The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson
Adapted by Mandy Precious with original music by Philip Girling
Monday 5th December - Saturday 10th December 2011
(Public Performances Friday 9th December @ 7:30pm, Saturday 10th December @ 1:30pm and 7:30pm)
This is a story about an evil mirror, a Snow Queen and a little boy and girl, Kay and Gerda. The Snow Queen takes away Kay, and Gerda embarks on a journey to find him.
Tickets £6 Adults, £4 Concession, £18 Family ticket
The Resistance by Bethan Roberts
Friday 11th November 2011 @ 7:30pm
In a country where all aspects of life are controlled by the government, a dedicated organisation of revolutionaries aims to seize power in the name of the people. However, as their objectives begin to become reality, tensions within the organisation threaten everything it stands for.
Tickets £6 Adults, £4 Concession, £2 Current Participants
Red Riding Hood
Horse and Bamboo
Saturday 5th November 2011 @ 4pm
Horse + Bamboo present a gorgeously rendered re-telling of the classic girl-and-the-wolf tale. Exquisite visuals blend with pantomime-style silliness and spooky moments to create an enchanting piece of theatre.
Specially created for young audiences age 4+ and their families
Tickets £6 Adults, £4 Concession, £2 Current Participants, £18 Family Ticket
A Country Boy’s Struggle by Maxwell Golden
Contact Theatre
Thursday 20th October 2011 @ 7:30pm
“Hip hop music is more than your shoes, clothes or hat - it’s a community I lacked. It’s a Country Boy’s hip hop struggle.” Maxwell Golden
This show uses an exciting hip hop style to tell an honest story of one man’s search for a sense of belonging in a foreign environment. It integrates music, poetry, MCing as well as physical comedy to reflect both rural and urban environments.
Suitable for Ages 12+
One Little Word
M6 Theatre Company
Friday 7th October 2011 School Performance @ 2pm and Public Performance at 6pm
A beautiful and gentle story of friendship, power struggles and the rich world of creative play. This sensitive production performed by two actors and underscored with a specially composed soundtrack contains only ONE spoken word. We meet two characters who play together – exploring a new space, new objects, dressing up and taking turns- but struggles arise when one of them wants to be the ONLY Captain of the ship!
Specially created for young audiences age 3+ and their families
Albert and Equiano by Jane Newton-Chance
Indra Theatre
Friday 30th September 2011 @ 7:30pm
Deep down in the junk room of a museum Albert, an elderly caretaker, uncovers a portrait he has never seen before, which has an unusual and powerful effect on him. Then things take an unexpected turn and Albert is to experience and participate in events way beyond his wildest imaginings. Follow the life and travel of an 18th century Nigerian as seen by a museum caretaker.
Suitable for Ages 11+
Tickets £6 Adults, £4 Concession, £2 Current Participants
Short As Any Dream an adapted version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Nikki Mailer
Thursday 21st July 2011 @ 7:30pm and Friday 22nd July 2011 @ 7:30pm
Based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this adaptation, suitable for Junior performers will use some of the original text following fairies, courtiers and workmen on their adventures through the woods in this magical and mischievous tale.
All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare
Directed by Philip J. Hindle
Friday 15th July, 2011@7:30pm and Saturday 16th July, 2011@2:30pm & 7:30pm
Helena loves Bertram, but he's of noble birth, while she's just a doctor's daughter. But Bertram is at the court of the King of France, who is ill, and Helena has a remedy that might cure him and win her the right to marry Bertram. But does Bertram want to marry her?
“Love all, trust a few, Do wrong to none” and “All’s Well That Ends Well”
Sharing Events July 2011
A sharing event will take place at Burnley Youth Theatre on the week beginning 4th July 2011. The young people will perform on the day that they normally attend workshops. They will be working on a short performance after the half term break and will perform along with the other classes at this sharing event. Tickets for the sharing event are £1(as a donation) and will be available to buy on the night.
The BYT Young Actors Rep Company present Have I Ever Told You?
Friday 1st July 2011 @ 7:30pm Tickets £4
These four Monologues, written by Rep Company member Jack Bowtell, will reflect the highs and lows of life through comedy and pathos using stories and tales in the style of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads.
The BYT Young Actors Rep Company have put all of these productions together to raise money for their trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2011.
The BYT Young Actors Rep Company present Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker
Friday 17th June 2011 @ 7:30pm Tickets £4
At the Sydney Cove penal colony in 1789, a young lieutenant directs rehearsals of the Restoration comedy "The Recruiting Officer". With only two copies of the text, a cast of convicts, opposition from sadistic officers, and a leading lady about to be hanged, the production is in trouble from the start...
The Faction Theatre Company presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
Monday 23rd May 2011 @ 7:30pm Tickets £6 Adults, £4 Concessions, £2 Current Participants
A Duke and an Amazon celebrate their engagement but can’t persuade Hermia to marry Demetrius. She and Lysander elope, but are pursued by their respective rivals. An amateur dramatics group of local tradesmen rehearse the unexpectedly hilarious tale of tragic lovers Pyramus and Thisbe. They all end up in the mystical Athenian woods, where the fairy kingdom is in turmoil.
The BYT Young Actors Rep Company present Aesop’s Fables
Friday 20th May 2011 @ 7:30pm Tickets £4
Aesop was a greek, probably a slave. He used fables, or short tales top represent his masters. These featured animals to make moral points. Here, the Rep Company deliver 10 tales - full of humour and wit.
The Selfish Giant
Adapted and directed by Mandy Precious
Performance Friday 1st April 2011/Saturday 2nd April 2011
The children liked to play in the Giant's Garden. It was a place that made them really happy. One day, the Giant came back. He frightened the children and they ran away. He put up a sign that said, ‘Trespassers will be Prosecuted’. He was very selfish. He built walls and kept them out. When the spring came, it remained winter in the garden, all because the giant was too selfish to share. One day, he heard a bird singing and thought spring had come, but instead it was because the children had snuck in. The Giant befriends the children...and he learns that even when he shares things do not always work out.
What if?
A devised piece directed by Karen Barnes
Performance Friday 8th April 2011
What if you had the chance to make your own piece of theatre? What if it could be about anyone, anything, anywhere? What if it could be about people like you, saying things you want them to say? Or people not like you? What if we were to give you that chance?
Xolisile's Song
Dodgy Clutch Theatre Company
25th February, 2011 @ 7:30pm
A visiting theatre company bring their show to the youth theatre. Physical theatre, puppetry and storytelling.
A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
Directed by Philip J Hindle
It's Christmas Eve and the meanest and most coldhearted man in London, Ebenezer Scrooge, has no time for merriment or mistletoe, But, just as the clock strikes midnight, his world turns around when he is taken on a journey through the vivid and enchanting worlds of past, present and future. But, will Scrooge change his ways in time for Christmas Day?
Sharing Events Dec 2010
The end of the Autumn term saw six sharing events in one week. The shows were a chance for participants to show friends and family what they had been working on that term. Each sharing event was really well attended and we got some great feedback from parents and participants.
CREATE Junior Devised Performance
Directed by Rachael Ash
This play was created by 7 young people who worked for 8 weeks with director Rachael Ash. The play tells the story of the new girl in town and her struggle to make friends. With a little help from her favorite Superhero, she finds a way to beat the bullies and be happy.
Driven to Revolt
by Mandy Precious
Directed by Rachael Ash
The plays tells the story of what happened to a young rioter who was drawn into the fracas by one of the factory workers. The play is part of Lancashire's Criminal Past, a series of events and activities organised by Lancashire County Council's Library and Information Service together with Lancashire Record Office and Lancashire Museums.
Behind Closed Doors
Directed by Mike Nelson
Behind Closed Doors was a new innovative piece of theatre focusing on the themes of secrets and the masks that people wear in society. Throughout the week a group of young performers who came together as the ‘Teen Creation Co.’ have explored new ways of creating theatre through changing the space they perform in, whilst removing the barrier between performer and audience. As a result the group created an immersive, interactive experience where the audience are thrown right in the middle of the action.
Toy Box Tales
Directed by Mike Nelson
Toy Box Tales was a magical journey exploring the world of toys. The cast worked extremely hard over one week, and delved into their imaginations and taken on the role of director, performer and of course toys! As a result the group created a spectacular new piece of theatre.
Eclipse
by Simon Armitage
Directed by The BYT Young Actors Rep Company
Eclipse is about six young friends spending the day at the beach waiting to see the total eclipse of the sun (which happened in 1999 for those of you can’t remember that far back!) They meet a mysterious stranger who changes their lives forever.
Eclipse was an interesting piece to be a part of. The group used a naturalistic approach with elements of a stylised theatre. They also kept to most of Simon Armitage’s themes and ideas as well as incorporating a few of their own.
Holding the Key
by Mandy Precious
Directed by Karen Barnes
Holding The Key to was performed at BYT from 19th - 23rd July 2010. The piece was written by Mandy Precious and focuses on the part women can play in preventing violent extremism. There were 8 performances to schools, youth groups, the police, councillors, friends and family of the cast and to key members of the community. The cast included three young women and one young man from Stoneyholme and Daneshouse Community Centre and three young women from Burnley Youth Theatre.
Gregory’s Girl
by Bill Forsyth
Directed by Karen Barnes
Gregory is a normal, hormonally-challenged teenager who, like his friends,has begun to discover the charms of the opposite sex, particularly those ofDorothy, the new girl in school and a talented football player.Dorothy joins the team, and Gregory instantly becomes smitten with her.Gregory falls in love and after a great deal of angst and embarrassing attemptsof winning her attention, he finally plucks up the courage to ask her out on a date but it doesn't quite work out how he anticipates...
Gregory's Girl is a coming-of-age comedy which follows a group of teenagers through relationships, romance and growing up.
The Boy Who Fell Into a Book
by Alan Ayckbour
Directed by Mike Nelson
The Boy Who Fell Into a Book takes you on an imaginative journey with 10 year old book fanatic, Kevin Carter. As he reads the story aloud it visually comes to life on stage, until he falls into the action and meets the hardboiled detective Rockfist Slim. Together they journey through Kevin's entire shelf of six books meeting chess players, Red Riding Hood, The Wooblie family, ghosts, and Monique the scary assassin. But will Kevin ever find his bedroom? And who is the Green Shark? A great message comes across in this play - the value of reading, and the power of the imagination to transport the reader to other worlds. As Kevin says "With a book, it becomes real. The book becomes part of you". It focuses on language and story, it is a great way to be reminded of childhood adventures, or of the enthusiastic journeys you went on with your favourite books.
Bombs and Blackberries
by Julia Donaldson
Directed by Mandy Precious
Bombs and Blackberries is set in Manchester during World War 2. The Junior cast played parts of both children and adults and brought comedy and good old fashioned patriotism to this production. Burnley Youth Theatre were also extremely lucky to have writer Julia Donaldson attend the production and see her words come to life by our very talented children.
The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
by C.S.Lewis adapted by Adrian Mitchell
Directed by Philip J Hindle
The C. S. Lewis book 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' has been carefully dramatised by Adrian Mitchell His adaptation mixes the dark overtones of the Second World War, with the Police State of Jadis, the White Witch. He also includes songs to lift the spirits and heighten dramatic tension.
Mirror Mirror
by Claire Berry
Directed by Karen Barnes
The play follows four friends and explores their personal struggles with body image and tackles issues such as eating disorders, being overweight, tanning obsessions, trying to keep up with the financial pressures of fashion and the influence the media has on young girls.
Macbeth
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Philip J Hindle
Macbeth is a tragedy about a regicide and its aftermath. Setting this drama in the Europe of the 1930's, has allowed the director to draw on the rise of political extremism and reflect how, when forced to, the civilised world reacts to brutish individuals and ideologies. The play ends with the ominous message that tyrants can manifest themselves within the most normal of people... a fact that, looking at today's world political climate is only too apparent.
The Twits
by Roald Dahl adapted by David Wood
Directed by Karen Barnes
Mr and Mrs Twit are extremely nasty, so the Muggle-Wump monkeys and the Roly-Poly bird hatch an ingenious plan to give them just the ghastly surprise they deserve!
