REDDITCH’S aspiring young stars are preparing to jet off to Belgium for the country’s first ever English speaking drama festival next Saturday (April 30).
Fifteen youngsters from the Palace Youth Theatre’s Out There group will make the trip after a community-wide fund-raiser which saw local people play their part to sending them on their way.
The group performed a production centered around the effects of social media on young people today at the Palace’s ‘The Room Upstairs’ last Saturday (April 16) which was attended by Redditch Mayor Councillor Pattie Hill.
Coun Hill said: “The show was quite moving and intense – it was superbly done.
“I think it should be taken on a tour of schools and community centres once the group are back from Belgium.”
Ticket sales from the performance have all gone towards the group’s fund-raising target of £3,400 but they are still trying to raise the final bit of cash required to hit the total.
During the trip, which will last until May 2, the group will travel to Brussels and Antwerp where they will meet up with Lynne Vaughn, the founder of the original Palace Youth Theatre in the 1970s.
Lynne, who has organised the festival and now runs English Youth Theatre in both Brussels and Waterloo, will bring the English thespians to Antwerp’s Da Vinci International School, where she teaches, for the festival.
The groups will then get the chance to showcase their performances to each other in its 200-seat theatre.
Speaking to The Standard at the beginning of their fund-raising attempt, Lynne said it is ‘wonderful’ to think the Youth Theatre group is still going.
She added: “It has gone from strength to strength – it’s completely gone full circle.”
Anyone who wants to lend their support should email [email protected] with a donation.
Follow the group’s progress on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #PYTBelgium .
