What's happening at YTYT

For almost a decade, I have had the privilege of being a part of a community of people that not only shaped my journey in theatre but also helped me become the person I am today. At the ripe age of 6,   Yew Tree Youth Theatre   quickly became my second home and – as it is in its 30 th   year – I have a reasonable excuse to write about it. 30 years is a remarkable milestone for any organisation, however for many people who start an originally small drama company it seems near impossible. Yet  Yew Tree  made it happen! The legacy of what is now the youth theatre we know and love today has been built upon years, and years, and years of hard work – both from the actors and the behind-the-scenes crew. Reaching three decades of  Yew Tree Youth Theatre ’s existence is insane, and to say I’ve been a part of nearly a third of it?! However,  Yew Tree  isn’t just a drama company: it’s a community, a family, a place where people come together to create. In ea...

I’m certain that of the many Yew Tree histories submitted as part of these anniversary celebrations, mine is a little unusual. I didn’t start young, nor am I from an especially theatrical background (I am, somehow, my own fault), nor did I feel particularly called to the stage. Rather, I was 17 and in need of something constructive to do. Turned out to be quite good fun, so I stuck around for a good 18 months before swanning off to uni. Yet probably the distinguishing feature of my Yew Tree experience is that a few years and one global pandemic later, being at a similarly loose end, I popped back in. I’ve been volunteering with Sarah and the youth theatre now for about twice as long as I ever attended in the first place. This has been in any number of capacities: running warm-up games, assistant directing, occasionally fetching coffee, now by contributing to this zine. And it makes sense to me to predicate my contribution on the unusual perspective I might have, having been on both sid...