WORDS FROM OUR
FOUNDER
Founding Member
Jan Thomas (Knight)
Great Acorns from Little Acorns Grow
SYMT was born from a group of schoolboys who originally called ourselves the "Greenwood Players", but that was before any official status. I formalised us as the "Normanhurst Uniting Church Musical Society Junior Group", but it was probably a good thing that the other adults in that musical society were not as supportive as I had hoped, as it was a bit of a mouthful! In 1983, it became a separate entity called Hornsby Youth Musical Theatre (HYMT).
I was a member of the Normanhurst Uniting Church Musical Society which later played a part in SYMT’s early story, and a teacher at the community-based kindergarten, both of which used the church halls. I was also voluntary ‘mother’ to the small music group at NBHS which conducted occasional lunchtime concerts which usually nobody attended except for me.
During the second term in 1979, (schools only had 3 terms in those days), a small group of Year 8 boys from Normanhurst Boys High School wrote a play and decided to perform it for the residents of Greenwood Nursing Home where they had been doing community service.
They asked me if I could get permission for them to practise and perform their play in the Uniting Church Hall then situated at the top of Hinemoa Ave. The answer was in the affirmative providing they had an adult with them, and that's how I became involved. The first thing they learnt was that there can be only one director! They couldn't agree on anything and asked for my help. As a play written by 13–14-year-olds with no theatrical knowledge, it was unmanageable.
Rewriting it was out of the question as the value in it was that they had written it themselves. All I could do was steer the ship and referee the fights! But in doing so I saw what they could do on their own - writing, planning, acting, directing, set dressing, costuming, actually working together and even enlisting the help of brothers, sisters, and friends from the Westleigh Players Junior Group. And I wondered what these kids could not do with a bit of direction. I saw their elation when they finally pulled it off and I asked if they would like to stay together and form a theatrical group.
It was always community-based, though the local schools were very helpful. Mr Perrin Deputy Principal at NBHS lent the Greenwood Players one of his own plays to pad out the original concert, Mr Forgacs as above, and Mr Jones Principal of NPS gave us the free use of the school hall for rehearsals and later, with some classrooms as dressing rooms, for performances.
In those days most high schools put on an annual musical show but this was mainly to showcase the school rather than developing talent in the individual. Consequently, participation was limited to those most talented, or especially in the case of boys, those least intimidated by classroom bullies. In the community, they were free of these restraints.
Then on 15 September, the first Saturday after school resumed, we had our first rehearsal for an end of year show that was a compilation of songs set as a Music Hall Show and appropriately called ‘Down at the Old Bull and Bush’. We estimated our audiences would be Mum, Dad, Grannie and Aunty Flo, and we could take our Show to Greenwood and Bowden Brae, hence the old time and similar songs. Fortunately, the Bull and Bush was very flexible and open-ended, and we could just add more characters and songs to our pub scene as more kids heard about us and rolled up. By the time the show went to air, we had trebled our numbers.
As well as the kids developing their theatrical talent and skills, there were others including parents discovering they had technical and leadership skills they didn't know they had. From a one-man-band and my housekeeping budget to a committee of mothers (and their housekeeping budgets), to a committee that included parents who were bankers, they realised this was not just something to keep the kids off the street, it was something their kids were very serious about, and this was worth pursuing.
Once I realised, after the first year or so, that it wasn't going to go away and more kids kept coming. I thought that if it only lasted as long as I did, it would still have been a force for good for the kids of the district.
And yet here it is, so many kids later, so many parents, so many committee members, so many cast and crews, still providing youth opportunities to grow. We were originally called Hornsby Musical Society which changed to Sydney Youth Musical Theatre (Hornsby Inc) in 1989. SYMT has continued with the ages of the cast below 25 so younger people have more opportunities in the theatre. There were and still are many adult musical societies in the Northern Districts, all using the name “Society”, and I didn't want us to be just a kids' version of yet another Society competing with them. The word “Theatre” seemed in keeping with our aim of *helping kids develop their talent through learning the skills of story-telling in music and drama. And this was where we differed from other musical societies. We shared all the usual concerns about choosing a popular show that would put bums-on-seats and ensure the future of the group, but our shows also had to be chosen with the best interests of each individual child in mind. And in every show, each child was given his moment of fame centre-stage.
From, little acorns, great oaks grow. In those early days we didn't look beyond the following year. Who would have thought that over 45 years late, SYMT would not only still be going strong, but selling shows to thousands of patrons and be setting standards of excellence that we didn't dare dream of?”
"SYMT began in the community, has remained in the community and I hope will always do so."
So, here we are - from Down at the Old Bull and Bush, a 19th century pub sketch with old time songs for our nursing home audience at the church hall, to 2024 Riverside and Glen Street Theatres, SYMT never ceases to amaze me. I believe it is one of the Wonders of the Modern World. From the humble beginnings, and through the hard work and dedication of thousands, of people over the years it has slotted seamlessly into and remains relevant in a totally different world from that of 1979. And yet it still maintains its foundation philosophy of providing a nurturing environment where every child or young person can thrive.
I'm very interested in following the fortunes of SYMT in a professional purpose-built theatre after all the years of church halls, school halls and community stages. First your own designated rehearsal space in the Scout Hall, now a proper theatre. It is a compliment to the dedicated and hardworking committee, cast and crew that SYMT is still forging forward.
I'm extremely proud of SYMT and grateful to you all for all your hard work and commitment - and believe me, I know what that entails. Billy Elliot will be SYMT’s 96th production.