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.
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.
1964âÂÂ1974 Cabarets in various venues around Bath<br /> 1974 â Salad Days<br /> 1975 â The Boy Friend<br /> 1976 â Oliver! <br /> 1977 â Half a Sixpence<br /> 1978 â The Wizard of Oz & Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat<br /> 1979 â Gypsy <br /> 1980 â Finians rainbow<br /> 1981 â Red Riding Hood & Viva Mexico <br /> 1982 â Tin Pan Alley<br /> 1983 â Return to Oz& Anne of Green Gables<br /> 1984 â Pinocchio & Dazzle<br /> 1985 â The Wizard of Oz & <br /> 1986 â Alice & Blondel<br /> 1987 â Oliver! & Grease<br /> 1988 â The Boy Friend & West Side Story<br /> 1989 â Babes in Arms & How to Succeed in Business without really trying<br /> 1990 â Godspell & Viva Mexico<br /> 1991 â Oliver! & Sweet Charity<br /> 1992 â Bugsy Malone & Godspell<br /> 1993 â Grease & Jesus Christ Superstar<br /> 1994 â Cabaret, The Wizard of Oz & Rochdale Pioneers<br /> 1995 â (NODA Winner) & West Side Story<br /> 1996 â My Fair Lady (Rose Bowl Winner) & Into the Woods (Rose Bowl Winner)<br /> 1997 â Fiddler on the Roof & Joseph<br /> 1998 â Barnum & Jesus Christ Superstar<br /> 1999 â Return to the Forbidden Planet & Billy<br /> 2000 â Hot Mikado & Chess<br /> 2001 â West Side Story & South Pacific<br /> 2002 â City of Angels (NODA Winner) & Fame<br /> 2003 â Some Like It Hot & A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum<br /> 2004 â Jesus Christ Superstar & Les Misérables (NODA Winner)<br /> 2005 â Crazy For You, Some Enchanted Evening & Barnum<br /> 2006 â The Mystery of Edwin Drood & (NODA Winner) (Rose Bowl Winner)<br /> 2007 â Joseph (Rose Bowl nominee) & Grand Hotel (Rose Bowl Winner)<br /> 2008 â The Wizard of Oz (Rose Bowl Winner) & Titanic the musical (Rose Bowl Winner) <br /> 2009 â Hot Mikado (Rose Bowl Winner) & Chess (Rose Bowl Winner)<br /> 2010 â Godspell & Dracula<br /> 2012 â 42nd Street & Evita <br /> 2013 â Animal Farm (Rose Bowl Winner) & Miss Saigon <br /> 2014 â Les Misérables & Anniversary Gala <br /> 2015 - Phantom Of The Opera & A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum <br /> 2016 - Cats (musical), Ghetto (play) & Return to the Forbidden Planet <br /> 2017 - Jekyll & Hyde (musical) & Summer Holiday <br /> 2018 - City of Angels (musical), Fame (musical) & Edinburgh Festival Fringe : Charlotte's Web, Female Transport, Lift & The Frogs (musical) <br /> 2019 - West Side Story & Titanic (musical) <br /> 2020 -
The group has had many achievements, these include: