The Manchester Youth Theatre was a youth theatre which operated in Manchester from 1966 until 2003. It was founded by Geoff Sykes, a lifelong friend of Michael Croft founder of The National Youth Theatre who served as its Artistic Director until his death. Sykes and his wife Hazel ran Manchester Youth Theatre staging plays, musicals and devised shows which featured at the local theatres in Manchester.
Mike Leigh
Mike Leigh (born 20 February 1943) is an English film and theatre director, screenwriter and playwright. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and further at the Camberwell School of Art, the Central School of Art and Design ...
, then a lecturer at the Catholic women teachers training college ''
Sedgley Park
Prestwich ( ) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford and south of Bury.
Historically part of Lancashire, Prestwich was the seat of the ancient parish ...
'', devised and directed two big-cast projects for the Manchester Youth Theatre: ''Big Basil'' and ''Glum Victoria and the Lad with Specs'' .
Sam Boardman-Jacobs won acclaim for his work on Holocaust and Yiddish drama with the Manchester Youth Theatre.
2002 Grant RecipientsEuropean Association for Jewish Culture
Retrieved on April 18, 2007
Alumni
The notable alumni include Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan (born 8 December 1976) is a British actor. He is best known for playing Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck in Peter Jackson's film trilogy ''The Lord of the Rings'' (2001–2003), and Charlie Pace on J. J. Abram ...
; Aiden Shaw; Steven Pinder; Kevin Kennedy; David Threlfall
David John Threlfall (born 12 October 1953) is an English stage, film and television actor and director. He is best known for playing Frank Gallagher in Channel 4's series '' Shameless''. He has also directed several episodes of the show. In A ...
; Lee Oakes
Lee Oakes (born 1976) is an English actor best known for his role as Munch Wilkinson in the British comedy '' Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps'' and as Kev in the British television series '' After You've Gone,'' a friend and fellow bui ...
; David Bamber
David James Bamber (born 19 September 1954) is an English actor. He has worked in television and theatre. He is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Early years
Bamber was born in Walkden, Lancashire. By September 1973, he was ...
; Lesley Sharp
Lesley Sharp is an English stage, film and television actress whose roles on British television include ''Clocking Off'' (2000–2001), ''Bob & Rose'' (2001) and ''Afterlife'' (2005–2006). She was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress ...
l Phil Rose; Gillian Bevan
Gillian Bevan (born 13 February 1956) is an English actress, best known for her roles in British television shows and West End theatre.
In 1988 she played Dorothy in the Royal Shakespeare Company's revival of their version of '' The Wizard of O ...
; Alan Williams; Karl Heaver; Shaun Gorringe; Bernard Latham
References
{{reflist
* Coveney, Michael ''The Aisle is Full of Noises'' (Nick Hern Books, 1994)
Youth theatre companies
Organisations based in Manchester
Culture in Manchester