BYP is unique, being the only youth club in West Yorkshire which specialises in delivering all of its youth work through the performing arts. We combine the best bits of a theatre school and an amateur dramatics group in a youth club setting.
Youth Clubs
Bradford Youth Players currently run three performing arts-based youth clubs, two of which make use of musical theatre, the third spcialising in acting and drama. A fourth club, which will run activities based around the performing and creative arts, will be starting after Easter with support from the Near Neighbours Fund.
BYP's Act 1 (ages 8-14) and Act 2 (ages 14-25) clubs offer young people the chance to explore and develop their skills in drama, music and dance, showcasing their abilities through musical theatre productions and cabaret nights. Each group does several performances each year, and shows are presented in local theatres when suitable funding is available. BYP have performed plays and musicals in a number of venues in Bradford in recent years, including the Lord Kalms Theatre (BD5) and the Hockney Theatre (BD9), as well as in our regular meeting premises at Little Lane (BD9). Young people progress from Act 1 to Act 2 around age 14 (see Join BYP).
BYP's Just Drama club (ages 14-19) specialises in acting and drama, but still retains the youth club atmosphere and approach which makes BYP distinctive from other performing groups and organisations. Just Drama present drama evenings and plays, and also enter local and (where funding allows) regional drama and performing festivals and competitions, offering members the chance to gain external feedback on their progress and abilities. The Just Drama club have performed at the Bingley Robertshaw, Wharfedale and Horsforth festivals, as well as the Greater Manchester and SADATA (Sheffield) One-Act Play Festivals, presenting monologues, duologues and group plays.
BYP Beginners, named for the term used to call those involved in the opening scene of a musical, will start after Easter 2012. A youth club for those aged 7-8, BYP Beginners will run activities based on the performing arts and the creative arts, with members given the chance to try a range of different arts-based activities across the year. Young people will progress from BYP Beginners to BYP Act 1 at the start of school year 4.
Member Subs
All BYP club members pay weekly subs of £3, though if a young person attends Just Drama as well as Act 1 or Act 2 the subs for Just Drama are reduced to £2 per week.
Subs are normally paid weekly, but can be paid monthly or by direct debit if agreed with the club youth leader.
Financial Policies
BYP has policies in place to ensure that no young person is excluded from our activities for financial reasons.
Leaders can reduce or waive subs to ensure that no-one misses out, and any member or parent who has difficulty paying the weekly subs should speak to the relevant club leader in confidence.
Value for Money
BYP take great pride in the high standard of our activities and performances. We also demonstrate excellent value for money:
- BYP: £3/wk (2hr session)
- BEAT Drama: £6/wk (1:30-2hr session)
- Stage 84: £31.50/month (1:15hr session/wk)
- Stagecoach: £318/term (3hrs/wk for 12 wks)
