Northern Ireland arts organisation, Kaleidoscope’s ‘Shared Stages’ project brings together young creative people from across communities and gives rise to sell-out musical Pride and Prejudice and 80’s Hits!
A cross-community arts project designed to bring young creatives together is helping to put Northern Ireland’s emerging theatre talent centre stage following the extraordinary success of the new musical, Pride and Prejudice and 80’s Hits!
Created by arts organisation Kaleidoscope as part of its Shared Stages project, the production has gone from a creative collaboration involving emerging artists to a major new musical that sold out all performances at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall during its world premiere in May 2026.
The show, which combines Jane Austen’s much-loved romantic classic with some of the biggest hits of the 1980s, returns to the Waterfront Hall in November following overwhelming audience demand. It has also attracted attention beyond Northern Ireland, with the company invited to perform at the prestigious Jane Austen Festival in Bath in 2027.
Behind the production is a wider story about the power of creativity to bring people together, develop talent and open doors for the next generation of artists.
Bringing young creative people together…
Kaleidoscope’s Shared Stages project brings together a diverse group of emerging creatives from across Northern Ireland and further afield, including Australia, Latvia and Estonia. The group represents a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and interests, with participants including students, actors, musicians, writers, filmmakers and other aspiring creative professionals.
The project provides opportunities for participants to develop their skills, build confidence, collaborate with others and gain valuable experience of working within the arts.
Through workshops, creative development and practical experience, Shared Stages encourages participants to explore their potential while working alongside people whose lives and experiences may be very different from their own.
For Kerry Rooney MBE, writer, director and founder of Kaleidoscope, creating these opportunities is essential to the future of the creative industries in Northern Ireland.
“Northern Ireland has an incredibly vibrant and talented creative sector. We have extraordinary musicians, actors, writers, filmmakers and artists, and our creative industries have so much to offer. But for young people who want to build a career in the arts, getting that first opportunity can be incredibly difficult.”
“Talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t always so easy to find. Young people can have all the enthusiasm and ability in the world, but they need somewhere to develop their skills, meet other creatives, gain experience and begin to understand how the industry works.”
“That is what Shared Stages is all about. We want to give people the chance to explore their creativity, work together, learn from one another and discover what they are capable of achieving. You never know where those opportunities might lead.”
More than a musical…
The success of Pride and Prejudice and 80’s Hits! demonstrates just how far creative ambition can go. The production takes one of the most recognisable stories in English literature and gives it an unexpected musical twist, bringing the romance and wit of Jane Austen together with an energetic soundtrack of iconic 1980s songs.
The show’s sold-out world premiere run at the Waterfront Hall in May had audiences on their feet, singing, dancing and cheering. Its return to the venue in November is another significant milestone for Kaleidoscope and the creative team behind the show, while the invitation to perform at the Jane Austen Festival in 2027 is an exciting opportunity to introduce the production to new audiences at one of the world’s leading celebrations of Austen’s life and work.
For Kerry Rooney, Pride and Prejudice and 80’s Hits! is proof of what can happen when creative people are given the space and support to turn an idea into reality: “I’m immensely proud of what we have achieved with Pride and Prejudice and 80’s Hits! It began with a creative idea, a lot of hard work and a belief that we could do something a little different.”
“But I’m equally proud of the wider work happening through Shared Stages. A successful production is wonderful, but the real achievement is what happens to the people involved along the way – the skills they develop, the confidence they gain, the relationships they build and the possibilities they begin to see for themselves. We want young creative people to realise that they don’t have to wait for someone else to open a door. With the right support, they can come together, develop ideas and create opportunities of their own.”
“In Northern Ireland we need more opportunities for people from different communities and backgrounds to meet, build relationships and work together. The arts provide a natural environment for that to happen, because collaboration is at the very heart of the creative process.”
“Shared Stages is about much more than putting on a show. It’s about building confidence, creating friendships, challenging perceptions and demonstrating that we can achieve extraordinary things when we work together.”
Pride and Prejudice and 80’s Hits! performs at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall from Thursday 5th to Saturday 7th November. Tickets from: www.waterfront.co.uk
Supported by The National Lottery and the PEACEPLUS Change Maker fund, Shared Stages is helping Kaleidoscope provide creative opportunities that might otherwise be beyond the reach of emerging artists.
Shared Stages reflects the importance of sustained investment in people as well as productions, providing a space where people from different communities and backgrounds can meet through a shared interest in the arts, work towards common goals and discover what they have in common.
Read more: Pride and Prejudice and 80’s Hits! returns to Belfast’s Waterfront Hall this November | Musical surprise lights up Grand Central Station | Pairing Pride and Prejudice With 80s Hits: From ‘Crazy Idea’ to Northern Ireland’s Newest Musical Success Story | Theatre in Belfast | What’s On in Belfast
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