ST MARY'S YOUTH THEATRE: January 2008

Monday, 21 January 2008

ST MARY’S YOUTH THEATRE MAKES NEW CONNECTIONS

SMYT is taking part in New Connections, one of the world’s largest celebrations of youth theatre. NEW CONNECTIONS, produced by the National Theatre and supported by Bank of America, commissions new plays for and about young people from some of the best contemporary playwrights, for performance by schools and youth theatres from all over the UK and Ireland, both in their home venues and at regional partnership theatres.

Director Steve Archdale took part in the training weekend which launched New Connections at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough. He met and took part in workshops with Jack Thorne, the writer of Burying Your Brother in the Pavement, which he has chosen from the ten plays on offer this year. SMYT will be performing it at Garforth Green Lane Primary School on Thursday 20th March and Friday 21st March, 7.30pm, then at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough on Saturday 26th April.

New Connections culminates at a celebratory Festival in July at the National Theatre in London, where an example of each play is chosen to be performed on the Olivier and Cottesloe stages.

This year the National Theatre announced a new partnership with Bank of America as supporters of New Connections, enabling the programme to involve young people outside mainstream education, such as those with special needs or young people at risk, in addition to the hundreds of schools and youth groups who regularly participate.

Nicholas Hytner, Director of the National Theatre, said: ‘Bank of America’s generous support will enable NEW CONNECTIONS to develop into an even more exciting programme. It promises to fire the imaginations and aspirations of everyone involved.’

Burying Your Brother in the Pavement by Jack Thorne
Tom’s brother is dead. He was killed by a broken bottle to the neck. This has upset a lot of people but it hasn’t upset Tom. Or, rather, it has upset him, but in ways he can’t explain. Tom really didn’t like Luke, but without him… This is a play about grief, and looking at someone that little bit more closely

Jack Thorne’s plays for stage include When You Cure Me (Bush, Radio 3’s Drama on Three, Barrow St Theatre, New York), Fanny and Faggot (Pleasance, Edinburgh, Finborough & Trafalgar Studios 2007) and Stacy (Tron, Arcola & Trafalgar Studios). His TV writing includes episodes of Skins, Shameless and The Spastic King. Jack is currently Pearson Writer-in-Residence at the Bush.

For further information, contact Steve at steve.archdale@btinternet.com

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.