AS they get ready to present their latest pantomime ‘Aladdin’, Eyemouth & District Community Youth Theatre Group were handed a prestigious drama honour last week.
The group were given the Utopia Youth Award at the National Operatic and Dramatic Association’s Annual General Meeting on Saturday, October 30.
The AGM brought together over 500 representatives from amateur theatre groups and was held at Peebles Hydro.
Eyemouth & District Community Theatre Group has been running now for 10 years as the youth section of Eyemouth Variety Group and its members are aged nine to 18.
The Utopia award is presented to a group who can show that they have “made a difference” within the community and the judges were particularly impressed with the way the group was totally inclusive and worked hard to develop the young people’s confidence and self esteem.
E&DCTG has given the youngsters many opportunities to attend workshops both locally and centrally, appear in quality shows that are held in high regard, encouraged older members to share their talent with younger members and develop an interest in drama that many of its members have taken on into further education.
From a cast of 27 the first year the group has now expanded to 55 members for their forthcoming production of ‘Aladdin’, which will be performed from November 17-20.
Pauline Greive and Lilian Smith were on hand to accept the Utopia award at the weekend which they proudly did on behalf of the many volunteers who give freely of their time and skills to make Eyemouth & District Community Theatre Group what it is today, and there were big celebrations when they returned to Eyemouth.
