ZooCo & Boundless Young Company

Croydon companies ZooCo & Boundless are teaming up and starting a new Young Company (YoCo) for 16-21 year olds.

Through workshops, a residential, and a summer intensive, we’ll come together, try things out, and create a brand new show with a writer and a team of creatives – finishing with a run of performances at a central London theatre, Summer 2026.

You don’t need any drama training or experience making theatre. You just need to be up for it – and it’s free!

What you’ll get as part of YoCo:

• Make a new play from start to finish, and perform it at a central London theatre alongside a professional creative team.
• Gain experience in devising, acting, movement, telling stories visually, improvisation.
• Learn about the roles involved in theatre productions, including set, video and sound design, stage management, costume and more.
• Learn about creating accessible theatre (for example, creative captioning, incorporating BSL and relaxed performances).
• Work with Flo & Pav, the Artistic Directors of ZooCo & Boundless.
• Gain professional theatre experience to support you to begin a career in the arts, with support and mentoring to aid your next steps. People from ZooCo’s YoCo have gone on to study at the Brit School, and at the Central School of Speech and Drama.
• New skills, new mates, lots of fun.

When does YoCo take place:

To participate in YoCo, you’ll need to be able to attend the following dates:

• 18th & 19th October: a two-day theatre workshop intensive, at Deptford Lounge
• 30th March – 2nd April 2026: Spring residential, location to be confirmed
• 20–24th & 27–31st July: two weeks of rehearsals at Stanley Arts
• 3rd – 8th August: tech and performances at a central London theatre

In addition to these key dates, there will also be opportunities to join additional workshops throughout the programme, led by Flo & Pav, or by members of the creative team in the lead-up to the show.  

YoCo is free to take part in, open to young people aged 16-21 in South London, who have a connection to Croydon. We especially welcome young people who are Global Majority, LGBTQ+, deaf, disabled or neurodivergent.

Access

Zoo Co & Boundless believe that theatre is better when everybody is invited, and we share that ethos with the young theatremakers in our YoCo. Sessions are open to young people with various access needs, please let us know if you/your young person has any access requirements. Flo is hearing and signs at about BSL Level 3.

Interested in joining YoCo?

You’ll need to come to our Theatre Intensive Weekend, where through improv, play and devising, we’ll make stuff, and get to know each other. 

• 18-19th October, 10-5 at Deptford Lounge 

This weekend will be a chance to flex your skills – and learn some new ones, make friends, get creative, and get to know us. Each day will be different, so we encourage you to come to both if possible! 

From the participants of the weekend in October, we’ll recruit 8 artists to become members of the Zoo Co x Boundless Young Company 2026, who will join us for the full project and summer production, starting in Jan 2026 – and you’ll have the chance to see if it’s the right fit for you too. We’re looking to meet people who are passionate about making and performing theatre, love working collaboratively, and who want to explore and be part of creating a ground-breaking, electric new production. No previous experience necessary. 

FAQs

What will be happening at the October Weekend? 

The weekend will be packed with different creative workshops that allow you to explore and learn a range to things – from acting to improvisation, game design to devising, creating your own monologue to creating your own soundtrack, and more. We’ll explore a range of styles and techniques using Zoo Co and Boundless’s theatre-making techniques. This weekend will be a chance to get to know each other and start to explore what we might want to make a show about.  

Is the October weekend an audition? 

Whilst this weekend isn’t an ‘audition’ in the traditional sense – you won’t be given a script and be expected to perform – it is a chance for us to get to know you, and vice versa. This Young Company is all about experimentation, collaboration, and co-creating original work from scratch, so we want to see that you’re interested in this way of working, and that you’re keen and committed to the programme. Spaces on the YoCo are limited, and so we may not be able to take on everyone who attends the Intensive. The weekend will be fun, and will give you the chance to get creative and learn new skills – and if you decide the full YoCo isn’t quite right for you, that’s fine too. 

Do I need to attend both days of the October weekend? 

We would love it if you could join us for both days, so we can really get to know each other, however we understand if you can’t commit to all sessions. You can let us know in the sign-up form. 

If I can’t make it to the October weekend can I still join the YoCo? 

We want to make sure that we can get to know each other prior to committing to the whole project, and make sure it’s the right fit for you. If you can’t make it to the first weekend, we are unlikely to be able to offer you a place on the YoCo. 

When will I know if I have a place on YoCo? 

After the October weekend we will be in touch to confirm if you have a place on YoCo – likely in November 2025. 

When is the spring residential? 

The spring residential takes place in the Easter holidays, from Monday 30th March – Thursday 2nd April 2026 – location to be confirmed. Transport, accommodation and food will be provided. If you are studying for exams, you are welcome to bring revision with you and we can set up a quiet study space.

What are the dates for the Summer Intensive and the show? 

Between 20–24th & 27–31st July we’ll have two weeks of rehearsals at Stanley Arts, followed by a week of tech & performances from the 3rd – 8th August, which will take place at a central London theatre. In the lead up to rehearsals (over June/July) there will be a number of drop-in workshops at Stanley Arts exploring different elements of the production, for example set & sound design, lighting, stage management – exact schedule to be confirmed. 

What will the show be about? 

That’s up to you! We’ll be co-creating the show entirely from scratch, you’ll decide as a group what you want to make a show about. At the Spring residential, we’ll have a young writer (21-25) with us, who will work with you to develop the story, and then write the script afterwards. 

Do I need to have any experience making theatre? 

No. You just need to be up for it. 

If I don’t want to perform, are there other ways I can be involved? 

Absolutely. If you’d prefer not to perform in the final show, you can still be involved in the devising and creation process, and in the lead up to the show, you can learn about and get involved in other areas of the production, for example directing, set & sound design, marketing, stage management, lighting etc. 

Are there any costs associated with taking part in YoCo? 

There are no fees to pay to be part of the YoCo. The programme is fully funded, with thanks to ZooCo & Boundless’ funders (Arts Council England & Beckenham Theatre Trust). The Spring residential is fully funded, so your transport, accommodation and food will all be provided – you do not need to pay anything. The only costs you will incur will be transport costs to get to the workshops, rehearsals and show. If this is a barrier to you taking part, please let us know and we can chat about how to support you. 

What is your safeguarding policy? 

ZooCo are the designated safeguarding leads for YoCo, and you can view their safeguarding policy here. All facilitators and artists on the programme are DBS checked. 

What do you mean by connected to Croydon? 

You might have lived, worked or studied in Croydon, or perhaps you’ve spent time in the borough with friends and family growing up. Maybe you go to classes at Stanley Arts, or you see the panto every year at Fairfield Halls. As two Croydon-based companies, it’s important to us that the YoCo and the work we make is connected to our home. 

Any other questions? 

If you have any questions about YoCo, would like this form in a different format or face any barriers to applying please contact ruth@wearezooco.co.uk