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!

@Operasingerkath not everyone said the name of the workshop so there may be others on here - or maybe some who might message you!

@Keepcominghome which musical is yours workshopping, might be the same one...?

Thanks @Biscuitsneeded and @allhailthebrain, hopefully 😊

Anyone know if there is a Snapchat group/ what’s app for Stagshaw fayre? Thanks

@allhailthebrain and @Coniger my DC is doing Stagshawe Fayre - don’t think he knows of any chat groups

Ah I think @Operasingerkath has one doing Lightning Boy! Shout up if anyone else has one joining him 😊

Sounds like a good place to start linking up with each other @Keepcominghome and @Coniger for Stagshawe!

Sorry I have a newbie question for NYMT. Is the Easter residential for everyone in all 3 shows? Just wondering how many similar age boys there will be who are 12 for accommodation. Thanks

They usually hold separate residentials for each show. Sometimes they happen at the same time but in different accommodation.

i think last year there were multiple shows being rehearsed at Sevenoaks at Easter. My ds shared a room with someone from another show.

Has anyone seen an arrival time for the 2nd?

Thanks for that info. I have no idea how many are in the ensemble so was hoping there might be others to share a room with. Arrival on the 2nd is 10.15-10.50.

They usually put the casts of the same shows together in the accommodation. At Easter all the shows are rehearsing at the same time, but I still think the different companies will be housed separately. @Kittykat57 It's likely they will put your son in a room with the person of the same sex who is closest in age to him. Under 16s wouldn't be put with over 16s though. If you're concerned, do make contact with the pastoral team who will be able to tell you. They won't think you're being difficult, I assure you.

The shows typically have 28-30 cast members. I think for Into The Woods they will generally be at the older end of the age range, but there will be a few younger ones and they will have the time of their lives being looked after and made to feel special by the pastoral team and the rest of the cast!

Hi @Kittykat57 just backing up what's been said - they will be in a room with others of the same gender. First time around I think mine was in a room of 6 within the same sort of age range. Other times it's been 2, 3 or even 1 person rooms.
I noticed in the info pack sent today there was a zoom meeting set up for parents of under 18s to attend if they want to on pastoral care so that might be good for extra info? The pastoral team are so lovely - I had to email back with a question today and had a reply within minutes. They've also had to deal with a situation or two in the past for me and they've been very professional - and flexible when needed. Like letting me take my kid between matinee and evening show when they were meant to be with chaperones - so they could see family who had come.
If there were nobody at all in a similar age range (very unlikely) they'd either have them in a 1 person room or with other people from another show, same age/gender. And they'll see all of them around the place and at meals :) Mine shared with band members last summer for the actual show week.

The facebook group for the show they're in is also a good place to meet other parents and ask questions. When mine was a similar age we had a great whatsapp group going for the mums which I found really helpful.

I have an entirely irrelevant question to BYMT/ NYMT but one for those whose DC do LAMDA exams.

If one of your pieces was known for being regional based, and you were very capable of doing that accent, would you perform it in the regional accent or stick with your standard accent?

What grade is it for?

The reason I ask for the grade is because in the knowledge section you get asked increasingly more detailed questions about the world of the play. Grades 1 - 5 you don't need to have read the play so you can make up your own "imagined surroundings" and as long as you can describe and justify your choices thats not a problem.

Grade 6 onwards you are expected to have read the play and to be able to justify your acting choices in relation to the whole text - so if you are making changes say moving a play from 1940's America to current day Manchester you'd need to be able to explain your changes and your interpretation of the world of the play.

People set historic plays in modern contexts all the time, or move locations, so you can absolutely do it but any changes you do (or don't) make you will need to be comfortable discussing in the knowledge part of the exam.

My experience as someone who used to enter students for LAMDA exams (though I didn't coach them) was that if you attempt an accent it must be VERY accurate or you get marked down.

We once had a girl get marked down for attempting an "American" accent. Except it wasn't American it was Canadian (she had been born in Canada but had lived in the UK since a young child but her mum still had the accent).

However we had a young lad do a brilliant Yorkshire accent for a Lamda monologue and he got good marks.

This is so true! I tend to steer my kiddo away from doing accents unless absolutely essential.

If you use an accent you are introducing an element that you could get "wrong" and thereby lose marks whereas you wouldn't ever lose marks for using your natural accent providing you can justify the reason for your character choices in the knowledge section.

Thank you @MxPickles and @Comefromaway. It is a Grade 6 so she has read the play and watched the production. From what you are saying I think we will go for the normal accent as it's just not worth the risk of being marked down for something that you don't actually need to do yet.

From the LAMDA website

There is no requirement for learners to adopt an accent for a piece that has been written for a character with a particular dialect or accent, providing that the piece still makes sense and the authors intent is still clear. If the learner does choose to adopt an accent, this must be sustained throughout the piece ensuring fluency and focus are not affected.

And from the Teacher Guidelines (updated Jan 2023)

The use of accent/dialect is not compulsory; however, the style and intent of the playwright should be reflected in the interpretation of a role. If a Learner chooses to use an accent/dialect within their scene, they should be able to confidently sustain this throughout.

Hi @LibbyRuncie ,
just joined the group as my DD is 11 and has also been cast in Catastrophe bay… just wanted to say Hi 👋 ☺️

@allhailthebrain Could you please send me the email address for this too? I haven’t received the payment info either and starting to panic 🥲
thank you in advance ☺️

@Broshi dont panic! Easier said than done I know as I did! But they have been lovely and said don’t worry! I would email them and flag it with them so they know! Apparently they have to put in the email address’s manually! I ve pm’d you!

@Broshi have you joined the Facebook group?

not yet…. Is that the one mentioned in the pastoral pack? ☺️