Newcastle group boosts creative sector and lifts curtain on new theatre company

A Newcastle company has announced that it is creating more than a dozen jobs as it launches a new film and theatre production company.

Life of Reilly CIC, an organisation which supports the families of autistic people and provides education, is launching Life of Reilly Productions (LOR Productions) with a group of figures from the North East creative industries, including actress and playwright Alison Stanley and blogger Christine Stephenson.

The company aims to employ up to twenty new team members, including actors from the region, backstage crew and front of house staff for its soon to be launched theatre and education hub.

LOR Productions, which will put an emphasis on “hard-hitting social issues, equality and autism”, is also launching a work experience scheme to provide opportunities for autistic people and their families.

Alison Stanley, co-founder of Life of Reilly CIC, commented: “Our performance programmes became such a huge part of the business that we separated them and formed a new company which is dedicated solely to theatre and film production.

“Our mission is to bring performance into the community, educate and inform through performance and get the community involved.

“LOR Productions is for everybody who is interested in theatre as an art form and for those who are simply looking for good entertainment.

“We tackle social subjects through performance, raising issues and topics that affect the community.

“We hope to raise awareness and inform with each of our plays. We want to get people talking and rethinking their views on important topics.”