Mission Statement
Youth Theatre is the most creative, inspiring, dynamic and powerful way of making a difference to a young person's life.
We provide a safe, accessible and open forum in which young people can express themselves whilst learning about and making theatre. Our work provides a creative voice whilst building confidence and developing skills.
The programme of work belongs to the young people. They own the content of the showcase of performance.
We believe that theatre by young people should aspire to the highest of standards in terms of both process and product.
We want to make theatre, for audiences old and new, that is dynamic, challenging and honest.
Aims and Principles
Wharf Youth Theatre (WYT) aims to challenge young people to develop confidence, creativity and consideration for others, in the context of professional theatre.
WYT is for young people of all races and social backgrounds who are keen to develop their interest in drama and performance in a concentrated way.
WYT is lucky to be based in a professional theatre and an important aspect of its work is the teaching and learning of theatre skills, aiming for professional standards. The skills WYT focuses on are devising and acting within a theatre ensemble - in other words, working together as a company.
WYT workshops aim to teach transferable skills as well as theatre skills.
These fall into three categories:
- Creativity
- Personal Development
- Social Development
- Creativity is about getting ideas, experimenting and making things that didn't exist before. It can be very exciting. But making a good piece of theatre is hard work. It is the combination of discipline and fun that makes theatre feel like a real achievement.
- Personal development: WYT aims to help its members become confident about speaking and participating in groups both on and off stage. Diiscover the joy of playing and using their imagination. Explore different ways of thinking and behaving through acting out different characters.
- Social development: WYT approaches social skills through working very closely and co-operatively with the other members at all times. Exploring issues that affect our society today. Learning to relate to people who are different from us.
WYT encourages and supports its members in developing their leadership skills through theatre. Our philosophy is that the most desirable quality in a creative leader is the ability to encourage the creativity and leadership of others.
WYT aims to have a membership that reflects all the different kinds of young people in the surrounding Wiltshire area.
All members of WYT are given regular opportunities in workshops and productions to contribute ideas and constructive criticisms to the workers.
Final decisions rest in the hands of the Youth Theatre Leader.
