WEST SIDE STORY Set for NYMT's 50th Anniversary Season

More than 1,300 young people auditioning across 13 cities and 20 audition days, the National Youth Music Theatre marks its 50th anniversary with the announcement of an ambitious new programme. The season celebrates half a century of nurturing the next generation of musical theatre talent and looks ahead to the future of the organisation.

From large scale musicals to new writing workshops, masterclasses and residential skills courses, NYMT continues to provide a creative launchpad where young people from across the UK can develop their craft and perform at the highest level. The programme has been designed to allow young people with a wide range of skills across performance, music, design and technical theatre to engage with and develop their practice.

The 2026 season explores the theme of dreams. It celebrates 50 years of dreams already realised through NYMT and looks forward to the dreams still to come. Dreams can come from many places, whether that is the pursuit of opportunity, the discovery of identity or the desire to understand more about the world and oneself. This season is about sharing stories that reflect those ambitions and experiences.

One of the Landmark Productions of the anniversary season is The Ragged Child, a revival of the much-loved musical by Richard Taylor and Jeremy James Taylor. The production returns to its original home after becoming one of the most frequently performed shows at the Rose Theatre. A company of more than 50 young people is co-directed by Jeremy James Taylor and Charley Harris, with musical direction by Nick Chave and Alex Miranda Diaz, and movement direction by Charley Harris. The creative team is completed by Latin American Cultural and Movement Consultation from Andrea Pelaez, Jonathan Holby as Fight Director and casting from Natalie Gallacher (for Pippa Allion Casting). The revival gives audiences the chance to rediscover a beloved NYMT classic while introducing it to a new generation of performers and viewers.

The Birmingham programme opens with West Side Story, the iconic musical by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents. Featuring a cast of 40 performers and an orchestra of more than 30, the production explores themes of love, division and hope. It requires strong vocalists, actors and dancers to deliver a dynamic ensemble performance, with choreography at its heart. The creative team includes Rupert Hands as director, Giovanna Ryan as musical director, Nick Barstow as orchestrator, George Beets as choreographer, Julia Cave as intimacy coordinator and Libby Todd as designer. This production reimagines the classic for modern audiences while preserving its emotional power. NYMT returns to Birmingham Hippodrome following last year's season, continuing its partnership to bring fresh musicals and young talent to the stages.

Another highlight of the season is Just So, the musical by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The show follows a group of characters on a journey of discovery and identity, making it particularly resonant for young performers. The creative team includes director Georgie Rankcom, musical director Josh Cotell, choreographer Sam Wilson Freeman and designer Libby Todd. As the characters search for their place in the world, the production explores themes that continue to speak strongly to young people today.

Every Day, a new musical by Martha Geelan and Nick Barstow in association with DEM Productions. Inspired by David Levithan's novel, the piece features a contemporary score and a unique approach in which the entire ensemble shares the role of the central character. The writers will be present throughout rehearsals, allowing the company to shape the work alongside the creative team. Direction is by Martha Geelan, musical direction by Matthew Herbert, choreography by Jane McMurtrie and design by Libby Todd. New musical development has always been central to NYMT's work, and Every Day continues this tradition by showcasing exciting new British writing.

Alongside the productions, NYMT will run a series of New Musical Workshops designed to explore the development of original musical theatre. These workshops provide a creative laboratory for storytelling through music, movement and character. Participants will collaborate closely with writers and creative teams, experimenting with ideas and developing new material in an environment that encourages imagination, risk taking and collaboration.

Directors involved in the workshop programme include Tinovimbanashe Sibanda, Kirsty Smith, Dan Okello Bird, Sarah Redmond, Darren John, Jonathan Mawson, Hannah Chissick, Jake Smith, Jane McMurtrie, Kelvin Towse, Aimee Leigh, Leanne Pinder, Denise Crowley, Ben Barrow, Lee Freeman and Stacey McCarth.

As part of the season, NYMT will also perform at the FUSE International Festival with GROWL The Reunion, with the book and lyrics by Timothy Knapman and the music and Lyrics by Laurence Mark Wythe. Created with Serious Play and Youth Theatre Kenya to celebrate the international partnership and training programme launched with the original NYMT cast in 2019. Written by Timothy Knapman, the piece offers a playful retelling of the Big Bad Wolf story and features performers who have gone on to work across the theatre industry. The anniversary season also includes new musicals in development with young performers: Unbound by Matthew Harvey (7–12 April 2026), Lifelines by Hayley Canham (25–29 May 2026), The Unstoppable Letty Pegg by Helen Arney and James Hughes (20–25 July 2026), The Ballad of Raggedy Alice by Robert Messik and Roy Raby (2–7 August 2026), and School Play by Mat Pritchard and Tom Williams (9–14 August 2026).

Chris Cuming, Artistic Director of the National Youth Music Theatre, comments, "Dreams are often pushed aside for reality or practicality, but dreams are something we all have every day. They allow us to be brave, bold and ambitious in our thinking. For 50 years NYMT has brought new work to young people, helping them understand the power of storytelling while giving them the opportunity to perform on some of the country's biggest stages. As we celebrate this milestone, we are also looking forward to the next 50 years. The youth voice will only continue to grow, and NYMT will be there to support it in whatever form that takes."

THE NATIONAL YOUTH MUSIC THEATRE

Founded in 1976, the NYMT represents the very best in work with young people through music theatre, enabling thousands of young people from across the UK to develop both their creative and personal potential.

These opportunities exist for stage performers, musicians, technicians, and stage crew and, through our Creative & Production pathways - aspiring directors, musical directors, choreographers, and designers.

Those who benefit from NYMT will follow in the footsteps of its patrons and alumni, including multi-award-winning household names such as Idris Elba, Joe Griffiths-Brown (Phantom of the Opera), Mike Jibson (Hamilton), and Rosy Church (Les Misérables). New patrons include West End star Kerry Ellis, critically acclaimed Matt Lucas, award-winning Amara Okereke, and Callum Scott Howells from It's a Sin.