History is a Mighty Drama...

"History is a mighty drama, enacted upon the theatre of time...” Thomas Carlyle

I have spent a good part of the weekend uploading archive photographs to our Facebook and Flickr profiles.  Not because I don’t get out much - although I don’t, but because it is important to be reminded of the bigger picture and to see where the youth theatre has come from, metaphorically and literally.  The youth theatre isn’t the same now as it was in 1973 - we’re in a different building, and the young people in the photographs are not young people any more. And a steady stream of young people come and make the youth theatre their own.  But how can any of what we do now have happened without what went before?

I have only managed to upload a selection of photographs from 10 discs - there’s at least a further 100 to explore (and tons of photos on our server too.)  There’s such a lot of history!  In uploading photographs, you start to get the feeling that you are part of something much bigger than yourself.  This is of course, on one level, obvious. Each day doesn’t spring completely detached from the one that went before rather grows organically. Yet the response has been phenomenal.   People have been leaving messages all day about this memory, or that memory, naming this person or that person or joking about costume, or asking for photographs from other things. You realise then that the shows, and the projects, and the participation in the youth theatre is special.  It matters to people. You realise that the work we do is often a very intense experience for young people, asking them, as we do to step outside of their comfort zones, to take risks and to step up to the plate.  You realise that you offer young people a place to learn to be themselves, supported by their peers and in absolute safety.

In a recent conversation about bullying with one of our older participants, I was thrilled to hear him say that he knew that no one was ever going to bully him here at the youth theatre, that he’d always known that and that everyone else knew that too.  “You’re allowed to be who you are,” he said, “That’s why we want to be here.” It’s this sense of belonging amongst other things that people recall so fondly when they see pictures of themselves in ‘The tales of the snot monster’ or ‘Harold and Maude’ circa 1993.

It’s a curious thing too that when you look at the pictures - the youth and the enthusiasm of youth is trapped in time.  The sense of possibility is evident wherever you look.  Then you realise that the picture is from 1979 (and that Anthony Preston is wearing a polo neck jumper) and that he’s not 18 any more.  He’s a good bit older than that.

It’s at that point that you start to remember that the youth theatre was fully established in 1973, almost forty years ago.  By my calculations that is 38 years ago. As anyone who knows me well will know maths is not my strong point but even I can calculate that this is an awful lot of shows, a serious number of projects, and a colossal number of workshops that have taken place since then.  And who knows how many countless young people have passed through our doors in all that time?  And how many of their parents have volunteered to support us?

I started thinking then.  Where are they now?  Amazingly, some people are still involved - Stephen Cook, Pauline Ray, Alicia Foley and Moira Preston are on our board.  The Garth Jones and Ian Galbraith are there too, for example parents who came to offer support and who’ve stayed long after their children have moved on.  And then there are others, like Philip Hindle who still play an active role, as director and workshop leader.  Still others, like Anthony Preston who support us from a distance.  But the rest?  I would love to hear from people who came 40, 30, 20, 10 years ago.  I’d love to hear about what the youth theatre meant to them.  I’d love to hear what they are doing now and what difference, if any, BYT made to their lives.

I realised that within these archives is more than our history.  There’s our future too.  The youth theatre, like all arts organisations, needs its supporters, its believers and here within these pictures are those who can play that role.  This can be active or low key, pro-active or subtle, but just writing a comment on Facebook allows us to demonstrate support - it shows those trusts and other organisations who back us financially the evidence that what we do matters.

It’s more than that too. Parents bring their children to the youth theatre, and like local schools, those children grow up, and then eventually bring their children too. It’s that kind of place. The people in these photos support our shows, share their love of the old place and join up the dots for us.  I think we could do better at helping people get back in touch, stay involved or simply join our database and mailing lists.  This doesn’t mean volunteering and being saddled with manning the tuck shop every Monday night until the end of time (although some people like Moira and Pauline are still there, selling sweets week after week - and they love it and we love it that they do!) But ex-participants and their parents could simply join our social network sites - Facebook and twitter and flickr and You Tube - to name but four, or simply come along and see a show.  In the next year we will be increasingly hosting professional companies and their work, as well as continuing to develop our own productions, films, original work and sharing events.

Things are not the same as they used to be.  They are not the same as they were in 1973 or indeed in more recent history - for more reasons than there’s time to write here. (Think of policies and safeguarding for one!)  Nor should we simply think of history as something that just teaches us lessons - to limit the use of history to lessons is, in my view, to miss the point.  As Henry Kissenger said, history ‘teaches by analogy, not by maxims.’ In that way history sets us free. It allows us to seek out the similarities in what went before - and celebrate these - without having to see what happened before as the only way to do things.  History isn’t a blueprint.

And what are the similarities? Well, from a quick survey of the archive and people’s responses to it and our own young people too - youth theatre is about enjoyment, having a laugh, participation, working together to a common aim, striving for (and sometimes failing!) to reach a goal, overcoming nerves, developing confidence, developing self-discipline, sometimes getting off with someone you fancy, being creative, having ideas, and so on... and so on... and this is common at whatever time in history youth theatre is taking place... then as now youth theatre is an intangible good.

A life in the year of our Chair, Alicia Foley

The Chair of BYT is guest blogger. She has recently, like a number of us, run the Manchester 10k - this is her take on that and her reflection on her year as chair of BYT:

 
On the 15th May I set out on one of the most terrifying experiences I have ever volunteered for in my 42 years of life – the Great Manchester Run; 10k (or 6.2 miles) of Manchester’s finest tarmac was my nemesis and I conquered it to raise funds for Burnley Youth Theatre. I will come back to my race experience later but at this point it is important to state that I was not the only one undertaking this challenge, I was part of a team and teams play an essential part in the success of Burnley Youth Theatre as an organisation.
 
There always seems to me a great sense of working together as a team at BYT.  We are lucky to have an extremely hard working staff team led by our Artistic Director, Mandy Precious.  This year we have been extremely fortunate that Mandy has agreed to a full time contract with us.  I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Aiden and Steven to the staff team. All of the team work together in the development of what we do and how we do it and offer each other support in order that they can all develop to their full potential. In the main it is the work of the staff team that drive us forward towards success. We have had an anxious wait for news from the Arts Council about our regular funding but thankfully the news was good.  With a new Artistic Development Plan in place to take us through the next few years we have a clear focus and direction.  We have started to enjoy visits from professional, touring companies and have put on some fabulous productions ourselves.  Alongside this we have worked on projects with young people that educate and facilitate discussion and debate.  We have worked with a vast range of schools and developed our relationships with other theatre groups and projects for young people.
 
Back to my experience of race day: I was what might be termed as a ‘plodder’ as I went around the course.  I ran a bit, then walked a bit and probably did a fair bit of staggering.  I stopped three times to adjust my shoes as my toes had gone dead and even managed a bit of speed as I went past the official photographer.  I ached from the waist down, it was raining and I felt quite alone despite the thousands of people who travelled alongside me on my journey.  I felt disappointed that the route was not more scenic.  I had an expectation that I would admire the heritage of the city along the way but one branch of Curry’s looks much like all the rest.  The glossy brochure that they sent before the race held promises of jelly babies near the end of the course and the anticipation of their sweetness and the fact that they would not affect my waistline today kept me going.  I could see the volunteers ahead holding out their latex gloved hands and I got a little faster again all for the sake of one darn jelly baby and it was not even a black one!  The last kilometre was the longest 1000 metres I have ever travelled.  I was wet, I hurt and I was crying at the whole overwhelming experience of taking part in a race after avoiding any type of running for all but five months of my life when I finally crossed the finish line.  At this point you may wonder what on earth I am leading to and my point is this:
 
I ran this torturous race voluntarily.  The rest of the team who ran the race did it voluntarily.  The participants, parents, and friends who give their time to Burnley Youth Theatre do it voluntarily.  I know that our wonderful staff team give us extra time and regularly work above and beyond the call of duty voluntarily.  Being a volunteer is not always easy with jobs, studies, families and a vast array of other competing priorities to contend with but being a volunteer brings its own rewards.  Our Financial Director, Moira Preston, has said to me on several occasions, after volunteering with us for over 30 years, “I have got more back than I put in”.  Being a volunteer brings new people, new skills and new perspectives into your life.  I believe that there is no feeling like the one you get when you feel you are making a difference to people’s lives and I think that, in general, is why our team of volunteers keep giving us their time and skills.
 
The time and skills of our team of volunteers is crucial in the work of Burnley Youth Theatre.  Our entire board is made up of volunteers.  Volunteers make and source costumes for our productions.  Volunteers organise and man fund raising events.  Volunteers run the front desk during workshops and productions.  In short, Burnley Youth Theatre could not support up to 450 young people coming through the doors every week without volunteers.
 
We have achieved many things and there is much to celebrate and each member of the team that is Burnley Youth Theatre should be a part of that celebration but we must never allow ourselves to slip into complacency on the back of success.  There are still young people for us to reach out to, there are still penny pinching days ahead and, as ever, there is still a need for those essential volunteers and the need for us to work as a team for the greater good.  
 
Onward and upward!
 
Alicia Foley

Find a Way, Make a Way.

So much has happened in the last few weeks that I have found it difficult to sit down and write a blog entry that will cover the breadth of what I've felt, thought, experienced and lived.  It is ever thus, but of late I have been in perpetual motion.  I have been suffering from blog block - unable to find a way to say what I want to say.

I realised it was probably a good idea not to even begin to try to tell the whole story.

Edited highlights?  Well, that suggests that it's all been good stuff, when frankly there has been tough stuff too.

I was personally devastated when Chris May a close ally of the youth theatre and great colleague and friend died suddenly at the end of April.  Chris, CEO of Curious Minds, was a man absolutely committed to ensuring that all young people be given the opportunity to participate in the arts and fulfil their creative potential and he will be missed.  At 51, I am certain that his work was not complete.  I know also he would have continued to support our work at the youth theatre and that the youth theatre's value was intrinsic to his core beliefs; in education and in creativity.

One of Chris' values was based on the following philosophy, 'If you can't find a way, make a way.'  I believe that this is the only way that the youth theatre will survive, and sometimes in the cut and thrust of the day to day business of ensuring that we have enough funds to survive, it is easy to lose sight of it.  I am certain, now that I have taken up the position of Artistic Director full time, that I will find a way to build on the success the youth theatre has enjoyed, and work towards extending what we do.

I think too, in thinking of Chris, of service.  I believe that we pay for our place on earth by service to others. I believe this as passionately as I believe anything - and I think Chris did too.  I am not servile (no doubt my colleagues would testify to this) and I am not perfect but I understand service to be about the difference we make to each other, about committing to changing the world for the better, about doing good, and about giving.  There are many people in the arts who share this belief and Chris exemplified it.  And had an approach to his work that many of us aspire to. 

We are lucky to have what we have at the youth theatre, and I mean to ensure that all young people have access to our core offer should they want to join with us.  And I am just as passionate about ensuring that children and young people in schools, youth clubs or wherever else they might be know that we exist and that what we do here is for them.  This is one of the reasons why we have reconfigured the space - it allows us to run three workshops simultaneously.   There have been times this week, when a fourth space would have been handy!

But it is about more than this - the youth theatre is about 'dialogue', about conversation, about what we make and create together.  The curriculum isn't set - we are engaged in the business of creating something - often new and original - together. If you're sensing that this is a familiar and not my own philosophy, you would be correct.  The notion of dialogue in this sense was a principal idea of the Brazilian educationalist Paulo Freire - for him dialogue wasn't just about greater understanding but about working together and making a difference in the world. This underpins my understanding of youth theatre too - in the long run it is about social action. About making the world more co-operative, equitable and engaged and that, as Freire argued, needs to be well-informed.  You can't change or move people if you tell them what to think any more than you can change or move people who don't know what to think... any liberation is an act of dialogue, people working with each other, with respect.  We can make a piece of theatre, but we can't tell you whether to like it or not.  But we can equip young people with the skills they need to have their say.

This week we enjoyed receiving the Faction Theatre Company and their production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.'  They played the show 6 times, including to some children who might never otherwise have had the opportunity to see Shakespeare.  It was a matter of wonder to me that children, some only 7 years old,  from some areas where seeing Shakespeare may not be a priority were leaving the theatre enthusiastically sharing their ideas about what they had seen, or laughing out loud or being shocked by a rude gesture 'The Wall' may (or may not) have made. It reminds me that we should never underestimate children and young people. Any children, any young people. Anywhere. Neither ourselves nor the Faction  compromised on the Shakespeare and we did not play down to the children.  I think the children knew that. And they responded.  We entered into a dialogue with them.

Chris May and I, the last time we met, spoke of Paulo Freire which is probably why the educationalist is so  in my mind at the moment.  As Freire says,

No one is born fully-formed: it is through self-experience in the world that we become what we are.

I think it is as well to remember this in good times, and in bad.  And to remember too that the journey of discovery, even if it sometimes very painful,  never really ends.  Next time I'm stuck or have blog block I'm going to say - quietly or loudly - find a way, make a way.  And see how far that gets me.

Dancing with lead boots

BYT is delighted to announce that they received NPO funding from April 2012 - March 2015 (subject to funding agreement.) We will be receiving an increase of 9% to develop the youth theatre as a cultural venue.  This is something we are passionate about, because we feel we will enable the community of young people we serve and their families to engage with a range of performances and other cultural events.

Part of our bid was also concerned with developing the youth theatre as a hub for other youth theatres, and this is something we are really interested in too - we know how lucky we are to have a venue (and a purpose built venue at that) and wish to extend the use of the venue to other youth theatres locally, regionally and nationally (as well as internationally).

This has been a strange few days.  Of course we are delighted that we have received this great news - but it is inevitably tempered by the news that so many of our collaborators and co-conspirators have not been given NPO status.  We extend to them our goodwill. 

Meet 10k Team BYT Sponsored run...

I don't know, the months just whizz past.

How can it be March?  How can it be the middle of March? How can there only be 64 training days left to our Great Manchester Run?  Erm...

We are doing the Great Manchester Run (that's six miles) to raise funds for the youth theatre so please support us by following the link.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/BYT

For those of you who don't know us - 14 adults have volunteered to take part in a bid to raise £3,500 (with a match of  a potential match of £3,500), most of them new to running because they passionately believe in the value of the work we do here and they want to support us by discomforting themselves and training for the run.

Meet the Team:-

Meet our team captain Mr Daniel Armitage - renowned Santander employee of this parish.  Daniel is an ex-member and he says that he's taking part because Burnley Youth Theatre has made a big difference to his life.

Another ex-member, Laura Crymble is also part of our team - she's squeezing her training around her university degree.  She says, "Youth Theatre was my escapism! It gave me the opportunity and confidence to get involved in a variety of different activities whilst mixing and making friends with people I would never normally meet."  Laura wants other young people to have this opportunity too.

Poppy Cooper will be joining us directly from the US of A where she's currently based.  She probably won't be green. I think she's secretly quite good!

Then there's Mr Davies - Gareth (below).  He used to work for us, and in common with most people who have worked with us, Burnley Youth Theatre, as he says, keeps hold of a part of your heart forever.  (I don't think he'll be wearing the Santa Claus suit although he is quite shy!) A good mate of Gareth's, Craig is running too.

The parents are muscling in  - Dermot Patterson, Steve Martin, Tom and Sam Root are all running with us as well!  When asked, Sam said, "Well, we've got legs!"  I'm guessing all these guys are pretty fast to be honest (they won't be running with the fruit!)  I'll upload pictures, just as soon as I've asked permission! Special thanks go to these for doing this when they are really busy - we really appreciate it!

Two current members of staff, aside from me are running too:- Sarah Porter who has only been with us a term, but who still thinks we are worth a punt and the intrepid Anthony Briggs (above), both dancers, both pretty fit (I'm guessing) will be joining us.  Anthony has knee issues though, and expects them to pop out before the end of the race!

These guys will be joined by Rob Howell - all round good egg, and stalwart of the arts scene in Lancashire.  And when I last spoke to him - he hadn't even started his training!  Thanks Rob!

Our intrepid Chair who has managed to avoid running for more than 40 years, she says, and who has taken up the challenge because she is passionate about the youth theatre and doing her absolute best to support us.

Then there's me. Already green with worry...

Please support us...


http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/BYT

And why are we all discomforting ourself in this way?  Well, because we all believe that the Youth Theatre is a great place and that it requires support.  This is a difficult time - and the sum we're aiming for here £7,000 in total - will make a massive difference to our young people.  It will support those who would not otherwise be able to join us and it will help keep the building open. It will help us add further workshops, pay for leaders and ensure that we can continue to make a difference to the lives of young people from a variety of backgrounds, equipping them to make a successful transition into adulthood and enabling them to creatively take their next steps.

Please support us.  We would really appreciate it! THANK YOU :)

DODGY CLUTCH - 25th February, 2011

Come to Dodgy Clutch's Xolisile's Song on Friday 25th February, 2011 - 7:30pm supported by Spot On rural touring - http://www.spotonlancashire.co.uk/


Dodgy Clutch Theatre Company are coming to Burnley Youth Theatre on 25th February, 2011 at 7.30pm - http://www.dodgyclutch.com/newsstory/?id=19 - Their work is original, accessible, entertaining, involving and family friendly.  It looks brilliant! Tickets cost just £4 and £6 although we will accept a donation if that is more than you can spare.  Please help us make this evening a success!  Tickets are available from 01282 427767 - from 10:00 am onwards weekdays.  We look forward to hearing from you!

(Xolisile's Song photograph courtesy of Dodgy Clutch Theatre Company)

Ambitions.  We've got a few...

Burnley Youth Theatre has one of the few purpose built youth theatres in the country - it's a great building, and a fantastic space.  The building was supported by the National Lottery, and the NWDA - and we know we're lucky to have it.  It seats 158 - and provides us with an excellent space to play all our shows, run workshops, conferences, meetings and so on

The building is well used throughout the evenings of weekdays with workshops and projects. On Fridays and Saturdays we have fewer needs for the space ourselves, and are looking for ways to use the space that are beneficial both to our young people and to the wider community of Burnley.

Our absolute ambition is to encourage small and medium size companies to see us a potential venue when they are touring new work.  We feel that we are well-placed to be this venue because very few other venues in East Lancashire are able to offer the size and quality of venue we can provide.  And because we want our young people and their extended families to have access to high quality theatre of all kinds on their doorsteps.  Being able to see a wide variety of shows extends young people's understanding of theatre (frankly it extends us all) and what might be possible... here - within our own space - and to say loudly and clearly that professional theatre is not other, or elsewhere but here.  Now. And just think (we thought!) no drive to Manchester to see professional high quality and innovative theatre.  Genius...

And so to Dodgy Clutch Theatre Company - on the 25th February, 2011 7:30pm

We saw the possibilities of this company and thought it was a great piece to really take a chance on developing our receiving house credentials.  They are a great company - innovative and clever. Here is a clip from an earlier show 'Elephant'

Take a look - and then book your tickets for Xolisile's Song.  You wouldn't want to miss out now, would you?

01282 427767 from 10:00 am every day ;)

Shout out!

The thing is we really have to get better at shouting about all the amazing things we get up to in the course of a week.  The problem is we're so busy doing all the amazing things that quite often we don't have time to tell everyone about them.  I know, I know - we need to make time.

I used to have this idea that there could be a sliding door that I could whizz through and enter a virtual vortex where I could catch up on all the things I needed to do...but that doesn't really seem to be a practical option, unless anyone knows how to do that?  Is there a virtual vortex?  Can we squeeze through it into another world?

So, this week...

Our Arrow group are fresh from a trip to Derry where they worked, in tandem with another group from Active8, Bolton with a youth theatre there, on the business of challenging and working with difference.  This is the first part of an exchange, and the group from Derry will be working with us at half term to create a piece of theatre that challenges stereotypes and enables young people from different cultures to get along.  This only really tells half the story - the whole trip was preceded by a long drawn out process of getting a passport for one of the group.  We were certain, in the end, it wouldn't arrive in time but it did - at 9:00 o'clock on Friday morning necessitating a last minute dash to the airport to get the young person concerned to the airport on time.

Aside from our regular 20 weekly sessions - we are also currently working on a number of other key projects:-

1) Healthy High - this sees us working in partnership with four schools to develop pieces of theatre around health issues that are concern to young people. There are weekly sessions in school(s) to develop the work. They will share this work in an event in March.

2) Cut Short - work is taking place with four youth and community groups in the development of four short films around the prevention of knife crime.  One group have completed, the other three are ongoing  with filming for another group taking place on Saturday.

3) We are working on a weekly project in a local primary school.

4) Different Strokes - a community cohesion project that we are delivering for Curious Minds, and in partnership with Sir John Thursby and Blessed Trinity schools.

5) We are contributing to an enquiry project in a school in deepest darkest Lancashire.

6) We are rehearsing two plays - a newly adapted version of The Selfish Giant - Greek Chorus with 10 year olds! And What if? a devised piece of theatre with our older young people. Both culminate in April.

7) The participant reps are visiting all groups, and beginning to generate interest in two upcoming events - firstly an art project that starts next Monday working with Shahida Ahmed and a double hander theatre trip to the Octagon to see Romeo and Juliet and the youth theatre to see Dodgy Clutch.

8) We are preparing a presentation with 6 young people to take to a Proud of Burnley event.

9) We have an ongoing session in Pendle with a group of young people.

10) We are working with five schools in Burnley and Pendle on the Start project, and beginning to deliver workshops in the run up to the next show they'll be seeing with us "Midsummer Night's dream" by The Faction Theatre Company.

11) A weekly session for young people with disabilities "No Limits"

12) Planning new work for next term around Aspirations, a film for the Samaritans, A Long Stand (a work experience project) and some work with the Mary Burberry Unit at the hospital, and with looked after children in Rossendale.

13) We've just taken part in a mini-youth theatre festival (weekend before last) and some training for our workshop leaders with NAYT.

14) Oh, you know just doing office type stuff. Paper work, and fundraising, and planning our Christmas show (yes) funded, our trip to Edinburgh, our summer school, our summer term shows, and two or three other big projects we're keen to get off the ground. And all the other stuff that's necessary but not as interesting as this...

There are only 3 of us in the core team.  And our part time ops assistant.  And an FJF assistant (who leaves us next week!  We'll so miss him!) So we don't have time to tweet or facebook as much as we'd like to.  We really need to get better at this.  And hopefully we will.  But if we go a bit silent, really just give us a bell or a kick or a punch because I'm certain we'll be doing something of interest that we haven't had time to shout about, or maybe have forgotten to mention.

On that note - I've probably missed loads of important stuff off the list.  You know how it is.