As part of our 10th year anniversary celebrations  SwindonYoung Actors brings you the dynamic re-imagining of Spring Awakening; a powerful rock musical about adolescent love, the trials of puberty and the friendships that young people build in the face of an uncomprehending world. Set in Germany in 1891, this brave new musical, haunting and electrifying by turns, restores the mystery, the thrill to that shattering transformation that stirs in our souls around the age of thirteen. With a melodic score that fuses ethereal pop and irreverent punk, this groundbreaking rock musical uses music from today to contrast with the harsh Victorian times and the awakening here is not just to sexuality but to musical storytelling. 

Swindon Young Actors are proud to be sponsoring a cup in the Royal Wootton Bassett Arts Festival.

The Mark Flitton cup will be awarded to the group(16 and under) achieving the highest mark for a devised piece of drama.

SYA are very excited to once again be  taking part in the festival.We will have entries in most categories. If you would like a taste of what we do then  please do come along and support us.

We would like to wish all entries the very best of luck and, look forward to presenting the cup for the first time this November.

Team SYA

After an amazing set of exam results Rob Stevenette is off to Caridiff  University to study politics.What can we say Steves?Its been a pleasure having you onboard for the time that we did.You bought many a smile to out faces and much laughter to our lives.(Just check out Fletch's face in the picture.Says it all!)

Farewell and Good Luck Buddy from all your family @ SYA.

X

August the 4th at 6.00am we set off once again from Swindon College car park, on our annual pilgrimage to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011.So what was it like?Well lets just say it was really sunny...for a couple of days!The rain came and boy did it hit us hard, so hard in fact our camp site was flooded under a foot or water!Did that dampen our SYA spirit? Well why not hear the thoughts from the guys on the green themselves...ladies and gentleman I present the good, the bad and the ugly straight from the mouths of the senior players  on this years excursion...enjoy!

Edinburgh Festival 2011 was by far the best trip I've ever been on. I had the most exciting time and saw some great shows. The trip gave our group a chance to bond and get to know each other even better, everyone got on so well and there was never any trouble. There were times when I laughed so much I'd cry! I have some amazing memories from the trip that I share with a group of amazing people and I will remember them for the rest of my life. Nonny

The SYA Edinburgh trip was one of the most wonderful, spontaneous and just plain hilarious trips I’ve ever been on. I’ve never felt more part of a team than I did on Edinburgh 2011. Through rainy days to noodle nights, amazing shows and beautiful sites, we stuck together as a team and had a brilliant time doing so. It gave me the opportunity to see the amazing city of Edinburgh, watch some incomparably brilliant shows and get to know some truly remarkable people. In my opinion, this trip should be mandatory. It’s just too good to miss. Sammie

I’ve been at SYA a while and been to Edinburgh a few times before so I knew what to expect. Stunning weather and amazing shows! Except this year the heavens opened and the shows I saw besides one or two didn’t have that wow factor. At first I thought that would dampen my sprits but this year I rediscovered something else…my family at SYA. Because of the weather I spent a lot more time in close quarters with everyone and truly realised how much they mean to me, yeah sometimes we argue or get on each other’s nerves but we are there for each other 24/7 like a real family. I talked to people this year that I had known for years but discovered things about them I never knew and formed a deeper friendship than ever. When I got back I felt lonely not seeing everyone’s faces or being with them the whole day, yeah it was nice having dry clothes but I’d give it up to be back in our flooded camp site again with everyone. SYA has always been important to me and this year I remembered why. Best Edinburgh yet. (anon but he's ginger!)

"I don't know how you really go about describing the experience we have at Edinburgh trips, but it's certainly one of a kind. I think my favourite thing about the trip is the bond that the whole group have during and after the trip. Everything we go through we go through together. For example, tents flooding, sleeping all 39 of us in a tiny, tiny room and Badger Hunter being ill (how selfish!). I have my favourite days, and my not so favourite days, but the best feeling is experiencing the whole trip as, not a group, but a family (it may sound cliché and lame, but it's true). I will always be forever grateful to Mark for organising this; he's created some marvellous memories for all of us that we will treasure forever."  Meg

Edinburgh '11’ what a trip! I think it's the closest the SYA senior team have ever come together and feel I’ve gotten to know people a lot better than I did...things like the "chat" tent and pizza night got us all interacting and laughing! I have to say my highlight must've been when we set off the lantern...one of the few times we were all together as a group and I must say a very touching one too :D I will never forget Edinburgh 2011...and for that reason I would love to thank everyone who went and Koos for organising it! BRING ON 2012!! Much Love Taya xxx (p.s. keep riding those ponies and shniffen the shnakens: P) Badger

Edinburgh 2011 was the most memorable trip I have ever been on and spent the whole time laughing even though the tents flooded and ended with all 40 of us having a sleepover in the TV room!, which actually just bought us all closer together as a team. Through the trip I became closer to so many people from spending each day with different people. The scavenger hunt was brilliant! Our team “noodle wings” were so close to winning and it was great having the day looking for scavenging items and having team pictures all over Edinburgh! Noodle night, BBQ night and pizza night were brilliant and I really enjoyed watching all the shows and all being at the Pleasance together. Finally, one best memory of Edinburgh was our daily dose of the sniffen the snaken song and ride, ride, ride that pony!  Tots

I've been going to Edinburgh for the past four years with S.Y.A and every year seems to be better than the last, this year was no exception. I remember feeling anxious that we were taking such a big group this year but I had nothing to worry about, the bigger group just brought the group closer. My fondest memory of this year was from one evening at the Pleasance, a few of us had been to see a comedy show and came out to see the other half of the group, we spent about an hour just talking, having a laugh and taking pictures with each other, it proved to me that Edinburgh isn't just about going to see shows or visiting the city, but about forming memories and friendships that you'll never forget. I know I could count on any of the guys that went this year to have my back and I really appreciate that. Fletch

Not knowing Jordan Ginger before the trip. I got to know him a lot more whilst climbing the mountain to get to Arthur’s seat. I built a friendship with him that will last a long time just by climbing the mountain. We were in the same scavenger team and that was the great thing about the scavenger hunt...... it brought people together and created friendships and for me that is what made Edinburgh 2011 a great trip. Angelo

Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011 with Swindon Young Actors was incredible! A trip I will never forget. During the trip I made some great new friends and enjoyed spending time with every single person and as a group we never stopped laughing. I have one day that sticks in my memory when I went around Edinburgh with a small group. We played scrabble in Starbucks, watched four shows and met a famous comedian. I've never laughed so much in the space of 8 days. The SYA team work great together, even through the times of trouble that we can now look back and laugh at. The trip would never have been so enjoyable without Mark's hard work, especially the time and effort he put into the Scavenger hunt (Even though the Noodle Wings should have won!). Thank you Koos and thank you SYA :) Zoe

With the memories of ‘The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010’ still buzzing around my head, I could not wait until our next adventure up there. And whilst I had experienced the variation of Scottish weather before, none of us could have prepared for the monsoon season that lay ahead. As the sun shone gloriously on our arrival, we were oblivious to looming rainstorms the Scottish land had in store for Swindon Young Actors. The horrifying downpour caused the campsite toilets to flood. This forced us to modify our sleeping arrangements, due to the river of faeces that casually trickled through our campsite. A television room hastily transformed into a bedroom for 40, not only brought us physically together, but enhanced our already strong sense of comradeship. The experiences we shared were amazing, albeit sometimes a little challenging. But we managed to all pull through with strong teamwork, Schniffen the Schnakens and ride that pony sessions! The majority of the shows were excellent, with a few exceptions. And even in the weakest of shows we all left with heightened knowledge and awareness.

Despite our interesting challenges, I really had the time of my life. It was brilliant and wouldn’t have changed a thing… Well maybe the stream of faeces I stood in. Sam Stafford

Hectic, fun, and if I may be so bold, epicfloodraindeath! One of the most organised yet challenging experiences I have endured (and I've been stuck in the middle of the Nevada in a broken down vehicle, alone, with one bottle of sparkling water).

I was so proud to be back and to see that the SYA team was bigger and stronger than ever, with everyone pulling together
even at times when it seemed to all be going down the swanny!
Everyone got on so well together and everyone who was able
to independently explore the city and see the shows they had prioritized really maximised the potential of their trip.
I couldn't have asked to have been a part of a better band of people this year. I have no doubt that most will want to return for a healthy dose of EdFest 2012 next summer! Jack Sealy

Edinburgh 2011 was definitely the highlight of my year.

I arrived a few days later than everybody else, and was really worried that I wouldn't fit in, however as soon as I arrived, everybody was really welcoming. The rain was definitely a key feature of this year’s trip, but for more funny memories than bad ones. Each night nearly all of us crammed into one tent and shared stories and memories with each other. By the end of the week the whole group felt so much closer to each other. Probably the most memorable part of my trip was being told at 11PM that the tents had flooded and we had to get everything out as soon as possible. Everybody was hurtling round in the rain trying to stuff their clothes into holdalls and take them back to the reception area. Although it was a disaster, everybody pulled together in true SYA style, and we soon had a system going. That night 40 of use slept in one room. It was snug to say the least, and in the morning all the snorers had been identified! I think it was moments like this though that really made my Edinburgh first trip amazing, and I would DEFINITELY love to go next year! Rubster

What can one say about SYA? A crazy mix of characters (and that’s before we begin to perform) which is the icing on the cake when going camping- being surrounded by unique people who make you laugh and smile. For me Edinburgh 2011 gave a rare opportunity to get to know people, learning about each others strengths and weaknesses in a way that you may otherwise not have, and building a strong group of friends who are their for you in the hard times as well as the good especially during the camping experience, all in all I have come away this year having gained a stronger sense of comradeship within my SYA team, and am already looking forward to next years trip! WOO HOO, go team SYA . Kelly

This year's trip to Edinburgh was my first time as a leader but was excited to take on the role. Overall the team were well behaved and didn’t cause any problems- but my favourite new quote from the trip is 'Is that a question you can answer yourself?'!! And most of the time, yes, yes it was! Ashleigh

Being an Edinburgh Fringe virgin, I didn’t know what to expect from the festival with SYA, a few splatters of rain here and there, junk food every day, what I experienced however, was a lot more exiting and turned out to be one of the best trips of my life! The weather was quite unpredictable, we’d go out in glorious sunshine in shorts and t shirts, and return that evening soaked through, but this was all part of the fun, even the night we spent in the TV room after the tents flooded was enjoyable, packed in like sardines, unfortunately I was sleeping in between Nonny and Beth, who both snore very loudly! We all pulled together that night with the true Swindon Young Actors sleep to make sure everyone was calm and still enjoying themselves.

The days were always packed with things to do, some days we watched comedy shows (I would recommend John Robins and Robin and Partridge!) others we saw more serious plays (Spring Awakening was a winner!).One day we even visited the Edinburgh Dungeons, which was spooky but a great laugh! The evenings were also lovely, whether we were in the Pleasance Courtyard or back at camp having a Noodle Night, we always had a laugh. The mornings were always great, with forfeits for people who were late to group meetings or weren’t seen clapping for pointless things, Luke and Jordan were prime examples, late back from the showers and made to be Griffin’s bitch for the day, they also had to kiss in front of the group, a brilliant show, no one could contain their laughter! So if you plan to come to Edinburgh with SYA, make sure you clap for everything, sing to every song, and never be late to anything!

Overall, my Edinburgh experience with Swindon Young Actors was absolutely amazing. I became a lot closer to various members of the group and experienced some amazing performances from amateur and professional companies. If you get the chance to go, grab it with both hands. LONG LIVE RIDE THAT PONY AND SHNIFF ZE SHNAKEN! Abi Taylor.

"Edinburgh was amazing! Hilarious 24/7! So many new experiences in the space of just a week. It's such a good opportunity to watch different pieces of theatre and shows, all of which you can reflect on and use as inspiration for the future. The atmosphere was exciting and you feel part of the festival, which had a good vibe. Although the best bit of the trip was having a laugh with the whole team and working together in even the most dramatic times! I got to know people so much more and formed friendships for life. I never thought having a river run through your tent could be such a laugh. The most poignant thing was definitely the greatest version of Ride that Pony, a moment which I will treasure. Ha-ha but enough on Edinburgh 2011.... I'm preparing for 2012! Thanks Mark and his entourage for such a lush week, all your hard work was really appreciated!" Bethany

Well what can I say about this year’s trip to Edinburgh?! Firstly huge congratulations to Mark Flitton for organising the mammoth task of taking 40 students away. It's an incredible achievement. Through delegation to senior team players Mark truly has pulled of an amazing trip! The ability to use the senior team players to take added responsibility on board will lend itself to those individuals when they eventually progress to university. So not only a trip for laughs but learning life skills and what it's like to be in charge of a team and communicate at all levels. The trip was hit with some bad weather at times but as a group of young individuals they really did pull together in times of crisis. The endless show list of over 2000 acts saw the team off into the city, whether that was to see a comedian or a serious piece of drama. People were continually checking in with leaders to ensure safety. At times leaders were waiting outside for shows to finish, to collect the younger players and get them home safely. A great effort made by everyone. I think this has to be the best trip I have followed with SYA. A real team spirit and family vibe comes back from the trip! But as we know we are always learning so it will only get better year on year.

Once again thank you for all the team for joining us this year it truly was fabulous I'm sure you will agree. Can't wait for the next year or as it's now more formally known…12! Big love Simon Harris

Edinburgh Festival 2011 was filled with lots of laughter, teamwork and entertainment! Getting together with all of the SYA crew is never a let down it is always a fun filled journey with them and I could not ask for more! This was a chance to get to watch lots of performances and learn from them, my favourite performances was the Real Macguffins which was a comedy with three comedians what a laugh! Another was Spring Awakening which is a really well written piece it was really dark but really inspiring to watch. I also went to Edinburgh dungeons… and I am rubbish with scary places however it was very amusing.

Camping was tough at first especially with the rain and our tent flooding, in the end we figured something out by working together and getting things done. In Edinburgh I picked up on doing things myself, answering questions myself! As Koos says “Is that a question you can answer yourself?” This was a time for me to build confidence and get to know everyone a lot more, everyone supported each other we always had a laugh and I was never on my own. I went to Edinburgh last year and it was amazing going back brought back fantastic memories. From this years experience I now know what I can improve on (organisation) for next years Edinburgh! I am missing everyone lots and I cannot wait for Edinburgh 2012! Schniff the schnaken!! ;D Jessie

Edinburgh 2011….As a long-term member of SYA I was honoured when Co-Founder Mark Flitton asked me to join the group on what was to be an EPIC week away to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011. Swindon Young Actors are devoted to their students new and old, and this trip enabled nearly 40 of us aged between 15 and 25 to come together and explore the city of Edinburgh and the performing arts industry.

Despite a 9 hour coach journey and battling against Scotland’s torrential rain Swindon Young Actors made this one trip to remember. Mark has given all the individual’s the opportunity, independence, knowledge and skills to venture out and discover the magic, innovation and creativity of the Fringe Festival.

From setting up camp, to dealing with floods to playing ride that pony…every day was different and worthwhile! All of us sporting our trendy SYA hoodies represented SYA as one big encompassing family, despite the noisy nights and all the laughter everyone represented SYA professionally and in my opinion gave the youth of today a positive image!

Everyone embraced the Fringe festival with open arms and many expressed their passions, interests and love for different aspects of performing arts. The Fringe festival enabled members of SYA to absorb, enjoy and debate different art forms from Dance, theatre, poetry recitals, and musicals to stand-up comedy. Not only did we embrace the performing arts we embraced the city of Edinburgh through the brilliantly composed Edinburgh Fringe Festival Scavenger Hunt! This was the best part, not only did we learn lots about the historical and cultural values of Edinburgh it got us working in teams that we would never have dreamed of! I would definitely do it again, and next time YOU should come. Charly Millward

"In Edinburgh it RAINED, my coat was soaked through and I wore out my wellies... However, there was a constant smile plastered across my face throughout the trip and I spent most days with belly and cheek ache from laughing so much! The shows I saw and the friends I have made have given me so many amazing memories, too many too list! And it is all because of Koos' invitation for me to go with SYA to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! Thank you is all I can say: D xxx"  Perdi

Words cannot describe the SYA Edinburgh trip this year, not only did we spend a week watching amazing shows in a beautiful city but it was an amazing opportunity to get closer as a group. Already looking forward to next year to top up the memories that will never be forgotten. The best trip ever!! Luci (AKA BUBS)

When I look back on our trip to Edinburgh I will always remember how everyone still had high spirits and made the most of what we had, even though the weather was extremely poor and people’s tents and belongings were flooded. And through all this I don’t think there was a single person on that trip who regretted coming! It was a real experience. Callum (Nunster)

My favourite part of Edinburgh 2011 was when we got soaked in the rain and emptied the tents. That was when the group pulled together and got the job done so we were in the warm and we were dry. It was another great year in Edinburgh a new and unique experience can’t wait till 2012! Griff

As a fairly new member to sya Edinburgh 2011 was my first visit! If I could sum it up in one word it would be amazing! Not only was I allowed to watch some incredible shows but it also brought me alot closer to the SYA team, and I can honestly say I have made some very good friends for life! I can't pick out one favourite moment because i have far to many great memories! However my Favourite show was the sea gull effect. Thankyou to eveyone who went for making my first Edinburgh trip one I will never forget xx Jasmin.

The 2011 Edinburgh trip had great expectations from a lot of people and especially myself as i had gone last year and had, had a fantastic time with a new group. We all knew it was going to be a new experience fro the begging as the coach driver had a giant gash in his head! For me the most memorable part of the trip was the last day when all the team was together and we were enjoying our Domino's pizza with a camp fire in the middle. I remember this the most as, as a group we had just gone through everything together the rain, mud, laughs and appreciating what a weird and wonderful experience we had all had. I was about to have another one that night as i was going to be sleeping on poo and mud - with my fellow pod members Zoe and Nonnie. Thankyou Koos and all the other leaders or an amazing trip and can't wait for Edinburgh 2012! :-) Mallory

I have been on the last four trips to Edinburgh and each year brings new amounts of fun and excitement.This year brought us rain(and lots of it!) but it also showed how much teamwork there really is at SYA! With the help from this years leaders, the group excelled and it will  definatleybe a trip i will take some amazing memories from.SYA senior team you did us proud! Katie (Baggers)

The Edinburgh Festival trip of 2011 was most definitely an exciting experience. Despite the miserable weather everyone felt quite the opposite and were always smiling. Infact, the rain made the trip better for myself as it meant sharing a tent with the 'big girls'. Although it was a bit of a squish, it was warm and comforting. On the trip, I got to spend time with people I usually wouldn't have, and got to know them better than I would have in the space of two hours a week in lesson. I can't recall laughing so much everyday in a long time and it wasn't just at the shows, it was around camp, on the bus and anytime we were together, something funny was always happening. It still amazes me that we all managed to fit in the tv room, but I suppose it was an interesting adventure that we overcame.
I felt privalidged to a be apart of the team this year and thank everyone that made it so good and ofcourse Mark himself. Now to look forward to being apart of team in years to come. But I suppose it's back to class but still with plenty of rounds of ride that pony! :) Maddy

E xcitement fills the air at 6:30 in the morning,
D ave hits his head - but we're all still smiling,
I n spite of the weather we all power through,
N ever looking far to see a smile, or hear a laugh,
B ussing' it into town every morning to catch a show at the.......
U dderbelly, underbelly and the pleasance too,
R eviewing the performance thinking 'SYA could have done it better',
G ive us a year and we'll be back at our home town,
H appy as can be, the SYA family. xx

Would like to thank personally Mark for running the trip, it's hard to find the words to explain the experience. Haven't felt more at home with the people on the trip nor in Edinburgh. All I can say is I will never forget it.  Emily (Emdubz)

The start of the new term after the summer break always offers exciting new opportunities here at SYA,but it also inevitably means that we have to wave goodbye to a few of our finest senior players. This term,sadly we say our fond farewells to three of our largest characters from the senior team,off out into the big wide world exploring new opportunities for themselves.

Long serving member Mr Jordan Ginger(Dance Captain) is off to London to start his three year course at Arts Educational.Jordan will be studying all three of the disciplines dance,singing and acting.

Equally long serving member Mr Luke(The Duke)Johnson is off to the University of Gloucester to further his studies in I.T

and finally our very own Mr Tom 'Fletch' Fletcher(Wednesday Class Assistant) is off to The Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama to persue....a career in drama ofcourse!

I spent sometime with these guys in Edinburgh this year and the energy and enthusiasm for SYA was as strong now as it has always been.I just wanted to personally say goodbye and wish the very best of luck to all three.I have no doubt in my mind that they will be successful in whatever they end up doing.

I also know that all of the team here at SYA would like to join me in saying farewell and good luck to Luke, Jordan and Fletch. Big Love guys.

Come join us again whenever you like.

Koos and The Team.

X

The exam prep starts back the first week of term.You can ease the stress of the exams by helping yourself a little.Learn the lines as quickly as possible! Work hard guys.The more you put in,the more you will get out.It will pay off for you in the end!

Good Luck to all the students entering and best of Luck to Julia.Its gonna be a lot of hard work!

Team SYA.

Tuesday 17th April - Tuesday 29th May

Intermediate: Class: 5.45pm -7.15pm, 7 weeks @ £6.50 = £45.50

Senior Class: 7.30pm- 9.30pm, 7 weeks @ £7.50 =£52.50



Wednesday 18th April - Wednesday 30th May 2012

Juniors: Class: 5.45pm -7.15pm, 7 weeks @ £6.50 =£45.50


Pre-Seniors Class: 7.30pm-9.30pm, 7 weeks @ £6.50 =£45.50



Thursday 19th April - Thursday 31st May 2012

Begginers: 4.30pm-5.15pm 7 weeks @ £4.50 =£31.50

Pre-Juniors Class: 5.30pm-6.45pm, 7 weeks @ £5.00 =£35.00 

Excellence Group: 7.00pm -9.00pm Payment as per the schedule.

Please note: All fees are due in on the first class back.

Due to a number of people paying so very late, we have no option other than to once again introduce a late payment charge of £2.50 per week.Three consequtive weeks late and the students place will be taken away and offered out to someone on the long waiting list.

This sounds a little harsh, but we are trying encourage people to get fees in by the first lesson.Saving us a lot of time and energy processing payments and allowing us more time to be doing what we should be doing which is teaching drama!

Thankyou for your understanding and co-operation.

Looking forward to welcoming you all back to what is going to be an exciting term.

 Mark & The SYA team.