Join The Marlowe Youth Theatre for Free

Young people in the district can once again join The Marlowe Youth Theatre for free thanks to a bursary fund - and it could prove to be a life-changing opportunity.

Anyone aged between eight and 21 who lives in Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay or surrounding villages and who finds themselves in financially challenging circumstances, can apply to The Marlowe Theatre Development Trust.

With Hollywood actor and Canterbury boy Orlando Bloom as its Patron, The Marlowe Youth Theatre runs different termly sessions for those aged from eight to 21: the junior, apprentice and senior companies.

Participants take part in The Marlowe Theatre's annual community production. This year's, Stacked! (Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 July), will, for the first time, take place on the theatre's main stage. Throughout the year, they also have the chance to audition for professional productions at the theatre and elsewhere.

Siblings Alda and Ardit Daci, who come from Albania, were two the first recipients of the bursary fund, and are grateful for the opportunities it has given them. Alda (21) said: "We went through a lot when our case was being considered, and attending theatre was a way of us escaping the stress and forgetting about our problems. We were able to focus on making friends, performing, experiencing emotions and rehearsing with fun people.

"If the fund didn't exist, we wouldn't have been able to attend as we didn't have enough money at the time. In fact, The Marlowe has actually influenced Ardit so much that he has chosen to study drama at university and strive for a career in acting, and I couldn't think of a better hobby for myself.

"Theatre has given us self confidence and great memories and all thanks to the opportunity we have been given."

Full details of The Marlowe Youth Theatre Bursary Fund can be found at marlowetheatre.com. Application forms can be downloaded from the website, or by calling 01227 862031. They should be submitted by midnight on Sunday 17 July.

The Marlowe Youth Theatre Bursary Fund is administered by The Marlowe Theatre Development Trust, a UK-registered charity (no. 1120751) which supports creative projects and education work at the theatre through voluntary funds.