YORK playwright and theatre director Alison Morgan will premiere two new short plays, Last Awake and Lucky 6, at Upstage Centre, 41 Monkgate, York, from today until Saturday.

Last Awake deals with young people's experiences of staying away from home on a school residential at a Yorkshire outdoor centre, where six Year Seven pupils share fears, dreams and scary stories while learning to survive without WiFi.

The play was written expressly for the six actors, who are all aged between nine and 11 and study at Tread The Boards Academy of Performing Arts, where Alison is the principal.

York Press:

Alison Morgan's cast in rehearsal for Last Awake. Picture: Roger Pattison

Among the cast is Maddy Hatch, 11, who plays the part of Jess. “Everyone’s become really good friends and we enjoy working together," she says. "I like rehearsing the comedy parts best."

Maddy will be joined by Jenna Humbles as Abby; Hannah Pool as Brooke; Jools Morgan, Ella; Naina Farnsworth, Lily, and Saskia Bindloss, Megan.

Lucky 6, performed by the Infinite Riches Acting Company, is a black comedy that explores what happens when a Nineties' pop band reunites ten years later with skeletons galore in the closet.

Five of the original members reassemble for one last gig at the O2 in London, but they had not reckoned on their jailed former bandmate Josh being released on bail.

Josh was framed on a manslaughter charge while the band carried on without him and now he wants answers. In the course of one night in their dressing room, secrets are unearthed and lies unravelled.

York Press:

Infinite Riches Acting Company in Lucky 6. Picture: Roger Pattison

“I wanted to explore what might happen when a teenage band got back together after ten years apart, and how they’d deal with all of the unfinished business that led them to split," says writer-director Alison. "Of course the situation also lends itself to a lot of humour, and the cast are really bringing that out.”

Ben Sawyer will play Josh and other roles go to Andy Field as Danny; Raffy Parker as Frankie; Daniel Wilmot, Ryan; Naomi Lombard, Staci; Sonia di Lorenzo, Zoe; Robin Morgan, Stagehand, and Olivia Jayne Newton, Jade Armstrong.

Alison's plays will be performed as a 7.30pm double bill in York and Lucky 6 will have a second run at the Edinburgh Fringe in August. Tickets for this week's shows are on sale at Ticketsource via treadtheboards.org. Please note, Last Awake is suitable for age six upwards, Lucky 6, for age 14 upwards, so separate tickets are available for Last Awake.

Did you know?

Tread The Boards Academy Of Performing Arts is a family-run independent performing arts school, in Clifton Moor, York, that provides classes in dance, drama and singing for children aged three to 16.

Infinite Riches Acting Company is the academy's production wing.