Running a Youth Theatre is back.
We think it’s important there are free, regular spaces to connect with other youth theatre makers, to learn together and to dream big for the sector.
Since 2024, we’ve partnered with England’s Youth Theatre NPOs to offer free, regular online spaces to discuss the practice of running a youth theatre today.
Each session explores a key theme and is led by an organisation or practitioner with relevant expertise. The topics from October to December 2025 are based on what 150 youth theatre leaders from across the country highlighted as priority areas during the Youth Theatre Together event in June 2025.
In the Running a Youth Theatre sessions, you'll hear about their real-world perspectives and practice, participate in a task or provocation, and have space to ask any questions you have to the session leader and other makers in the room.
This is a space to learn, reflect, and connect with others working across the sector - whether you're new to the role or have years of experience.
All sessions are free, held on Zoom and are open to anyone using performance in their work with young people.
Running a Youth Theatre is led by: 20 Stories High, Burnley Youth Theatre, Company Three, Mortal Fools, Prime Theatre and Theatre Factory.
Upcoming Sessions.
If you have any questions, feedback, or would like to suggest a topic for us, please get in touch with Gabi at gabi@companythree.co.uk
Making Autobiographical work with Young People: Using Personal Stories.
With Company Three.
14 October 1:00-2:30PM.
Some tips, advice and practical exercises for devising and gathering autobiographical material with a group of teenagers, and working with personal stories that young people bring into the space.
For: facilitators, directors, and people making work in the room.
Making Autobiographical work with Young People: The Drama Spiral.
With 20 Stories High and Clark Baim.
28 October 1:00-2:30PM.
Looking at incorporating personal stories in devised theatre and performance, Clark Baim, PhD (UKCP registered psychodrama psychotherapist, Trustee at Geese Theatre Company and founding Director of the company in 1987) will explain the aims and impact of The Drama Spiral (2015), a practical tool for facilitators to work ethically when making autobiographical work.
20 Stories High will share how this has worked in their own work with young people, offering examples and practical suggestions for how you can do the same.
For: facilitators, directors, and people making work in the room.
Access: The Access Manifesto.
With 20 Stories High.
4 November 1:00-2:30PM.
Back in March 2023, 20 Stories High joined forces with their theatre mates from London Graeae and worked with over 60 Deaf, Disabled, and neurodivergent young people and young adults from across the country, from Liverpool, London, Leeds, Chester, and Manchester.
They collected all of the thoughts, ideas, and provocations to develop a practical, step-by-step guide aimed at helping arts organizations and venues take significant strides toward making the arts more accessible for young audiences, participants, and artists - which they’ll share and discuss in this session.
For: producers, artistic directors, people working in youth theatre, access coordinators, facilitators, directors, and people making work in the room.
Access: Adapting a session for your group.
With Mortal Fools.
18 November 1:00-2:30PM.
This session, led by Mortal Fools, will explore how to adapt a session when working with young people with different access requirements, to ensure everyone in the room can feel heard and enjoy themselves.
For: facilitators, directors, and people making work in the room.
Access: Pastoral care and supporting young people.
With Prime Theatre.
10 December 1:00-2:30PM.
This session will cover how Prime Theatre approach pastoral care and supporting the teenagers they work with, including support inside and outside of the rehearsal room and care practices.
For: producers, artistic directors, people working in youth theatre, access coordinators, facilitators, directors, and people making work in the room.
‘It's supportive to know things can change and be done differently.’
Running a Youth Theatre participant.
How it works
Each session is 1.5 hours long, with the first hour a training session and the final half hour a facilitated space to ask any questions or discuss anything related to the session topic.
You can sign up for free via this link and will receive a Zoom link to join the session.
We will share a recording of the session with attendees afterwards.
If you have any questions, feedback, or would like to suggest a topic for us, please get in touch with Gabi at gabi@companythree.co.uk
Access and Social GRACES
We want these sessions to be open and accessible to everyone. When you sign up, please let us know if you have any access requirements, or adjustments we can make so you are able to fully participate. We may be in touch to discuss those with you.
At Company Three, the Social GRACES is our approach to equity and representation. We want everyone who engages with our work to be able to be themselves, and try to be proactive in recognising and challenging inequality and celebrating difference. If anything during a Running a Youth Theatre session makes you feel uncomfortable, or if you would like to discuss anything relating to the Social GRACES ahead of a session, please get in touch.
Notes and recordings from previous sessions.
Our sessions in 2024 were: Organisational Structure with Mortal Fools and Prime Theatre; Beginnings and Endings with Company Three and Mortal Fools; Safeguarding with 20 Stories High and Theatre Factory; Climate Action with Theatre Factory; Fundraising with Burnley Youth Theatre and Mortal Fools; Inclusion and Access with Company Three, Theatre Factory, 20 Stories High, Mortal Fools and Prime Theatre; Recruiting and Supporting Staff with 20 Stories High and Company Three; Cocreating with Young People with Mortal Fools and Prime Theatre; Pastoral Care and Supporting Young People with 20 Stories High and Burnley Youth Theatre; Building a Programme of Work with Company Three and 20 Stories High; and Ask us Anything with Company Three, Theatre Factory, 20 Stories High, Mortal Fools, Prime Theatre and Zest Theatre.
Click below to download the notes, powerpoints and to watch recordings from those sessions.
