New youth theatre launched on campus

Budding creatives are invited to attend a newly launched youth theatre on campus.

A scene from The Laramie Project, directed by Steve Ansell

A scene from The Laramie Project, directed by Steve Ansell. October 2018

stage@leeds Young Company will open its doors at the state-of-the-art stage@leeds facilities on Saturday 10 November.

It will be managed by stage@leeds Artistic Director, Steve Ansell, who has more than 30 years of youth theatre experience. He was director of Harrogate Theatre’s HYT youth theatre between 2003 and 2009, and premiered DNA by Dennis Kelly at the National Theatre as part of the 2007 Connections programme.

Steve said: "With the introduction of the English Baccalaureate Certificates and the marginalisation of creative disciplines in schools, I believe universities have a responsibility to ensure everyone has the opportunity to engage in high quality, accessible performing arts activity.

“The stage@leeds Young Company offers participants a fun, supportive youth theatre experience, where participants can explore their creativity in a fully resourced, professional theatre located at the heart of a university campus.”

Young Company is open to all. No experience is required and there are no auditions.

Two age groups will be catered for – eight to 12-year-olds (9.45 to 10.45am) and 12 to 16-year-olds (11am to 12.30pm).

Sessions will feature improvisation, character and scene work, applied theatre, audition technique, directing and scenography, playwriting and physical theatre and clowning.

Recruitment has begun for the first six sessions, which costs £42 per person or £24 for concessions/additional family members. Numbers are limited, so please email Steve as soon as possible for an application form.

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