Croydon Youth Theatre Organisation
Encyclopedia
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.
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
group based at the Shoestring Theatre in South Norwood
South Norwood
South Norwood is an urban town and in south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is a suburban development 7.8 miles south-east of Charing Cross. South Norwood is an electoral with a resident population in 2001 of just over 14,000...
, Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
in South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
CYTO was founded in 1965, following a visit by Marjorie Taylor, a Youth Service officer for Croydon Council
London Borough of Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population. It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name...
, to the Youth Theatre at Southbourne
Southbourne, Dorset
Southbourne is a suburb of Bournemouth. It is the most easterly part of the borough, between Boscombe and Christchurch, Dorset. The area was previously known as Stourfield....
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. 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
Croydon Advertiser
The Croydon Advertiser is a weekly newspaper covering the London Borough of Croydon, South London, and surrounding areas. It is the third-highest selling paid-for weekly paper in London...
of 10 September 1965, with opening night on 21 September.
CYTO began in Council premises in Winterbourne Road, Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south-southeast of Charing Cross.-Geography:...
, with sister projects in Coulsdon
Coulsdon
Coulsdon is a town on the southernmost boundary of the London Borough of Croydon. It is surrounded by the Metropolitan Green Belt of the Farthing Down, Coulsdon Common and Kenley Common...
and Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood is an elevated area in south London, England within the postcode SE19. It is a residential district largely in the London Borough of Croydon although some parts extend into the London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Bromley. Upper Norwood...
. Productions of all three were directed by Carol King and presented at Croydon College
Croydon College
Croydon College, established in 1895, is a Further Education and Higher Education institution in the London Borough of Croydon.Located in East Croydon, it is made up of a Further Education College and a Higher Education College.- Further Education :...
. 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
Adult education
Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. Adult education takes place in the workplace, through 'extension' school or 'school of continuing education' . Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers...
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
Richard Vincent (playwright)
Richard Vincent is an English playwright, theatre director and screenwriter.-Life:Vincent trained as an actor at the Drama Centre, London.His first play, Off the Bone, was produced at the Courtyard Theatre in 1994....
, himself a former director of CYTO with his wife, Kathryn.
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
and The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
actor, Russell Floyd
Russell Floyd
Russell Floyd is a British actor. He played Michael Rose in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1996 to 1999, and DC Ken Drummond in the ITV police drama, The Bill, from 2002 to 2005...
, 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.