NYMT/BYMT 2026

Does anyone know if the dates for the new musical workshops and skills workshops are on the website yet? - I’m trying work out if there are any clashes if my yp were offered any of these options rather than the show she was called back for. ( I don’t want to email the NYMT this weekend while they are busy with callbacks!) I couldn’t find this info but may have missed it somewhere. Thanks and hope everyone’s callbacks have gone well this weekend. 🥰

Well recalls done and dusted for us so now the nail biting begins 🫣 Have to say it was such a positive experience for my two, and the whole setup was really relaxed. In fairness to NYMT they really work hard to make it a fun experience for the kids! Best of luck to all there today and fingers and toes crossed for good news 🤞

Good luck to all those awaiting outcomes and to those doing NYMT tomorrow. These kids are all just amazing - I am always blown away by their resilience, talent and friendly nature's!

NYMT NMW recall complete today and good fun as always apparently, if a bit short at 2hrs compared to last years 3hrs? She also said choreo was taught faster this year, probably because of limited time. Feel like we can breathe a bit now as only one more (school) audition left this season! Very happy to say that DD isn't too concerned about outcome of today as we she has accepted the BYMT production offer for Cottingley. However she still wanted to go today for the learning experience.

If anyone recalls we had a clash for BYMT with a regional production rehearsals but we are unbelievably lucky that they have agreed to release her for that clashing week. We were completely prepared to turn down BYMT as etiquette says you go with first offer accepted, but they agreed it was a great opportunity so made it work for DD. She is super excited to do both!!

Thanks @MxPickles for such a thorough response! Good to hear BYMT do send an email saying waitlist is now closed. We are happy to wait until that email to book anything else as it's only August we have free anyway (it's our first year and we found out about auditions late so already had Easter and July holiday plans).

I've booked BYMT London camp for August and I'll just hold off booking any other clubs until the waitlist closes. I see NYMT skills courses are already booked anyway (the ones we could attend), and it's not like there isn't plenty of other clubs on offer in August :-)

She was delighted to get the second-stage casting so she already feels like a winner. Anything above that is just a bonus!

So after a week of racing thoughts, overthinking and a butterfly sanctuary in my stomach for at least the last 24 hours my DD has completed her recall. So many questions.... so much to overthink !

DD has just whatsapped me to say..."yeah it was fine",

Gotta love teens. 😂

GL to everyone else in the room today

BYMT waitlist stays open as long as they can possibly leave it. After second stage there may well be a third or even a fourth round of offers, but the majority of the movement does tend to be after the first stage/before second stage as people are often hanging on for NYMT results before making a decision on what to accept.

The plus side of the waitlist staying open is that it really does give people the best possible chance of a show, the downside is the waiting is agony ... I've been there and I know. Last year we went to late April before securing our final offer and that isn't unusual, as others on here have experienced the same. So sending you all of the positive vibes cause I know it can be tough.

Some people are fine with the waiting and others prefer to draw a hard line and withdraw from consideration after second stage come out. I get that the waiting isn't ideal for many who need to juggle calendars. I only have the one DC so its a bit easier for me, but I can completly understand why those with several DC needing answers on summer activities would find it extra hard.

Its worth bearing in mind that the waitlist times can vary massively depending on your DCs demographic and what spaces open up from declines/drop outs. Honestly it is completely impossible to speculate as to how or when you may get a waitlist offer other than it generally closes by end of April. Everyone will get an email when the waitlist closes to say no further offers will be sent. You can request your audition feedback at this point.

Finally my DDs very first experience with B/NYMT was a BYMT camp what will be four summers ago and I firmly credit that with being her first foot through the door if you will. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the waitlist is kind to you but its great that you do have the option of a camp which will be a fantastic experience. Plus if you do a camp with BYMT you also get to do the Christmas Concert Let It Snow which is a really good performance opportunity and great fun :)

Let us know how you get on!

BYMT second-stage offers question please. My daughter received second-stage offer for "mid-March" but I'm just wondering if BYMT sends an email to say all roles have been cast (if she's not otherwise called back)? I'm booking the BYMT camp for august as that can easily be transferred if she is in fact cast, but I'm waiting to book anything else until we know either way. I guess if I just wait until 01 April to book anything we should be safe or does anyone know? Thank you and good look on recalls!

Just dropped my DS this morning. I am always impressed at how welcoming
the pastoral staff are. For newbies and returners. It's a very different vibe from the NYT auditions earlier this week. Hope everyone enjoys their recall experience.

Thank you for kind words ☺️. I think at this stage she’d be thrilled to be offered any of the NMW - I also liked the look of Lifelines!

Break a leg all of this weekends recalled DC. Then excited for everyone’s updates!

Stay strong Theatre Parents! Sending you all the best vibes. I am sure our DC will take it in their stride tho!

Yes, a huge Break a Leg to all of them
Looking forward to updates.

Wishing everyone’s DC the best for their auditions this weekend! In an attempt to offer a bit of extra confidence/reassurance for other parents/biscuit eaters/overthinkers (blimey, I’m awful!) my DC was recalled for one show last year, one recall. They were offered a place on a production (but a different show to the one recalled). I have no idea what alchemy the creatives use and I have no idea what they are looking for but hope all our DC’s go in and enjoy their auditions and an opportunity to show how brilliant they all are! 🥰

100 % This This This ! Progress over perfection! I think the fact that her growth was recognised is really a huge part in this process and so well deserved if she has been working hard since the summer :) It goes to show that the creatives really are mindful of each individual and their training and development.

The NMW look fab this year - I like the look of Lifelines and School Play. Any standouts for your DD?

Keeping everything crossed for you.

Really appreciating the wise words on this thread again this year, and it has made me smile on more than one occasion (especially 'thank you for listening to my TED talk' 😂). Thank you for sharing your experiences, as this world is still fairly new territory for me. Agree that trusting the process, however hard, is the best way of dealing with all the unknowns, disappointments and also good news. It can be so hard at times!!! DD is starting to be able to not take things too personally, pick herself up and move on to the next opportunity, which I'm really happy about.

For those wondering about the NYMT skills course - DD loved the London non-residential course last summer, and I could see that all the staff were skilled, kind, and committed to each individual. DD was so happy to see her friends from the course at her NYMT audition this year, and pleased that the dance teacher from the course recognised her and noticed that she had been working really hard at dance, which is not her strongest suit. She has a NMW recall tomorrow. Best of luck to everyone's DCs who are waiting for news or yet to do their recalls, and commiserations to those DC who are disappointed this year.

I personally know of two Y10 (so 14/15) recalled for WSS and have heard on the grapevine of others.

Can I just take a minute to say again - absolutely NOT being salty here and definitely not having a " Why can't my 14 year old caucasian daughter play Maria" moment.

I think the point I am trying to make is I enter in to the audition process knowing that certain projects and roles are a non starter and that is absolutely fine. We saw Just So as DD's best shot this year and picked our songs and sides from the list with this show in mind.

We couldn't be more grateful to still be in consideration, but again I am tempering that with a huge dollop of the odds perhaps being a bit slimmer for 14 year olds this year because ...no crescenco. With less roles for this age group its a bit like the search for Winnie Foster last year - there was only ever going to be one from literally hundreds of amazingly talented kids.

But what I have learned from years of different auditions is what doesn't make you right for something one year is usually the exact same thing that makes you perfect for something the next. Thats the way it goes!

WSS is over 16 only. DS is applying for the production pathway and the summary document they were sent said that the cast for that show would be 16 and over due to the content/themes of the show

Yes, your last para is the point I am making. If the scores are strong enough, they will recall you somehow. As for who gets one and who gets two recalls, who knows? My DS was always just glad to have a recall of any kind. My mantra was always 'trust the process', and that hasn't changed over the years even though many other aspects of NYMT have undergone significant change. I have seen many very talented young people not get cast, but then when they tried again the next year they were right for a show.
WSS might well be only for over 16s. They have done that before (Spring Awakening, Hunchback etc) and it wouldn't surprise me.

Wise words and for the most part I agree, but I do think height, age and vocal type cab be used to filter people with otherwise strong scores in the early stages. Its the only way to account for why some people are offered two shows and some only one. The performers skills remain the same so the only difference has to be casting type and/or vocal quality.

My DD's strongest skill is dance (she is on an MDS and is in full time vocational dance training) but I knew there WSS was never going to be on the cards for her because of her playing age and height. Im not being salty - just pragmatic :) For the same reason I am not really expecting a show this year as I cant obviously see a place where she will fit,

That said if the point you are making is that if your scores are strong enough then height/age etc won't prevent you from finding a recall in one of the many projects (including NMW) then yes I do tend to fall down on the side of completely agreeing with you.

"However it’s best to grow a thick skin in this industry". Absolutely!

@Biscuitsneeded2 of the teachers in fame last year were only 17 and did not look older than the rest. I think once you get to that age you can play adult or teenage roles .

@Bubjyou can speculate but sadly won’t know why your DD didn’t get a recall. However it’s best to grow a thick skin in this industry

Casting is so often whether someone will fit in the vision being created. I think they look how they gel in the groups working creatively and how they use their imagination with the acting tasks. It’s hard but if her teacher says she is strong, it will be where she fits into these projects. My DD said she thought lots of younger ones this year. So last year she may have fit in an adult role in a show but maybe less of those roles this year. It’s all a puzzle and we are all guilty of thinking too much. My DD’s friend from college did the skills workshop last year and loved it. And recalled for different projects this year.

Sorry to hear your DD was disappointed. To progress to recall stage, the DC need to score highly across all 3 skills (although I suspect they make some exceptions for phenomenal singing/acting talents with no dance experience, for example, and just recall them for less dance-heavy projects). So it's entirely possibly your DD was in a room with others and was able to feel confident her skills at least matched theirs, but in another session that may not have come across as the case. The acting recall can be deceptive because they want to see creativity and teamwork as well as how you read the sides - and sometimes the DC just can't find a way to demonstrate that.
Once they have the scores, they look at who might suit being recalled for which project. So I think it's very unlikely they would dismiss anyone for looking too old or too tall if they had the necessary scores. Once they start considering roles, of course physical appearance has a part to play (eg the teachers in Fame last year by and large needed to look a bit older than the students!) but I don't think height or perceived age would prevent a recall.
Ultimately, an audition is just a snapshot. It's not the summation of a DC's talent. Sometimes talented DC get overlooked (in any audition setting, not just NYMT), and sometimes they don't give as good an account of themselves as they can. It's a tough old industry, and disappointment will be part of it for any performer. I hope your DD wasn't too disappointed, and if they have not spotted her potential this time, do encourage her to come back next year and show them what she can do!