A groundbreaking new collection, Ignite: Illuminating Theatre for Young People gathers three plays for young audiences that feature “messy” and complicated creation processes: The Middle Place by Andrew Kushnir, verbatim theatre created from interview transcripts with shelter youth; And by the way, Miss . . . by URGE with the Ensemble, devised theatre created by women developed through workshops with girls, and made for exclusively girl audiences; and Beneath the Ice by Eva Colmers, a location-specific, cross-cultural piece that was enriched by Southerner and Northerner encounters in Canada.

Accompanying each script are stories and voices relevant to the initial spark that led to their creation, including scholarly introductions; timelines of the creative journey; and contextualizing pieces that foreground the voices of playwrights, collaborators, and community stakeholders involved in the development process. All of these plays highlight specific ethical questions relevant to theatre practitioners and scholars for work concerning audiences of any age.

Included in this groundbreaking anthology:

A volume introduction by Heather Fitzsimmons Frey, "Igniting Theatre for Young Audiences: An Anthology of Creative Journeys"

The Middle Place by Andrew Kushnir

·         with a scholarly introduction by Kathleen Gallagher, "The Middle Place: Creating Intimacy with an Audience"

·         a Creative Collaborators interview between Andrew Kushnir and originating director Alan Dilworth

·         a detailed Creative Journey of the play's development

·         and notes on the text and the original production

And by the way, Miss . . . : by URGE (Marie-Josée Chartier, Katherine Duncanson, Fides Krucker, and Linda Catlin Smith with the Ensemble (Lauren Brotman, Andrea Donaldson, Amber Godfrey, Christina Sicoli, and Diana Tso)

·         with a scholarly introduction by Michelle MacArthur and Anne Wessels, "And by the way, Miss . . . : Devising as a Multi-Generational Feminist Practice"

·         Creative Collaborators discussions with the Commissioning Voice (Lynda Hill, Artistic Director, Theatre Direct), Creator Voices (URGE), Performer Voices (the Ensemble), and Audience Voices (from audience feedback forms), all compiled with notes by Heather Fitzsimmons Frey

·         a detailed Creative Journey of the play's development

·         and notes on the script

Beneath the Ice by Eva Colmers

·         with a scholarly introduction by Heather Fitzsimmons Frey, "Location-Specific, Cross-Cultural Play Development Research, Collaboration, and Listening to Feedback"

·         Creative Collaborators feedback from communities in Kangiqsujuaq and Taloyoak, compiled with notes by Heather Fitzsimmons Frey

·         a detailed Creative Journey of the play's development

·         a glossary of Inuttitut words used throughout the play

·         and notes on the setting