About Us Our aim is to provide young people who are currently in secondary education with opportunities to develop their performance skills through a variety of communication methods. Through working in all areas of stage craft - including the support of performances through stage-management, technical support, marketing, costumes and make-up - young people are encouraged to develop the self-confidence and personal qualities that will sustain them through life. Team-working, self-respect and respect for others are key to our ethos. As well as developing performance skills and rehearsing, we organise trips to amateur and professional productions as well as educational visits to encourage understanding of the issues behind the pieces performed.

Behaviour Policy This policy has been developed through discussion and in consultation with SIYT members. Principles: - All members will show respect for all other people; property; premises and equipment - Mobile phones will be switched off during meetings and rehearsals - There will be no eating during rehearsals or meetings. Water will be permitted. Alcohol or Drugs are not permitted at any meeting or rehearsal - Members will only smoke outside and in the areas designated by the owners of any premises that we are using. Smokers are expected to ensure that no litter is left behind - Notification of absence from a weekly meeting must be given personally by way of apologies to the Artistic Director - Sanctions that can be applied - Sanctions are based on a Yellow Card and Red Card system (2 Yellow Cards = 1 Red Card and 1 Red Card = 3 weeks suspension at the leader's discretion) - Yellow Cards will last for one year (September to July) - All Yellow Cards and Red Cards will be removed in September.

Can I join ? Membership is open to anyone in secondary education in Huntingdonshire and is achieved through Audition. Our next auditions will be in the Autumn of 2009 - entrance is at the discretion of the Artistic Director and Musical Director (the decision of the adjudicating panel will be final). If you are interested in joining SIYT, please download an application form by clicking here and email to audition@siyt.co.uk together with a recent photograph. And we'll be in touch!

Child Protection SIYT is a non-profit making organisation and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and expects all adults involved with the company to share this commitment.

Choice of Material The company has gone from strength to strength, building a formidable reputation for performance and the quality of education provided. The choice of material for a production is determined by the nature of the piece, the practicalities of staging and the educational opportunities it affords. St. Ives Youth Theatre is not afraid is take a path that is not well-travelled, clearly demonstrated by the company's body of work which demonstrates a desire to deliver challenging pieces as well as to entertain. Well known pieces are mixed with less well known, yet no less emotive and entertaining works - including unpublished work which demonstrates the strength of our reputation within the theatre community.

Correspondence Address The St. Ives Youth Theatre, Chapel House, Chapel Lane, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire PE27 5DX.

Designated Person for Child Protection issues is Tim Drye.

Do I have to show up? Yes! Only by attending weekly meetings and committing to rehearsals do we make sure that everyone does the best job they and gets as much from the experience. Even if you think you know your part well, other people may in the cast have no idea what you’re doing unless they rehearse with you – no matter how good you may think you are!

Do we have any Political or Religious angle ? Simply No. SIYT is not affiliated to any political or religious group, We are a secular and apolitical organisation open to all people in secondary education in Huntingdonshire regardless of beliefs, creed or social status.

Funding Contrary to popular belief, we receive no regular funding from local councils or government bodies. We receive no money or support from local schools. SIYT survives entirely on money generated by ticket and programme sales from productions and member subscriptions. We welcome any grant or donation that help our cause. How can I help? We are always in need of time, funding and enthusiasm - If you would like to be a show sponsor or can offer educational or theatrical tuition, please call Jonathan on 07939 213771, Mik on 07855 807120 or send us your contact details by email us.

How often do we perform? We currently present two productions each year - one in the first quarter of the year and the major production late in the summer term. The major production involves all the regular members of the Youth Theatre in the cast. We also involve many other young people at this time - either volunteers recruited through local schools or previous members – to help with the technical aspects of staging a production (lighting, sound, set design, costumes).

I want to complain! We ask that you don’t let an issue fester. If you have a genuine concern or a complaint, please raise this with the Session Leader at a weekly meeting or a rehearsal and we will do our best to resolve the situation. If you wish to raise a formal written complaint, please write to our Artistic Director.

Meetings are held on Thursday evenings (between 7 and 9pm), during school term time at Westfield School, St Ives, Cambridgeshire. When preparing for productions, rehearsals are during weekday evenings and at weekends as the performance gets closer.

Membership is open to anyone in secondary education in Huntingdonshire. Fees are currently £15 per month and are payable by direct debit - there may be a bursary to support some members. It is a condition of membership that these fees are paid.

Organisation An Annual General Meeting is held each year in October and nominations are invited for the offices of Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. Officers are elected by the members of the Youth Theatre. Management of the Youth Theatre is the responsibility of a committee who take responsibility for maintaining the reputation of the Youth Theatre. All new members of the committee complete child protection training and undergo full CRB checks. The current committee is:

The Artistic Director is responsible for the artistic development of the Youth Theatre and direction of productions. The Musical Director is responsible for the musical direction of the Youth Theatre and music together with the direction of the Orchestra during productions.

Permanent Home Unlike the vast majority of theatre companies, we don't have a permanent home. St Ives Youth Theatre is actively supporting the ACE Initiative in trying to save the St. Ives Corn Exchange as a local arts venue - this is vital to sustaining the vibrancy of the local community and regenerating local arts, music and theatre.

Preparing for Productions As well as a rehearsal programme, the company may also make trips to help understand the background behind the pieces in production. In preparation for the much acclaimed production of 'Korzcak', a group from SIYT visited Korczak's Orphanage in Warsaw and the Concentration Camps at Auschwitz and Treblinka. To 'get the smell of money' for 'The Bubble', SIYT went to the trading floor of the London Metal Exchange and were invited to tea at Harrods by Mohammed al Fayed. In 2007, we visited Dartmoor Prison and Plymouth Hoe and in 2008, a group from SIYT will visit Lourdes.

Registered Office The St. Ives Youth Theatre, Chapel House, Chapel Lane, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire PE27 5DX. Status St. Ives Youth Theatre is a registered charity (No. 1109377) and a registered corporation limited by guarantee (company registration No. 5402388) and complies with the Companies Act 1973. Our Honorary President is Sue Campbell.

Rehearsals These are critical to the success of our performance whether they are 6 weeks or 6 days before our first night. Members are expected to arrive on-time, being prepared and to be focussed throughout the rehearsal. Members are responsible for arranging their own transport to and from rehearsals.

Want to join St. Ives Youth Theatre? Auditions are challenging and are designed to really make our applicants shine. You would be required to mime, dance, sing, work with a text, improvise and go through a friendly interview. It's always a fun time and a great chance to meet other young people like yourself - who are so enthusiastic about performing arts and theatre. So what are we looking for ? We're not looking for the best singer, dancer or actor, but for people who are totally committed and enthusiastic about performing; our members are willing to try everything not matter what - just look at our body of work! We're looking for young people who are willing to be members of a company, willing to support their peers and willing to be part of the team that makes up St. Ives Youth Theatre. It's competitive but then you'd expect it to be. It would be fantastic to take everyone but we simply don't have the resources, but everyone gets a fair and equal chance. We hold auditions every autumn for new potential members - entrance is at the discretion of the Artistic Director and Musical Director (the decision of the adjudicating panel will be final). If you are interested in joining SIYT, please call Jonathan on 07939 213771, Mik on 07855 807120 or send us your contact details (including a phone number) by email to info@siyt.co.uk. 2009 auditions will be in September.

What started SIYT? In July 2001, a production of "Tom Sawyer" at St. Ivo School in St. Ives, saw a group of 11-15 year olds (under the direction of teachers Brian Carter and Jonathan Salt) perform this musical with such enthusiasm and commitment, it was obvious that St Ives and surrounding area had enough talent to support a local Youth Theatre. With good friends and the support of SIMADS (St Ives Amateur Dramatic Society), St. Ives Youth Theatre was born. Website Addresses www.stivesyouththeatre.co.uk and www.siyt.co.uk Why is there a monthly membership fee? The fees we collect from members are used to cover the costs of running the theatre company and it’s productions, such as leasing of rehearsal spaces, costumes, venues and equipment. We do not pay salaries or fees to any of the people who routinely run the Thursday evening sessions or help to organise the theatre company - they are all unpaid volunteers.