ZOO CO YOUNG COMPANY
YOCO - Zoo Co’s Young Company
Zoo Co Young Company is for 14 - 18 year-olds interested in Theatre and Performing Arts as a hobby or career.
When: Sessions are every Monday evening in term-time, 5pm - 7pm
Where: Stanley Arts, 12 South Norwood Hill, Croydon SE25 6AB. How to get here
Cost: Free
Each year we co-create a show, which we perform in Summer, just after the Summer Holidays start. There is usually a week of intensive rehearsals / tech rehearsals during this week (in the school holidays). We have performed at Fairfield Halls, Stanley Arts, and the Omnibus Theatre.
Weekly workshops are led by Zoo Co’s Artistic Director Flo O'Mahony, plus guest workshops are led by theatre practitioners and industry professionals, offering the chance to try new skills and practices (eg. physical theatre, audio visual work).
Over the year, we’ll work together to devise a play. We often commission professional writers to put together all the ideas into a script.
Zoo Co believes that theatre is better when everyone is invited, and we share that ethos with the young theatremakers in our YoCo. You’ll learn about accessible creative practices like creative captioning and integrated sign language. Sessions are open to young people with various access needs, please let us know if you/your young person has any access requirements. Flo is hearing and signs at about BSL Level 3.
.png)
During 2024/25, Zoo Co's Young Company is partnering with
Company Three on the Cities Exchange programme.
This means Young Company will have the opportunity to:
-
co-create a new play over the year on the subject Cities
-
attend a weekend residential in February half term with the other participating youth theatre groups to discuss and create around the subject matter Cities, building on the plays they're creating
-
watch each others performances at the end of the year
Read more from Company Three on what that means and why they think partnership and collaboration is important in the world of Youth Theatre here.
People can join at any point in the year, except July when the show is almost ready for performance. If you’d like to be part of the process from the very start of making a show, September is the best time to join.
People from our YoCo have gone on to study at
LAMDA, Central School of Speech and Drama
and the Brit School.
DURING THE YEAR WE WILL EXPLORE
Acting
Movement
Telling stories visually
Story structures
Working as an ensemble
Creative risk-taking
Creating accessible theatre (for example, creative captioning, incorporating BSL and relaxed performances)
Our safeguarding policy can be viewed here.If you need a Word version of this document for better compatibility with a screen reader, please email ruth@wearezooco.co.uk
HOW TO APPLY?
Applications are now open! You do not need to have experience in theatre or performing arts to apply. You should be available for workshops every Monday (during term time) from 5pm - 7pm at Stanley Arts, South Norwood in term time only. (The space will be open from 4:30pm if you attend a local school and want a space to eat/ chill out before) If you are under 18, we will need parent/ carer permission for you to take part.
If you would like this form in a different format or face any barriers to applying please contact ruth@wearezooco.co.uk
