Theatre and wellbeing for young Black men

The Trybe is open to young Black men aged 16–25 living in London. No previous theatre or performance experience is needed — just a willingness to turn up, get involved, and be part of a creative community.

We welcome self-referrals and referrals from schools, youth workers, social workers, and other professionals. If you’re not sure whether The Trybe is right for you or someone you know, get in touch and we’ll have a conversation.

If you’re a teacher, youth worker, social worker, or other professional working with young Black men aged 16–25, you can refer someone to THT by contacting us directly. We’ll arrange an informal conversation with the young person to understand what they’re looking for and which programme might be the best fit.

We don’t require formal assessments or lengthy paperwork. Our referral process is designed to be as low-barrier as possible — a phone call or email is enough to get started.

No. All THT programmes are completely free for participants. This includes weekly sessions, summer intensives, workshops, and any productions or performances. We also cover travel expenses for those who need support getting to sessions.

We believe cost should never be a barrier to creative opportunity. Our work is funded through grants, partnerships, and donations.

No. Most of our participants have never done any formal theatre training before joining. Our facilitators are experienced at meeting people where they are and building skills from the ground up. Whether you’ve never set foot on a stage or you’ve been performing since school, there’s a place for you.

What matters is showing up consistently, being open to trying new things, and respecting the space and the people in it.

We’re always open to partnerships that create meaningful opportunities for young Black men in the arts. Whether you’re a theatre, school, funder, corporate partner, or community organisation, there are ways to work together.

Current partnerships range from co-producing work and hosting residencies to funding specific programmes and providing mentoring opportunities. The best partnerships start with a conversation — contact us to explore what’s possible.

THT is funded through a combination of grants from arts and youth funders, earned income from partnerships and commissions, and individual donations. Our funders have included Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and various trust and foundation supporters.

We also generate income through our schools workshop programme and creative commissions with partner theatres. If you’re interested in supporting THT’s work, we’d love to hear from you.

Yes. We deliver bespoke drama workshops for schools, colleges, pupil referral units, and youth organisations. Workshops can be half-day or full-day and are tailored to your needs — whether that’s curriculum-linked drama, PSHE enrichment, or creative team-building.

Our facilitators are DBS-checked and experienced at working with a wide range of young people, including those who may be disengaged from mainstream education. Contact us to discuss your requirements and availability.

Trybe House Theatre (THT) is an arts organisation that uses theatre and creative practice to support young Black men aged 16–25. Founded by Philip J Morris, THT runs weekly ensemble sessions, workshops, productions, and wellbeing programmes across London. Everything we do starts from a belief that young Black men deserve spaces where they can be creative, be challenged, and be themselves.

We work with partners including the National Theatre, Young Vic, Royal Court Theatre, and many others to create professional-quality work that centres the voices and stories of our participants.

When we talk about transformation, we mean the deep, lasting change that happens when a young person discovers they have something powerful to say — and that people want to hear it. It’s not about fixing anyone. It’s about creating the conditions where young men can grow in confidence, develop new skills, build meaningful relationships, and see new possibilities for their futures.

Transformation at THT is holistic. It’s creative (developing artistic skills), personal (building confidence and resilience), social (forming a supportive community), and practical (progressing into education, employment, or further creative work).