COUNCIL EXECUTIVE ASKED TO HELP SUPPORT 2012 PRODUCTION OF YORK MYSTERY PLAYS (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

COUNCIL EXECUTIVE ASKED TO HELP SUPPORT 2012 PRODUCTION OF YORK MYSTERY PLAYS

April 30, 2010 12:00 AM

City of York Council's Executive are being asked to give their backing to a major new production of York's famous Mystery Plays planned for Museum Gardens in summer 2012.

The 2012 production of the Mystery Plays will be the first full scale production of the plays in the city since 1988.

Pupils from the city's schools staged the York Youth Mystery Plays in 2008, while the York Guilds Mystery Plays on wagons will return to York again this year on the 11th and 18th of July, having last appeared in 2006.

Councillors on City of York Council's Executive will be asked to allocate £100,000 of funding to the 2012 production to help the partnership secure further external funding.

Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion, Councillor Nigel Ayre said if the funding was agreed by the Council's Executive it would help the Mystery Plays partnership secure funding from other sources.

He said, "It is estimated the plays will cost around £1m to produce, with around half of that cost being made up from box office income. The rest would be found from other grants and partnerships. Many of these external grants are reliant on the Council also providing some support."

Councillor Ayre said he was pleased that a proposal was being put forward to bring the Mystery Plays back to Museum Gardens. He said, "The York Youth Mystery Plays and the Guilds Mystery Plays on wagons have been very successful over the past few years but this would be the first full scale production in many years."

"The Mystery Plays are a key part of York's heritage and I hope that we will be able to support this new production. Events like the Mystery Plays can provide a big boost to York's tourist economy, as well as involving local residents in the city's heritage and culture."

Councillor Ayre said he was especially pleased on the emphasis that the proposals for the new production put on involving all sections of the community.

He said, "The organisers are very keen to ensure as many people as possible are given the opportunity to be part of this production. I would hope that the production can provide an opportunity for all sections of our community to come together and make this a great success."