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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

NYMT

514 replies

aplo · 11/01/2016 15:59

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

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EvilTwins · 10/01/2017 19:52

Spoke to him today - he had a really positive experience. The MD for Sunday and the director for one of the others was there. There was talk of 5 shows - Sunday, Honk, Imaginary, Billy the Kid and one they referred to as "the workshop production" which sounds intriguing! As I pointed out to him, though, it's not unheard of in Musical Theatre - Oh What A Lovely War, Jerry Springer the Opera, Twang (Lionel Bart's unfortunate follow up to Oliver) and various other shows were famously developed like that... He started off desperate for a recall for Sunday, but given the publicity surrounding Battle of the Boat and Brass, he's now keen for a recall for one of the new commissions. I love that they make the auditions such a positive experience for them all.

Biscuitsneeded · 10/01/2017 21:30

Glad he enjoyed it. I think they do try to make the auditions fun and worthwhile in their own right, so that if people aren't successful in getting a recall they've still had plenty of enjoyment and good value for their money from the day. That's what I keep telling DS in case it's not good news, anyway! DS would be delighted to get any of them (although suspect he's not old enough for Sunday). He was in Battle of Boat last year and absolutely loved it being a new musical, but being in any of them at all would be amazing. Keep us posted on any news!

Biscuitsneeded · 10/01/2017 21:58

I hear there is recall news already from the Bristol auditions that happened on Saturday...!

EvilTwins · 10/01/2017 23:03

He's just emailed me - he's been recalled for three - Sunday, Imaginary & the workshop one.

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aplo · 10/01/2017 23:13

Wow that is brilliant, delighted for him(and you!) I'm refreshing my emails here but I don't think anyone from Sunday's audition has heard yet.
The workshop one is A little princess (a new version) and could turn in to something really big. There is also the possibility of a second show like that too.

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EvilTwins · 10/01/2017 23:18

Oh that sounds great - I loved that book when I was little! Do you know who's adapting?

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aplo · 10/01/2017 23:25

Marin Folan and Karl Miller. Don't know anything about either of them but I heard from one of my former students that they have a parental connection with NYMT

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Biscuitsneeded · 11/01/2017 09:03

Well done to your student EvilTwins! Great news. Aplo, am keeping fingers firmly crossed for your DD.

Question: do you think young people who have had previous NYMT involvement generally get a recall? I know they don't always get cast, but I wonder whether they tend to get recalled for suitable productions on the strength of having proved themselves once? Just wondering what have been the experiences of young people you've known?

EvilTwins · 11/01/2017 17:36

Not sure. My student got a recall last year having never auditioned before, then was cast in the gala, so they obviously do recall first timers. I wonder if applicants generally go in more confidently though second or third time round.

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aplo · 11/01/2017 18:36

Anyone I know who has been in a production with them has had a recall when they re auditioned (but that is a very very small sample)
I would assume that students who make it one year have something they see in them so hopefully it would be seen the following year too. Also going in knowing what to expect from the audition and seeing familiar faces must make things slightly easier and help with the nerves.
That all said nothing at all is guaranteed! No news here so far!

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Original poster
aplo · 11/01/2017 19:15

Eviltwins - how did your student's RADA audition go?

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Biscuitsneeded · 11/01/2017 19:22

I think DS will be more nervous this time. Last year it was just an adventure and he had no expectations, but this year he desperately wants to get in! Really hope your DD hears quickly now Aplo!

Biscuitsneeded · 11/01/2017 19:30

And I didn't mean to imply it was harder for first-time applicants, before anyone thinks I'm implying there's favouritism. I just wondered if they generally tried to recall previous participants even if for example they're full of cold and can't sing properly at their audition, or whether they recall strictly on the basis of what they see on that day.

EvilTwins · 11/01/2017 19:43

aplo - OK thanks. He's in the midst of the whole audition thing at the moment - he's done Guildford, Central, London Drama Centre and RADA now, and has LIPA and Bristol Old Vic coming up. It's so difficult - especially for 17 year olds - the old chestnut about needing them to have "life experience" He got through to the second round for Musical Theatre at Central but wasn't successful at Guildford or Drama Centre. He's taking it all in his stride though. The NYMT recall potentially clashes with his NYT audition too... I did ask him earlier if he thinks maybe he's over-committed Grin He said no GrinGrinGrin

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aplo · 11/01/2017 22:52

No news here and I am now going to stop checking my email for the night!
Biscuits DD was far more nervous about auditioning until she walked into the pret across the road and met some of the older auditionees (age 16-18) that she knew from last year who were equally if not more nervous and it strangely relaxed her about it all.
Evil it sounds like your student has a definite life plan - I'm sure he may come across one or two of my students along the way.
Will update here when we hear!!

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aplo · 12/01/2017 21:30

Finally heard at about 8pm this evening. She has been recalled for three shows - Honk, Imaginary and A little princess and my student has been recalled for two Billy the Kid and A little princess so celebrations all round here tonight!

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Biscuitsneeded · 12/01/2017 21:42

Amazing! That's brilliant - a huge well done to your DD and your student. DS would love Billy the Kid as it's the Battle of Boat director and he adored her (and of course she did amazing work), but I suspect it's for older kids. And he'd be delighted to have anything, really.
I was thinking about your DD and the lack of news all day - she must have been just about ready to implode!!

Biscuitsneeded · 12/01/2017 21:43

So have you booked your flights already?!

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aplo · 12/01/2017 21:58

Just looking online now for flights.
It looks like Honk and Imaginary are the younger kid productions this year and Billy is for the mid- teens.
I hadn't told Dd that people had heard so it was me doing all the imploding. My older son is 19 today and the email arrived just as we were cutting his cake (I opened my phone to take pictures) so there has been some teasing about upstaging her big brother going on here. I'm not sure she will sleep tonight!

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Biscuitsneeded · 12/01/2017 22:08

How would you make Honk work from where you are? Isn't that the touring one? You'd have to fly over every time, wouldn't you?

Biscuitsneeded · 12/01/2017 22:08

But it's fabulous news!

EvilTwins · 12/01/2017 22:15

Fantastic news! Well done to your DD! So exciting!

My student told me that Honk is the only one this year that's exclusively for the younger age group - the others are either just older (Sunday I suspect) or a full mix. He's 18 and has been recalled for Imaginary as well as Sunday and A Little Princess.

Fingers crossed all round!

Biscuitsneeded · 12/01/2017 22:24

They often need some older ones to play the adults even when the majority of the cast is younger. In Boat there were a LOT of mid teens ie 14 -16, and a couple of young ones like my DS, and then just a few 18+. I asked my DS if he thought the young adult ones minded being in the show with younger cast members instead of, say, Spring Awakening. He said far from it, they were just so thrilled to be chosen and thought the show was so fab it wasn't an issue in any way. And I have to say part of what made it so special for him was being with all the older ones, and how nice they all were to him.

smurfy2015 · 12/01/2017 23:15

Alpo congrats to your DD, just wondering would you mind sharing details with me for Ireland as my niece is interested in musical theatre, she is 14 and goes to a week long stage school each summer in Dublin, also has RADA exams this year and a main role in a musical in May this year

Congrats to all the other DC and students who are the up and coming performers

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aplo · 12/01/2017 23:38

Biscuits I think one of the nicest things about NYMT is they way that all the age groups mix together. The gala ensemble all really bonded and while DD was especially close to girls her own age she loved being around the older kids too. Sharing the same interests really seems to bond them as a group.
Flights booked for February now, if she manages to go further with Honk we will have to be very clever with flights but so far they haven't been anymore than a train fare from Manchester would be, thankfully we mostly have somewhere to stay in London so it's not too bad.

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