STAGECOACH Youth Theatre York is putting all its energy into solving the problem of how to replace imminent funding cut-backs.

"Like many arts organisations that receive support from City of York Council, we're facing a cut, but we've decided not to let this affect our artistic ambitions," says artistic director John Cooper, at his headquarters of Stagecoach Studio Theatre, Trinity Hall, in Monkgate.

"The directors are happy to grasp the nettle and try to deal with the anticipated nine per cent cut," he says. "They have instructed me to ignore all financial constraints and go, unashamedly, for artistic excellence and the most challenging programme for our aspiring young actors."

In this vein Cooper, the Stagecoach director for 15 years, is announcing five productions for the June to December period, starting with Loving Will, a revue inspired by the works of William Shakespeare, at Trinity Hall from June 29 to July 2. Emotions of love and courtship mixed with humour and music feature in a show with excerpts from Romeo And Juliet, Twelfth Night and The Merchant Of Venice, interspersed with sonnets, songs and sketches.

"The overall objective is for a company of ten to 14 year olds to have fun performing different aspects of Shakespeare," Cooper says.

Stagecoach post-graduates will come together from university campuses in England and Scotland to present Louis de Bernieres's Sunday Morning At The Centre Of The World at this summer's Edinburgh Fringe, preceded by previews at Trinity Hall in August.

Twenty senior company members will present Shakespeare's Twelfth Night at Newby Hall and Gardens, near Ripon, on July 23 and 24 at 7.30pm and in the Rose Garden at Castle Howard from July 28 to 31 at 2.30pm. As with Loving Will, University of York undergraduates will be co-directing the production with Cooper. An all-female senior team will tackle Lorca's Spanish classic The House Of Bernarda Alba in September. The Stagecoach year will end with a new musical version of The Rose And The Ring, with music and lyrics by Cooper and a script by Stephen Wyatt, who wrote the radio adaptation of Vanity Fair for BBC Radio 4 last year.

All queries relating to membership and casting should be addressed to the Artistic Director, Stagecoach Youth Theatre York, 41, Monkgate, York YO31 8RN. Alternatively, ring John Cooper on 01904 674675.

Updated: 15:58 Thursday, March 17, 2005