Camden Youth Theatre Presents AND THE STARS WERE BURNING BRIGHTLY

Mapping a teenager's quest for answers in the aftermath of a suicide. And the Stars Were Burning Brightly is a powerful story about loss, understanding and the importance of speaking up when all you want to do is shut down.

Jawando's acclaimed novel tells the story of fifteen year-old Nathan and the impact of his brother's suicide. Examining issues around teenage mental health, this new adaptation explores the book's resonant story and contemporary themes, refracted through the experiences and imaginations of local Camden teenagers.

Danielle Jawando is an author, screenwriter and Lecturer in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her debut YA novel, And the Stars Were Burning Brightly, won best senior novel in the Great Reads Award and was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the YA Book Prize, the Jhalak Children's & YA Prize, the Branford Boase Award and was longlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, the UKLA Book Awards and the Amazing Book Awards. Her other publications include the YA novel When Our Worlds Collided, the non-fiction children's book Maya Angelou (Little Guides to Great Lives), the short stories Paradise 703 (long-listed for the Finishing Line Press Award) and The Deerstalker (selected as one of six finalists for the We Need Diverse Books short story competition), as well as several short plays performed in Manchester and London. Danielle has also worked on Coronation Street as a storyline writer.

Camden Youth Theatre is a partnership to support the creativity of local teenagers, run by New Diorama Theatre and Camden People's Theatre, in partnership with Old Diorama Arts Centre. Established in 2017, they've made multiple shows, been invited to present one at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh and in 2022, their production When This Is Over was part of The Stage's 2022 Community Project of the Year. CYT offers a year-round creative and performance programme for members, with the flagship shows making the artistic high point of each year.

Camden Youth Theatre is supported by John Lyon's Charity, Arts Council England, The D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust and Jack Petchey Foundation.

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