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The last of the farewell blogs is by Amy...can't believe she's got away with writing so few in her loooonnnnggg YTYT life...

As it turns out, I have been at Yew Tree Youth Theatre for an extremely long time. I have had a good long think and I’m not sure I can actually give you a definite amount of years, but I can promise you there have in fact been a lot of them. I am almost certain I can remember every single Connection’s play since we started (not that I know how many of them there have been, I think I'm going to settle for 13) and I have actually participated in 5 of them. I have been a happy little member of Ruby Company, Sapphire Company, Scarlett Company and Black Company. I've performed in numerous Christmas shows, Miners Memorial Performances, and Summer School plays. I've done various shows at Ossett Town Hall and the Hepworth and many little wonderful and obscure places around Wakefield and the surrounding area. I've loved doing shows that collaborate with dancing which meant I was able to mix two of my favourite worlds together. So I think it would be better say I've been 'in' rather than 'at' because Yew Tree (along with WYTDC) has made up the majority of my life for the last 18 years, and it would be fair to say I couldn’t have been more involved if I tried.

The point of this blog is to try and commemorate my time at Yew Tree because now I'm leaving to move down to London for university, which is crazy really. I don't know what people who don't find them selves rocking up to a space every other week and trying to create a performance venue out of it, do with their time to be honest. How do they not have to get ready for obscure things in ten minutes time and have about 5 things to do in one day? It baffles me hahaha. So within this blog I am trying to pin point things that have made my experience unique. Thus, I think one of the most amazing things I’ve been able to enjoy about Yew Tree is the numerous generations of YT graduates that I've watched go and become incredible and amazing people with such different life paths. These stories are one of the major reasons that I feel both inspired and brave enough to go and do what I'm about to do. So not only does it mean that I know pretty much the population of Wakefield;) I am also so motivated and inspired to go and do exactly what I want to do just like so many of my role models I've seen do before me.

I've made some of the best friends in the whole world here and they’re all pretty mint, as well as being able to stay close to people I thought I'd end up drifting away from. I want to say that I'm a different person because of things I've learnt and skills I've been taught here, but honestly it's just everything I've been so accustomed to, so I'm waiting ready to use everything I know in ‘real life’. I have, however, seen how Yew Tree manages to affect everyone that comes through the doors. I've seen the distance traveled in hundreds of young people and grown ups, truly it's staggering. I have watched people that have become braver, or more accepting, or more creative, or have the ability to build relationships with others or are able to recognise their own amazing qualities or in fact all of the above. All have become better as a result.

Another of the things that I want to say in my last ever (well actually maybe only second ever too but I'm not too great at blogs and they scare me a bit lol but anyway) blog is how much behind the scenes work goes on to make such a smooth ship like Yew Tree sail along. There is so much work, time, effort, foresight (my dad is mint at that) as well as the important creative genius and that's just a small part of it. I think it's very easy just to scoot along in the magicalness of sessions and shows and lines and forget how many things need to get sorted, organised and balanced in order for everyone to have such a wonderful time. I think that's something I can see so well from my position and it's really important to remember.


I can’t write everything down that I want to say because the words won’t go into my head, but this is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of my YTYT thoughts and experiences. So I shall just finish up with YTYT is mint and I've loved every second of it, all of the hours and minutes and shows and rehearsals and chilling with such super cool kids and learning from amazing, amazing people. I love squad trips out and I love Kendal lots and I love all the pictures and happy happy times. thank you for providing me with a place to thrive in and grow, I love everyone lots and lots xxx

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