Zenith Youth Theatre Company
# Zenith Youth Theatre Company

Zenith Youth Theatre Company is an entirely voluntarily run amateur theater company based in Bath, England.

It was founded in 1963 as Bodlets (the junior section to Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society), and changed to its current name in 2003. The company currently perform two musicals a year at the Kingswood Theatre, Lansdown, Bath. It is one of the longest running youth theatre companies in the United Kingdom, only eight years younger than the National Youth Theatre.

In 2013 the company gained the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

## History

The amateur company was formed in May 1963. The company was first known as Bodlets (the junior section to Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society) and changed its name to Zenith Youth Theatre Company in 2003. Its first major production was in 1964 at the Grand Pump Room, Bath.

The company was formed by Charles Davies and Victor Smith, members of Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society, in 1963 to encourage a younger generation to participate in amateur dramatics. Members were then encouraged to move on to the senior society once old enough. Its profile grew and by the late 1970s had a strong reputation for presenting musical theatre.

It changed its name to Zenith Youth Theatre Company in 2003. The first production under the new name was Some Like It Hot.

In November 2013 Lady Gass, the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, presented the group with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service at the Guildhall, Bath. Zenith received a certificate signed by The Queen and an exclusive commemorative engraved crystal. The chair of Bath and North East Somerset Council hosted the event in the chair's chamber and it was attended by volunteers, members, supporters and special guests of Zenith Youth Theatre.

In 2014, Zenith launched its Golden Anniversary year, culminating with an Anniversary Gala, uniting past and present members of the company on the stage of the Theatre Royal, Bath.

## Previous shows

1964–1974 Cabarets in various venues around Bath 1974 – Salad Days 1975 – The Boy Friend 1976 – Oliver!

1977 – Half a Sixpence 1978 – The Wizard of Oz & Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat 1979 – Gypsy

1980 – Finians rainbow 1981 – Red Riding Hood & Viva Mexico

1982 – Tin Pan Alley 1983 – Return to Oz& Anne of Green Gables 1984 – Pinocchio & Dazzle 1985 – The Wizard of Oz & Gypsy 1986 – Alice & Blondel 1987 – Oliver! & Grease 1988 – The Boy Friend & West Side Story 1989 – Babes in Arms & How to Succeed in Business without really trying 1990 – Godspell & Viva Mexico 1991 – Oliver! & Sweet Charity 1992 – Bugsy Malone & Godspell 1993 – Grease & Jesus Christ Superstar 1994 – Cabaret, The Wizard of Oz & Rochdale Pioneers 1995 – Sweeney Todd (NODA Winner) & West Side Story 1996 – My Fair Lady (Rose Bowl Winner) & Into the Woods (Rose Bowl Winner) 1997 – Fiddler on the Roof & Joseph 1998 – Barnum & Jesus Christ Superstar 1999 – Return to the Forbidden Planet & Billy 2000 – Hot Mikado & Chess 2001 – West Side Story & South Pacific 2002 – City of Angels (NODA Winner) & Fame 2003 – Some Like It Hot & A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum 2004 – Jesus Christ Superstar & Les Misérables (NODA Winner) 2005 – Crazy For You, Some Enchanted Evening & Barnum 2006 – The Mystery of Edwin Drood & Sweeney Todd (NODA Winner) (Rose Bowl Winner) 2007 – Joseph (Rose Bowl nominee) & Grand Hotel (Rose Bowl Winner) 2008 – The Wizard of Oz (Rose Bowl Winner) & Titanic the musical (Rose Bowl Winner)

2009 – Hot Mikado (Rose Bowl Winner) & Chess (Rose Bowl Winner) 2010 – Godspell & Dracula 2012 – 42nd Street & Evita

2013 – Animal Farm (Rose Bowl Winner) & Miss Saigon

2014 – Les Misérables & Anniversary Gala

2015 - Phantom Of The Opera & A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum

2016 - Cats (musical), Ghetto (play) & Return to the Forbidden Planet

2017 - Jekyll & Hyde (musical) & Summer Holiday

2018 - City of Angels (musical), Fame (musical) & Edinburgh Festival Fringe : Charlotte's Web, Female Transport, Lift & The Frogs (musical)

2019 - West Side Story & Titanic (musical)

2020 - Disney's My Son Pinocchio: Geppetto's Musical Tale

## Achievements

The group has had many achievements, these include:

* 1994 Performed the world premiere of The Rochdale Pioneers in front of Her Majesty the Queen.
* 1995 Awarded the NODA Regional Award for Excellence for Sweeney Todd.
* 1996 Double Rose Bowl Award winner for My Fair lady and Into the Woods.
* 1998 Performed live on national television on GMTV Christmas special.
* 2001 NODA Regional Award for excellence gained for the production of City of Angels.
* 2004 Being one of the first youth companies to be granted the right to perform Les Miserable in the UK.
* 2004 NODA Regional Award for excellence gained for Les Misérables
* 2006 Rose Bowl Award Winner for the Production of Sweeney Todd
* 2006 NODA South West Area Chairman's Award for Best Youth Production for Sweeney Todd
* 2007 Performed with Noel Edmonds on Noel's Christmas Presents - broadcast on Christmas morning.
* 2007 Rose Bowl Award for Best Youth Performance for Tallulah Last as Grusinskaya in Grand Hotel
* 2008 Rose Bowl Award for Best Youth Performance for Josh Carter as Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz
* 2008 Rose Bowl Award for Best Youth Production for Titanic
* 2009 Rose Bowl Award for Best Youth Actor performance for Tom Corbishley for Koko in Hot Mikado
* 2009 Rose Bowl award for Best Youth Production for Chess
* 2013 Rose Bowl award for Best Youth Production for Animal Farm
