Youth theatre to stage big reunion

CHARLOTTE GREEN

AYOUTH theatre group is celebrating 20 years on the stage with a special gala performance reuniting members past and present.

The Bacup Youth Theatre Education School (BYTES), based at the Royal Court Theatre, was founded in 1997 after an advertisement in the Free Press asking for children to take part in The Railway Children provoked huge interest. Since then it has gone from strength to strength and many of its alumni have gone on to professional careers in performance and dance.

Next month around 12 former actors will be reprising their roles in a range of plays and musicals and working with the current cast for a special gala show.

Retired teacher Regina Arkwright was one of the founders of the school and is their current director alongside musical director Julia Taylor.

She said: “I needed 10 children for the Railway Children but the committee were shocked when on the audition night the car park was full as 63 children turned up! And then we decided it would be a good thing to start a youth theatre. We have done a youth production every year since and the cast have also taken part in pantomimes. Over the years we have had 80 children in the cast.”

Coronation Street actor Emily Aston successfully auditioned for Roberta and she went on to take part in BYTES productions, pantomimes and plays. Later productions ranged from plays to musicals including My Fair Lady and Les Miserables, Oklahoma and Annie Get Your Gun.

Regina added: “Hundreds of children have been ●● Current members of The Bacup Youth Theatre Education School, which will celebrate its 20th birthday with a special gala show a part of the award-winning BYTES, with many going on to professional careers in performance and dance, but all have made great friendships. They are an integral part of the Royal Court and have contributed to its success. It’s great to know that we were their starting point and we have always kept in touch.

“I think it will be quite emotional to reunite everyone, and I think it will have a big impact on the young children who are members now just to see what’s been achieved.”

The Gala Show will take place on July 14-15 at the Royal Court Theatre, tickets are available online and at Wishes Galore, Bacup.