Jonluke McKie
Up on a Star
Just because you're dealt a difficult start in life, doesn't mean you can't reach for the stars!
Up On a Star is a new piece of space-inspired theatre and interactive art installation for family audiences, exploring and celebrating adoption.
Supported by Arc Adoption North East and Theatre Hullaballoo, we are working with children who have experienced adoption to tell an honest story of what contemporary adoption means today.
Using trauma-informed practice, imaginative play and a lot of experimentation, we're working with adopted children to explore what it means to be an adopted child today.
This project is in development and will be shared in 2025
Facilitation
Jonluke trained in applied theatre at Northumbria University, graduating in 2008. Since then he has collaborated with organisations such as Live Theatre, Northern Stage, St Oswald's Children's Hospice, Seven Stories National Centre for Children's Books, Curious Monkey Theatre, Bigfoot Arts NE, Northumbria University and Newcastle University; as well as countless schools, colleges and community settings, including High Spen Primary school where he was resident drama teacher between 2010 and 2015.
Jonluke's leads CPD training and masterclasses in facilitation to schools, arts professionals and organisations and is a trained coach (Relational Dynamics, 2017)
The Devil Danced in Our Eyes
"This wee'un' reminds me of you at his age Sharron. He's got the Devil dancing in his eyes!"
The Devil Danced in Our Eyes is a solo gig-theatre performance, written and performed by Jonluke, exploring his experience of being groomed online as a teenager. Combining original songs, a live score created on guitar, vocals and a loop pedal and a one-man coming of age play, The Devil Danced in Our Eyes is a feast for the eyes and the ears.
Jonluke worked with young LGBTQIA+ people from Live Youth Theatre to support him in the development of this show. Exploring the joys and risks of the online world for young queer people today.
Uppercuts and Buttercups
A co-created performance.
Uppercuts and Buttercups was a devised play exploring the theme of 'growth' for young people with experience of the care system. Performed at Gosforth Civic Theatre in 2023 as part of the 'Care About Care?' Festival 2023 with Curious Monkey Theatre.
Jonluke was lead artist on this project, supporting the young people (many of whom had SEND and SEMH requirements. Young people were at the heart of the project design (it was their decision to devise a performance as opposed to a installation or gallery, for instance).
Wintry Tales
By Lisette Auton, Live Theatre 2023
Merging the pen of a world class writer with the uncontainable imaginations of schoolchildren from Caedmon Community Primary School, Percy Hedley School, Southwick Community Primary School and Westgate Hill Primary Academy, Wintry Tales brings a series of entirely new, entirely delightful, borderline ridiculous and deeply warming tales brought to stunning theatrical life.
Jonluke facilitated school sessions, supporting writer Lisette Auton to bring out the fabulous ideas of the children. The show was directed by Becky Morris and performed by Maya Torres and Hannah Walker.
Illustrator
In addition to working as a theatre maker, facilitator and musician, Jonluke also works in visual art and illustration.
Often visual art creeps into his projects, when a participant is uncomfortable performing, or a bold visual is required at short notice.
Jonluke designed Alphabetti Theatre's autumn brochure in 2023, worked as illustrator for Curious Monkeys 'Curious Caravan' between 2021 - 2023 and In 2015 Jonluke lead the 'Boys WIll Be Boys' project with Bigfoot Arts NE and Denbigh Primary school. This project was a child-centred arts programme aiming to support boys who were struggling in school.