A student from Taunton has gained a place on the coveted National Youth Theatre programme.
Zachary, who is currently in Year 11 at Taunton School, was awarded the place in recognition of his commitment to and talents in drama and following a rigorous audition process in which he performed a monologue, answered questions, and interacted with other aspiring actors in a group workshop on top of other activities.
Zachary said of his achievement: “To get the opportunity to join a theatre company with the prestige of NYT is an honour and a privilege. Drama is something that I hold very close to my heart.
“The feeling I get when I am under the lights in character is indescribable and to take one step closer to my dream of becoming an actor is an incredibly exciting prospect which I intend to cherish greatly.”
Zachary has had a love of drama since his first production when he was in Year 2. He then spent three years attending theatre classes at the Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre where he was involved in shows including Aladdin and The Lion King. This, paired with 14 years at Taunton School where Zachary is a Drama Scholar, helped him realise his dream of becoming an actor.
Janey Carden, Head of Co-Curricular Drama, said: “The Taunton School Drama Department is so proud of Zachary. Getting into the National Youth Theatre is not easy, with over 5,000 applicants each year, places are hard to come by, and only won by hard work, determination and talent.”
The National Youth Theatre has an illustrious alumni which includes the likes of Helen Mirren, Daniel Craig, Ed Sheeran and Florence Pugh. The institution regularly partners with Netflix, BBC, Sky and other entertainment giants to pioneer an industry-oriented approach which helps its members learn from the very best.
Throughout his time at Taunton School, Zachary has been involved in a range of productions, seven since Year 9 alone, including lead roles such as Francis Henshall in One Man, Two Guvnors and Gomez Addams in The Addams Family. Zachary is also a member of the Youth Theatre provision at Taunton’s The Brewhouse and has performed at theatres across the UK with the National Youth Music Theatre and British Youth Music Theatre programmes.
Following the completion of his GCSEs this summer, Zachary is looking forward to transitioning to Taunton School’s Sixth Form to study A-Levels and continuing to be involved in as many productions as possible. Following this, he hopes to go to drama school and complete a BA in Acting with the aim of becoming a professional actor in theatre and film, all with the help of the National Youth Theatre.
Taunton School is proud to offer a number of drama scholarships to hard-working students each year, please visit https://www.tauntonschool.co.