A NEW web series filmed in Manchester and created by and starring the city’s under-represented urban youth will be launching on Youtube on April 7 (Today).

Presented and produced by theatre company Hercules Productions and it’s performing arts group First Act Youth Mcr, ‘Hercules High’ features interlacing stories exploring real issues faced in everyday life – at school, at home and in the community.

I feel really positive about the project and where it’s going now

Marcus Hercules

A series made by young people, for young people, made possible with support from Children in Need and Awards For All.

First Act Youth Mcr was the brainchild of Marcus Hercules, an actor, creative and father from Manchester who felt driven to give under-represented young people the chance to learn music and acting skills and produce a body of visible work.

Thanks to his vision and funding, the project has reached over 50 young people aged seven-16 years since it began in 2017, providing regular free acting classes with a professional teacher and the chance to meet other like-minded young people from Greater Manchester. 

Talking to the Voice Online Hercules spoke on what it meant to see the project come to fruition.

“I feel really positive about the project and where it’s going now. It was designed to give young people a chance to shine on a platform on which they wouldn’t normally be able to.”

He added: “It’s also a chance for them to tell stories, share time together, work together and help each other to make the project a success; so it’s kind of set up for the empowerment of young people.

“By setting a high standard of work for them I hope it will help them thrive in the future. They have been working with professionals and gaining experience in different settings from music producers, script writers and camera crew, and handling filming days. 

“It was all a great learning experience for both the young actors and myself and I’m proud to see them in the webisode showing their talents to the world.”

The message is spreading and the acting class now attracts 20 students a week from hard-to-reach backgrounds.

These young artists have recently worked with professional photographers, sound engineers and filmmakers to produce the first episode in a drama series which explores the issues young people face in everyday life.

As well as acting and co-devising the series they have also created an original score to ensure a fresh sound to the piece. A screening of this work was due to take place at Home Theatre, but sadly, due to theCovid-19 outbreak, has been cancelled.

The company are hopeful that the young people will still be able to gain experience in a press release and promotion via video link ups and telephone, with the help of local radio, T.V. and press.

A spokes person said: “We want them to use their voices; to be seen and to be heard, by talking to the press, introducing their own work, seeing their characters come to life on screen, and, we hope, by becoming an internet sensation.

“This is not just about teaching acting skills to young people; It is about giving them a voice. Many of the actors come from minority backgrounds which are under-represented on screen; First Act Youth Mcr hopes to change that and give them the chance to shine on screen and in their lives.”

Looking forward Hercules wants to bring the project some sustainability in order to continue to good works already done.

He enthused: “The project has been running for three years now and it’s great to see how far we’ve come – we’ve had over 50 students at the free classes in that time and the number is growing each week. 

“I want to keep up that pace and get more funding to expand our reach.  There are so many young people who don’t get these experiences so I want to get more involved, and keep working with a range of professionals to provide a high quality learning experience. If anyone can fund us we’d be really grateful; we have a gofundme campaign at:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/free-acting-and-music-classes-for-young-people?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet“

In Hercules High Episode 1: She’s Backs, as their journeys unfold we discover their hopes and their dreams, and the issues they must overcome to get there. Will Bobby B make it as a rapper? Will Kyla finally find a place to call home? Will Diane always bear the scars of the care system?

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/HerculesProductions1
Website: www.herculesproductions.co.uk/first-act-youth-manchester