NYMT/BYMT 2024!

[Biscuitsneeded]

Seeing as NYMT have announced their shows, it feels like a good time to start a thread for anyone with DC planning on auditioning for 2024 for either NYMT or BYMT - as performers or musicians, or as assistant creatives. Please come and say hi and tell us a bit about your DC. There are lots of experienced parents of DC who have been part of both organisations, and these threads are always genuinely supportive and helpful.
I'll invite some previous thread participants below - please come and say hi!

@Mumster40 sorry to hear you haven't had a response. NYMT doesnt have lots of admin staff, and I suspect the person sending all the emails is also conducting auditions and securing venues etc. Possibly your email just got overlooked or misread in amongst the volume of email traffic they must have currently. If I were you I would email one more time and give them a chance to give you an answer. But no harm in auditioning for BYMT too! I suspect they have put the recalls for the new musicals a week earlier simply because they won't physically have time to see everyone for those projects in the final recall weekend. That doesn't mean people from the final weekend of first rounds won't get seen for the new musicals- they will probably have a mop up session for them in the final weekend, but will have seen the majority the week before. Am I right in thinking your DC was involved last year? The thing with NYMT being so small is that sometimes they just can't take even the most talented kids for a show if they don't fit a part. They might be seeing your DC as a good fit for a lead in one of the new musicals. Rest assured they have every chance of coming back and playing a good role another time. I've seen phenomenal kids play great parts, then not get a show the following year. Those who were resilient auditioned again another year and in many cases got another great role.

Thank you for the good advice @Biscuitsneeded. I have already resent my email so I think don’t think I will bother them again. You’re right, I’m sure they’re very busy at the moment! Do they normally hold recalls for the workshops then? I always thought that the workshops were just offered to recalled DC who didn’t get cast in a production/ concert that year? Yes, my DC was lucky enough to be a part of the company last year and had a brilliant time! The dates for the new musicals workshops haven’t been announced on the website either. Do they usually happen in the summer? I’m assuming it would only be a week?

@Mumster40 I've just sent you a PM.

just wondered if anyone on here was attending on Saturday in Manchester. We got the audition info on Monday and it said the song has to be no longer than 1:50. DDs is 2.20 but I’m hoping she’ll get away with that! It’s a hard song to cut bits out of but she could cut the end if needed….

@Alakazam8 I didn't want to leave your post unanswered but I don't have any advice I'm afraid! Could your DD start the song a little way in, perhaps? Guess the time limit matters when a session is full. If it's not full perhaps they will be able to let people sing for a bit longer. Maybe your DD could go with two possible lengths and see what they want on the day?

I would say slightly over is ok - but that's quite a long way over - if the ending is really important to her then she needs to be aware there's a risk she might be stopped before the end, just because of time. I haven't heard of it happening often in the past but if they're running behind, it's possible.

Mine has a 2 minute cut of the song already, so will risk those extra few seconds because the work involved in changing it all for that, seems daft.

thanks…..we have another option now of cutting the first verse which means that it is now just a couple of seconds over the 1:50.
It’s not a long song anyway so will ask on the day what they would prefer. I was a bit confused by it in week as the earlier auditions haven’t specified a length of song but perhaps it’s needed.
@allhailthebrain are you in Manchester on Sat?

@Alakazam8 we did Manchester last year - but I'm afraid this year it's Leeds! Which is a shame because last year I spent a wonderful afternoon with my best mate from uni 😂 Clashes with rehearsals this year dammit!

Sorry I won't get to meet you x

Can I ask a question about the song too. Does my DD need to provide a backing track? Or can she just sing unaccompanied?

@Zanthe she should have sheet music with her as they have a pianist to play for them. You can usually find music for download if you Google it if she doesn’t usually use it. Happy to help find things if you want to PM me 😊

Ah, Ok. That’s useful to know, thank you!

@Zanthe i use an app called Music Notes to download the sheet music if that’s any help to you!! My DC auditioning this weekend, excited and nervous 😊

If DD is primarily a musician the auditions for musicians for NYMT are still open. It’s a video audition.

Thank you, @Montimom - I will check out the app. My DC is also auditioning this weekend for BYMT? Is that the same as your DC’s? I am also nervous and excited! 😊

@Zanthe my gang are auditioning for NYMT!! Best of luck to your DC 👍

Thank you, And to yours! ❤️ Mine are also auditioning for NYMT in February! X

Hopefully I am replying on the right thread I am new to this! My daughter (12 yrs) has applied and auditioned. Hoping this wealth of experience and knowledge form everyone on here will help and support our journey!

Welcome @LibbyRuncie . Which one did your DD audition for? Audition results from last weekend at NYMT are coming out today I believe (some have heard this morning).

Manchester auditions and heard this morning that she has a casting workshop in London in Feb!!!!!

Sorry I meant Bham!

That’s fab, what’s the play? My daughter also was at Birmingham and got a call back 😀. We’re wet behind the ears having only found out about NYMT for the first time a few weeks ago. It all looks amazing. Does anyone know what happens next for the Feb London thing and the likelihood of success? Although she’s excited, we obviously don’t want to build it up too much, in case…

@Gg5979 also our first time and completely no clue! My girl has been called for casting workshop for catastrophe Bay! I am managing expectations though! To get this far is an amazing experience and opportunity!

@Gg5979 Welcome to the thread! Congratulations to your DD on getting a recall, and also to @LibbyRuncie 's DD! So nice to hear of new auditionees getting recalls. Basically, if your DC has been recalled for a named show or shows, they'll be given a slot during the casting weekend to attend in London. A recall session normally lasts about 2.5 hours. About a week before you'll receive an email with a link to a dropbox containing recall material. Don't panic! It often looks like a lot to digest at first glance, but usually it's not impossible to prepare. There might be a bit of a song to learn, and for that they sometimes (but not always) provide a voice track and a recorded backing track as well as sheet music. If you don't read music you might want to have a friend or teacher who does primed to help with a bit of note bashing if you can, but don't worry if you can't. There will probably be a bit of script too - no need to learn it, just be familiar with it. You might get asked to read more than one part so no point trying to learn anything - just read everything through a few times. Occasionally they put in a video of a short dance routine. Again, if dance is your forte, you can use it to brush up before the recall, but if you are not really a dancer just do your best - they are looking for you to perform it and tell the story more than anything.
In the recall itself you'll be in a group of people recalled for the same show, but a wide range of ages and sizes. The team are really friendly so tell your DD's to relax and enjoy it! There are several recall sessions for each show throughout the weekend so you can't really tell what your chances are as you haven't seen all the people recalled in action! Everyone is friendly and supportive, and nerves aside, your DDs should hopefully find it all enjoyable. Then not too long afterwards (hoping this hasn't changed) you should get news of whether you have been cast in a show.
If your recall was for the new musicals (unspecified), you are recalling to take part in a workshop of a new musical. This again is a residential thing, but without the production in a theatre at the end, although there is usually a showing of work at the end of the residential. It's also possible that you might be recalled for a show and then not be cast in that show but offered a new musical workshop instead.
In terms of managing expectations, it's important your DDs understand that the recall does not automatically guarantee a place in the cast of a show, but it does mean the team saw lots of potential, and to get a recall is a big achievement in itself. I believe the plan this year is to try to offer as many opportunities as possible to talented young people, so if you don't end up getting cast in a show you may well be offered some other projects, but I don't know too much about that. Participants in the workshop usually have a great time and bond as a company, and it's exciting to see a brand new show start to take shape and even contribute to its development, working alongside the writers.
As you can probably tell, I could go on Mastermind with NYMT as my subject. My DS has done it ever since 2016 and I can honestly say it has been the making of him and it's the BEST thing any talented young person with an itch to perform could get involved in. It really does change lives. Any questions you may still have, fire away (but don't expect an answer for an hour or so because I have to watch Traitors!😂). Well done again to both your DDs.

@Biscuitsneeded thank you so so much! That information is hugely valuable! Yes totally managing expectations around even getting a role at all! To get a call back from the first audition at the age of 12 is amazing and we are taking anything more than even just experiencing the b’ham auditions as awesome experience! So a have a call to casting workshop is being viewed as an amazing opportunity! Sooooo excited!

@Biscuitsneeded ps lovvve traitors! I am Cub Scout volunteer and we play a game that we think it originated from called Mafia!