Scottish Youth Theatre searches for a new generation of theatrical talent

Feb 12 2010 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

OPPORTUNITY is knocking for local budding thespians and backstage creative types aged between eight and 25.

Scottish Youth Theatre (SYT), Scotland’s national theatre ‘for and by’ young people, is currently recruiting young actors, directors and technicians for its popular Summer Festival programme.

Now into its fourth decade, the annual festival has given hundreds of hopefuls the opportunity to work with leading directors, designers and other drama pros, not only in workshops but on actual stage productions.

Blairgowrie actor, James Ringer Beck, for example, auditioned for the 2009 Summer Festival and landed the lead role in Stephen Greenhorn’s version of Pinocchio at the famous Tron Theatre in Glasgow last August.

Directed by award-winning director and designer, Kenny Miller, the successful production gave Beck some serious exposure in what one critic described as “a polished piece of theatre”.

“There are no weak links here and all those on stage give strong performances, both as individuals and in the ensemble set pieces,” the reviewer wrote.

Launching the recruitment drive for this year’s Summer Festival, SYT artistic director, Mary McCluskey, said she never ceased to be amazed by the rich vein of young theatrical talent that the festival unearthed.

“We are looking forward to welcoming young people from across the country to join us in the exhilarating experience of creating live theatre,” she said.

“Although not all them will go on to have a career in theatre, the Summer Festival experience will remain with them all for the rest of their lives.”

Operating during July and August, the festival exposes young people, aged eight to 25, to intensive courses in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow that culminate in the golden opportunity to work on a professional drama.

Alternatively, five-week performance, production and technical courses for 16-21 year olds will give participants the vital skills to create this year’s new productions staged at the Brian Cox Studio, Tron Theatre and Tramway.

This season, SYT is staging works by renowned Scottish playwright, Peter Arnott.

l Applications are open until the end of next week, with auditions in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow at the beginning of April. Details are available by calling 0141 552 3988 or online at www.scottishyouththeatre.org