This week has seen the Charter Theatre over run with 40 young people taking part in the Guild Hall Youth Theatre’s first ever summer school. The young people made up of regular members and new recruits have been working together to create a fantastic show around ‘Dreams and Aspirations’.

The week has been an electric mix of contemporary dance, musical theatre and acting and has developed the young people’s performance skills in these areas and of course their confidence and social skills. The summer school was open to all, with no audition process and has seen young people who have never performed before to those who are used to treading the boards.

The group ranges from 7year olds to 15year olds, all working together providing a great opportunity to make new friends and to learn from each other. Tim Joel – Artistic Director says ‘it is great to see the older ones supporting the younger ones and taking responsibility and the younger ones allowing the older ones to enter a state of play’
He goes onto say ‘The week is a fantastic opportunity for young people to engage in a real positive experience and see the fruit of their labour when the show comes together at the end of the week’

The summer school has great artistic team of professionals: including a musical director, chorographer, acting and vocal coach and director who all work professionally in their fields. This joint expertise provides a real professional experience for the young people and ensures they get the best out of the week.

The week culminates in a devised show including; an original song written this week, devised dance numbers and a selection of devised acting scenes. The theme of the show is ‘dreams and aspirations’ and the young people have used their own dreams and aspirations to create this fantastic and exciting performance that has been inspired from themselves.

Guild Hall Youth Theatre runs in partnership with the Guild Hall and has certainly established itself as part of the venue this week. This will be the first of many summer schools and the Youth Theatre returns to The Charter’s stage in November for their winter show of ‘Wonderland’

The curtain went up on the summer school show this Friday, 1st August at 7.30pm in The Charter Theatre.