St. Ives Youth Theatre - News Release
	Date:	3rd January 2009
	Subject	Violence, Romance, Auditions, Edinburgh !
	Contacts	For press enquiries about St. Ives Youth Theatre, please contact Ian Lloyd on 07803 088185. More information about the St Ives Youth Theatre is available on www.siyt.co.uk

2008 was a successful year for SIYT and 2009 looks to be an even bigger year with the company making it’s return to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the summer. SIYT is currently rehearsing it’s spring production of Shakespeare tragic (and blood thirsty) Romeo and Juliet.

“It’s more violent than most people realise” says SIYT Artistic Director, Jonathan Salt, “we spent a lot of time working on Stage Fighting and we’ll have a very unhealthy body count by the end of the play!” Romeo and Juliet will be performed at the Free Church in St. Ives from Tuesday 3rd March to Saturday 7th March.

“The prospect of returning to Edinburgh is incredibly exciting” added Salt, “our plans are coming together but the big challenge will be to raise the £32,000 necessary in funding.” The company will be performing the musical Vision during the first week of the Fringe in August this year. “With credit crunch at it’s height, the timing isn’t ideal, but we have a brilliant cast and a stunning show so it has to be now!” enthused Jonathan. This electric production tells the dramatic and tragic story of Bernadette of Lourdes played out through 17 rock/pop songs, taking the audience on an exciting journey that incorporates ballads and jazz, comedy and pathos. SIYT have already taken Vision on tour in North-West England following their highly acclaimed run in St. Ives in July last year. In 2005, SIYT were nominated for an award by Amnesty International for their production of the musical Korczak.

Before heading north, SIYT will perform the musical Comedy Tom Sawyer at the Burgess Hall in July. Set in 1840 in a bustling town on the banks of the Mississippi River, Tom matches wits with his stern Aunt Polly, falls in love with the beautiful, feisty Becky Thatcher, and goes on the adventure of his life with Becky and that irresistible renegade, Huckleberry Finn, locking horns with a terrifying villain named Injun Joe.

SIYT currently has 6 places available for boys. “Normally we would wait until our Autumn auditions to fill these places but we have a busy spring and summer programme and we can’t afford to wait. There will be fantastic roles up for grabs for Tom Sawyer and Vision” said Jonathan Salt. SIYT will be holding auditions on Wednesday 14th January – to audition, visit our website www.siyt.co.uk and contact Mik Hirst on 01480 350256 for more information.

Photographs can be made available.
More information about the St Ives Youth Theatre is available on www.siyt.co.uk

Ends

For press enquiries for St. Ives Youth Theatre, please contact Ian Lloyd on 07803-088185