Croydon Youth Theatre Organisation

Croydon Youth Theatre Organisation, often referred to simply as CYTO, is a professionally led youth theatre group based at the Shoestring Theatre in South Norwood, Croydon in South London, England.

CYTO was founded in 1965, following a visit by Marjorie Taylor, a Youth Service officer for Croydon Council, to the Youth Theatre at Southbourne in Dorset. Having gained the approval of her bosses at the Council, Taylor approached a local amateur dramatics group, the Croydon Histrionic Society, a leading member of which, R Willis Hole, chaired a working party to set the project up. The Organisation was launched in the Croydon Advertiser of 10 September 1965, with opening night on 21 September.

CYTO began in Council premises in Winterbourne Road, Thornton Heath, with sister projects in Coulsdon and Upper Norwood. Productions of all three were directed by Carol King and presented at Croydon College. CYTO was consolidated at Winterbourne Road in 1973, moving to Sydenham Road then to Boston Road, where the 'Shoestring Theatre' was born. In 1984, with the help of Councillor Keith Wells and then-director, Harry Macdonald, CYTO moved to its current base, alongside the South Norwood Adult Education Centre in Oakley Road. Theatre Workshop Coulsdon carried on the work in the south of the Borough.

CYTO's current director is Viv Berry. She works closely with a team of volunteers and professionals, and Croydon Council to provide sessions on acting, dance, technical production and direction for young people aged 13–25. The Shoestring Theatre has a theatre space with seating for 60, a dance studio and rehearsal space.

In 2005, CYTO celebrated its 40th birthday with a production of Ruby, a specially written play by Richard Vincent, himself a former director of CYTO with his wife, Kathryn. EastEnders and The Bill actor, Russell Floyd, is a notable former member of CYTO.

CYTO members recently performed the show "Shank" by the aforementioned Richard Vincent. In 2008 CYTO took Shank to the annual Big Youth Theatre Festival. CYTO performed Shank at Tate Britain on the 27th of September 2008. In 2009, CYTO earned enough funding to perform Shank at various schools and colleges around Croydon and the surrounding area.

External links

• BBC h2g2 entry on CYTO
• cyto.org.uk
• Theatre Workshop Coulsdon