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Registered Charity No. 1102702

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BYP Seniors is open to anyone age 16+. Members do not need any previous experience of the performing arts, and there is a strong emphasis on allowing members to develop their own skills, abilities and personalities within the context of staged dramatic and musical theatre performances. The Seniors meet regularly on Thursday evenings (7.30-9.30pm) during term time.

Seniors Staff Profiles...

Leader & Musical Director: Ian Sapiro

Ian has been musical director of BYP Seniors since 2004, and took over as section leader in summer 2007. In addition to his theatrical work with BYP, he is MD for Buttershaw St. Paul's AODS, Bradford, and conductor for Dewsbury Collegians AOS. Ian's 'day job' is as a Research Assistant in the School of Music at the University of Leeds, where he is also doing a PhD investigating the orchestration of film scores.

Drama Coach: Kristen Vogelsang

Kris started working with the Seniors at the start of the 2007-08 year and has quickly won over the members with her combination of enthusiasm, dedication and American-ness(!). She spearheaded the Seniors' World Premiere production of Dotty (see the Production Archive on the left), and has introduced various new ideas to the group - not least biscuits for the mid-rehearsal break. She is currently completing a BA (Hons) degree in Acting and Performance in the School of Performance and Cultural Industries at the University of Leeds, and will be undertaking an MA there next year.

Choreographer (part-time): Steph Cull

Steph has previously worked as chorographer with the BYP Inters, providing the dance routines and training for their December 2007 production of Dracula Spectacula. A Chorus Line will be her first production with the Seniors, and we are delighted to welcome her on board.

Accompanist (part-time): Dave Ireland

Dave has been involved with BYP for the last three years, starting as rehearsal accompanist for West Side Story in 2006. A firm favourite with the members ("Dave, Dave, give us a wave!"), we are delighted that he is able to join us again this year in part thanks to funding obtained by the members (see Grant Awards on the left). Dave is currently undertaking an MMus degree in the School of Music at the University of Leeds, looking at aspects of music psychology and film music.

Seniors Members' Committee

The Seniors have a Members' Committee which assists in the running of the section, contributing to areas such as funding and publicity, and ensuring that the views and opinions of the members are known, understood and acted upon as appropriate. Elections are held towards the end of each year, usually at the BYP Annual General Meeting (AGM) in July, and members are eligible for re-election to the Committee.

Click for:

Members' Committee Constitution
Members' Committee Personnel 2007/08
Minutes of the last Committee Meeting

Select an option:

About the Seniors
Seniors' Staff Profiles
Seniors Members' Committee

A Chorus Line

Grant Awards
Membership
News Archive
Production Archive

About the Seniors...

The Seniors perform a musical in a local theatre each summer, and perform a range of fundraising events throughout the year such as 'bits & pieces' events and straight plays.

BYP Seniors will be presenting the Bradford amateur premiere of A Chorus Line in July 2008. See the link from the panel on the left for further information, or contact the section leader, Ian Sapiro, i.p.sapiro@talktalk.net for details.

Details of the full 2008-09 programme will be available in the BYP Events section of this website in the near future. Details of past events can be found via the production archive link in the left panel.

FREE Open Rehearsal

Aged 16-23? Love Musical Theatre?

We are holding a FREE open rehearsal for anyone aged 16-23 on Thursday 31 January 2008 during our normal rehearsal slot, 7.30-9.30pm.

The open rehearsal will take place at a community venue rather than at the BYP Clubrooms (our usual rehearsal venue). The rehearsal will be held at:

St. Augustine's Church
Otley Road
Undercliffe
Bradford
BD3 0DR

Singing, acting and group dancing will all be covered on the night. For more info contact i.p.sapiro@talktalk.net, or feel free to just turn up!

Dotty

A new play by Robert Coke-Woods
An adaptation of L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"

WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION

Q. Where can you find a narcoleptic teacher, a scatterbrain, a grease-monkey, a witch and an innocent little girl?

A. In BYP Seniors' world premiere production of Dotty.

Set years after the time of Dorothy Gale, the Wicked Witch has been brought back to life by the last of the Winkies and rules over Oz spreading evil and corruption. Can Dotty, Dorothy's great-great-granddaughter, destroy the Witch, save Oz and restore the good name of Dorothy Gale?

Performances: Friday 8 & Saturday 9 February 2008
Start Time: 7.30pm (will be finished before 10pm)
Venue: St. Augustine's Church, Otley Road, Undercliffe, Bradford, BD3 0DR

All seats are £5 and can be booked in advance through the Forthcoming - Bookings section of this website, or by email to byptickets@hotmail.co.uk. Alternatively, you can buy on the door.

"Fabulous, funny, and fun for all the family!"

Auditions for A Chorus Line

Where?
BYP Clubrooms
St. Mary's Church Complex,
East Parade (near Barkered Road)
Bradford, BD1 5EE
Google Map:

When?
Thursday 14 February 2008

What time?
7.30-9.30pm

What do I have to do?
- Sing a song from the show
- Act out a short monologue or dialogue from the show
- Take part in a group dance number
Songs and the group dance number will be covered at our open rehearsal on 31 January - see the link in the panel on the left for further details.

I don't want a princiapl part - do I have to audition for the chorus?
No. There is no entry audition for BYP, and everyone is welcome to take part in the show chorus without needing to audition.

When is the show being staged?
All information about the performance dates, venue, etc. can be found through the A Chorus Line link in the panel on the left.

A Chorus Line

BYP Seniors will present the Bradford amateur premiere of A Chorus Line as their summer 2008 production. The show has only been seen once before in Bradford, a professional production at the Alhambra over 10 years ago, so BYP's production offers a rare opportunity to see one of the most successful and long-running Broadway musicals of all time.

The show is a live audition session, as a stage of young hopefuls attempt to live their dream as members of a Broadway chorus line. However, Zach, the director, tells them to forget their resume's and each in turn tells a story of their life, and how they came to be standing on his stage, seeking a place in his show. The show features hit songs such as "One, Singular Sensation", "Nothing", "At the Ballet" and "Dance: Ten, Looks: Three", often known by its unofficial subtitle, "Tits and Ass".

Dates: Wednesday 16 - Saturday 19 July 2008
Start Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Hockney Theatre, Bradford Grammar School, Bradford, BD9

Tickets: Adults - £8.50; Concessions - £6.00. Discounts are available for groups. To book tickets, visit our Online Booking centre. For enquiries email byptickets@hotmail.co.uk or call 0750 47 45 220.

Please note that A Chorus Line addresses some adult themes which parents may not think suitable for very young children. For further information (without giving the game away!) contact Ian Sapiro, i.p.sapiro@talktalk.net.

Grant Awards

BYP Seniors have been successful in obtaining two grants to help with our activities through a project to broaden our provision for young people in the local area in Bradford.

Applications planned and written by members, some of whom were also interviewed by awarding panels, were submitted to two funds allocating central Government money at local levels.

BYP Seniors received over £40,000 from the Youth Opportunities Fund and Youth Capital Fund (YOF/YCF), and almost £3000 from Bradford Youth Grantmakers. Overall, this money will be instrumental in assisting us with staging A Chorus Line in July 2008, as well as allowing us to update equipment and make some repairs to the BYP Clubrooms.

BYP must continue to raise funds in order to continue staging productions. If you are interesting in making a charitabledonation to BYP please contact Ian Sapiro.

Membership

There are currently around 25-30 active members in the BYP Seniors group, with more members away at University and only able to participate intermitently with our activities, assisting generally in front-of-house and backstage roles for our productions.

BYP does not operate a waiting list, and new members are always welcome. We began work on A Chorus Line in February, but anyone wishing to join BYP for this production is encouraged to attend one of our regular Thursday evening rehearsals and we will make sure that everyone is as involved as possible in the production (see Joining BYP for information).

Members pay £2.50 per week, plus £20 insurance for the year (£15 if joining after January), though weekly subs may be reduced or waived at the discretion of the club leader. No young person wishing to take part in BYP activities will be turned away on financial grounds, and anyone with concerns in this regard is encouraged to speak to Ian, the Seniors' leader, in confidence.

News Archive...

July 2007 - Marguerite Jennings retires from BYP after 30 years' service. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours. Ian Sapiro takes over as Seniors section leader.

July 2007 - Kristen Vogelsang appointed Drama Coach with BYP Seniors.

October 2007 - BYP Seniors receive £40,900 funding from the Youth Opportunities and Youth Capital Funds

November 2007 - BYP Seniors receive £2950 funding from Bradford Youth Grantmakers

January 2008 - Steph Cull (choreographer) and Dave Ireland (rehearsal accompanist) join Seniors staff.

February 2008 - BYP give World Premiere production of a new play, Dotty, by Robert Coke-Woods.

Production Archive

2008

Dotty (St. Augustine's Church, BD3)
WORLD PREMIERE
by Robert Coke-Woods.
Incidental music by Ian Sapiro
Dir: Kris Vogelsang
Asst Dirs: Jonnie Taylor, Ian Sapiro

2007

Return to the Forbidden Planet (Priestley Theatre)
Dir: Marguerite Jennings
MD: Ian Sapiro
Chor: Sharon Cousen
Accomp: Dave Ireland

2006

Saturday Night at the Disco (BYP)
Dir: Marguerite Jennings
MD: Anthony Martin
Chor: Sharon Cousen

West Side Story (Priestely Theatre)
Dir: Marguerite Jennings
MD: Ian Sapiro
Chor: Sharon Cousen
Accomp: Dave Ireland

2005

Follow the Star (BYP)
Dir: Marguerite Jennings
MD: Anthony Martin
Chor: Sharon Cousen

Les Miserables School Edition (Priestley Theatre)
Dir: Marguerite Jennings
MD: Ian Sapiro
Chor: Sharon Cousen

2004

Moby Dick The Musical (Priestley Theatre)
Dir: Marguerite Jennings
MD: Ian Sapiro
Chor: Sharon Cousen & Anna Yeadon

	BRADFORD YOUTH PLAYERS
	You are in: Bradford Youth Players > BYP Groups > Seniors	Registered Charity No. 1102702
General Information Home Who are the BYP? Contacts Mailing List BYP Groups Juniors Intermediates Seniors Get Involved Joining BYP Volunteers & Helpers Friends of BYP Supporters & Sponsors Alumni Booking, Events & Hire Online Booking BYP Events Equipment Hire
	BYP Seniors is open to anyone age 16+. Members do not need any previous experience of the performing arts, and there is a strong emphasis on allowing members to develop their own skills, abilities and personalities within the context of staged dramatic and musical theatre performances. The Seniors meet regularly on Thursday evenings (7.30-9.30pm) during term time. Seniors Staff Profiles... Leader & Musical Director: Ian Sapiro Ian has been musical director of BYP Seniors since 2004, and took over as section leader in summer 2007. In addition to his theatrical work with BYP, he is MD for Buttershaw St. Paul's AODS, Bradford, and conductor for Dewsbury Collegians AOS. Ian's 'day job' is as a Research Assistant in the School of Music at the University of Leeds, where he is also doing a PhD investigating the orchestration of film scores. Drama Coach: Kristen Vogelsang Kris started working with the Seniors at the start of the 2007-08 year and has quickly won over the members with her combination of enthusiasm, dedication and American-ness(!). She spearheaded the Seniors' World Premiere production of Dotty (see the Production Archive on the left), and has introduced various new ideas to the group - not least biscuits for the mid-rehearsal break. She is currently completing a BA (Hons) degree in Acting and Performance in the School of Performance and Cultural Industries at the University of Leeds, and will be undertaking an MA there next year. Choreographer (part-time): Steph Cull Steph has previously worked as chorographer with the BYP Inters, providing the dance routines and training for their December 2007 production of Dracula Spectacula. A Chorus Line will be her first production with the Seniors, and we are delighted to welcome her on board. Accompanist (part-time): Dave Ireland Dave has been involved with BYP for the last three years, starting as rehearsal accompanist for West Side Story in 2006. A firm favourite with the members ("Dave, Dave, give us a wave!"), we are delighted that he is able to join us again this year in part thanks to funding obtained by the members (see Grant Awards on the left). Dave is currently undertaking an MMus degree in the School of Music at the University of Leeds, looking at aspects of music psychology and film music. Seniors Members' Committee The Seniors have a Members' Committee which assists in the running of the section, contributing to areas such as funding and publicity, and ensuring that the views and opinions of the members are known, understood and acted upon as appropriate. Elections are held towards the end of each year, usually at the BYP Annual General Meeting (AGM) in July, and members are eligible for re-election to the Committee. Click for: Members' Committee Constitution Members' Committee Personnel 2007/08 Minutes of the last Committee Meeting
	Select an option: About the Seniors Seniors' Staff Profiles Seniors Members' Committee A Chorus Line Grant Awards Membership News Archive Production Archive	About the Seniors... The Seniors perform a musical in a local theatre each summer, and perform a range of fundraising events throughout the year such as 'bits & pieces' events and straight plays. BYP Seniors will be presenting the Bradford amateur premiere of A Chorus Line in July 2008. See the link from the panel on the left for further information, or contact the section leader, Ian Sapiro, i.p.sapiro@talktalk.net for details. Details of the full 2008-09 programme will be available in the BYP Events section of this website in the near future. Details of past events can be found via the production archive link in the left panel. FREE Open Rehearsal Aged 16-23? Love Musical Theatre? We are holding a FREE open rehearsal for anyone aged 16-23 on Thursday 31 January 2008 during our normal rehearsal slot, 7.30-9.30pm. The open rehearsal will take place at a community venue rather than at the BYP Clubrooms (our usual rehearsal venue). The rehearsal will be held at: St. Augustine's Church Otley Road Undercliffe Bradford BD3 0DR Singing, acting and group dancing will all be covered on the night. For more info contact i.p.sapiro@talktalk.net, or feel free to just turn up! Dotty A new play by Robert Coke-Woods An adaptation of L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION Q. Where can you find a narcoleptic teacher, a scatterbrain, a grease-monkey, a witch and an innocent little girl? A. In BYP Seniors' world premiere production of Dotty. Set years after the time of Dorothy Gale, the Wicked Witch has been brought back to life by the last of the Winkies and rules over Oz spreading evil and corruption. Can Dotty, Dorothy's great-great-granddaughter, destroy the Witch, save Oz and restore the good name of Dorothy Gale? Performances: Friday 8 & Saturday 9 February 2008 Start Time: 7.30pm (will be finished before 10pm) Venue: St. Augustine's Church, Otley Road, Undercliffe, Bradford, BD3 0DR All seats are £5 and can be booked in advance through the Forthcoming - Bookings section of this website, or by email to byptickets@hotmail.co.uk. Alternatively, you can buy on the door. "Fabulous, funny, and fun for all the family!" Auditions for A Chorus Line Where? BYP Clubrooms St. Mary's Church Complex, East Parade (near Barkered Road) Bradford, BD1 5EE Google Map: When? Thursday 14 February 2008 What time? 7.30-9.30pm What do I have to do? - Sing a song from the show - Act out a short monologue or dialogue from the show - Take part in a group dance number Songs and the group dance number will be covered at our open rehearsal on 31 January - see the link in the panel on the left for further details. I don't want a princiapl part - do I have to audition for the chorus? No. There is no entry audition for BYP, and everyone is welcome to take part in the show chorus without needing to audition. When is the show being staged? All information about the performance dates, venue, etc. can be found through the A Chorus Line link in the panel on the left. A Chorus Line BYP Seniors will present the Bradford amateur premiere of A Chorus Line as their summer 2008 production. The show has only been seen once before in Bradford, a professional production at the Alhambra over 10 years ago, so BYP's production offers a rare opportunity to see one of the most successful and long-running Broadway musicals of all time. The show is a live audition session, as a stage of young hopefuls attempt to live their dream as members of a Broadway chorus line. However, Zach, the director, tells them to forget their resume's and each in turn tells a story of their life, and how they came to be standing on his stage, seeking a place in his show. The show features hit songs such as "One, Singular Sensation", "Nothing", "At the Ballet" and "Dance: Ten, Looks: Three", often known by its unofficial subtitle, "Tits and Ass". Dates: Wednesday 16 - Saturday 19 July 2008 Start Time: 7.30pm Venue: Hockney Theatre, Bradford Grammar School, Bradford, BD9 Tickets: Adults - £8.50; Concessions - £6.00. Discounts are available for groups. To book tickets, visit our Online Booking centre. For enquiries email byptickets@hotmail.co.uk or call 0750 47 45 220. Please note that A Chorus Line addresses some adult themes which parents may not think suitable for very young children. For further information (without giving the game away!) contact Ian Sapiro, i.p.sapiro@talktalk.net. Grant Awards BYP Seniors have been successful in obtaining two grants to help with our activities through a project to broaden our provision for young people in the local area in Bradford. Applications planned and written by members, some of whom were also interviewed by awarding panels, were submitted to two funds allocating central Government money at local levels. BYP Seniors received over £40,000 from the Youth Opportunities Fund and Youth Capital Fund (YOF/YCF), and almost £3000 from Bradford Youth Grantmakers. Overall, this money will be instrumental in assisting us with staging A Chorus Line in July 2008, as well as allowing us to update equipment and make some repairs to the BYP Clubrooms. BYP must continue to raise funds in order to continue staging productions. If you are interesting in making a charitabledonation to BYP please contact Ian Sapiro. Membership There are currently around 25-30 active members in the BYP Seniors group, with more members away at University and only able to participate intermitently with our activities, assisting generally in front-of-house and backstage roles for our productions. BYP does not operate a waiting list, and new members are always welcome. We began work on A Chorus Line in February, but anyone wishing to join BYP for this production is encouraged to attend one of our regular Thursday evening rehearsals and we will make sure that everyone is as involved as possible in the production (see Joining BYP for information). Members pay £2.50 per week, plus £20 insurance for the year (£15 if joining after January), though weekly subs may be reduced or waived at the discretion of the club leader. No young person wishing to take part in BYP activities will be turned away on financial grounds, and anyone with concerns in this regard is encouraged to speak to Ian, the Seniors' leader, in confidence. News Archive... July 2007 - Marguerite Jennings retires from BYP after 30 years' service. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours. Ian Sapiro takes over as Seniors section leader. July 2007 - Kristen Vogelsang appointed Drama Coach with BYP Seniors. October 2007 - BYP Seniors receive £40,900 funding from the Youth Opportunities and Youth Capital Funds November 2007 - BYP Seniors receive £2950 funding from Bradford Youth Grantmakers January 2008 - Steph Cull (choreographer) and Dave Ireland (rehearsal accompanist) join Seniors staff. February 2008 - BYP give World Premiere production of a new play, Dotty, by Robert Coke-Woods. Production Archive 2008 Dotty (St. Augustine's Church, BD3) WORLD PREMIERE by Robert Coke-Woods. Incidental music by Ian Sapiro Dir: Kris Vogelsang Asst Dirs: Jonnie Taylor, Ian Sapiro 2007 Return to the Forbidden Planet (Priestley Theatre) Dir: Marguerite Jennings MD: Ian Sapiro Chor: Sharon Cousen Accomp: Dave Ireland 2006 Saturday Night at the Disco (BYP) Dir: Marguerite Jennings MD: Anthony Martin Chor: Sharon Cousen West Side Story (Priestely Theatre) Dir: Marguerite Jennings MD: Ian Sapiro Chor: Sharon Cousen Accomp: Dave Ireland 2005 Follow the Star (BYP) Dir: Marguerite Jennings MD: Anthony Martin Chor: Sharon Cousen Les Miserables School Edition (Priestley Theatre) Dir: Marguerite Jennings MD: Ian Sapiro Chor: Sharon Cousen 2004 Moby Dick The Musical (Priestley Theatre) Dir: Marguerite Jennings MD: Ian Sapiro Chor: Sharon Cousen & Anna Yeadon
		Last Updated: May 2008. Email: Webmaster