FYTG

The Fisher Youth Theatre Group (FYTG)

FYTG provides performance arts activities to more than 100 young people every year. Specialist tutors are hired to provide members with learning activities across a range of theatrical disciplines such as acting, dancing, singing, stage fighting, film and production and technical aspects of theatre. For many years Darren France and Laila France have led all Junior and Senior Productions for FYTG with occasional support from guest directors.

What's on Offer?

We run Production Groups during term time for younger and older Juniors (age 4-9yrs & 10-14yrs) and Seniors (age 14-19yrs), meeting each Monday evening between 4pm & 7pm and occasional Sundays. Each group produces, at the most, two full-length plays, musicals or showcases of a variety of work each year. There is also a pre-school group for 3 to 4-year-olds.

We also offer the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts syllabus (LAMDA) Examinations, this is run twice each year with students attending a ten-week learning programme culminating in an exam. LAMDA exams are UCAS accredited and students can choose from a range of theatrical disciplines.

FYTG has strong links with the community it serves, regularly taking part in community celebrations, historic and remembrance events. We have engaged with specific groups in the community, working on projects such as inter-generational research & development, educational performance for primary schools and local history focused performance projects.

FYTG has taken part in the National Theatre's New Connections festival & competition since 2015 offering students the opportunity to work with new writers and perform in partner theatres in East Anglia; ultimately with the possibility of performing at the National Theatre, London.

FYTG takes part in an international drama festival every two years, the Artscene festival takes place in Ghent, Belgium. Our students perform a short play in the festival and take part in an exciting 3-day drama programme. Our link with the Artscene Festival has led to FYTG running Fisher on Stage whereby Belgium students spend 5-days with FYTG students taking part in day and evening performance activities at the Fisher Theatre, culminating in mini performance presentations. FYTG aims to run this programme every two years in the Easter holidays.

Not only is being part of theatre activities fun, but through team work and peer support, it provides a good environment for increasing self-confidence, learning about communication skills, developing creative thinking skills, opening young people's minds and freeing their creative potential.

There is a members' fee payable to take part in each production or project, as a voluntary community group members' fees provide us with the valuable resource to hire rehearsal and performance space at the Fisher Theatre and other venues, purchasing performance licenses, hiring directors and other specialist tutors, purchasing and hiring set, costume, props, lighting and sound, hiring music and scripts and everything else that comes with putting on a high-quality theatre production. We produce two newsletters each year to inform members and parents of all activities, released in August and January. Each year we hold a celebratory event where members' achievements are rewarded in a variety of categories for each production that year.

We usually just about cover our costs after ticket sales and subscriptions (although not always). Any additional financial support we gain through local fundraising and on rare occasions small grants for specific projects. Any fundraising support that parents and friends can give us is a great boost to the group and of course ultimately enhances the experience for young people taking part.

We know children love taking part in FYTG, the experience is fun and exciting. Some parents volunteer their time to help chaperone at rehearsals and some leap into the experience of back stage-management at show time! There is also a committee of past and present parents of members who meet monthly.

You can find out much more about FYTG by visiting their Facebook page.