Every year during Summer Festival time, the City Councils of Aberdeen, Edinburgh & Glasgow are kind enough to invite Scottish Youth Theatre participants and staff to their City Chambers to offer words of support as well as some lovely catering.
On Tuesday 21 July, The Lord & Lady Provost of Edinburgh hosted the reception, with the Lord Provost delivering a message of encouragement and an interesting proposal. In return for the buffet provided, the Edinburgh Foundation Course (and Ruby from the Junior Course) were asked to perform a short piece - with only ten minutes rehearsal time! Despite looking ever so slightly petrified, the participants wowed the Lord & Lady Provost and Councillor Cameron Rose, who was also in attendance. Bravo! If that is what they can achieve with such short preparation time, who knows what the performance at the Festival Theatre this Saturday will be like! Associate Director Fraser MacLeod made a reply speech full of gratitude to the City Council of Edinburgh for being so welcoming and also, for their continuing support for the work of SYT. I have some iphone camera photos of this, will see if a bit of tweaking will improve the quality.
Last night, two further Civic Receptions took place in Aberdeen and Glasgow. Associate Director Karen McGrady-Parker travelled to Aberdeen to represent Scottish Youth Theatre at the Aberdeen Civic Reception in the St Nicholas Room at the Town House and to deliver the reply speech to the Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Peter Stephen. Images of this event to follow.
Meanwhile in Glasgow, Summer Festival participants and staff went to the City Chambers where councillors Bailie Clark and Bailie Gibson were present. Bailie Clark's speech was full of admiration and positive messages for Scotland's national youth theatre and Artistic Director Mary McCluskey thanked Glasgow City Council for being one of SYT's most fervent and long standing supporters. The Banqueting Hall was fabulous and from all accounts, the buffet was right on par with the venue.
Will post more images soon.
