Three reasons why spending half term with Yew Tree Youth Theatre is a delight...

-

We did Halloween at Nostell Priory this week, we also did Zombie walks at the Hepworth this week and so we were out and about in public an enormous amount…it was tiring and it was challenging but it was also, as ever, a complete pleasure. 

I’ve been reflecting on why spending so much time in the cold and in a state of continual readiness all week is in fact a pleasure and these are some of the reasons I’ve come up with.  Firstly its so lovely to watch actors enjoying each other’s company whether this is in rehearsals or before the show when a certain amount of ridiculousness is sprinkled amongst the serious preparation.  I know how much support you get from each other and how much laughter you generate together and at your best you are the most brilliant friends anyone could ask for!  However that’s not the whole story regarding watching you together…one of the nicest things for me is at the end of performances when you can’t wait to share your stories of the night or tell someone how well they have done…the atmosphere then is simply wonderful…

Secondly there’s the work you make…whether it’s being the undead or keeping the undead in check, whether it’s scripted or improvised, whether it’s traditional theatre or sight specific performance, whether it’s to an audience of 100’s or just 1 you work so hard to make everything we do the best it can be.  This makes my job as a director so easy…and so enjoyable…

Thirdly it’s the feedback we get…I have lost count of the times I was told this week how professional you are, how brilliant you are, how lovely you are.  This is then coupled with the amount of you that tell me how much you’ve enjoyed it and parents who check in to let me know how much they know their son or daughter is getting out of it… it really does feel like I have the best job in the world.

So casts of this half terms shows feel proud of yourself for lots of reasons and perhaps more importantly feel proud of the youth theatre you are part of!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Celebrating the past in the present...

-
  Next year Yew Tree Youth Theatre will be 30 years old.   We haven’t quite decided how we will celebrate - any suggestions would be gratefully received. No doubt there will be some nostalgic perambulating down memory lane and some haphazard but joyous celebrating of three decades of creativity we have shared.   Some variation of those two themes would feel fitting. This blog however is something different. This blog is a celebration of the present of those who attended YTYT in the past. Alumni, graduates, previous members – I can never seem to find the right term – but whatever word is chosen I know for sure they are part of the fabric of the youth theatre and I’m grateful to have known all of them, mainly because I have learnt so much from them.   I also can’t put a number on how many people have spent significant time with YTYT over the last 29 years.   I know we started with a group of 8 and now have about 80 members, I know at our peak just before COVID w...
Read more

Yew Tree Youth Theatre. 2024 - Fred

-
What a year (That's a good thing, by the way). My favourite shows, my favourite rehearsals, my favourite year; so you can hopefully gather that I've enjoyed it all.  But in all reality, my blog should start in 2023, as National Theatre Connections began then.  I had been cast, along with Izzy, in the role of Noush, which quickly I became attached to. As the rehearsal process continued into the year of 2024, I only grew to like the role even more. Kiss/Marry/PushOffCliff - as the play was called - soon shaped up to be a fantastic show. The year before (I know, this is meant to be 2024, but everything, after all, is interconnected) I'd shown interest in NT Connections but had shied away, thinking I was not capable enough for such a task. This time, however, I was prepared - or brave, or optimistic, or however you could describe it - and chose to take part. It was indeed the right decision. Never before from a show had I received such enjoyment, even from rehearsals. Every tim...
Read more

Robin's Connections Blog

-
 Kiss / Marry / Push off a cliff was my second connections play that I have done with YTYT. As soon as I read it, I fell in love with the script. Although it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, it drew me in with its pure weirdness and mystery. I was so intrigued as to how we would tackle many of the problems that were initially presented to us. After all, showing someone getting pushed off a cliff while inside of a sleeping bag in a youth theatre production isn’t a simple task. However, with the combined effort of an equally talented crew and cast, I believe we were able to do a pretty good job. I could ramble all day about how much I love characters as a whole. In truth, they are what drew me to connections in the first place. I love being able to delve into their motivations and fears in detail and develop a whole other being rather than myself. I remember there was one character that stood out to me in my first reading. I knew from the start that Marco would be a tricky character. B...
Read more