workshop

Our Youth Workshop

Neath Little Theatre has had an active Youth section since the Society was formed in 1935. However, the current Youth Workshop has been different in as much as it has brought far more children into the theatre and is recognised as creating a learning platform for their enthusiasm. Several senior members are products of previous Youth Sections and it is hoped that many of today's Youth Workshop will also stay or return to the Senior section once college or university has been finished.

Youth Workshop is divided into two parts - the Juniors (5 years-11 years) and the Students (11 years to 18 years). The Juniors meet on the first Saturday of every month from September to June from 10 - 11.30. The Seniors meet on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month from 10 - 12. When we are in production the rehearsals take place weekly on Saturdays and Sundays.

Reintroducing a youth section was thought of as a means to teach stagecraft, so in 1992 several Senior members approached the General Committee to have permission to formalise the idea of a Youth Workshop.

Its aim was

To create an active and knowledgable Youth Section which can be recognised as an integral part of Neath Little Theatre.

Its objectives were

To capture the interest and build on the current youth group by having regular workshops.
To create goals by having projects to work on culminating in performance.
To teach aspects of stagecraft :- voice presentation, stage direction, learning lines, reading scripts, blocking, behaviour and discipline on and off stage.
To create an awareness of the Neath Little Theatre, its history and traditions.
To involve and create a strong Youth Section which can be integrated into the membership.
To be confident enough to work alongside seniors and with directors for both one act and major performances.

Participants pay 50p per session and a yearly membership fee of Ł3 for Juniors and Ł5 for Students. During the workshops they wil have a body and vocal warm up, script work or improvisations and time to develop confidence to be part of a group and eventually work toward stand alone performances.

Since 1992, the workshop has grown both in numbers and talent. As a result, Neath Little Theatre has been able to expand its repetoire to include plays like 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' (2002)which had no less than eight youngsters in it. In season (2004 -05), Rhiannon Phillips played the part of Suzanne in Therese Raquin and we welcomed back an ex student Sarah Green in the production of "Sailor, Beware!".

Club nights are used to bring members, children and their parents together and in January 2005 we staged our version of 'The Wizard of Oz' called 'Dorothy'. It allowed every child in the cast (35) to have at least one line each with most of them accomplished enough to deliver page upon page. (See photos of Dorothy, The Wizard, Uncle Henry and Aunty Em opposite.) In March, we followed this up with 'Rumplestiltskin' written by Senior member Donna McOnie. Again, everyone had a line to say and was a colourful and enthusiastic performance.

"Ahoy! Me Hearties!" In January 2006. the Theatre was overrun with pirates in our production of 'Captain Blackboot's Island' by Patricia Wood. Directed by Clare Down and assisted by Annette Williams and Norma Davies, the 50 strong cast played to almost capacity houses for three performances.

As a result of this and after working with other directors, six young performers were subsequently selected to appear in 'The Darling Buds of May' directed by Jamie Rees. They were Mair Phillips, Terri Willis, Bethan Russell, Georgina Hale, Megan Lloyd and Rhys Maddox.

To open the Season 2006 -7, all the student members appeared in a range of short playlets (see photos) and in January 2007, we transported our audiences to Notre Dame and introduced Ross Challinor as the most important Bellringer of Paris (see Past Productions).

For Season 2007- 2008, there were several projects in place. Firstly, selected members of the workshop performed three short playlets; Rebecca Down performed 'Letters to a Friend',Kay Challinor, Oliver Clark and Evan Phillips took part in an excerpt from David Copperfield and Cerys Jenkins and Ross Challinor took the roles of Anne and Peter in 'The Diary of Anne Frank'. In the new year, the Junior Workshop performed The Emperor's New Clothes on January 10th, 11th and 12th 2008. Josh Williams took the title role and was supported by over 30 young performers. On January31st 2008, part of the Student Workshop performed their own version of excerpts from Shakespeare's scottish play entitled 21st Century Macbeth and during Easter week, the Student workshop presented 'The Snow Queen' (click to see photos). A busy time for all concerned!

The workshop has proved to be a very successful part of Neath Little Theatre and anyone who would like further details can email the theatre on neathlittletheatre@hotmail.com

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