Thame Youth Theatre

Thame Youth Theatre is a non-profit organisation based in Thame. We have been running for 30 years putting on many productions of Dance and Drama for children ages 7-18. We aim for all the children to expand on their ability and confidence within the performing arts while also having fun and making friends. Thame Youth Theatre prides itself in offering affordable Dance and Drama classes as well as exciting opportunities outside of the youth theatre including Honeycomb Festival and Thame Music In The Park for our pupils to take part in.

Due to our growing classes and our support from Simon Drake Photography, he is offering a scholarship in order to support a student in their participation in the Youth Theatre.

We are supported by our wonderful parents who kindly donate costumes for us to use in our shows. We are also lucky enough to have support from Character Fancy Dress who supply some of our costumes for our shows. We are very grateful for their support and great costumes!

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Thame Youth Theatre was formed in 1989 by a small group of committed young people, who wanted to help to put on plays. Since then the group has developed and expanded beyond all recognition. In the beginning, there was six separate performing groups - three for theatre and three for dance, and they had put on more than 80 productions in Thame, as well as regular appearances at the Towersey Festival and performances in Edinburgh, Ireland, Romania, New York, California, Australia and Croatia

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The Youth Theatre has, in addition, raised a considerable sum of money for Charites, back in the day they created their own original Musical on the stage of the Apollo Theatre in Oxford and raised money for the new children's accident and emergency department at the John Radcliffe hospital. 

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At any one time, there has been between 100 and 150 young people actively involved in the organisation receiving purposeful training as well as having a lot of fun. it is run by the youth arts co-ordinator and a voluntary management group, who employ directors and choreographer to oversee the practical work. we are always seeking more volunteers and crew who are experienced and enthusiastic!

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Thame Youth Theatre is...

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ACTIVE

In eight years TYT has staged 58 productions including:

• 17 world premieres

• 1 British premiere (Teahouse by Lao She)

• 2 full-length large scale original musicals

• Classics by Bond, Brecht, Buchner, Jarry, Durrenmatt, Shakespeare, Goldsmith, Harrison, Orwell.

• 7 original adaptations of works by Dickens, Stevenson, Gogol, Hoban, Dahl etc

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INNOVATIVE 

Over half of TYT's work is new material

• 12 plays written by TYT members and staff

• 14 devised shows

• 3 experimental collaborations with professional theatre companies

• Original design, costumes and set for all productions

• Work with dance, projection, found instruments

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ADVENTUROUS

We have taken performances to

• New York (Great Expectations)

• Bucharest (The Tempest)

• Edinburgh Fringe (3 original shows + 2 TYT spin-off company shows)

• Apollo Theatre Oxford (Own musical for an audience of 1000)

• Open-air festival (all age play with music for an arena of 2000)

• Churches, gardens fields, market squares, streets, marquees and palaces as well as professional theatres

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ACCLAIMED

TYT performances have had excellent reviews by:

• The Times Educational Supplement

• The National Theatre (Lloyds Bank Theatre Challenge)

• Edinburgh Evening News

• Oxford Mail, Oxford Times

• Bucks Herald, Bucks Free Press

• Wycombe Star, Thame Gazette

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COMMITTED

Over 100 young people meet several evenings a week and for all-day weekend and holiday rehearsals. Older, more experienced members are hired by TYT as directors and designers (under a training scheme funded by a local company)

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SUPPORTED

TYT has been awarded funding for projects & development by:

• Southern Arts (Arts Council of England)

• South Oxfordshire District Council & Thame Town Council

• Foundation for sport & the Arts & Youth Exchange Council

• Imago Publishing

• Friends of Towersey Festival

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PROFESSIONAL
We aim for the highest possible standards of production, performance and design, believing that professionalism is a state of mind, not income. 

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