Billy Youth Theatre Workshop Announces 2011 Participants

Following a nationwide search, the producers of BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL last week announced the schools and youth organisations that have been chosen to participate in Billy Youth Theatre 2011.

On 12 December at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London, the directors of each group attended a masterclass led by the Billy Elliot resident creative team who shared their experience of bringing this demanding show to life on the London stage.

In addition, Connor Lawson, a former BYT participant who was recently cast in the West End production as Billy's best friend, Michael, spoke of his Billy Youth Theatre experience. Connor was joined by Liam Mower and Layton Williams who both previously played the title role at the Victoria Palace Theatre in BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL.

Billy Youth Theatre 2011 offers participants the unique opportunity to stage their own productions of this internationally award-winning show. Following the incredible success of the inaugural Billy Youth Theatre in 2010, the producers of BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL announced in September that the scheme would continue for a second year.

The confirmed Billy Youth Theatre 2011 participants are: ACT 1 Youth Theatre Group, Cardiff; Acts Theatre School/Somerset Music, Somerset; Banbury School, Banbury; Bristol Musical Youth Productions, Bristol; Bromage Theatre Company, Nuneaton; Co-op Juniors Theatre Company, Ispwich; Dacorum Youth Productions, Hemel Hempstead; Falkirk Children's and Youth Theatre, Falkirk; Fame School of the Arts, Preston; FearWorks Media Productions, Newcastle; Greenshaw High School, Surrey; Happy Feet Dance Company, Stoke on Trent; High Storrs Performing Arts Specialist School, Sheffield; Jago Performers, Worcester; King Edward VII College, Loughborough; Lights Down Theatre School, Ludlow; Liverpool Empire Youth Theatre, Liverpool; Lord Lawson of Beamish School, Durham; Mark Rutherford Upper School, Bedford; Miltoncross Secondary School, Portsmouth; Northern Academy of Performing Arts, Hull; Patcham High School, Brighton; Retro Academy for Performing Arts, Cardiff; Rush Croft School, London; Saturday Stage School, Whitley Bay; Stage Productions, Stockport; Shenley Academy and Sixth Form Centre, Birmingham; Shine Youth Music Theatre, Glasgow; SOTA, Reading; Stagecoach Mitcham/Mording/Tooting, New Malden; Stagecoach Newcastle/Sunderland, Newcastle; Stage Door Theatre Company, Ramsgate; Stage Productions (Staffs) Community Interest Company, Newcastle-under-Lyme; Stamford Theatre Academy, Spalding; STP Musicals, Southampton; Taylorian Productions, Laxey; The Liz Burville Performing Arts Centre, Bexley; Trinity School, Carlisle; Triple Treat Youth, Aberdeen; Upstagers, Ilkely, Bradford; Vocal Performance Academy, Gerrards Cross; Wren School, Wellingborough and Yeovil Youth Theatre, Yeovil.

Selected groups will be invited to perform excerpts from their productions at showcases to be held at major regional theatres during May and June 2011. Billy Youth Theatre 2011 will culminate in July when a number of groups will be invited to follow in Billy's footsteps and perform at Victoria Palace Theatre, Billy's London home, at Billy Youth Theatre West End Gala.

Photo Credit: Craig Sugden