Harlequin Youth Theatre Trustees’ Annual Report Period From March 2023 to June 2024
HARLEQUIN YOUTH THEATRE
Contents of the Accounts for the period ended 30th June 2024
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Report of the Trustees | 1 - 11 |
| Report of the Independent Examiner | 12 |
| Receipts and Payments Account | 13 |
| Statement of Balances | 14 |
| Notes to the Accounts | 15 |
Charity contact information Harlequin Youth Theatre Scottish Charity Number: SC052420 htt s:Ilwww.harle uin outh.GO.ukl htt s"Ilwww.facebook.comlHarle uinEasbNoodTheatreForYouth HARLEQUINYOUTH Page 1
Charity Trustees Page 2
Objectives and activities
The purposes of Harlequin are:
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(i) To provide young people with the opportunity to take part at every point in a variety of dramatic productions, developing their skills in musical theatre.
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(ii) To stimulate, through these productions, interest in drama, dance and music of all kinds.
Our aim as a non-profit organisation is to promote, foster and develop musical theatre for young people within the local community. Since 1977, when the club was formed, Harlequin Youth Theatre has provided an opportunity for young people to perform thus deepening our members passion for theatre and performance and enabling young people to grow and develop their skills and confidence. We strive to provide young people with the opportunity to gain experience from working with highly skilled, creative industry experts and to deliver a high standard theatrical experience for our audiences.
The membership for the club includes 100 young people, aged between 9 and 21 from our community as performing members. In addition, there are also over 40 adult members who continue their involvement within the club in a range of supporting roles.
We recognise the immense benefit performing can have on our members mental health from encouraging interaction with peers in a safe space, getting exercise through dance, being creative, enhancing self-confidence and enjoying the positivity that is created by the arts. Dramatic arts are character building and life affirming and the experience a young person gains with Harlequin compliments the skills offered in schools.
We take immense pride in all our members which is reinforced by the family ethos that is instilled within our club. We strive to provide opportunities for young people to express themselves in an environment they enjoy, whilst allowing them to expand their skillset and knowledge of theatre.
Structure, governance and management
Type of governing document
Club constitution as previously submitted and published on our website.
Trustee recruitment and appointment
Trustees are recruited and appointed in accordance with our constitution.
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Achievements and performance In March 2023, our club received fantsstic news which we have been working on for a long time. We secured our charitable status and became a SCIO. On becoming a SCIO, we changed our name to Harlequin Youth Theatre. The club is extremely grateful to for their work in securing this for us. Frozen Jr was perfomied in EaSoOd Park Theatre in June 2023. Jen Clokey returned to the club to direct the production. We welcomed a past performing member, Nathan Feeney, to musically direct Frozen. produced the show. We were lucky to have many assistants for this show as Assistant MD, as assistant producer and as assistant director. This show was another big ticket sales success and It was lovely to see children dressed as their favourite characters coming to see the show. The production also showcased the fantastic talent of our junior section the quality of the cast singing altogether blew audiences away. Page 4
Please find the presidents report reflecting on the 2023-24 session and was shared with members at our Annual General Meeting on th 14 August 2024. Presldent Report (Wce Presldent) We started our year back in August in very similar fashion to the year before, mid- rehearsals for our Senior show. This is now our new normal resuming rehearsals ror a production after the summer break. The show of Ghoice was Legally Blonde, where the club returned to HaNard for a 2nd term following our production back in 2016. The show was directed by and assisted by returned as musical director reprising his role from 2016 along with as prOdur. was supported by as assistant producer. Taking on her first senior show was our Choreographer, completed our production team line up as Costume Lead. In October, we returned to East Kilbridge Village Theatre for the second time to bring this show to the stage and onGe again we received a warm welcome from the staff there. The show was a real success bringing together the best of talents from our members and received high praise from our Noda representatives and audiences. In September we welcomed back our Junior section who started their preparations ror pantomime at cirGUS workshops out in Paisley. Our young members received training on ariel aGrobatlGS along with learning lots of new skills that we cannot offer in house. This was a wonderful opportunity that we were able to offer our members thanks to Gommunity funding we received following our relatively new status as a charity. While our seniors were still in rehearsals for Legally Blonde, we continued with Iwo l)ootcamp style rehearsals to get them back into familiar territory through singing and dance. Page 5
Our junior and senior sections then came together to begin rehearsals for pantomime which this year was Mother Goose. Our production team was made up as director who we welcomed back to the club having previously been a performing member and had directed our seniors ft)r Our House which unfortunately we did not get to perform at the last minute due to COVID lockdown. It is always nice to welcome new members to the production team for the first time joined as assistant director and as Choreographer, also previously a performing member of the club. As producer, I joined the team for the first time in this role and returned as our Costume Lead. We welcomed in 2024 with a few remaining rehearsals and returned to Eastwood Park Theatre for show week. Nobody could have predicted what followed at the start of the week when the majority of Gast were brought down with a sickness bug. We had to make the difficult decision to Gancel our opening night on the Tuesday and instead used this as an additional dress rehearsal. l am so proud or the Gast who stood in, taking on principal parts for the first time and a huge amount of thanks to the committee and parents who helped us get through the problems we faced and ensured we were ready for an audience on the Wednesday night. l am delighted that the rest of the week ran smoothly, and our full cast were able to return for the remaining performances. This was our third time performing our Pantomime in January and our audiences came in their hundreds enjoying the trials and tribulations of Mother Gooses circus. Page 6
In different circumstances and in just over a week after leaving the theatre we returned one Winter Sunday moming to the auditorium of Eastwood Theatre to watch a performance. However this was no ordinary performance, this was a screening of Frozen Junior that was performed by our own club back in June 2023. l am prety confident in stating this was the first time we sat and watched one of our owrp shows back in the very same venue that we performed in. Thank you to who oversaw the filming and technical side of things during the recording and screening processl As one show ended, lots of hard work behind the scenes ensured the Club was ready to get started on another production however as tradition we Gelebrated in style at our annual Christmas party in late January. This party was like another standalone show in itself with our members reminiscing lots of songs and dance routines from previous shows. A big thank you to for organising this party in their roles on the committee as performing members. With only one week of not rehearsing, Harlequin were ready to start work on our next production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Ourproduction team assembled with as director (no stranger to Disney) having been assistant director ror Frozen. The show was musically directed by who in contrast, took on his first Disney show with us. In their shared role as Choreographers, we welcomed in her first production team role alongside Experienced producer ensured the Hollywood dream Lvas managed effectively and brought characters to life in her role as Costume Lead. Breaking slightly from tradition the club brought our Juniors and Seniors together for this full scale Disney production which was ready to bring to Eastwood Park Theatre in June. Our get-in was a huge team effort and I would like to thank as production manager along with stage manager for Page 7
overseeing the build and keeping us safe. The show was a huge success, and the Disney magic stayed with us all week, receiving amazing reviews from audiences and our NODA reps. The complexity of our show calendar meant there was yet again, an overlap in preparing for productions. Our Seniors are currently rehearsing for RENT and we had to plan in advance so that we maximised the remaining weeks in June to rehearse. We auditioned and welcomed in new members to the club mid-may and got the show Gast ensuring we were ready for rehearsals to start as soon as Beauty and the Beast closed. We return to E8St Kilbride Village Theatre in the first week of October for the school edition of RENT which will be the first time we perform this show as a club. Page 8
Our impact can be measured by the reaction and high praises from audiences who come to watch our productions. We are a member of NODA, National Operatic and Dramatic Association, who regularly come to support our shows. Please find some recent extracts from NODA representatives who publish show reports:
Legally Blonde 2023
“The stage was full of a large cast, all of whom handled the big, choreographed numbers impressively, with confident vocals and each person acting out their own character in the scenes. In particular the last three numbers “Legally Blonde - Remix” , “Scene of the Crime” and “Find My Way/Finale” really left the audience wanting more.
The whole production team and team at Harlequin should be commended for working with a large cast number and executing the show so smoothly.”
Mother Goose 2024
“As with every Harlequin panto, there was a buzz in the audience before the curtain went up, and this was matched by the high energy the cast throughout the performance.
The central characters were supported by a tight ensemble and the production team should be commended for pulling together this fabby panto. Congrats Harlequin on another success, I can’t wait for next years!”
Disney’s Beauty & The Beast 2024
“All the principals were well cast in their roles, and each presented and embodied their characterisations throughout the show.
All these performances were just excellent and gave the feel of solid professional stage performances. The central characters within the story were supported by an energetic ensemble, who handled the company scenes and songs with a sense of ease, producing colourful movement and very impressive choral numbers. The harmonies were excellent and very impressive, especially considering the age of some of the younger members.”
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Financial review
Harlequin Youth Theatre previously operated as an unincorporate organisation. The transfer of funds from this unincorporated organisation has been shown as income resulting in a larger than normal surplus of £90,617. The surplus excluding the transfer of funds was £6,923.
The trading income and expenditure relates to the performances during the period and these operated at a small surplus of £4,421. This is the surplus on a cash basis but if the money owed at the end of the period was taken into consideration this would be a small deficit. The subscriptions, donations and fundraising income are therefore essential to cover the running costs.
Statement of the charity’s policy on reserves
The Trustees believe that around two months of annual expenditure is an appropriate level of reserves in order to cover the timing differences between receipts and payments and to allow for any unexpected items of expenditure on events or equipment. Reserves at the end of the year were £90,617. This covers the reserves policy and gives working capital for the production of shows, which often require most of the costs to be paid for in advance of receiving the majority of the ticket income. Future plans
June 2025 – Bugsy Malone - - https://www.ercultureandleisure.org/events/harlequin bugsy malone/
October 2025 – Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat March 2026 – Grease
June 2026 – Matilda (Junior)
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Declaration Signed on behalf of the charity trustees: Print name Designation Date 'Z7/0517r Page11
HARLEQUIN YOUTH THEATRE
Report of the Independent Examiner for the period ended 30th June 2024
I report on the accounts of the Charity for the period ended 30th June 2024 which are set out on pages 3 to 5.
Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The Charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The Charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of regulation 10(1) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report
My examination was carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the Accounts.
Independent Examiner’s Statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations;
have not been met, or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Independent Examiner
Date: 27th March 2025
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HARLEQUIN YOUTH THEATRE
Receipts and payments accounts for the period ended 30th June 2024
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
| Notes RECEIPTS Transfer from unincorporated club Subscriptions Donations and legacies Trading income Other income TOTAL RECEIPTS PAYMENTS Charitable activities 2 Trading expenses Purchase of equipment TOTAL PAYMENTS Net receipts/payments Transfers between funds Surplus/(deficit) after transfers Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward |
Unrestricted Restricted 2024 Funds Funds Total £ £ £ 77,925 - 77,925 10,513 - 10,513 14,016 14,016 83,694 - 83,694 1,737 - 1,737 187,885 - 187,885 17,140 - 17,140 79,273 - 79,273 854 854 97,268 - 97,268 90,617 - 90,617 - - - 90,617 - 90,617 - - - 90,617 - 90,617 |
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The notes on page 5 form part of these accounts.
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HARLEQUIN YOUTH THEATRE
Receipts and payments accounts for the period ended 30th June 2024
STATEMENT OF BALANCES
| Notes Bank and cash in hand Opening balances Surplus/(deficit) for the period Closing balances Bank and cash balances Current account Savings accounts Prepaid payment card Statement of liabilities at 30 June 2024 Supplier invoices outstanding |
Unrestricted Restricted 2024 Funds Funds Total £ £ £ - - - 90,617 - 90,617 90,617 - 90,617 74,454 - 74,454 15,695 - 15,695 469 - 469 90,617 - 90,617 4,923 - 4,923 4,923 - 4,923 |
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The Accounts on pages 3 to 5 were approved by the Trustees on 27th March 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
Trustee
The notes on page 5 form part of these accounts.
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HARLEQUIN YOUTH THEATRE Notes lo the accounts for the period ended 30th June 2024 l. Accounting policies Accounting convention The accounts hav• been propar8d under the historical cost convention. on a Raceipts and Payménts basis and in accordancè vAth the CharaS Accounts (Scotlandl RogulaUons 2006 las amandedl. Roc8lpts and Pajrynonts Account For the purpose of thè Recelpts and Payments Account as shown on page 5, lunds ar& d&flned as follows.. Unrèstricted funds tomprise dtsnation, grants, trading and other incomè rètèivéd for the objécts of thè charity wthout furthér spécified purpose and arè available as genéral funds. Restricted funds cornpri5e incgme which has been received for the objec15 Qf the charity and 5pecffjied for a re5trirted purpose within these objects by the donor. Harfequin Youth Theatre preViouY operated as an unincorporated club. Ifs assets. liabilities and activTlies were transferred lo Harfequin Youth Theatre ISCO524201 on 21st March 2023. The transfer of funds have been shown as income on the receipts and payments account. 2. charabl8 actlvltles oxpensos unrostn.ctad Rastrictad Funds Funds 2024 Total School and hall lets Insurante Members. activities Honoraris & Gratuities General expenses 6,638 1,883 1,890 1,664 5.065 6,638 1,883 1.890 1.664 5.065 Total charitable activities expenditure 17.140 17.140 3. Related party transactions The following Trustees were paid graluthes for their roles on the production team of shows throughout the period. These payments where made in line Mqlh the SCIO'S constitution and were approved by the board of Trustees. The Trustees receiving the payments had no involvement in their approval.. 300 200 200 250 1,000 500 100 Thè f10n9 Trustèè was paid for gtsjds provldèd to the SCIO. Thè Trustèè retsin9 thè paymènt had no involvèmènt in the approval ofthe payment.. 2.131 Reimbursements of expenses were made lo the follomqng Iruslees in the period ending 30th June 2024 16 2,663 1,769 10 446 20 124 46 60 2.364 Page 15