ST MARY'S YOUTH THEATRE: CONGATULATIONS TO NICOLA

Monday, 3 September 2007

CONGATULATIONS TO NICOLA

SMYT would like to congratulate an ex-member of the group who has just joined the company of the West End hit musical WICKED.After being awarded a Dance & Drama Award, Nicola Brazil (we knew her as Nicola Yeowart) recently graduated from Mountview Academ

y of Theatre Arts in London where she studied Musical Theatre Performance. Recent credits at Mountview include the roles of ‘Nancy’, ‘Tina’ and ‘Judith’ in Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens and ‘Albina’ in Brezhnev’s Children. Other credits include ‘Medea’ in Jason & The Argonauts - showcase performance, and ‘Elizabeth’ in Whistle Down The Wind - National Youth Music Theatre. TV Credits include the role of ‘Fran’ in Children’s Ward. In the year 2000, Nicola recorded her debut album, Cross The Battleline and was subsequently awarded the HMV Rising Star Award and named Touring Artist of the Year. Nicola is delighted to be making her West End Debut in WICKED. Nicola appeared in a number of early SMYT productions including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Billy and Oliver (playing the lead role of Oliver). Steve Archdale and everyone at SMYT wish Nicola the very best of luck and if you are in London why not go down and see her and say "hello".

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WHO ARE WE

St. Mary's Youth Theatre was formed in August 1993 by Steve Archdale who was concerned about the increasing problems of alcohol and drug abuse in the teenage community of Garforth. With so little for the youngsters to do, especially in the field of theatre arts and drama, the idea of creating a youth theatre seemed appropriate.

A cast of 60+ with ages ranging from 8 to 22 auditioned for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, all were successful, no one was turned away. The show was rehearsed and performed in 8 weeks to thunderous acclaim in a church hall converted into a Pharaoh's tomb by a local artist. The following week they returned eager to find out what they were doing next. What began as a one-off production became the start of many shows to come.

A disastrous fire in 1995 wrecked their headquarters, destroying costumes, props and sets. This could easily have been the end of SMYT but as a result they have pulled together and grown stronger gradually replacing their losses. As members of the Leeds Civic Arts Guild they perform at the new, Leeds Carriageworks theatre which is in the Millenium Square, mainly musicals (i.e., Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, Fame, Children of Eden, etc.). The National Theatre Connections scheme gives the group the chance to perform new plays written by the very best writers. In 2002 they were fortunate to perform at the Royal National Theatre itself…what an experience! Their latest productions include Little Shop of Horrors, Honk, 17, Feather Boy,The Musicians,We Will Rock You, Rent, Our House, Les Miserables, Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, The Passion, Our Cousin Flo, Scrooge, Peter Pan, Whistle Down The Wind and Annie.

SMYT are now based, rehearse and perform at Green Lane Academy and St Mary's Church, Garforth, Leeds and charge a yearly subscription fee of £40.