Episode description

Welcome to "Our Place: Buildings and Beginnings,". Join us as we take you on an extraordinary journey, delving into the captivating history of Burnley Youth Theatre's(BYT) Buildings and Beginnings.

In our special episode, "Our Place: Buildings and Beginnings," which was a Live Zoom Event that aired on 31st May 2023. We hosted a unique reunion of BYT's luminaries, spanning generations. These remarkable faces from across BYT's storied history gathered to discuss the organisation's formative years and the incredible journey that led to the realisation of our purpose-built theatre.

This episode was not just for our esteemed alumni; it was an open invitation to anyone who had ever had a connection to BYT. Whether you attended a workshop, volunteered, were part of the BYT team, supported our mission from near or far, or simply cheered us on from the front row, you were a part of our cherished legacy. Parents, friends, funders, and partners, whether you were with us at that time or had been at any point over the past 50 years, we were delighted to have you join us.

Our host for this special episode was the legendary Philip J. Hindle, a name synonymous with the BYT community.

We were honoured to be joined by an extraordinary lineup of guest speakers, each with their own chapter in BYT's rich history:

- Anthony Preston: Artistic Director from 1986 to 1997. Anthony's journey with BYT was a testament to the organisation's growth over 50 years. He had witnessed BYT evolve from his early days as a participant to his role as our Chair of Trustees.

- Jacky Hardacre: Artistic Director from 1997 to 2005. Jacky played a pivotal role in BYT's history as the Artistic Director when our current building was inaugurated in 2005.

- Andrew Walker: The visionary architect who had overseen the plans of Burnley Youth Theatre's main building. Not only a professional architect, Andrew was an integral part of the volunteer team that had dedicated a decade to fundraising, ensuring that our participants had a purpose-built Youth Theatre to perform in.

"Our Place: Buildings and Beginnings" was a celebration of our shared history, a testament to the power of community, and a testament to the enduring spirit of Burnley Youth Theatre. Listeners got ready to be inspired, moved, and transported back in time as we uncovered the fascinating story of our beloved BYT.