Leeds Grand Youth Theatre
Leeds Grand Youth Theatre is a thriving, vibrant company open to all young people aged between 8 and 17 years.
LGYT is recruiting.
Do you love to act, sing, dance, write or perform or are you interested in having a go?
Do you want to meet other young people, have fun and learn new skills?
LGYT has places available in Group 1 for children in school years 4-6 (ages 8-11 years).
Read on for more information or apply through our Youth Theatre Online Application Form.
Leeds Grand Youth Theatre (LGYT) is a thriving, vibrant company open to all young people aged between 8 and 17 years based at Leeds Grand Theatre Studio.
Sessions are run by LGYT’s Artistic Director Lizi Patch, Choreographer Dawn Holgate and Musical Director Pete Rosser, plus a range of visiting industry professionals.
LGYT is an inclusive group open to all abilities, supported by our Learning team.
A year with the company costs £435 (£145 per term, the company meets every Saturday during term-time). Bursaries are available upon application.
Download the LGYT Members Information Pack or email learning@leedsgrandtheatre.com for more information. Or apply today through our Youth Theatre Online Application form.
“My daughter comes out buzzing each week. To finish each year with a show is a real bonus. The way everyone is encouraged and included, and all the children grow in confidence, is a joy to see.”
Parent of LGYT member
Gallery
LGYT Values
(written by current members)
Ethos
LGYT’s skilled professional leaders creatively challenge and support the development of every young person who comes through our doors.
Members develop theatre skills (acting, improvisation, dance, singing) alongside vital life skills (communication, focus, confidence, empathy, commitment, initiative, creative problem-solving).
LGYT is about nurturing the individual and learning the importance of working as an ensemble, while building creative skills and making lasting friendships.
LGYT members have progressed to join Leeds Actors in Training (LAIT) – our vocational training programme for ages 18 to 25 years – and even to form their own companies.
Meet LGYT’s Artistic Leaders
Lizi Patch: Artistic Director
I have been lucky enough to work with the Leeds Grand Youth Theatre as their Artistic Director for eight years, directing every one of their full-scale musicals, devising new works with the company and producing some wonderful new plays written for young people. I am a passionate advocate for the power of theatre to change and shape lives, to examine the world and – when needed – to escape and simply enjoy the arts for arts sake. It’s not a bad life, when you get paid for doing something you love with the best team in the world!
Like so many people who work in the creative industry I wear many hats. I started out as a professional actor (training at Rose Bruford College) and have diversified over the years, studying for an MA in directing when I realized I preferred the big picture and then writing my own plays when the stories either weren’t there or there weren’t enough meaty parts. I was commissioned by BBC Radio 4 to write for their afternoon play slot and toured the north of England ending at Soho Theatre with my autobiographical play Punching The Sky. My latest play, Down To Zero played at the award-winning Alphabetti Theatre and won several awards, including Best North East Fringe Award, it was also shortlisted for Best New Play in the British Theatre Guide Best of North East Theatre 2019.
I also work as a Dramaturg, helping other writers to realise their potential, and as a professional artist selling works in the UK, Italy and Bahrain.
Dawn Holgate: Choreographer
Dawn Holgate is Course Leader for the Foundation Dance Degree at Leeds City College. She is also an avid community dance practitioner in Leeds and across the East Riding of Yorkshire, where she currently coordinates 11 youth dance groups and is the Artistic Director of the East Riding Youth Dance County Company.
Dawn is currently studying for her Master’s Degree in Choreography at Leeds Beckett University and her interests lie in themes associated with cultural and personal identity and community dance.
Pete Rosser: Musical Director
Pete is a composer, pianist, accordionist and songwriter, working in community music and theatre across the UK for over 30 years. Specialist subjects: jazz, tango and improvisation.
Past Shows Gallery
Since launching in 2012, LGYT has packed out City Varieties Music Hall and Howard Assembly Room with eight full-scale musicals and a range of contemporary plays, devised works and cabaret-style showcases.
“Saw a fabulous performance of #LittleShopofHorrors @CityVarieties So polished that I had to keep reminding myself that this was a youth theatre! Well done to all involved.”
Twitter audience feedback (July 2019)
“Absolutely first class production, there was a palpable vibe of fun and a total commitment from the entire cast who were obviously determined to send the audience away with a smile on their face… and they achieved this in spades.”
Facebook audience feedback (July 2019)
How to join
Download the LGYT Members Info Pack 2020-21 for more information and apply today through our Youth Theatre Online Application form.
To request this form in a different format email learning@leedsheritagetheatres.com.
Donate Now
This new lockdown is another blow to our tentative steps to recovery, and whilst we are hugely grateful for the money we received from the government’s Cultural Recovery Fund, this set back to re-opening continues to impact our business.
We know these are financially difficult times for everybody, but if you can donate, every amount helps our chances of long-term survival. Thank you for your generosity.