Dynamo Youth Theatre

Dynamo Youth Theatre is a performance - based theatre company offering drama, dance and music experience for young people aged between 11 and 18. The company was founded in 1981 by local Bosmere Junior School teacher, Andrew Bowker. They are currently located and have been since they were founded at Havant Arts Centre, Havant, United Kingdom.

Pwcompanybox | name = Dynamo Youth Theatre


acronym = DYT | established = 1981 - present
style = | location = Havant Arts Centre,
East Street,
Havant,
Hampshire,
PO9 1BS
Englandflagicon|England
founder = Andrew Bowker | owner = Tony Goodbody (Chairman)
Mo Whiting (Vice-chairman)
Pauline West (Secretary)
Andrew Bowker (Artistic Director)
sister =

History

Dynamo Youth Theatre was founded in 1981 by Andrew Bowker and a group of parents whose children had taken part in drama club and annual productions at Bosmere Junior School, Havant. At that time, back in 1981, there was very little opportunity in the Havant area for youngsters to continue to enjoy drama and develop their interest in the performing arts, after the age of 11. They decided to set up a company operating from the newly opened Havant Arts Centre in East Street, Havant.

The company was named Dynamo Youth Theatre by the members themselves after rejecting the alternative suggestions "The Flying Pigs" and "East Street Kids". Who amongst them could possibly have foreseen the tremendous impact and success that Dynamo Youth Theatre has enjoyed since its foundation, that it would last 27 years and that Andrew and some of the founding parents would still be involved.

A Dynamo Year

A Dynamo year does varie from time to time but main events have been established well in the company's lifetime. A small-cast production is performed usually in early September. This is frequently the last production for some members to act in before advancing age requires them to leave the company. The production will normally run around four or five performances to the general public.

In October time, a coach trip to (usually) a "West End production" is very popular in Dynamo.

The main full-cast production is usually performed in early January. For many of Dynamo's years it has been well - known to perform a popular musical, often with the involvement of a live band. Considerable technical effort backstage is supplied by large numbers of parents and other helpers. Five or six performances are very well patronised by the paying public.

The A.G.M "(Annual General Meeting)" is in March - April time, normally around the time of the "Director's Challenge for the Liz Goodbody Shield".

In May the production is normally a formal drama piece with four or five public performances. Some of the more junior members may well find themselves in their first big roles, in the absence of senior members pre-occupied with school exams.

A "Revue", performed for parents and helpers brings the year to a close in July. This varied and highly entertaining show is written and performed by the whole company, working in groups.

Director's Challenge

A regular event that is held around March time is "The Directors Challenge". Senior members are assigned a group of members and write and direct a short piece of drama around a theme or ground-rules given by the Artistic Director. All pieces are performed in front of members, committee and parents. The groups would compete for the Liz Goodbody Shield, in memory of Liz Goodbody, who was Dynamos Secretary from 1990 to 1994, the shield is awarded to the director judged by a panel appointed by the Artistic Director to have produced the most original, imaginative work and have demonstrated the best skills as a director. The event started in 1994 and has been an annual event ever since. In May, 2007, The Directors Challenge was performed for the first time to the public. The show was called Bizarre. The panel/theme was based on KS2 Science and it was to help Year 6 Pupils who came to the shows do better in their SATS.

Previous Shield Winners

*2009 - "TBC"
*2008 - "Pippa Stimpson"
*2007 - "Catherine Stimpson"
*2006 - "Sally Goddard"
*2005 - "Anne Woods"
*2004 - "Rosie Smith"
*2003 - "Rebecca Walker"
*2002 - "Mel Clarke"
*2001 - "Max Short"
*2000 - "Rachael Smith"
*1999 - "Mark Peters"
*1998 - "Paul McMahon"
*1997 - "Paul McMahon"
*1996 - "Katie Whiting"
*1995 - "Eleanor Pinder"
*1994 - "Eleanor Pinder"

Elsewhere

Dynamo have not always performed in Havant Arts Centre. Their first time outside of The Arts Centre was in June, 1992 where the show "Tyre Track Ted" was performed in Havant and Waterlooville schools. Soon after, the show "July!" premiered in The Arts Centre on December 29, 1992 and was performed until January 2, 1993. The show was written by Andrew Bowker and music by Jonathan Headon. The show was such a success that the management of The Kings Theatre, Southsea invited Dynamo to perform the show there. On April 15, 1993 they performed July! to an audience of 1200 (the largest audience at The Kings in a year).

Dynamo were soon back at The Kings Theatre in 1997 performing "A Mean Old Man" which was written by John Gleadall and previously performed by Purbrook Park School. The show was extended by Gleadall with additional dialogue from the DYT cast.In 1998 Dynamo and Bosmere Junior School performed "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" to Warblington School.

In January, 2002 Dynamo performed "One Pride One People". It was the second musical in Dynamo's history to be written especially for them. With research and story by Andrew Bowker and lyrics by John Gleadall, One Pride One People told the story of the people in Portsmouth immediately after World War One. After performing it six times in January at The Arts Centre, 4 months later they performed it at The New Theatre Royal, three times.

In May, 2005 Dynamo performed " Our Day Out" at The Arts Centre. The show was then performed at St Faiths Church Hall. The company raised £550 for St Faiths. In July, 2007 Dynamo performed their first ever promenade, "The Roses of Eyam". It was performed at the local Havant church, St Faiths. It was widely regarded as Dynamos most powerful drama to date.

In January, 2009 Dynamo will be performing "Bombed Out" at The New Theatre Royal, four times.

Dynamo Problem

Dynamo has been based at the Havant Arts Centre since it was founded in 1981. During these 27 years, most of the shows have been performed at The Arts Centre but they have found that the size of the stage is becoming increasingly a constraint on staging their large cast shows. In particular, a modern, imaginative set leaves little room for energetic dance movement.

Additionally, in recent years, the Arts Centre has been much more energetic in attracting shows, audiences and a variety of other activities into the building. This has resulted in Dynamo having difficulties in getting as much rehearsal time as needed and in having access to the theatre for set construction and on-set rehearsal as far ahead of the first night as Dynamo have had in the past. Without the generosity of St Faith's church allowing them almost unlimited access to the church hall for rehearsals and advance construction of the set, Dynamo would have found it impossible to stage a show like "West Side Story" or last year's " Tommy".

During 2008, the Committee of Dynamo were actively exploring whether a building in the area could be acquired as Dynamo's headquarters -- for the Monday workshops, twice weekly rehearsals before a show, storage of the costumes, set building equipment and materials and to enable the group to expand the age range downwards to include a junior section for children younger than the current joining age and upwards to include a senior section from the present leaving age of 18 up to 25.

Past Productions

1981 - 1989

Dynamo Committee and Helpers

*Chairman - Tony Goodbody
*Vice-chairman - Mo Whiting
*Secretary - Pauline West
*Treasurer - Linda Stimpson
*Artistic Director - Andrew Bowker
* Publicity Officer - Julie Spensley - Corfield
* Membership Secretary - Rosemary Searle
*Technical Director - Kevin West
* Set Construction Leader - Mark Bates
* Artistic Set Designer - Alice Gleadall
* Prop Leader - Marion Howe
* Sound Leader - Colin Jeffery
*Stage Manager - Bryan Rough
* Costumes Leader - Rosemary Searle
*Hair and Make-up Leader - Linda Stimpson
* Website Manager - Jo Wilcox
* Health and Safety Manager - Barbara Haward

External links

* [http://www.dyt.org.uk DYT Official Website]
* [http://www.dyt.org.uk/prospectus.htm DYT Prospectus]