Launched in the same year as the parent company, Next Stage Youth has been in existence since 1994. Next Stage tutors and actors have coached over 500 youngsters, preparing many for performances, auditions and competitions. Indeed, some of our talented young actors have gone on from Next Stage Youth to train for the professional theatre

The emphasis is always on friendship, teamwork, support and a professional grounding in theatre arts. In any year members of Next Stage Youth have the chance to work on devised theatre, competition entries in the Mid-Somerset Drama Festival in March, and a full-scale production in The Mission Theatre. There are no auditions, anyone between 11 and 18 is welcome and Next Stage has a policy of using talented youngsters whenever possible in adult productions.

Next Stage Youth runs for ten-week terms (£70 per term), with each session on a Sunday from 4.30 – 6 pm at The Mission Theatre.

Next Stage Youth enrolment for the summer term is on Sunday 20th April at 4.30pm at The Mission Theatre. Any queries call Ann Garner on 01225 428600

As well as the regular weekly sessions with Next Stage tutors, students also have the chance of attending professionally led workshops.  All aspects of stagecraft and dramatic presentation are explored.

The club regularly enters local competitions and presents public showings of its work.  Recent examples are the club's many entries in the 2008 Mid Somerset Drama Festival, and The Witches by Roald Dahl, adapted by David Wood. This production gave Next Stage Youth a great review that you can read in full here.

Youngsters are also invited to take roles alongside adults in Next Stage's programme of challenging productions staged by the company's 'seniors'.  The latest such production was His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman, shown July 2007 at the Mission Theatre and in August 2007 at The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall.