YAP
YAP Theatre Company
YAP Theatre Company are a versatile theatre ensemble performing classical, choral, light entertainment, and musical theatre pieces as well as whole staged works. Made up of over twenty members, all 18 and over, it is an internally run ensemble, with many members taking on organisational responsibilities including marketing, fundraising, treasurer, director, accompaniment and conducting. As well as leading each other, members of the ensemble also conduct the junior choirs within the trust.
(Above Picture by Limelight Studio Cirencester)
YAP perform at most JTPTrust events, including the entertaining annual Cabaret and the annual Summer Gala at the Wyvern Theatre. They also produce an annual event of their own at the end of the summer term which is toured around the south of England.
Pictures and reviews from all recent productions can be seen on the respective show’s page.
Autumn 2009 press release
Press Release – JTPTrust says goodbye to former members
The Janice Thompson Performance Trust, Swindon’s only singing charity are waving goodbye to some former talented members; leaving the area for new and exciting opportunities.
Sarah Covey, a favourite in the Swindon music scene has just begun her Postgraduate Diploma in musical theatre at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London. Following in the footsteps of stars such as Sir Elton John, Leslie Garrett and conductor Sir Simon Rattle, Sarah is thrilled to have been selected from hundreds of applicants for the few yearly places the Academy offers. Even more exciting, Sarah’s first performance with the academy will be singing with former student Sir Elton John at the Royal Albert Hall on 22ndSeptember 2009; and event which is to be hosted by Stephen Fry. Those who saw Sarah in her final musical performances with band Aspheric, and as the Witch in Sondheim’s ‘Into the Woods’, with YAP, the Janice Thompson Performance Trust’s theatre company, will know what a fantastic performer she is. The JTPTrust will be sad to see her go.
Another long standing Trust singer, Jack Townsend, will also be leaving Swindon shortly, as he has just gained a year’s contract as a singer and cabaret performer at Bodelwyddan Castle, Denbighshire, North Wales. Jack, who appeared as the character Jack in YAP’s production of ‘Into the Woods’ in June, has been a member of the JTPTrust since he was a child. During this time he appeared in countless trust concerts and productions as well as several West End shows, most notably in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, where he understudied the character of Jeremy, one of the show’s two lead children; a part which he was lucky enough to perform a number of times throughout the run. Jack, like Sarah, will be sorely missed by the trust.
With their excellent A-Level results, the Trust is also losing some former members to some of the UK’s best universities. Concert Choir duettists Rebecca Richards and Rebecca Martin are off to Cambridge and York Universities respectively: Rebecca Richards winning a choral scholarship to Cambridge, where she will study law, and Rebecca Martin studying music at York. Caroline Lock’s rich mezzo voice has won her a place at the prestigious Chetham’s Music School in Manchester. Hannah Masters, who played the part of Granny as well as assistant directing ‘Into the Woods’, is off to Aberystwyth to study Drama and Theatre Studies. Tom Le-Coyte, who played the Wolf in ‘Into the Woods’ is off to De Montford University to study Medical Science, Ashley Green who played Milky White the cow in ‘Into the Woods’ will be leaving for Exeter University to study Psychology, and Francesca Smith, who gave a wonderful performance as the psychotic Little Red Riding Hood in ‘Into the Woods’ is moving to Cardiff University, also to study medicine.
Those singers remaining include Flora Thompson and Ed Le-Coyte, both of whom gained DipLCM Singing Diplomas this summer.
The JTPTrust is proud of all of its performers, and would like to congratulate everyone who is leaving the Trust, and wish them luck in their future endeavours. The Trust is also looking forward at welcoming new members of all ages into its classes, which run from 3years upwards on Friday evenings, as well as welcoming some current members that have recently turned 18, into the YAP theatre company; currently choosing its next production.
Best of luck to everyone.
