Scottish Youth Theatre

Scottish Youth Theatre is Scotland's national youth theatre company for ages 3–25. It is core funded by the Scottish Arts Council.

Scottish Youth Theatre has headquarters in Glasgow but work throughout Scotland. The Old Sheriff Court is the UK's first purpose built arts centre for young people.

Scottish Youth Theatre provide Drama, Dance and Singing classes at the weekend (10-week term) and an Adult and Toddler class on Mondays (6-week term.)

Summer Festival takes place during the school holidays in various locations around Scotland and involves theatrical training for two, three or five weeks. Participants can choose to stay in residences during the course or travel from home each day.

Past Productions

• Pinocchio (2009)
• Hidden Treasures (2009)
• Hamlet (2009)
• Geordie (Summer 2008)
• Oh! What A Lovely War (Summer 2008)
• Hero (Summer 2008)
• When A Star Falls (2007–2008)
• His Dark Materials (Phillip Pullman Trilogy) (2007)
• Wee MacGreegor (2006)
• Man of the Crowd (2006)
• Tales From The Arabian Nights (2006)
• Geordie (2006)
• The Snow Queen (2005)
• The Ugly Ducking (2005)
• Into The Light (2005)
• Dying For It (2004–2005)
• The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (2004)
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2004)
• Romeo and Juliet (2003)
• Born Bad
• The Wizard of Oz (2001)
• Hamlet
• Macbeth (2000)
• Tam o' Shanter (1991) (The People's Palace)
• Nicholas Nickleby (1991) (The Old Athenaeum)
• The Human Cannon (1990) (The Old Athenaeum)
• A Midsummer's Night Dream (1990) (The Burrell Collection)
• The Dragon (1988) (Aberdeen University)
• Romeo and Juliet (1988) (RSAMD Theatre)

Courses

Two-week residential course

A two-week course is available for anyone interested between the ages of twelve and fifteen. This course is focused on drama and theatre skills tuition. Normally, students would work with various directors and tutors specialising in theatre arts (for example drama, movement and music). On the final Saturday, the group presents a final performance.

Three-week intermediate course

A three-week course for ages thirteen to sixteen has been formed to create a developmental link between the foundation course and the five-week performance and production course. This course offers the opportunity to develop performance skills in a focused environment, while at the same time providing insight into the more advanced five-week performance and production course. The course includes specialist skills workshops, and rehearsals that will lead to performances with you forming part of the ensemble cast for the main house five-week productions. Taking part in these performances will be the culmination of the work done over the three weeks.

Five-week performance course

The five-week course, aimed at ages sixteen to twenty-one, is Scottish Youth Theatre's flagship event and has been running since 1977. This course consists of training and rehearsals for the first four weeks of the course, and culminates in the production of main house shows in the final production week. During the course, participants take part in specialist skills workshops and various evening activities and social events include newsreader Kirsty Young, actor Douglas Henshall and one of SYT's patrons Blythe Duff.

Patrons

Emma Thompson, Alan Cumming, Billy Boyd, Bill Paterson, Brian Cox, Blythe Duff, Phyllida Law, Emma Thompson, Richard Wilson, Paul Riley, Marilyn Banne, Colin McCredie, Elaine C Smith, and David Rintoul.

Famous Participants

Well-known participants have included Gerard Butler (300, RocknRolla), Rory Elrick (Half Moon Investigations), Sean Biggerstaff (Harry Potter), Douglas Henshall (Primeval), Tony Curran (Underworld: Evolution, Primeval) and Carmen Pieraccini (River City, Dear Green Place).

Further information

Scottish Youth Theatre Main Website

Scottish Youth Theatre Bebo Website

Scottish Youth Theatre Myspace Website

Scottish Youth Theatre Facebook Website