The Musical Youth Company of Oxford (MYCO) is a teenage musical theatre group based in Oxford. The company was formed in 1988 and currently has over 50 members aged between 12 and 19 from all around Oxfordshire.
MYCO produces one main show per year, alternating between the Oxford Playhouse and one other Oxford theatre. Shows are staged during the Easter holidays, are always to a professional standard and always sell out! We also produce a series of concerts during the year where members showcase their vocal talent in solos and small group numbers.
MYCO has a family ethos and members participate in all our activities including shows, concerts, fundraising for local charities and workshops. It is by working together and supporting each other that we are able to reach the high standards we achieve. Many of our members go on to drama school and professional theatre work and we are proud of them, but we are equally proud of those who use skills they have learnt in MYCO to achieve in other areas. Lasting friendships are formed and a lifelong passion for the arts is ignited.
Guy has been director, musical director, choreographer or various combinations of these roles since 2003 and MYCO’s Resident Creative Director for the last 8 years. Favourite shows over the years have included a 1950s makeover of The Pirates of Penzance, Sweet Charity, Thoroughly Modern Millie and most recently an updated version of 42nd Street, set in a theatre school in NYC. This ambitious new interpretation went on to win MYCO and 42nd Street a Flame Award from NODA for ‘Inspirational Contribution to Musical Theatre’.
Julie’s association with MYCO began in 2002 when she was asked to be the vocal coach on a production of Me and My Girl. Vocal coaching turned into musical direction and before she knew it, Julie was in the orchestra pit!
Since then Julie has spent much of her free time working on productions for MYCO (including Les Misérables, Crazy for You, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Sweet Charity, Anything Goes, Guys and Dolls and Godspell), as well as for Oxford Operatic Society (including My Fair Lady, Jesus Christ Superstar, 42nd Street, Sound of Music, Legally Blonde and Sister Act).
MYCO is run by a dedicated committee of parents, former parents and others dedicated to giving young teenagers the opportunity to perform.
Since leaving drama school Jake initially workshopped and appeared in several new musicals including “42 chairs and a balloon” written by another ex MYCO member Ellie Coote. He is now a member of the company of Hamilton in the West End covering and playing John Laurens and Alexander Hamilton. It seems a long way from his first appearance with MYCO in Anything Goes in 2012! Other roles for MYCO include Billy Lawler in 42nd Street and Marius in Les Miserables. He described his first time in stage as Hamilton as “ the best of the best of nights.”
Shak is currently on the West End Stage as part of the Lion King company, covering and playing Simba, a dream of his since he played young Simba as a child. He is the first person to have played both roles!
Shak played Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls and Enjolras in Les Misèrables for MYCO. Since graduating from drama school he has also toured the UK in Hairspray and MYCO benefited from this when he lead a zoom session for MYCO in lockdown, teaching us the professional moves to “You can’t stop the beat”.
Kelly, who played Charity in MYCO’s production of Sweet Charity is currently covering and playing Rhonda Graham in Tina Turner the Musical at. the Aldwych theatre. She has also recently appeared in School of Rock in the West End.
