NYMT/BYMT 2026

From my DS experience, she will audition and then either be cast in a show, cast in New Musical Workshop or offered a Skills Workshop (this is different to the workshop offered to those who are not offered a callback or who pay to join).

My daughter is quite new to all this but did BYMT last year. This year she has got a casting call for The Ragged Child. Is she definitely in the show or could she still be bumped out at this stage? Sorry if this seems a dumb question.its just she has another audition that day in Glasgow and it’s a long haul so we need to know whether she has to move her other audition.

My DS is part of Platform and they are not having a separate show this year. They are allowed to audition for the main shows, but I suspect most of them won't. They have had and probably will have other opportunities to perform or have one-off workshops, but as I understand it, there are no more shows beyond those already announced.

They did a formal press release of the 2026 season in October though....

There certainly has to be some sort of Gala concert at the very least? Wondering if that is why no formal announcement of Platform/Crescendo type shows for this year .... yet.

theatreweekly.com/national-youth-music-theatre-celebrates-50-years-with-ambitious-2026-season/#:~:text=National%20Youth%20Music%20Theatre%20Celebrates,Mis%C3%A9rables%20in%20the%20West%20End

It was on Chris Cuming's (NYMT Artistic Director) IG story yesterday

Where was this advertised? I didn't see anything on Insta.

Yes I am a bit confused by that too. Unless they mean that the season is all announced to auditionees etc, but they are doing a formal press release with the new artwork?

Sorry picture didn't attach to above post.

Uh wait whut? "exciting projects and shows to announce" as in.... more shows/concerts to be revealed?!?! I thought the programme had already been announced.....

Hi there- congratulations to your daughter. My ds did 2 shows with BYMT however neither were at Easter so didn’t have to have time off. A friends daughter did the Easter course but it worked with her holidays. I would imagine the school could use an educated elsewhere type of code to permit the leave- I know our school did that when my kids did panto and I’m use BYMT will support with a letter for the school if needed.

My ds was 15 the first time he did it back in 2021. He was away for 3 full weeks with no contact as it was Covid times so they were in a cast bubble. Even when we watched the show we could only wave after as they were keeping them all safe. With everything that happened during Covid he’d lost a bit of love for MT- I think the zoom dancing in the kitchen killed him. I’d say those 3 weeks with BYMT totally made him fall in love with it all over again- he had the time of his life, made friends he’s still got now, was so well looked after and so well fed! He did BYMT the year after , has done 3 years at NYMT and is now at drama school. I hope she has a great time.

Mine did NYT, but that was several years ago now and I know the system has changed a lot since then, so I don't know how helpful I could be. He enjoyed it a lot and found it a useful experience ahead of auditions for drama school.

Congratulatione to your DD! We used to have some BYMT parents on this thread but they haven't been about so much recently. I hope they turn up and give you good info, but as far as I know the young people who take part have a wonderful experience. There are also some parents whose young people have done both as a stage performer. @Mcmumager can you help?

I think any NYT questions usually end up on this thread. I would not say that I am hugely experienced but my DD joined NYT last year and did the intake training - I will try and answer any questions that I can!

I have been trying to find an active thread about NYT but have been unsuccessful. I have seen experienced NYMT mums comment about NYT from time to time. Is there anyone on here who wouldn't mind answering some questions if I DM you please? Thank you

My dd aged 13 has just been offered bymt for Easter. First time doing all this. Anyone done the Easter one before? It seems like will require some days before our term ends off school. There will be quite a lot of travel involved for us and she’s never been away for more than a few days. Would welcome some experiences!

Well done to all who have been recalled and hugs to those who were not!! When you think of the numbers auditioning it really is a huge achievement to get recalled!! Great to see so many auditioning this year!

Oh just do it! He'll be really sad if he doesn't try. It's only 6 days or so at Easter and I think if they get a really fun break at residential they come back more willing and motivated to revise! (Just my opinion of course, but there was no way my DS would have spent the entire Easter holiday revising even if I had said he couldn't do NYMT!).

Yes this is what happened with my DD last year. She recalled for Lightning Boy and was offered Flip NMW!

oop yeah that.

I don't think knowing my DS choices would help you as he had a different list, just wanted to high five the over thinking! Totally get it. 😆

Thank you. I’m sure he’ll get involved again in some capacity in the future and stick to NYT for now 😁

my youngest is still wavering on whether to get a last minute audition slot (he workshopped Every Day last year) - these darn GCSEs 😂

Oh sorry, I misunderstood. I think anyone recalled for shows and not cast will automatically be considered for a new musical workshop. If they are cast in Ragged Child they wouldn't normally be considered for a workshop too, but you could always drop a line to the team expressing interest, and then if they end up with vacancies if people pull out or decline, they will know your DC is keen.

Sorry to hear that, especially given your DS learned all the Carousel dances last year and clearly loves to perform. As you say he isn't really a singer I suspect he could still have done very well everywhere else, but unfortunately the singing is really important. As your DS wants to be an actor he might like to consider an assistant director role in a year or two, via the creative mentoring pathway. Another way to be part of a show, but where skills as an actor would be really valuable.

She did I Know Things Now.