NYMT

Asding to this (which I have already on another forum so apologies!) my DS has returned from the skills course where the MD was the MD for George and she made a point to them to all try again as the 'George' had tried 3 times to get in before. DS met all the boys from imaginary (so must have met yours biscuitsneeded!) and could totally see why they had the parts-they fitted perfectly. I have to say the course sounds like it was hard work but worth it-v high standard and he felt he had improved loads-and it got him known to some of the NYMT lot. DS really looking forward to YMT now though-I think being around all the kids rehearsing shows was hard! Biscuits did u hear anything about the table?!

Just wanted to add to this thread because DS has just got back from his first residential of this year before the summer show. Had a great time again. I wanted to address the notion discussed upthread about NYMT being very difficult to get into if you're not already 'known' to them. Some of his 2017 castmates are indeed NYMT stalwarts. However, some of them are brand new to NYMT and indeed may not even have lived in the UK 3 or 4 years ago. It's about as eclectic a mix of young people as you can get. And having studied the cast lists, and bearing in mind some people felt that Sunday in the Park with George would be cast exclusively from some sort of NYMT clique, I wanted to say that the lead male in Sunday has in fact never done NYMT before, and furthermore, if the gossip is reliable, had previously tried 3 times to get in! Proof that persistence does pay off, and that they have to turn away a lot of insanely talented young people if they just don't fit the parts available. So please do encourage disappointed DC to try again next year.

Update here: my dd was offered Children of the New Forest in Plymouth after her early offer but after discussions with her dance teacher and family we have decided to turn it down. Partly because of the cost (and the dance teacher's shock at the expense!) and partly because she can do a pre vocational summer school at a Musical Theatre College where she'd like to apply in the future at a fraction of the cost. Her teacher suggests this will be a much better use of her time and our money. Good luck to everyone with their summer adventures and thanks to everyone with their support whilst waiting for the results.

Thanks. Hope it's just not us left waiting to hear again!! We don't seem to have much luck! At least we know she has something from them.

Good luck all DC with the YMT offers. Please do update if your DC do YMT as I'd love to hear your DC's verdict on the experience. I know some people have received letters today but there are many more still to arrive...

Lol! We are fully expecting to have to go all the way to Plymouth. Bearing in mind we live in Yorkshire and would really like Halifax. But we will see. I don't know the story of Tess...

Dancingdaughters that's great! As far as I remember from A level english Tess is one miserable story so looking forward to seeing how they do it!

Yeah!!! That's fab!!! Our post has come and it's not here! But I guess we can share now that my daughter got an early offer back in February so we know she has something.

He got Tess! Hurrah! Big confidence boost coming. Good luck those still waiting...

Nothing for us on Saturday. Still waiting on post today....

Anyone heard from YMT yet? They tweeted Friday that the letter packs were being sent out that day so expecting to hear something today or tomorrow.

Thank you Biscuits and minimits for your kind words. I think DD may do the Easter course.
Just found out that a local theatre company are doing High School Musical later this year do that had distracted her for now! Thanks again. For all the support on here xx

Biscuits needed we obviously thought the same at the same time!!!

Pinkstargazer I genuinely think that nothing will have let your daughter down. It appears to me now to be a particularly huge achievement even to get a recall that I am guessing all children recalled have the ability but not all 'fit the brief' and only by seeing them all together can they make their casting decisions. They are looking for particular characters I think (at least that's what I'm telling my DS!) and in another year they might have been right for that particular show. I'm sure feedback would be to that affect. For YMT there is no recall so I guess it's easier to say why they didn't get in. And I'm now dreading that decision! School have given permission for the Easter course so we'll do that and try again next year! DS will probably not try for a via too although school at 16 (apart from Tring) as he wants to do pretty academic A levels so it seems best to keep a foot in the door!

Pinkstar, it's probable nothing 'let her down'. I believe them when they say they could confidently cast all the recalled kids in a show, if they had enough places. To get the recall they have to have impressed across all three disciplines at the first audition; as Aplo kindly explained when I met her, you could have an amazing voice but you won't get a recall if your acting and dance are not up to scratch (unless dance is your weak point and they're considering you for a non-dancing role in a non-dancing show). But you have to be able to act and sing to get the recall. Most likely your talented daughter just didn't fit any of the parts they had available, or there was someone who was somehow a closer match. She shouldn't feel that anything 'let her down'. Interesting question about feedback - I don't know if they would give it or not.

Re feedback
I don't think you get it. All they will say is that you did very well to get a recall etc

I know they all get feedback from YMT which comes out automatically later in the year. Well a friend who's dd did it last year said we would.

Does anyone know if feedback is available? My DD has asked if it was her acting that let her down. Has anyone tried to get feedback?

Fallow not fellow. Stupid phone!

I think this is a really interesting discussion. JW is such an open and approachable person I'm sure he'd be open to a conversation about this. Ultimately they want to put on the very best shows they can and you can't blame them for picking kids who are in professional training. But maybe he would consider looking at actively trying to cast more 16 and 17 year olds who might really benefit from the injection of expertise and the superb experience. I'm sure many of the 'stars' might not have ended up in professional training without NYMT. All that said, I know for a fact that even the regulars can have fellow years where they don't get cast because they just don't suit any of the parts. Eviltwins your boy sounds as if he's really going places and I hope he gets some great offers for training.

It's difficult isn't it. How do they get the experience? Having said that my relative got into The Laines at 16 with 3 years dance training and no show experience what so ever. He was nominated for an Olivier Award last year so he's doing ok for himself. I think all we can do is keep giving them opportunities. The experience of the no's is just as valuable as the yes's.

Hmmmm-it's a tricky business-I'd naively assumed it was a bit like London Children's Ballet-an opportunity for children who were not in vocational training to perform to a professional standard and get the training they might get at a vocational school but can't afford etc. It's tricky-if they want the best in youth musical theatre then naturally the best are likely to have already performed with them or are in vocational school but if they want to give other 'youth' the opportunities and training they might not otherwise get it does seem they might need to look at offering more places to non-vocational kids. I'm not sure what their goal is-training and opportunities for those who might not otherwise get it or showcasing the best in youth musical theatre. Not a judgment I just genuinely don't know!

Hmm. I think it's a bit disingenuous to be honest. My student is pretty philosophical about it - he's a sensible lad. But it's left a bad taste for me. If they are essentially casting 20+ year old actors who are in FT professional training then they lose the right, in my view, to call themselves a youth theatre.

I worked, recently, with a guy who had done NYMT whilst training at Central and is now with the RSC. He was lovely, but I do think it should be something that stops if/when professional training begins. After all, both NYMT & NYT like to claim they are there for ordinary kids. If they are pulling from the top professional training colleges, then they're not giving ordinary kids a shot.

I'm sure I'll get over it. The same boy will probably end up getting cast (finally) whilst in his final year at LIPA or something and I'll have to eat my words

Unfortunately though NYMT don't really do themselves any favours with their inclusive, nicey nicey, we're all friends together approach. They know exactly who they want from their previous cast members. I really feel for the kids who have no profile who go along excitedly to recalls, when in reality there is little chance of them being cast.
I am sorry to sound cynical but I do feel that the audition process is not a level playing field.

EvilTwins I do get what you're saying, and it must be really galling for your student, although actually I'm fairly sure the Italia Conti one in Imaginary is only 15. And I have spotted some Sunday successes who are not doing vocational training - in fact one is doing law degree! But yes, if your 17 year old is up against 20 year olds with 2 years of FT training under their belt then he's going to have his work cut out. That said, some of those 20 year olds joined NYMT when they were younger, on their own merit. Through their sheer talent (and possibly the added value of the training NYMT has afforded) they were then successful in gaining places at professional training colleges. Should NYMT cut them loose at 18+ in favour of fresh, untried blood? I'm not sure. They have a hallmark of excellence to maintain, and it's natural that the loyalty goes both ways. They're not pro actors yet, they are students. They're just extremely talented ones. It will be interesting to see how many of the current 'stars' of NYMT make it out there in the big bad world once they have to move on. I bet a fair few of them do. But I do feel for all of these incredibly talented older kids getting recalled but not being cast. To quote Kate Golledge, director of Prodigy, Battle of Boat and now Billy The Kid, "I didn't get through the NYMT recall as a kid and now I'm basically in charge"!