SCOTT Garnham is directing The Wiz in York at the age of 18.

Not a youth musical with his teenage contemporaries but a full-scale production for Shipton Theatre Company at Joseph Rowntree Theatre next week. That puts him in charge of the likes of John Hall, Dan Hield and Robert Readman, luminaries of the York amateur stage.

"John and Dan are used to doing leading roles but they're perfectly happy playing crows in this show - though John was a bit shocked when I said 'You're a crow'," says Scott with a gleeful smile.

He is not being precocious, or even cheeky as he looks ahead to next week's production of the Charlie Smalls and William F Brown musical based on the Wizard Of Oz. Just confident. He has worked his passage to becoming a director at such a tender age (he turned 18 last Saturday).

"At the start of rehearsals, I was worried as a 17 year old how people would react to me directing them but I know this is something I have worked up to. For Shipton I was the assistant director on The Card in 2001 and co-director on Honk! and Annie Get Your Gun last year, and then I was asked if I would like to direct this production as it was a show I had mentioned to Robert Readman, who likes directing new and exciting things," says Scott.

At present studying theatre at the Yorkshire Coast College in Scarborough, Scott is looking to progress to drama school this autumn. Working with Shipton Theatre Company is giving him invaluable experience. "It'll be very odd for me not being in the show, because whenever I've co-directed I've been able to be in the cast as well, but while I love performing, I like giving myself new challenges."

So this time he is concentrating on directing the production, while also co-choreographing with Jackie Scott. "I'm one of those people who can't go on stage unless I'm 100 per cent sure I know what I'm going to do, and it's the same with directing," says Scott, who played the Scarecrow in a Ryedale Youth Theatre production of The Wiz in Malton when he was 11.

Among his cast selections is Michael Oliver as the Tin Man, his first principal role for Shipton Theatre Company at the age of 18. "I wanted to give people who hadn't had a previous opportunity to do a lead role, but who I knew were good, the chance to shine," Scott says.

Michael was a case in point. "I started at Shipton when I was ten in the chorus and this time I auditioned for this particular role, and so it's really good to be in such a fantastic, colourful show when I'm playing a lead for the first time."

He has enjoyed rehearsing under a director even younger than he is. "In a way it draws something out of you if the people you're working with are similar in age. You can really relate to the director," Michael says.

Scott has thrived on his new responsibilities but has not let authority go to his young head. "The one thing I never try to do is direct someone's characterisation, otherwise they become your puppet," he says.

"You can help them but at the core it has to be their portrayal."

Those portrayals will be ready by March 5, the opening night of a four-day run. Performances are at 7.30pm nightly, plus a 2.30pm Saturday matinee, and tickets are available from York Theatre Royal, 01904 623568, or Jill King on 01904 764429.

Updated: 09:13 Friday, February 28, 2003