Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

NYMT / BYMT 2021

961 replies

doesanybodyhaveamap · 01/02/2021 11:09

Starting a new thread for NYMT / BYMT hopefuls in 2021.

DD13 is auditioning for NYMT for the second time as stage performer and as musician. We just received an invite to the next round (online workshops).

She was gutted that Covid put a stop to her show (Imaginary) last year so we are keeping everything crossed that she gets another shot.

We've also booked a BYMT audition and she's already in the musician pool there so hopefully a show of some sort this year if we get some kind of normality back again...

Anyone else out there?

OP posts:
allhailthebrain · 19/04/2021 00:02

@janinlondon

Allhailtgebrain as mum of one of the two I can tell you that the two girls have NO idea which one of them nailed it hahaha!
Hahaha - well let's not ask for a description as I can tell you with total confidence that I'd struggle to get a decent description of a sibling out of him, let alone a stranger! Unless your dd has blue hair or something, it's never going to happen. He also has a habit of guessing what he can't remember so you'd get "it might have been the one who went first... or maybe second...?"

Do the two girls know each other?

janinlondon · 19/04/2021 07:42

Hahaha no blue hair sadly! No they don’t know each other (but they are all hopeless at assessing how they did!!). One is a birmingham uni grad on a gap year, the other is a finalist at durham. So yes they were the “much older” girls- he had that right!!

janinlondon · 19/04/2021 07:56

The only other useful thing I have gathered is that they don’t seem to be casting race blind. But then NYMT never have I think...

dinosaurinmybelly · 19/04/2021 08:13

Hello all, I hope there is some good news from BYMT and NYMT for all of you auditioning for performer / musician spots soon.

DS has been offered a musician spot just this weekend. He's very excited, but slightly anxious about being one of the youngest (12). Is there anyone out there who has participated at that age before who could share their experience? Would like him to have as much info as possible so that he can look forward to this wonderful opportunity, rather than worry about spending an intense week with a mixed-age group. I will of course ask about pastoral care for the younger ones, but always better to hear of another child's experience.

Original poster
doesanybodyhaveamap · 19/04/2021 08:37

Hi @dinosaurinmybelly is that for BYMT? Which show has he been offered?? DD is 13 (will be 14 by the time of her show) so also at the younger end. It's her first year too. She's in Goblin Market.

OP posts:
Biscuitsneeded · 19/04/2021 09:10

@janinlondon I'm not sure that's true about the race blind casting. Not being argumentative, but I want to stick up for NYMT here. I have seen lots of race blind casting over the years I have been watching their shows. They only don't do it when prejudice based on racial difference is an important part of the story, and race blind casting would make a nonsense of that (eg Parade, or Ragtime). If you look at the previous production of Billy The Kid, for example (photos in gallery on NYMT website), you'll see what I mean.
Sounds as if your DD did very well this weekend - fingers crossed! Gin

janinlondon · 19/04/2021 10:13

Biscuits - yes you are probably right. Basing this entirely on the Hunchback audition really. They only asked girls from ethnic minority backgrounds to sing for Esmerelda. May be entirely coincidental, but they did choose the three out of 17 girls in the audition. I have seen Hunchbacks with a range of different Esmereldas, but it does look like NYMT had an idea in mind here....

allhailthebrain · 19/04/2021 10:16

Congratulations @dinosaurinmybelly that's an amazing achievement at 12 for your DS!

Interesting @janinlondon - is the Durham student yours...?

Yr10mom · 19/04/2021 10:28

hi assuming you mean for BYMT - dd is 15 so not so much older given the musicians go into their 20s. what show/instrument?

Pinkstargazer12 · 19/04/2021 10:29

@janinlondon I think they recalled the leads in the morning sessions. My daughter wanted to swap to the morning but they couldn’t fit her in, however the language was a little vague around why. My daughter is only 16 so was never going to be considered for a lead role. In her afternoon session no one was asked to sing - boy or girl. She did wonder how they would pick an Esmerelda just from the tapes.

DramMum · 19/04/2021 11:12

Hello! Sorry to crash this thread but I’m a total newbie. DD just turned 11 and is on the BYMT reserve list and did the NYMT Henrietta recall on Saturday afternoon.

Can anyone help me understand how the actual residentials work? I’m a little nervous with her being so young (still in primary school). Not that I’m assuming she’ll get in or anything, just trying to manage my own expectations!!

Thank you!

Biscuitsneeded · 19/04/2021 11:25

Hello @DramMum. The residentials are at a boarding school in Kent. My own DS was still at primary school when he first went for an Easter residential, and we hadn't expected him to get in, so when he did we had to just tell him he was going to have an amazing time and would make lots of new friends - and he did! Feel free to message me if you have specific questions, but I can tell you the NYMT pastoral team are excellent and take especially good care of the little ones. They are kept so busy all day and then have fun in the evenings too - with staggered bedtimes by age group and shared bedrooms with someone of a similar age (unless Covid precludes that?). Homesickness is treated with kindness and distraction. DS was barely homesick at all as he was having so much fun but I know that any younger kids who have struggled have been encouraged through it and ended up having the time of their lives.

Operagirl1 · 19/04/2021 11:36

Still havent heard anything from BYMT. Is anyone else still waiting?

DramMum · 19/04/2021 12:15

@Biscuitsneeded thank you! That sounds lovely! Where do they stay during the actual show week?

Biscuitsneeded · 19/04/2021 14:53

@DramMum During show week they usually stay in UCL Halls of Residence. It's often only accessible via a staffed reception and with a special key so it's pretty safe. They get a full cooked or cold breakfast every morning in the halls and you have to provide money for lunch and dinner (just for the 5-6 days of show week - the residential rehearsals are fully catered so they just need a very small amount of pocket money). Your DD would be in a corridor or student flat with other girls from her show and there is a pastoral team member with them at all times and certainly when going anywhere. They are very good about making sure everyone gets fed and facilitating trips to supermarkets etc. I optimistically sent my DS with tins of beans etc the first year, but the reality is they are out all day and they end up buying sandwiches, pizza, pasta, salads etc. It probably wouldn't be ideal long-term but for a week it's all huge fun and my DS grew up so much (in a nice way) through this experience. Do feel free to message me if you have Qs.

janinlondon · 19/04/2021 15:00

Biscuits has nailed the UCL experience! The only thing you need to ensure is that they have a travel card to get up and down the victoria line for rehearsals/performances each day. NYMT (and also BYMT, which DD did in Belfast the first year they took her - don't even ask me how that would work now!!) look after them very VERY well. Once DD had a bouquet delivered to the theatre after a performance, that she didn't know about until they all got back to UCL. One of the staff went back down to the Palace to collect it for her without saying a word. They really do go the extra mile.

DramMum · 19/04/2021 15:01

Thank you @Biscuitsneeded I will sit and wait with everyone else for news and will message you if we get a positive response!!! All very exciting but not enjoying the wait! Thanks so much and good luck (I should say break a leg) to everyone’s children for final results!!

Alakazam8 · 19/04/2021 15:27

Off topic a bit for those waiting for final results (have brought more gin!) but dd has got a workshop with BYMT on Sun. I’m not expecting anything at all from that but what is the next stage for them after workshops? (just so I can prep dd)

DramMum · 19/04/2021 15:28

Oh thank you @janinlondon that is really reassuring! It’s so helpful having parents that know what they are doing to ask for advice! This is a whole new world, and especially after the last year my DD hasn’t had those independent experiences that she would/should have had by now!!

Biscuitsneeded · 19/04/2021 15:42

Ah yes @janinlondon is right; they need an oyster card too, although walking with one of the chaperones is also an option if they feel they want some fresh air. When they're not rehearsing or performing the chaperones take them on little trips out too - it's a great time for them. Good luck to them all!

DalekFan · 19/04/2021 16:11

@Alakazam8

Off topic a bit for those waiting for final results (have brought more gin!) but dd has got a workshop with BYMT on Sun. I’m not expecting anything at all from that but what is the next stage for them after workshops? (just so I can prep dd)
@Alakazam8 It’s just that one Zoom audition workshop for BYMT. Then you have to wait for the email - either offer of show, on the reserve list for show, or a no. I don’t know how quickly they will get the emails out as they are running new auditions into June aren’t they?
Operagirl1 · 19/04/2021 16:24

We have been waiting since 20 February for BYMT result

Biscuitsneeded · 19/04/2021 16:26

@Operagirl1 have you followed up with them? I don't know much about BYMT but it seems most people are hearing now. Worth checking, perhaps?

DramMum · 19/04/2021 16:39

@Operagirl1 had the BYMT audition on 18th Feb and got the email on Friday for the reserve list. So if they are going audition by audition you might hear in the next day or so?

Alakazam8 · 19/04/2021 16:41

Thanks that’s an easier process but perhaps a long wait to find out!
Thanks