The National Youth Theatre (NYT), the world’s leading youth arts organisation, will travel to Brighton in February 2017 to hold auditions for new members to join its prestigious membership. Successful applicants will follow in the footsteps of celebrated alumni such as Helen Mirren, Academy Award-winner Chiwetel Ejiofor and Daniel Craig.

Last year seven successful young people from Brighton were selected to join the company from a record 4,830 applicants.  Having celebrated 60 years of supporting emerging talent, the company is looking to the future in its search for young people interested in building a career within the industry.

 

Daisy Lewis, star of ITV’s Downton Abbey, has paid tribute to NYT for supporting her in her early career development:

“We create Olympic storytellers in this country and the National Youth Theatre is Team GB. It was where I grew up, where I learned how to be an actor, but more importantly how to be a member of a diverse society where I was judged solely on merit. I would not be who I am or have had the career I love without the NYT. Even if you don’t think you’re going to be an actor you should audition because it’s an amazing experience.”

 

 

After a successful audition at Brighton College for NYT’s Intake Acting Course, applicants aged 14-17 will gain a space on NYT’s Junior Acting Course; successful applicants aged 18-25 will join NYT’s three-week Senior Acting Course or a four week Epic Stages Course. Intake courses take place in August. Acting Auditions consist of three-hour group workshops and an individual performance of a prepared speech. Speeches should be from a published play, learned by heart. The NYT membership that participants receive on completion will allow them the opportunity to showcase their acting abilities through the NYT’s productions, locally, nationally and internationally. As part of membership, participants can also be, considered to be part of the NYT REP Training Company, a group of members who train with the NYT full time for a year, fully funded, as a free performance training initiative.

 

Artistic Director Paul Roseby said:

“We want to meet any young person with a spark looking for a life-changing experience, regardless of whether they’ve acted before, what they look like or where they come from. We’re proud to have offered a home for undiscovered young talent for the last 60 years and to celebrate the voices of Britain’s brilliantly diverse youth. Everyone can feel like a misfit until they find an identity and a home and many young people find that at the National Youth Theatre. I can’t wait to meet young people from across the country and see them start their stories with us this year.”

 

Audition dates are now on sale and can be purchased here, Masterclass course dates can be purchased here. Applicants need to apply by 6 February. Auditions cost £46 and the NYT operate a bursary fund for those suffering from financial hardship. This year they have given away a record £140,000 worth of bursaries.

 

More information on Backstage and Masterclass courses and how to join can be found on the National Youth Theatre’s website at www.nyt.org.uk and you can follow the organisation on Twitter @NYTofGB