St. Ives Youth Theatre - News Release
	Date:	15th April 2008
	Subject	SIYT member called up for National Service
	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

A member of St Ives Youth Theatre has beaten thousands of other young hopefuls to join the National Youth Theatre. Siobhan Lloyd, 15, was one of 250 young actors to be selected to take part in a two-week acting course during the summer holidays.

The National Youth Theatre was established in 1956 to offer young people the chance to develop their creative and social skills through the medium of the theatrical arts. Past members of the National Youth Theatre include Dame Helen Mirren, Jude Law, Orlando Bloom and Little Britain duo Matt Lucas & David Walliams.

Siobhan, a Year 11 student at St. Peters’ School Huntingdon, has been an SIYT member for 3 years taking a leading role in the 2006 production ‘The Bubble’ and performing in Korzcak at the Edinburgh Fringe. She said: "When the letter came telling me I was being offered a place, I couldn’t believe it. I had to start phoning everyone. It's such a privilege to be chosen and I'm really going to make the most of this fantastic opportunity."

SIYT’s Artistic Director, Jonathan Salt said "I am incredibly pleased and very proud. She's worked very hard and it's a fantastic achievement. The auditions are very competitive and her success reflects well on the standards we set ourselves." Siobhan added, “my ambition is to make my career in the theatre and this is a big step for me. St Ives Youth Theatre and the staff at St. Peters’ School have given me a massive helping hand in getting into National Youth Theatre.”

Siobhan isn’t the only SIYT member taking the National Stage, Charlie Hiett, who featured in last year’s National Musical Youth Theatre production of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, is a finalist in ‘Live and Unsigned’ talent contest this week – Good Luck Charlie.

The company is now in rehearsal for it’s Summer Production, “Vision” in July and already has plans for concert performances of the piece in Cambridge and has been approached to tour in the Autumn – the company’s first performances outside of St. Ives since it’s acclaimed Edinburgh Festival shows in 2005.

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

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