"TO BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING" Stagecoach Youth Theatre York is a registered charity, which was founded in 1993 when 17 young people under professional direction presented a week of street theatre to finance a one-off production planned for later that year. The street theatre, written by the company’s director John Cooper was to become a trademark of Stagecoach. Known as "The Glorious History of York", the 30-minute show consisted of characters and events in the city's history from the Romans to the present day and borrowed music from the 70's and 80's to accompany the revue. Now the street theatre is performed on the streets of York several times a year and two years ago the show was modernised and renamed "The York Magical History Tour", borrowing music from The Beatles, including "With a little help from my friends" to tell the story of King Richard III. The show has been the centre of Stagecoach's fundraising, for both the company and for other charities. In 1977 the City of York provided revenue funding for the first time. Today there are well over 100 active members with a professional director, choreographer and musical director.

Last train to Stockton, the original street theatre performed in Coppergate, 1993

"Hi ho, hi ho, its off to work we go" The younger members of the company lend a hand in the soon to be dance studio.

"LET US RECOUNT OUR DREAMS" The company started rehearsals in the Black Light theatre, Neville Street, a small mirrored hall. But as the company grew and the shows demanded more space, rehearsals moved to a variety of buildings, including nearby Park Grove school, Kingsway Primary School and Trinity Hall. But SYTY has always dreamt of having its own theatre and rehearsal space, and through the hard work and perseverance of the young people and all those involved the dream is finally reality. Having raised £75,000 over nearly two years the company has purchased their new home Trinity Hall, the former Methodist Church Hall in Monkgate, York. Over the following four years we have raised a further £275,000. This has been used to convert the first floor of the building into a 140 seater studio theatre with fully comprehensive lighting and sound rigs. The upper floor also houses a large wardrobe with over 300 costumes and properties for hire and two dressing rooms with space for companies of up to 18 members. A lift for disabled patrons has been installed between the theatre and the ground floor. All of the abovementioned facilities are available for hire to bona fide drama and dance groups at highly competitive rates at times when not in use by the youth theatre. The ground floor is also fully refurbished consisting of a dance studio with 10 metres of continuous mirrors, a small, intimate rehearsal room, a fitted kitchen/green room and offices, in use by SYTY as well as United Response. The ground floor is also fully accessible for the disabled with pavement ramp, special toilet facilities, widened doorways and levelled floors.