NYMT

[aplo]

Hi, have just joined here so hope I am posting in the correct place. Just wondering if anyone here has a child auditioning for NYMT or similar groups this year.
My DD (age 11 ) is auditioning next sunday

Ours was for imaginary. Although they had asked 13-15 to audition for 'Oogie' I get the impression they had decided that it was actually an older role as no one got to audition for it in his group and all had to do Milo-the younger role. Which I assume means they won't be up for a part whatever as Milo is a young boys role. Don't mind but wish they had not bothered asking them to prepare for a part they were never going to audition them for. But then again maybe they have opened the possibility to older ones. Who knows and I'm terrible for reading into things!

I wonder if the problem area is the one show each year that gets most of the press and attention. By definition it's the 'grown up' show featuring the oldest young people playing adult roles. Last year it was Brass (and slightly SA) and this year it's Sunday. I think it's legitimate to a point that they would prefer to cast known entities in their flagship show, as the show's quality affects the reputation of the organisation. But it's not really on to hold an audition where the participants get the sense it's already cast and they're just going through the motions. And if that's not what's happening then it's a shame if it was perceived that way. However, in DS' cast last year there were several 17/18 year olds who had never done NYMT before. One of them had only ever done one school play, and yet took a lead role. I think the difference is that the team were more willing to take a risk on some unknowns because although it was an incredible show it wasn't THE show of the season and had a cast of mixed ages rather than all young adults. I think it's fair enough if they prefer people to have earned their stripes before they get the flagship show, but then maybe they could recall newcomers for shows they could have a realistic chance of getting into, alongside their recall for Sunday or whatever. Jan, if your daughter had had a recall for eg Billy the Kid too alongside her Sunday recall then maybe she would feel she had been given a fair crack of the whip? But don't rule anything out - you just can't second guess these things! I don't really want to criticise, as DS had the most amazing experience of his life last year as a young participant; I can't fault the way he was looked after, the quality of the show, the brilliant sense of community that was fostered. If he doesn't get in this year I won't change my opinion of the wonderful opportunity he had. But I do take the point that he is very lucky to have discovered NYMT at a young age, and it is probably much, much harder to break in as an older auditionee. Minimits I wouldn't worry too much about Imaginary - my DS said they are going to write some parts around people they have cast! - and Jan, I'm sorry it wasn't such a great experience for your DD - I hope her gut feeling is wrong and she may yet get some good news.

I take all your points on board Biscuits, but I do feel that if they want to have their "older'' show as some sort of a flagship event, then they should make this clear before they invite thousands to audition[and charge them!].
In my opinion, they do re cast, and there is most definitely a clique around the older age group.
This time last year I made the point that the boy who was to be cast as one of the two main male leads was featured on the NYMT twitter feed singing one of his character's songs from SA at the Curve Theatre. Unfortunately, they decided to do this before the cast list was announced. I said at the time that I thought that it was a foolish thing to do. I'm sure that the others who had been re called for the show noticed the tweet, and would have felt disappointed that NYMT felt the need to do that .
I don't doubt that at the younger age groups the experience can be really worthwhile, but I would just like to suggest that is not the case for everybody.

Unfortunately that is the way the industry works. I have a relative in the west end and he once spent a fortune on falsetto singing lessons, a dinner suit and lots of travel for auditions for the lead in Jersey Boys. He had 8 call backs for the role only for it to go to someone from S Club 7. Im sure they would have cast a known name because it draws in the paying crowds.

Yes, the industry is merciless. Travel to auditions, outfits, singing/dance lessons all have to be paid for and then very often the role goes to someone else they had long been preparing for it anyway. The NYMT initial audition costs £48 I think which is pretty good value for a full day workshop with some great industry experts, so I don't have a problem with that. It can't be a closed shop because people move on and they have to complete their ranks with newcomers - it's just sadly the case that it's much more difficult to break in at an older age. And also if you are 18/19 you are competing with people who not only may have done previous NYMT shows, but may already be at drama school or similar, honing their skills 24/7. It does seem unfair but it's realistic. However I do feel a 'sham' recall, if it really does turn out to have been so, is unfair. Will be interesting to see who ends up getting cast. Really hope all the DC hear very soon.

Ah to her credit, DD is not bitter. She just says they need either to improve their organization or learn to act ! (They might have PRETENDED to be interested enough in them to let them read something....anything....Or let them sing something among themselves to fill the time till they could respectably be sent home!?)

My D is at one of the leading drama schools, and at the time she still felt that it was a closed shop. No sour grapes, just a feeling of thanks but no thanks.

Yes they should all at least have had the chance to read or to sing. It's not a nice feeling to think you went all that way and got your hopes up of you weren't even in the running.

Jan (and fantine last year) that is really awful that your daughter had such a negative experience. Really doesn't seem fair.
It does seem that they mostly cast those who have been with them before in their "senior" shows but I do know of two people who both were cast as lead roles with them at the age of 17 and 20 who had never been with them before. Both were Irish girls with no profile at all in the Uk at the time and neither had ever auditioned for NYMT before. They have both gone on to be very successful since. One played the lead girl in the dreaming and the other was the second lead female in sweet charity and subsequently the lead girl in spring so they do sometimes (rarely?) cast unknown to them teens. Hopefully good news will come later today for all!!

We're hoping it's not much longer here. We are on half term so not even school to take our minds off things.

To be fair, they cant possibly cast people who haven't even read for them - so at least we are spared the angst!

The lead girl in SA was at my daughter's audition, Aplo. She had a lovely voice etc, as did many of the others. She was definitely known to the production team, who did not try to hide this. My D picked her out as the one they would cast, and she was right.

My daughter said there was a boy in her imaginary audition who was playing the headteacher role and he was amazing. She said there was no doubt that he will get it.

Fantine she had done sweet charity with them the previous year so she was known to them then (and was in arts ed at that point too) the year before it was her first ever uk audition and she was cast in sweet charity.

I guess it has to be everyone's first time at some point!

Ooh Aplo, do you have info that suggests the emails will come today? I know the kids think they will but as far as I know, no hard evidence. Last year they tweeted beforehand to say when to expect them... I'm now thinking tomorrow or Friday more likely - but I'd be happy to be wrong!!

I think we were going on the fact the emails went out on the Wednesday last year and they hadn't cast as early either. But I don't think anyone knows for definite. My Dd said they were told it could be up to 2 weeks!

They said ' a few days' in the tweet from Sunday night. I'm thinking this could mean up to and including the weekend, but hopefully not later than that!

Apparently it was between her and another girl to play the role of Charity, so I suppose it was her turn.

Biscuits no info unfortunately- I just meant that I hope it's today and I hope it's good news! I had Dd convinced that it would be next week that we would hear but she has been chatting to friends from the gala and is now convinced it will be today or tomorrow. Half term break this week so she is constantly asking me to check emails.

I think they will tweet first to let people know when to expect the emails. Since they haven't done that yet, I have a feeling it won't be today....

Dancingdaughters was that the sat morning session? DS said same about a boy in his group doing the headteacher!

Yes it was. Group E.

He obviously made an impression!

Did your son enjoy the tap? My dd fortunately has done tap and found that quite easy. But she said she has no idea how the morning went as they didn't give anything away.