MEMBERS of Llanelli Youth Theatre (LYT) are getting ready for what promises to be an extra special 40th anniversary concert this weekend.
LYT will be staging ‘LYT @ 40’ at Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli on Saturday, June 1.
The event is billed as a spectacular concert commemorating four decades of artistic brilliance and celebrating the profound impact the group has had on the performing arts in Llanelli.
Past and present members will join for a celebration of LYT’s previous productions and a glimpse into its future.
Joining LYT will be the company’s president, star of the West End and Broadway, John Owen-Jones.
John is a record-breaking actor and singer best known for his critically-acclaimed and award-winning performances as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables and as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera.
John remains the youngest actor in West End history to have played Jean Valjean in Les Misérables (a role he also played twice on Broadway) and has performed as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera nearly 2000 times – more than any actor in the show’s entire West End run.
Founded in 1984, LYT was established by a band of youngsters with a passion for performing.
Jill Stevens, the group’s administrator and founding member, said: “The view for establishing the group was an amateur setting with professional training and attitude. Its aim was to present quality drama, while at the same time involving young people.
“We started as a really small group and over the years it has gradually built and now thousands of students have been a part of it.”
This ethos of providing budding young performers with professional training is something that the company continues to pride itself on and the formula seems to be working as scores of former students have progressed to the most esteemed drama schools in the country.
Jill added: “Thousands of students have come and gone over the years and so many of them have gone on to greater things. The group really sets them up for a career in the arts. We have had graduates from RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), Bird College and Drama Centre London.
“We have had students who have been series regulars on television shows, stars in West End productions and students who have moved over to the production sides of things – producing and directing for the National Theatre and the BBC.”
And this seems to only scratch the surface with the theatre group known for producing quality talent.
Its impressive alumni includes Trimsaran-born actor Trystan Gravelle, who starred in ITV’s Mr Selfridge and BBC’s Baptiste, as well as National Theatre director Julia Thomas and West End School of Rock star Catherine Morris.
But as well as preparing young people for a career on the stage or on screen, organisers maintain its main aim is to provide young people with a safe environment they can express themselves and develop essential skills.
Jill continued: “The majority of students don’t go into careers in the industry but learn invaluable skills that they can transfer through to their adult life.
“We are committed to building confidence, communication skills and working with others and we have had so many students who have walked through the doors shy and then left as a completely different person.”
In September, LYT will be staging Stephen Sondheim’s Tony award-winning musical Sweeney Todd.
Meanwhile, the Llanelli Chamber Choir is staging a miscellaneous concert of light and very popular music at St Elli Parish Church on Friday, June 14.
The choir will be supported by the talented students of musical director Piet Zorn. They will perform solos and duets.
The programme for the evening will include Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus and Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine, as well as the more upbeat Brindisi (Drinking Song from La Traviata) by Verdi.
In other news, the countdown is on to the Côr Meibion Llanelli Male Voice Choir Young Musician of the Year competition.
This is a new competition for Llanelli and is being held to keep the name of Côr Meibion Llanelli alive. The choir finished active performing last year after struggling to recruit new members and officials.
A choir spokesman said: “We remain determined to keep the famous name of Côr Meibion Llanelli alive in west Wales – and what better way to do it than to organise a competition to encourage the musicians and singers of the future.
“Down the years, the choir has raised thousands for local charities. We want to continue to play an active part in the local community to keep the name of our historic choir alive.”
The Young Musician of the Year competition will take place at Ysgol y Strade, Llanelli, at 7pm on Friday, June 21.
The competition is open to all pupils from Llanelli secondary schools.
The winner will receive the Trevor Lewis Shield, presented in memory of one of the choir’s most stalwart members.
There is a cash prize of £750 for the winner; £200 for second and £100 for third.
Adjudicators for the event will be Angharad Brinn, Cerith Owens and Meinir Jones Parry.
Pupils are being advised to register for the competition through their schools. If anyone needs further competition information, then they should contact Chris Davies at Ysgol y Strade, email christopher.davies@ysgolystrade.org
Tickets for the competition will be £5 and will be available through the ticketsource website – www.ticketsource.co.uk/cormeibionllanelli
A special fundraising concert, featuring two fine choirs, will be held in Kidwelly later this summer.
Swansea Excelsior ladies choir will join Meibion Elli male voice choir to present ‘A Summer Concert’ at St Mary’s Church, Kidwelly, on Friday, July 12 at 7pm (doors open 6.30pm).
Lynda Richards, who lives in Kidwelly, is the musical director of Swansea Excelsior Choir.
She gave the following message to west Wales music fans: “We hope to fill the church with both beautiful music and people. Please come along and support us. Your support is very much appreciated.”
Tickets are £7.50 available from Excelsior Choir members, at the door, or by telephone on 07708225254 or 07950913352.
Proceeds of the concert will be for St Mary’s Church. The Excelsior Choir’s accompanist will be Rachel Saunders. Aled Maddock will accompany Meibion Elli.
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