Kent Youth Theatre is a part-time stage and screen academy for young people from the age of 3 upwards, offering courses in drama, dance, musical theatre, singing, stage combat, film making, screen acting, stage lighting/sound and stage management.
Created in January 2000 Kent Youth Theatre is dedicated to young people in Kent who want to sing, dance and act. There is a huge amount of talent in Kent yet few performance opportunities - something we are changing. End of term productions, talent showcases, summer school performances - in one year we have achieved all this ... and more!
Richard and Jo Andrews started their first stage school in Faversham, Kent, in 1997, called STAGERAGE, in January 2000 they merged with the existing Kent Youth Theatre which they have been running ever since as a family business.
Our Mission
KYT attracts members from across East Kent and promotes individuals into the professional world of show business and offers scholarships to individuals to pursue their courses or indeed to attend further education in the performing arts.
'Performing is a daring and risk-filled adventure - Life's oldest extreme sport' But involvement in the performing arts means teamwork without always having to be the best, encouraging fellow students to have a go and having fun, without getting dirty! At Kent Youth Theatre we aim to provide quality training and opportunities for performance to young people, of all abilities and ages, throughout Kent, and to promote ambitious individuals in showbusiness. We enjoy watching our students grow in confidence and become more individual - performance skills can enhance everyday life and help young people cope with difficult situations.
KYT currently engages 15 staff and volunteers.
Structure
Some classes and our agency are also available for adults.
(Please see Act One - Courses)
(Please see Act One - Courses)
At KYT, students learn 3 disciplines: singing, dancing and acting. No auditions are necessary, but enthusiasm and a positive attitude is. Not everyone excels at everything but everyone improves and many of our students surprise us, their parents and themselves. We allow everyone to develop at their own pace and in their own style.
Students
KYT students are aged between 3 and 17 and no two are the same - thank goodness! We have precocious 8 year olds, fragile teenagers, boys who think they can't dance, drama queens - but no prima donnas! Our students work hard, work together, have time for each other, help each other and all shine in their own way.
Directors
Richard Andrews B.Ed
Richard gained his degree in Movement Studies and Drama, under the tuition of Ken Pickering, author, playwright, director and academic.
He has been extensively involved in theatre ranging from notable performances as Grumio, Falstaff, Henry VIII, Gringoire and Puck to directing productions at The Riverside Studios and the Gulbenkian Theatre.
He is currently Head of Drama and Performing Arts at a Canterbury school where he has been described by OFSTED, three times, as an excellent teacher.
Jo Andrews
Head of Physical Education at a Canterbury School. She is responsible for the stagebugs (3 year olds) and manages to stretch them, using her musical, theatre and choreographic skills, into new areas of confidence with her work.
She has performed numerous parts on the amateur stage from the leading roles in pantomimes to leading Shakespearian ladies in Kent Countryside Productions.
