Leeds Actors in Training and Leeds Grand Youth Theatre present a summer of youth-led theatre.

Leeds Actors in Training (LAIT) and Leeds Grand Youth Theatre (LGYT) – two dynamic strands of Leeds Heritage Theatres’ Learning & Engagement programme – take centre stage this summer, presenting their end‑of‑year productions across June and July.

LAIT brings a bold, ensemble‑led adaptation of Medea to City Varieties Music Hall on Fri 26 June, while LGYT returns to The Varieties stage from Thu 23 to Sun 26 July with the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast.

MORE ON LAIT

LAIT is an intensive, studio‑based vocational programme for young people aged 18–25, designed to challenge, inspire and develop performance skills in a professional theatre environment. Participants work closely with industry‑leading practitioners, gaining high‑level training and invaluable insight into the realities of a career in the performing arts.

Led by Artistic Director Lizi Patch, LAIT has previously welcomed an exceptional lineup of guest artists, including Sam Kenyon (vocal coach and composer), James Lewis‑Knight (Artistic Director of Clown Space), Rachel Austin (voice actor), Ben Tagoe (scriptwriter), Megan Parkinson (Game of Thrones, Ackley Bridge), and Dawn Holgate (dancer and choreographer).

Based on the 1906 Project Gutenberg translation The Medea of Euripides by Gilbert Murray, this year’s production explores the complex feminist questions at the heart of Euripides’ brutal tragedy through bold storytelling, inventive theatricality and an original score. Cast aside by Jason as he pursues a new future, Medea’s grief and fury drive her toward a devastating act of revenge.

Lizi says: “Medea is a character who has been fiercely judged across the centuries, yet her story still feels startlingly modern – which is exactly why I wanted to create an abridged adaptation for LAIT. In this production, the role of Medea is shared between four performers, revealing different facets of her character and allowing us to explore her as a complex woman driven to the brink, while asking difficult questions about power, betrayal and how women’s anger is perceived.”

MORE ON LGYT

LGYT is a bold, welcoming and inclusive theatre company for young people aged 8–18. Open to all, it nurtures creativity while building essential life skills including communication, empathy and confidence – all within a supportive environment where lasting friendships are forged.

Running year‑round at The Grand, weekly sessions equip members with a wide range of theatre‑making and creative skills, culminating in a fully staged public summer production. Each performance is a celebration of the young people’s talent, growth and collective achievement, showcasing everything they have developed on and off the stage.

Feedback from the young people includes:

“I love acting and I don’t know what I would do without [LGYT]. I also can’t imagine another way to fill my Saturday afternoons.”

“I have been at LGYT longer than I haven’t been, so it’s become fully integrated into my routine. I also just love performance and everyone’s company.”

“LGYT makes me feel happy because I enjoy doing drama, dancing and musicals with my friends.”

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast stage version is based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature that includes all the wonderful songs written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs by Menken and Tim Rice. The original Broadway production ran for over 13 years and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

The ‘tale as old as time’ tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end, and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.

Rachel Lythe, Head of Learning, concludes: “I always look forward to seeing the summer productions as they celebrate the journey each young person has been on throughout the year. Our training programmes focus on developing skills, confidence and a sense of community and it’s a delight to see all this come together on the stage at City Varieties.

“Alongside Technical Theatre training, placements and school-aged work experience projects, it’s vital that we provide inclusive training pathways to support the next generation of creatives, whether they go on to tread the boards or work behind the scenes.”

Book online for both productions at leedsheritagetheatres.com