What's happening at YTYT

Last week I unashamedly gloated about the joys of being on holiday – you’ll remember lots of self -congratulatory ramblings about how much sun and relaxation were going on.   Well, it got to the point where I was so comfortable with that pace of life I started to worry that I might not be able to cope with the pace back here… Turns out it was ok, we got back late Wednesday night…Thursday morning I sprang out of bed full of all the things that needed to be done…and more importantly full of enthusiasm for them… Since then I have barely stopped – I’ve had meeting with organisers of literary festivals and drama festivals, I have written evaluation reports, almost finished a play (with a bit of luck the almost on that won’t be necessary by the end of today) I have organised filming session, recruited actors for projects, submitted Theatre in Education proposals, I have sent 100’s of emails and pretty much cleared the inbox…not quite but I’m getting there, I have read and shortl...

Aayushi with her farewell blog It seems appropriate that I'm writing this on a Saturday morning. I think a part of me will always associate this time of the week with Best & Worsts, Ninja Warrior, Mafia, Cowboys & Indians, I could honestly go on. The past 3 and a half years have flown despite having been packed with so many performances, whether they be at the Phoenix Theatre at Airedale or indeed Wakefield Theatre Royal. My first Yew Tree experience goes back to an Open Mic several years ago. I'd been promised a lot of talent by Gath and I can honestly say I was not left disappointed. 2 people's performances stuck with me in particular: Jack Davies and Ash. Everyone was so lovely and the community that was apparent was something I wanted to be a part of. It was also here that I was introduced to the quiz tradition... Something that isn't taken lightly. And so, one Saturday morning in March 2010, I went to my first Gold Company session. I had ...

Mikey has blogged about his week: For those at Black Company Yew Tree has returned in all its glory and for those who aren't at black they still have a few week to wait. Unlucky. However my Yew Tree experience returned with an interview before Black Company and it was an interview to be the assistant director of this years Connections production which I luckily got. But when Sarah asks you "When we do vocal warm ups, what individual things do we have to warm up?" everything you have ever learnt goes straight out of your head. In the A-Z of Shakespeare we even mentioned all the things we have to warm up but when you're getting asked in an interview, yeah you panic. Im really excited to take part in this years connections in a completely new role, so hey if you're the right age and you want to dedicate yourself to what will be a brilliant piece of theatre let Sarah know and get your name down for connections. Exciting times. Then Black Company ret...

Dear Yew Tree Youth Theatre Having a lovely time here in Menorca...the sun is hot, the views idyllic and the company wonderful... haven't thought about you that much if I was honest but enough to take the time out to write this postcard style blog, oh and I thought about all the results getters on Thursday...I hope you got what you needed and if you didn't that an alternative plan has presented itself, my necessitated alternative plan turned out to be one of the best things I could ever had hoped for! I've mainly been doing very little which as you can imagine is a bit of a shock to the system but I'm coping...I've read a lot - my current rate is a book a day so there is lots of great input going into my brain which will help with the many scripts I need to write on my return.  Also I've been doing a lot of people watching which is always good in terms of material...people are fascinating and I so rarely have the time to sit back and watch...so yes...it...

Holly with her farewell blog... I started Yew Tree 6 years ago, when we still did summer performances at Cathedral, when groups didn't have names and before the first blog was ever written. My first performance with Yew Tree was a series of fairy stories that we started devising in my first session and I'd never seen so many confident, outgoing people in one room. I couldn't wait to come back the next week, and as it turns out I came back every week for 6 years.. I could try and go through every memory I have from spending so much time with so many great people, but the things that I've learnt from Yew Tree are the following and I would like to know that anyone who joins Yew Tree takes these on board: -Cowboys and Indians is my all time favourite game ever, closely followed by Mafia - maybe predictable, but ones I will always request when I pay a visit.. -Ratchet Screwdriver is by far the most competitive and maybe violent game I have taken part in, nevertheless,...

James was at NODA too as a student...here's his take on it... “A dancer can practice their dancing, a musician can practice their instrument or singing and an artist can practice their art… but what about an actor, what exactly can they practice when  they don’t have a performance coming up?” This is just one of many questioned I got asked whilst at this year’s NODA summer school’s The Method course. During this week I have learnt so many things and met so many great people from literally all over the world, but I’m only going to touch upon little bits of what I have learnt and found. The first is that there are no limits to what an actor can perform, when we get asked to play our character at a level 10 what exactly is level 10? Well the level 10 is just a limit we as people put on ourselves, we can always take it further. But we seem to refuse taking it further so we don’t feel we are going to make fools of ourselves, so look at your characters, and l...

Turns out, being out of your comfort zone is the perfect place to spend a week.   I have had the most glorious of times at NODA Summer School working with a truly wonderful company of actors made up of nine very different people but I’ll come back to them in a moment.   First it needs emphasising how well I’ve been looked after.   The accommodation and cuisine were wonderful, so wonderful that real life is going to be a bit of a challenge…the people who make the summer school happen and run smoothly are outstanding, nothing is too much trouble for them and as a result the experience for both tutors and students is excellent. Second the opportunity to work with tutors of such a high calibre is unique.   I have listened in awe to the stories and experiences of the tutors that were my colleagues for the week and made lovely friends too.   It’s also been a delight to rekindle friendships with those I haven’t seen for an age…needless to say within 10 minutes ...

Lucy Lindley with the second of our leavers blogs...enjoy! So this is it. I’m leaving Yew Tree after eleven years to go to University (what on earth am I going to do with my Saturday mornings next year?!). If I was to write about every single wonderful memory I have had with you it would take me another eleven years to do it, so, in order to speed things up a little I have condensed it all down to a few of the more significant moments. My first performance with Yew Tree was about two nasty witches who set out to ruin Christmas by turning all of Santa’s elves evil. Luckily, a talking Christmas tree broke the spell and saved the day! I was an elf called Trixie and I still have my costume that my mum made from an old Christmas table cloth. My final performance with Yew Tree was The Party at the End of The World at Nostell Priory this summer. It really was a performance that we could all be proud of and we had so much fun rehearsing it. One of the highlights of the week was ...

I’m spending a week out of my comfort zone this week.   This blog is being typed from Warwick University where for the next 7 days I am a tutor at the NODA (National Operatic and Dramatic Association) affectionately known as The Bubble to those that attend. The course I’m teaching is an Introduction to Acting course so thankfully that aspect of my week isn't out of my comfort zone.   However a s I gear up for my first session that takes place this evening I am aware how lovely it is at YTYT to be able to work with companies of actors who I am so familiar with.   The luxury of a consistent group that meets every week means that I develop an in depth knowledge of how to get the most out of each actor.   I constantly reflect on the achievements, progress and challenges that members of the youth theatre experience in sessions and plan my approach accordingly trying to be as responsive as possible.   It is this consistency and commitment from both ac...

Katie Crookes with a first in a series of blogs from those members who are going to University this September... I can't believe after 5 years of getting up every Saturday morning for Gold company that its now come to an end I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to find to do with my time but I'm sure Uni will give me many opportunities. I can remember my first session and I brought a friend with me as I didn't know what to expect but in true Yew tree style I got welcomed in and have met some of the best people ever and made some friends I now can't imagine life without. I can't begin to count the amount of endless opportunities Yew Tree has given me like my work experience, numerous shows a year, connections and just somewhere to go every week to escape reality for a few hours. I'll really miss getting up on a Saturday and not knowing whether I'll be a bean, funky seaweed or even possibly have a chair race no actually I'm just going to miss ever...