forward, we've got these spaces and facilities so we're saying that whenever we can have the funds, let's do as much work as possible with the very people who give this theatre a reason to exist in the first place.

If you are interested in taking part, contact Ria Parry at the Watford Palace. Tel: 01923 235455