Actors’ Workshop Youth Theatre Company

The Actors’ Workshop Youth Theatre is open to young people between the ages of 11 – 19. In addition to weekly classes, it also mounts four productions every year.

However, we aren’t just a Youth Theatre – in fact, we’re not overly interested in whether you can currently act or not. If you want to join an organisation who will pander to your ego, throw roses as you bow and give you an extra round of applause as you arrive in the bar after the show, The Workshop is not the place for you.

On the other hand, if the idea of uncovering your hidden abilities appeals to you, if you desire an outlet for creativity and want to be recognised as an individual capable of operating within a group, if you believe that through risk and action you can achieve great things for yourself and others, and if you believe in asking why – welcome to The Workshop.

The ability to have grasped the importance of ‘why’ is particularly relevant at The Workshop. “Why” is the biggest question, in the Arts and in Life. It provides an opportunity to understand, rather than simply observe. It is too often overlooked by a world which focuses on “when” and “how much?”.

The theatrical skills taught at the Workshop are all applicable in the real world. When you and your mate (or even your enemy) have both been given a fencing foil and told to create a fight routine – and by the way try not to hurt each other – suddenly teamwork becomes a very desirable skill to possess.

In our drama classes, mistakes are not seen as a negative – in fact they are encouraged. Only through making mistakes are lessons learned and, once you realise that a mistake is not the end of the world, it encourages you to risk pushing yourself in order to discover the unknown talents which currently remain unrecognised.

The ultimate challenge, particularly for teenagers, is to risk that first step away from the crowd and begin the process of discovering the individual they are becoming. Is their favourite band really their favourite band, or just what is popular with their peer group at the time? By chiselling away at conformity, they will discover they have something unique to bring to the party – themselves. Once this is realised, their future suddenly becomes a much more exciting prospect.

Without risk, nothing is achieved – on stage or in Life. Our members are encouraged to get up on stage and risk exposing their current limitations. Through doing this, they may well surprise themselves by finding out they’ve the power to hold the interest of an audience.