Download the Youth Theatre information pack here.
Interested in seeing, making and performing pieces of theatre? York Youth Theatre could be for you. If you are aged between 5 and 19 and want the opportunity to work with professional theatre practitioners and artists and perform onstage every year; apply today!
York Youth Theatre runs between September and July in three terms, meeting once a week. We believe process and product are of equal importance and aim to create excellent pieces of Youth Theatre whilst teaching theatrical techniques and fundamental life skills such as teamwork and communication and building self confidence. Each youth theatre group has the opportunity to perform at least once a year, either in the theatre Main House, Studio Theatre or in another venue. Recent Youth Theatre Productions include: His Dark Materials (main house) Missing Mysteries (site-specific pieces around York churches) In My Father's House ( site specific piece at Fairfax House, commissioned for York Theatre Royal), Shoot/Get Treasure/Repeat, Judgment Day and Gifted.
Each term every youth theatre group attends a production which is linked to the Youth Theatres’ work. This invaluable teaching tool develops young people’s theatre making skills and provides an excellent opportunity to develop our members’ theatrical knowledge. York Youth Theatre has also participates in exchanges with youth theatres in other countries to create work together. Recent youth theatre exchanges have included those with Estonia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Poland.
The Youth Theatre runs between September and July in three ten/twelve week terms, each project group meets once a week during term time. During performance terms additional rehearsals may be called, details of these will be sent to you at this time and no additional charge is applicable.
There is a three tier fee payment scheme, payable each term in advance. Each fee below includes a ticket to see a production at York Theatre Royal with the group.
From January 2013 the fees are:
If you do not fit into one of these categories but would like to request a reduced fee for other reasons please contact us and we will do our best to help.
We also operate a limited access fund for those young people who would otherwise be unable to become involved with York Youth Theatre or for members who are experiencing short term financial restraints. This can also fund a mentor for an individual who would need one to one support in order to access the youth theatre. If you would like to apply for this fund please contact the Youth Theatre Director, Paula Clark, directly on 01904 550154 or email education@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Please be aware that York Youth Theatre is very popular so it may be some time before a place becomes available for you. If there is not a vacancy for you for next term then as soon as a place becomes available at either of your preferred project times we will let you know.
The 11-14’s and 14-16’s youth theatre put on the epic production that was, Where Shadow’s Go at Night written by local writer and ex-York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre practitioner Paul Birch and commissioned by York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre for Yorkshire season. The play was in two parts Like A Thief (11-14’s) and Chocolate Girls (14-16’s). Each story a play in its own right but the action in both takes place during the same events at the same period of time. The charm being that the plays were performed simultaneously, you could see both plays in any order and there were characters that crossover into both.
The play is set during The Baedeker raids carried out by the Luftwaffe targeted England’s cathedral cities. On the 29th of April, 1942, York became its third victim, as 40 German bomber planes headed straight for York. The raid, starting at 2:30am, lasted for 90 minutes. In this time York was subjected to more than 84 tonnes of high explosives and incendiary bombs. Along with the armed forces, many locals also helped to extinguish fires and dig people out of the ruins. In all, there were 92 fatalities, with hundreds seriously injured.
Like a Thief was to be performed in the Ballroom in the De Grey rooms which was the first time that it had ever been transformed into a performance space.We were all very excited to see how it transformed in to a performance space with a clever stage design from the youth theatre directors and the magic of Nick Duncan’s lighting design, which was beautiful. Chocolate Girls was performed in the Studio, a space more familiar to the Youth Theatre but with a script just as challenging as the other.
The result was a very exciting and different evening of theatre with 6 Youth theatre groups performing, 6 different directors and a total of 12 performances over 3 nights. Each group delivered their own interpretation of Paul Birch’s script with wit, charm and emotion. There were some outstanding performances from some of our young people. Over 500 tickets were sold, with many performances sold out completely. Audience and parents feedback was really positive; delighted by the experience, surprised by the transformation of the ballroom, captivated by the twists and turns of the story and amazed to see characters running out of one play and into another! More than one audience member commented on how much the young people seemed to be enjoying themselves. The young people have worked so hard this term putting this production together, I am so pleased that the results suggest all the hard work paid off. In a York Press review Charles Hutchinson describes York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre as, “fearless”!
Read Charles Hutchinson’s review in the York Press here.
SUMMER TERM
Our 8 - 11's are in rehearsal for June production in the Studio. Project F are performing Mollie of the Midfield by Jane Thornton, Project E Dark Age by Richard Hurford on June 28th. Project C In the Shadow of the Quarks by Bridget Foreman and Project D Small Fry by Neil Duffield and performing June 29th.
The Youth Theatre finished the Missing Mysteries in easter 2012 - a collection of York and Wakefield Mystery Plays performed in 6 churches around York. As part of this project, the Youth Theatre have also recorded some Audio Mysteries which you can listen to below:
