National Youth Theatre Announce Free Audition Workshops Around The UK

The National Youth Theatre (NYT) has announced Audition Open Days around the UK - a free workshop giving young people audition advice and introducing them to the NYT ethos and the world of theatre making. National Youth Theatre Audition Open Days will be available across the country including Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Northampton and Southampton, as well as online and at NYT's Creative Production House in London. All Open Days can be found here.

National Youth Theatre auditions advice from NYT Patron and Alumnus Matt Smith:
"Pick a speech that you like, work as hard as you can and try your absolute best, but don't put too much pressure on yourself. If you don't get in this year there's always next year. It's a great company and if you work hard, apply yourself and bring the right spirit, it's a place where you can really learn and develop and a company that will nurture you."

The Open Day workshop explores self-taping for auditions, ideal for those who have not experienced self-taping before or who want to further explore their approach. Following the workshop there will be a Q&A where participants can learn from National Youth Theatre Associate Artists and Ambassadors about upcoming opportunities and what to expect as a National Youth Theatre Member.

National Youth Theatre Auditions Open Days are ideal for young people aged 13-25 who are interested in taking part in auditions to join the charity in 2022. Successful auditionees can go on to appear in high-profile NYT productions, which in 2021 included shows at London Fashion Week, COP26 and leading theatres in London and around the UK. This year's auditions take place online via the National Youth Theatre Hub. You can sign up for the Hub Subscription here for just £2-a-month and free bursary places are available. Over 5,500 young people have subscribed to the NYT Hub since it was launched in November 2020 in response to the pandemic.

The Hub gives subscribers access to over 24 online interactive workshops and talks a-year with industry leaders and NYT alumni. Recent guests have included NYT Patron Ian McKellen, Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People), a??a??pa?? Dìrísù (Gangs of London) and Emma Rice (Wise Children). Subscribers can also access online resources including a self-tape masterclass with alumnus and Patron Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, Die Another Day), a writing workshop with playwright and screenwriter James Graham (Quiz, Labour of Love) and a directing workshop with Prasanna Puwanarajah (Ballywalter). On top of this, the scheme includes the opportunity to audition to become an Acting member, to interview to become a Backstage Member and the chance to take part in Creative Leadership training with no extra cost. The Hub platform allows subscribers to connect with a nationwide network of young creatives, access community courses and events and unlock discounts for masterclasses and merchandise. Hundreds of young people around the UK auditioning at their schools also gain access to NYT's Hub. Young people aged 11-26 can subscribe to the NYT Hub, with 14-25-year-olds eligible to audition or interview for acting or backstage membership.

National Youth Theatre's (NYT) recently completed a major redevelopment of the north London home with architecture practice DSDHA, transforming the building's visibility and accessibility from the street and doubling its capacity for professional studio space. Conceived as a national 'Creative Production House' for young people, the work will allow the NYT to deliver on its 'open door' policy and vastly expand its existing track record of enriching the local community and beyond by providing cultural and social value, as well as enabling the charity's long-term sustainability. The work also introduces a 250-seat Workshop Theatre to the building for the first time, enabling NYT to welcome audiences from the local community and beyond. Images of the new headquarters can be downloaded here.

The charity's alumni includes some of the world's most celebrated theatrical and performing talent including Helen Mirren, Daniel Craig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rosamund Pike, David Oyelowo, Daniel Day Lewis, Andrea Riseborough, Matt Smith, Vanessa Kirby, Ed SHeeran, Colin Firth, Regé-Jean Page, Derek Jacobi, Zawe Ashton, Hugh Bonneville, Lennie James, Matt Lucas, David Harewood and Orlando Bloom. NYT's Backstage alumni include award-winning talent working globally at leading theatres and stadiums and include fashion designer Gareth Pugh, Olympic Ceremony Technical Director Piers Shepperd, former Unicorn Theatre Artistic Director Purni Morell, lighting designer Howard Harrison and designer Rob Howell. It also includes cultural leaders Rob Hastie (Artistic Director Sheffield Theatres), Lynette Linton (Artistic Director Bush Theatre), Gbolahan Obisesan (Artistic Director Brixton House), Laurie Sansom (Artistic Director Northern Broadsides), Bryony Shanahan (Artistic Director Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester), Michelle Terry (Artistic Director Globe Theatre) and Matthew Warchus (Artistic Director Old Vic Theatre).