Mae Theatr Clwyd yn sefydliad sydd wedi ennill gwobrau, nid yn unig am ein gwaith theatr ond hefyd am ein gwaith cymunedol. Mae'r tîm Ymgysylltu Creadigol yn gweithio ar draws ysgolion a chymunedau Gogledd Cymru. Mae mwy nag 20 o ddosbarthiadau, grwpiau a gweithdai yn cael eu cynnal yn wythnosol.

Dau o'r grwpiau hyn yw Cwils a Cwmni 65. Fe wnaethon ni eistedd i lawr am sgwrs gyda Karen, cyfranogwr yn y ddau grŵp, i gael gwybod mwy.

Sut wnaethoch chi glywed i ddechrau am Theatr Clwyd, Cwils a Cwmni 65 a dechrau cymryd rhan?

Fe wnes i ymddeol yn gynnar ar ddiwedd 2016, ac yn 2017 roeddwn i’n gyffrous i weld bod gweithdy newydd yn cychwyn yn y Theatr, ar gyfer pobl o oedran arbennig. Fe es i i'r sesiwn rhagarweiniol, ac rydw i wedi bod yno byth ers hynny! Newidiwyd yr enw yn ddiweddarach i Cwmni / Company 65, er bod oedran y cyfranogwyr yn amrywio o’r 50au a hŷn.

Mae Cwils yn grŵp cymharol newydd ar gyfer pobl 17+ oed sydd â diddordeb mewn ysgrifennu ar gyfer y llwyfan. Cynhaliwyd grŵp ysgrifennu yn y Theatr pan oedd y sioe Mold Riots yn cael ei chynhyrchu yn 2019. Fe fuon ni yn ymwneud â chreu cymeriadau ychwanegol ar gyfer y ddrama a rhoi stori gefndir iddyn nhw. Fe gafodd rhai o’n golygfeydd a’n cymeriadau ni eu cynnwys yn y cynhyrchiad terfynol, oedd yn wych. Ar ôl hynny, fe benderfynodd y Theatr gynnig grŵp ysgrifennu parhaol, a dechreuodd Cwils tua blwyddyn yn ôl.

Siaradwch drwy sesiwn gyda ni, beth sy’n digwydd yn Cwils a Cwmni 65?

At Cwils, a session might begin with each of us reading what we have written to the group. We receive lots of encouragement and advice from Emyr, our leader. Then we might be looking at a particular playwright, or aspect of writing for the stage. We spend time just chatting about what we have enjoyed seeing, on stage or screen. It’s very informal.

In Cwmni 65, sessions usually begin with some gentle warm up exercises. Everyone is encouraged to work to their own abilities, so for some members the warm up is done sitting down. Then we might play some games to develop focus and concentration – this usually involves lots of laughter. I don’t know where else people of mature years can play games and generally be silly! After that, we might be working on improvisation and devising, or reading parts of scripts, or preparing for performances. We love our leader, Hester who is an experienced actor and has been with us since the start.

Ac ers ymuno â’r grwpiau yma, rydych chi wedi ymwneud â rhai o gynyrchiadau Theatr Clwyd. Dywedwch ychydig am hynny wrthyn ni.

I’ve been fortunate to take part in three productions so far. In 2018 I was part of the community cast for The Guild of Misrule and Theatr Clwyd production of The Great Gatsby, staged at the disused Dolphin Hotel in Mold High Street. It was an immersive performance, so our main role was to interact with the audience and help them move around the venue. It’s one of my favourite novels and I was thrilled to be part of it. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to join without Hester and our weekly workshops.

In 2019, I was involved in Mold Riots, a large scale production performed on the streets of Mold and in St.Mary’s Church. It told the story of an important event in local history, on the 150th anniversary of its occurrence. I played a policeman, so not a very popular character but I did get to arrest Kai Owen, star of TV shows like Torchwood and Hollyoaks.

This year, I was in Celebrated Virgins, about Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby who fled 18th century Ireland to live together in Llangollen. Writer Katie Elin-Salt and director Eleri Jones, were passionate about telling the story of Eleanor and Sarah in a modern, accessible way. Seventeen community cast members were split into two teams, and we formed an integral part of the story telling. Our team did eight performances in The Mix, and then another three in Cardiff, which was an added bonus.

In all three productions, it has been a privilege to work with professional actors, directors and technical staff, and to gain an understanding of how a show is developed and produced. Community cast is just what it says – people from the local community who want to be involved in storytelling on the stage.

Beth fyddech chi'n ei ddweud wrth rywun sydd â diddordeb efallai mewn ymuno â grŵp yn Theatr Clwyd?

Fe fyddwn i'n dweud - dewch draw, rhowch gynnig arni! Mae gweithdai ar gyfer pob oedran a gallu. Mae pawb yn y Tîm Ymgysylltu Creadigol yn gyfeillgar ac yn hawdd siarad â nhw, gyda blynyddoedd o brofiad. Os oes gennych chi ddiddordeb yn y theatr, eisiau dysgu sgiliau newydd neu wneud ffrindiau a chael hwyl, dyma'r lle i chi. Ers i mi gymryd mwy o ran, tua phum mlynedd yn ôl, rydw i wir yn teimlo bod Theatr Clwyd yn theatr i mi. Ac rydw i wrth fy modd.

I gael gwybod mwy am y gwaith mae’r tîm Ymgysylltu Creadigol yn ei wneud a sut i gymryd rhan cliciwch yma Grwpiau a Gweithdai