FHODS Youth Section
Nurturing the Stars of Tomorrow
The FHODS Youth Section is where a lot of lasting passions for theatre begin.
Open to young people aged 12–18, the Youth Section is a creative, welcoming, and genuinely ambitious group that puts its members on a real stage in front of real audiences — at The Tower Theatre itself. No experience is needed to join. Just enthusiasm, and a willingness to give it a go.
What Members Get Involved In
The Youth Section stages its own full productions each year — musicals, plays, and original work — with members taking on roles both on stage and behind the scenes. Acting, singing, dancing, lighting, sound, costume, stage management: there’s a place for every kind of interest and every level of confidence. Sessions throughout the year include workshops and rehearsals led by Michelle Hartley, an experienced director, producer, and performer who also serves as The Tower Theatre’s Events & Marketing Manager.
Beyond the practical skills, members find something else too — a group of people who share their interests, a space where they can be themselves, and the particular kind of confidence that only comes from standing on a stage and realising you can do it.
Recent Productions
The Youth Section has a varied and impressive back catalogue, including Disney’s Newsies JR., Bugsy Malone, Little Women, Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. In recent years the productions have grown steadily more ambitious.
In 2018, the group staged the world debut production of Kilmainham Kids, directed by its author, Paul Sherman. In 2022, they presented Parasomnia — a compelling original piece devised entirely by the young performers themselves, exploring the dreams and fears of three generations of a family. In 2023, a fully choreographed Night of Musicals — put together by the members — raised significant funds for Children in Need.
In 2024, the group took on one of their most ambitious challenges yet: Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods. Sondheim is widely regarded as one of the most demanding composers and lyricists in musical theatre — complex harmonies, intricate storytelling, and material that asks a great deal even of professional performers. For a youth group to tackle it is bold. To pull it off as magnificently as they did was something genuinely special, and a testament to the dedication of every young person involved.
And in 2026, the Youth Section is venturing somewhere entirely new with When The Tanks Roll By — a bold and original production that blends live on-stage performance with film, creating something that defies easy categorisation. Working with a local film company, the young members are involved both in front of and behind the camera, as well as on the stage itself. It’s exactly the kind of adventurous, boundary-pushing project that makes the FHODS Youth Section so distinctive.
Get Involved
If you know a young person aged 12–18 who loves theatre — or who’s simply curious about it — the FHODS Youth Section would love to hear from you. For information about upcoming auditions and how to join, contact Michelle Hartley at michelle@towertheatrefolkestone.co.uk.
