Gantry Youth Theatre

The Gantry Youth Theatre (the Gantry, or GYT) is a company and charity based in Southampton, UK that provides weekly drama workshops for young people (age 6 - 19), founded in 1989. Members also have an opportunity to be part of a full production each academic term, amongst other projects run by the directors. While primarily focused on acting, GYT also offers exploration of other theatrical performance arts, specifically singing and dancing, and members also have opportunities to get involved with 'backstage' tasks of writing, directing, sound and lighting.

History

GYT began operating in 1989 in the Gantry Arts Centre, Southampton, which provided workshop and performance space as well as giving GYT its name. Due to the rapid growth of GYT, their own premises were soon required, though they would continue to use the Arts Centre for regular performances in its auditorium. In 1993, the Arches Drama Studio was opened for GYT's use both as a studio and a smaller performance area. The building's opening event featured a celebrity appearance of Australian actor Ian Smith (who plays Harold Bishop in the soap opera Neighbours).

In 1996 GYT had to move once again to new premises in Madison Court, not far from the Bargate and the city centre. However, when the buildings were sold for redevelopment, the Gantry had to move once again. It found its new home in Itchen College, and has remained there since. Workshops are currently held there and at Regents Park Girls School in Shirley, Southampton.

All the while major productions were still being held at the Gantry Arts Centre, until the venue was shut down for health and safety reasons. Since then, GYT's performances have been held at a variety of venues and locations, including the drama studio at Itchen College, in Eastleigh, as well as various other locations, both indoors and outdoors, with or without auditoriums.

Workshops

The Gantry's workshops run on a weekly basis, with different classes aimed at different age groups.

; Drama Time : Ages 6 - 8
: One hour per week.
: Mostly exploring drama through games and role-play activities, this group doesn't take part in the biannual showcase events.

; Drama Action : Ages 8 - 11
: One hour per week.
: These groups begin to work more on performance, though primarily improvisational work.

; Playback : Ages 12 - 16
: One hour per week.
: Playback groups work both with scripts and improvisation, and in performance focus a lot more on communicating to the audience.

; Stage One : Ages 14+
: One and a half hours per week.
: Normally one of the smaller groups comprising of the oldest members of the Gantry. As well as the showcases this group seek out other opportunities to perform and explore drama.

; Theatrescope : Agest 8 - 16
: Four hours per week - One singing, one dancing, two drama.
: Theatrescope is sometimes split into two age groups depending on the number of members. Because of the wide variety of activities, this group is focused more on musical theatre.

Showcases

At the end of every Winter and Summer term, each of the groups (apart from Drama Time) performs across three evenings, at Itchen College. Each Showcase is given a theme at the start of the term, and the majority of workshop time in these terms is spent toward devising, improvising and scripting a piece of around ten to thirty minutes to perform. Adherence to the theme is not strictly necessary, which is evident in some performances.

Having no Showcase, the Spring term classes are spent more on developing specific skills relating to theatre, through activities, improvisation, script work, and sometimes even one-off performances (particularly undertaken by the Stage One group).

Productions

As a general rule, each term GYT puts on a production (at least two each year), where all members are invited to audition (although depending on the particular script, some age limitation may be preferable). The same directors who run the workshops undertake the task of running these projects. A variety of works are used, ranging from scripts written especially for the production, to classical plays, to pantomimes, and more.

Members of the Gantry also often take part in other performance opportunities. Over the years GYT has been involved in various Arts projects in Southampton. As well as that, an occasional production company, Pell-Mell, has been created from older and ex-members of GYT, and focus on performing classic plays in a contemporary way.

The number and frequency of productions that can be put on is limited by funding. Even with the income of membership fees, the Gantry - as a charity - must rely on donations and grants to afford the money needed for venues, publicity, etc.

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