March 22, 2023
Harrogate Youth Theatre: Fully Booked!
Harrogate Youth Theatre perform their own plays to sell out crowds at Harrogate Library.
Last week Harrogate Youth Theatre performed at Harrogate Library in two productions inspired by the library and created by the performers themselves. Open A Book and Blank Page both saw young performers taking centre stage amongst the bookshelves to tell their own dynamic and inventive stories.
Open A Book was created by our two brilliant 8 – 10 years youth theatre groups and performed in the children’s library. It was inspired by their favourite stories and the cast shared favourite books, acted out memorable moments from them and learned to write their own happy ever after.
“I like performing at the library, it’s kind of scary and a bit exciting and we get to stay after it’s closed.”
“My favourite bits are the stories that we’ve made up because some of them are really funny.”
In the show the cast used blank notebooks as props and afterwards were all given notebooks as gifts so they can continue to be creative and fill them with ideas inspired by the library and their own brilliant stories
For Blank Page Harrogate Youth Theatre’s two senior youth theatre groups worked together to create an epic yet heartfelt performance for the Main Library. Through clowning, physical theatre, monologue, poetry and song they thought about what makes us human and what they would do if they had a ‘blank page’ for the world.
To create the show the two groups worked independently before piecing together the different sections during final rehearsals.
“Working with the cast has been amazing. Getting to know them and watch their sections has been great.”
“It’s been nice to come together with the other group. Their ideas are so cool.”
Hannah Draper, Director of Creative Engagement said
“I’m really proud of these performances and what the young people created with the support of their brilliant workshop leaders. The performances were by turns funny, warm and thought-provoking. At Harrogate Youth Theatre we take great pride in creating opportunities for young people to shape their productions. We’re a home for creativity and we love seeing young people’s ideas come to life onstage.”
This project has been the latest stage in a long-standing partnership with Harrogate Library. From the library’s generosity in hosting performances throughout the year to the monthly Storytime sessions delivered by Harrogate Theatre’s Creative Engagement Manager to these youth theatre performances, the partnership helps both organisations to share their joint love of stories and storytelling. 
