Croydon Youth Theatre Organisation, often referred to simply as CYTO, is a professionally led youth theatre group based at the Shoestring Theatre in South Norwood, Croydon in South London, England.
CYTO was founded in 1965, following a visit by Marjorie Taylor, a Youth Service officer for Croydon Council, to the Youth Theatre at Southbourne in Dorset. Having gained the approval of her bosses at the council, Taylor approached a local amateur dramatics group, the Croydon Histrionic Society, a leading member of which, R Willis Hole, chaired a working party to set the project up. The organisation was launched in the Croydon Advertiser of 10 September 1965, with opening night on 21 September.
CYTO began in Council premises in Winterbourne Road, Thornton Heath, with sister projects in Coulsdon and Upper Norwood. Productions of all three were directed by Carol King and presented at Croydon College. CYTO was consolidated at Winterbourne Road in 1973, moving to Sydenham Road then to Boston Road, where the 'Shoestring Theatre' was born. In 1984, with the help of Councillor Keith Wells and then-director, Harry MacDonald, CYTO moved to its current base, at that time alongside the South Norwood Adult Education Centre in Oakley Road. The former school gym provided an ideal space for a small studio theatre with 78 seats and two former science classrooms became a space for rehearsals, workshops, socials, meetings (The Green Room) and a dance studio (in 2000) Theatre Workshop Coulsdon carried on the work in the south of the Borough. (In 2015 Oasis Academy Ryelands replaced CALAT.) In 2005, CYTO celebrated its 40th birthday with a production of Ruby, a specially written play by Richard Vincent, himself a former director of CYTO with his wife, Kathryn.
When, in 2011, the council's 'restructuring' of its services threatened the future of the organization - removing the staff and the budgets to support visiting directors and professional dancers, actors, musicians, designers etc., – expressions of support, and money, were received from hundreds of wellwishers – former and current members, parents and carers who valued what CYTO offered to their young people.
CYTO performed its last production under the direction of Viv Berry and choreographer Delores Kumah in July 2011, with 5 performances of the Madness musical, Our House.
From the departure of Viv Berry in July 2011, CYTO was without an Artistic Director for a number of years following those major changes in the council's youth service. That was until January 2022, when Andrew McPherson was appointed in the role. CYTO has been managed by a group of volunteers with the occasional luxury of some part-time administrative and fundraising support. CYTO continues to provide sessions on acting, technical production and direction for young people aged 6–19. The Shoestring Theatre has a theatre space with seating for 76, a dance studio and rehearsal space.
CYTO has been the springboard for stars such as Russell Floyd, who starred in EastEnders and The Bill, Paul Bazely (Pirates of the Caribbean, Benidorm and many radio plays), Craig Stevenson, who has enjoyed a 30-year career as a professional actor, appearing in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves and Highlander, because of the training and inspiration he received at CYTO, Clare Holman, familiar to Inspector Morse and Lewis fans. Former members include Clive Wood, Paul Bigley, Moria Brooker (As Time Goes By), Sean Boy-Jo (Sean Evans, Podcaster and singer), Jo Castleton (currently starring in War Horse), Jo Howarth she has worked with Royal Shakespeare Company and many productions worldwide Terry Ashe who appeared in many productions Uk and worldwide.
In subsequent years CYTO has continued to create productions with a variety of directors. Now with Artistic Director, Andrew McPherson, in place they are producing 'Superglue' by Tim Crouch as part of the National Theatre Connections Festival, which will tour to Southwark Playhouse in April 2022. Plans for the future will see young people of Croydon and surrounding areas produce innovative new writing and devised plays for the community.
A spokesman said: “CYTO has seen a multitude of young talent pour through its doors and has had a lasting impact on thousands of people creating everything from stuntmen to actors, careers in stage management to singers in Singapore.”
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in south London, part of Outer London. It covers an area of 87 km2 (33.6 sq mi). It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name; while other urban centres include Coulsdon, Purley, South Norwood, Norbury, New Addington, Selsdon and Thornton Heath. Croydon is mentioned in Domesday Book, and from a small market town has expanded into one of the most populous areas on the fringe of London. The borough is now one of London's leading business, financial and cultural centres, and its influence in entertainment and the arts contribute to its status as a major metropolitan centre. Its population is 390,719, making it the most populous London borough and sixteenth largest English district.
Coulsdon is a town in south London, England, within the London Borough of Croydon. Coulsdon was an ancient parish in the county of Surrey that included the settlements of Purley and Kenley. It was merged with Sanderstead in 1915 to form the Coulsdon and Purley Urban District and has formed part of Greater London since 1965.
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, commonly abbreviated to RADA, is a drama school in London, England, which provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in Bloomsbury, Central London, close to the Senate House complex of the University of London, and is a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools.
The South London Theatre is a community theatre housed in a Grade II listed former fire station, in West Norwood in the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The first play opened in October 1967, and it is now a busy theatrical venue, presenting more than 22 shows annually in its theatre space, which was remodelled during refurbishment of the Old Fire Station during the period 2015–2018. The theatre facilities also consist of two dedicated rehearsal spaces, an entire floor of wardrobe rooms and a private basement bar, open Sunday to Friday evenings to audiences and members and which plays host to regular social events.
South Norwood is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Croydon, Greater London and formerly in the historic county of Surrey. It is located 7.8 miles (12.5 km) south-east of Charing Cross, north of Woodside and Addiscombe, east of Selhurst and Thornton Heath, south of Crystal Palace/Upper Norwood and Anerley, and south-west of Penge.
The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain (NYT) is a youth theatre and charity in London, created with the aim of developing young people's artistic skills via theatrical productions and other creative endeavours. Founded in 1956 as the world's first youth theatre, it has built a reputation for nurturing the early talent of actors such as Daniel Craig, Daniel Day-Lewis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Colin Firth, Derek Jacobi, Ben Kingsley, Ian McShane, Helen Mirren, Rosamund Pike, and Kate Winslet. Some former NYT members went on to pursue non-acting careers, such as musicians Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Ed Sheeran.
The London Borough of Croydon has over 120 parks and open spaces within its boundaries, ranging from the 200 acre (80ha) Selsdon Wood Nature Reserve to many recreation grounds and sports fields scattered throughout the Borough. Croydon covers an area of 86.52 km2, the 256th largest district in England. Croydon's physical features consist of many hills and rivers that are spread out across the borough and into the North Downs, Surrey and the rest of South London. Some of the open spaces in Croydon form part of the well-known London LOOP walks where the first section was opened on 3 May 1996 with a ceremony on Farthing Downs in Coulsdon. As a borough in Outer London it also contains some open countryside in the form of country parks. Croydon Council is associated with several other boroughs who are taking part in the Downlands Countryside Management Project. These boroughs are Sutton; and by Surrey County Council; the City of London Corporation; the Surrey districts of Reigate and Banstead and Tandridge; and the Countryside Agency. An additional partner is Natural Britain.
Richard Vincent is an English actor, playwright, theatre director and screenwriter from Croydon in London.
Middlesbrough Youth Theatres (MYT) is an umbrella company consisting of Middlesbrough Junior Theatre, earlier known as MLT Juniors, together with a 'Kidstage' group of 7- to 11-year-olds, and an older 'Youth Theatre' of 11- to 18-year-olds. The largest section of the company is the Juniors, a group originally created in 1956.
The Half Moon Theatre Company was formed in 1972 in a rented synagogue in Alie Street, Whitechapel, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Half Moon Passage was the name of a nearby alley. The founders, Michael Irving and Maurice Colbourne, and the Artistic Director, Guy Sprung, wanted to create a cheap rehearsal space with living accommodation, inspired by the sixties alternative society.
The Oxford Youth Theatre (OYT) is based in Oxford, England. It was founded in 1962 and established the Pegasus Theatre in 1975.
Salisbury Playhouse is a theatre in the English city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Built in 1976, it comprises the 517-seat Main House and the 149-seat Salberg Studio, a rehearsal room, a daytime café, and a community and education space. It is part of Arts Council England's National Portfolio of Organisations, and also receives regular funding from Wiltshire Council and Salisbury City Council.
Jacksons Lane Arts Centre (JLAC) is a multi-arts venue in Highgate, north London, located in a Grade II listed former Wesleyan Methodist church. The building is home to a 170 capacity theatre, a large scale dance and rehearsal studio, a cafe-bar and four other multi-purpose spaces. In 2022 it completed a large-scale £5 million refurbishment & redevelopment of the building with the majority of the funding coming from Arts Council England & Haringey Council. JLAC is now more accessible, has greater facilities, a larger front of house area and two new circus creation spaces.
Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) is a professional theatre company in Auckland. It was founded in 1992 and since 2016 has been based in ASB Waterfront Theatre in the Wynyard Quarter in central Auckland.
Royal & Derngate is a theatre complex in the Cultural Quarter of Northampton, England, consisting of the Royal Theatre, Derngate Theatre and the Northampton Filmhouse. The Royal was built by theatre architect Charles J. Phipps and opened in 1884. Ninety-nine years later in 1983, Derngate, designed by RHWL, was built to the rear of the Royal. Whilst the two theatres were physically linked, they did not combine organisations until a formal merger in 1999; they are run by the Northampton Theatres Trust. The Royal Theatre, established as a producing house, has a capacity of 450 seats and since 1976 has been designated a Grade II listed building; Derngate Theatre seats a maximum of 1,200 and is a multi-purpose space in which the auditorium can be configured for a variety of events including theatre, opera, live music, dance, fashion and sports. The Northampton Filmhouse, an independent cinema built to the side of the complex, opened in 2013.
The National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) is an arts organisation in the United Kingdom providing pre-professional education and musical theatre stage experience for young people. Based in London, it is constituted as a private limited company and as a registered charity. NYMT was founded in 1976 by director and playwright Jeremy James Taylor. Since its inception, it has produced over fifty productions at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, premièred thirty new musical theatre works, toured several times outside the United Kingdom, and had runs in the West End and on Broadway. Amongst the many alumni of the National Youth Music Theatre who have gone on to careers in the performing arts are actors Idris Elba and Jude Law, both of whom are also patrons of the organisation, along with Jonny Lee Miller, Dylan Strazar, Sheridan Smith, Connie Fisher, and Matt Lucas. Alumni have also included directors such as Jo Davies, and songwriters such as Tara Mcdonald.
Burnley Youth Theatre is a youth theatre at the heart of the community in Burnley, Lancashire. Generally established in 1973 it has created shows, tours and performances, including new and existing work. Working with young people from 0 to 18, the theatre operates from its purpose-built theatre just next to Queens Park, Burnley, it was the first purpose-built youth theatre in the UK, and opened its doors in 2005.
The Secombe Theatre was a theatre in Cheam Road, Sutton, Greater London. The theatre was opened in 1983 by the Welsh comedian Sir Harry Secombe, who lived in Sutton for over 30 years, and was named after him. The theatre went into administration and closed in August 2016. A petition to save Sutton's theatres was run in late 2016, gaining 1,350 signatures.
Jasmin Vardimon Company is a UK based contemporary dance-theatre company. The Company was founded in London in 1998, and became a significant element within the British dance scene. The company is dedicated to the choreography of Artistic Director, Jasmin Vardimon – Associate Artist of Sadler's Wells Theatre since 2006.
Urban Myth Theatre Company, formerly named Unley Youth Theatre and then Urban Myth Theatre of Youth, was a youth theatre company in Adelaide, South Australia. It was often referred to as simply Urban Myth.
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