Sylvia Ruffell OBE (née Bakal; 18 September 1939 – 30 July 2025), known professionally as Sylvia Young,[1] was a British theatre school founder who was the founder and principal of Sylvia Young Theatre School in London, England.[2]

Sylvia Young Theatre School

Young founded her theatre school in 1981 in Drury Lane, London, before moving to its current Marylebone premises in 1983.[3][4] The school is co-educational and provides a combination of academic and vocational classes for children aged 10 to 16 years. The academic curriculum encompasses GCSEs, while the vocational curriculum teaches acting, dance and music.[5][6]

Personal life and death

Young married Norman Ruffell in Hackney, London, in 1961 and had two children, actresses Frances Ruffelle and Alison Ruffelle. Young's granddaughter is pop singer Eliza Doolittle.[7]

Young died on 30 July 2025, at the age of 85.[8][9]

Styles and honours

She was the subject of This Is Your Life in December 1998 when she was surprised by Michael Aspel at the Sylvia Young Theatre School.[10] Young was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2005 Birthday Honours for her services to the arts.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Sayer, Emine (11 April 2022). "'I don't want any stage school brats!': Sylvia Young on nurturing Billie Piper, Daniel Kaluuya and a host of stars". The Guardian.
  2. ↑ Evans, Connie (24 March 2022). "Theatre school founder among recipients of special Olivier award". Belfast Telegraph.
  3. ↑ Beckett, Andy (18 May 1999). "Blonde ambition". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  4. ↑ Welham, Jamie (19 September 2008). "Sylvia Young Theatre School to stage an exit". West End Extra. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
  5. ↑ Millward, Tom (30 July 2025). "Stage school pioneer Sylvia Young has died aged 86". What's On Stage. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "Home". Sylvia Young Theatre School. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  7. ↑ "Eliza Doolittle lives with mum". Belfast Telegraph. 28 July 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  8. ↑ "Sylvia Young: Theatre school founder who helped launch careers of Dua Lipa and Amy Winehouse dies aged 86". BBC News. 30 July 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  9. ↑ Bakare, Lanre (30 July 2025). "'True visionary' theatre school founder Sylvia Young dies aged 86". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  10. ↑ "Jazz Shaper: Sylvia Young". Mishcon de Reya. 13 March 2021.
  11. ↑ Welham, Jamie; Moore-Bridger, Benedict (19 September 2008). "Theatre school of the stars is on the move". Evening Standard. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvia_Young