NYMT / BYMT 2025

[doesanybodyhaveamap]

Starting off a new thread for 2025 now that both organisations have opened applications for next season!

We're in the same boat. DD (10) had a recall but didn't get cast. We had the email re 'invitation only' courses to choose from yesterday (letter suggested three dates as 'those had good availability' which suggested it isn't really that targeted, in reality). There were only two when I clicked the link yesterday but now down to one (Easter). DD is away on a school trip until late tomorrow evening (no contact possible all week) so I haven't even had chance to tell her how she got on and see what she wants to do yet 😮

I'm wondering if they're the same courses that everyone who attends an audition gets invited to? In which case it doesn't seem right that those who did well in the first round and got a recall have less chance to do the course, given they've booked up by the time they get their results? 🤷🏻‍♀️ Not a big deal for us at this stage but definitely frustrating. Good luck getting it sorted and hope you're DC is able to find one that fits with their schedule.

Ah that’s great to hear!! My DS was lucky enough to workshop a new musical last year and he absolutely loved it! I was worried he might be homesick but not a bit!! A good friends DD 12 is also doing Letty Pegg so he is super excited to be doing this again. ❤️

Please don't worry. The people who didn't get to recall aren't taking the places of those just offered. Give them some time - if there was more uptake than expected then that's great, they'll sort it. I am sure they won't let people miss out.
Bear in mind Chris will have had hundred and hundreds of emails since the offers went out - especially with the broken link. He will be prioritising the urgent so if you're missing an outcome at all I would put that in the title of your email - I'm only guessing, no inside info. But I know people who have had issues before and had it sorted. Could also comment on their social media and ask what to do if you haven't had a response and they might see and be able to search for your email.

Hi
I've come to the realisation that NYMT is predominantly a money generating business
Each year they must generate in excess of £150,000 just in individual £45.00 audition fees nationally.
I also agree with you that a young performer that gets a casting workshop in London and then gets rejected ,subsequently only gets offered skills workshops the same as those who don't get offered castings workshops in initially this doesn't seem fair at all
My observation is that approximately only 150 castings opportunities get offered throughout the high national £45 each auditions.
I totally agree with you how unfair it is to just offer rejected castings workshops participants skills workshops the same as unsuccessfull national auditinonees.
From my observations NYMT use the London Postcodes to promote their business nationally
I'm certain that the training is no better than any natiomal local experienced theatre companies.
Also, this year 2025 the productions team are only going to be performing in the Patrick Studio at the Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre not the main stage
The Patrick Theatre is used by a lot of Birmingham youth theatre companies so no big deal.
Anyone who has been offered residential New Musicals opportunity
Where are these shows going to be performed ? Or are they just part of the residential week ? (Awful lot of money if no show at the end )
The information on the NYMT's website is not sufficient enough and has not very much clarity

I hope I've opened eyes up here and not meant any harm.
I wish everyone who has participated whether accepted for Productions, New Musicals Skills Workshops very best of Luck and Wishes

NYMT is not for profit...

The audition fee covers the day, you get something for that fee.

Why would it be unfair for some people not to get a project? I'm totally confused - that's how auditions work. Some people get the part and others don't. You don't have to accept what they offer you, but isn't it good that people are offered something rather than just a rejection?

The performances being in the smaller venue within is the same as when they played the Leicester Curve.

As for the level of training, I think that can only really be judging by those who receive it.

Just playing devil's advocate to some of your points/responding to some of your points.

Did you get an outcome for your GD yet?

Thanks for responding and as you say hopefully things will get sorted next week once the team have a chance to wade through all the emails. Thanks also to others who responded (and I’m sorry you are in the same boat too) and hope things work out for everyone.

To clarify, I didn’t mean that it’s not fair that rejected callback kids only get the same workshop as those who didn’t get a call back; it was just a concern that IF that was the case, the unfairness comes if those workshops are already full (or nearly full) before the ‘call back kids’ have even found out their results.

@allhailthebrain suggests that isn’t the case though, in which case all good.

I’m sure I read somewhere that they see around 1,100 kids during auditions so, at £45 a time, that would be £49,500 not £150k?

I was a little cynical about the money being raised by all these skills workshops BUT music theatre is very expensive to put on - venue hire, staging, costumes, rehearsal venues, performance and copyright payments, insurance, office team’s salaries and ops budgets, box office payments etc etc etc, not to mention the production team’s professional fees so I doubt they make much and that, if any, will be ploughed back in with bursaries etc.

Anyway, hope your GD got her results and has had a positive experience otherwise 🤞🏻

@Dove79 that's my understanding - from a friend whose daughter was offered and wanted the same clarification from them.

This was her 4th year auditioning - she got a workshop the first year (how she met my kid and I met the mum) then next two years she got recalls for two shows - but had no success, and was not offered workshops.
This year she got a show! Over the moon for her and I hope it encourages others - you have to be the right fit for the role and those mid teen years are tricky.

@Mariaamariaa - i tend to not comment a lot but your post made me want to respond. Nymt performances are on a different level to your local theatre groups. The standard is amazing and every child benefits from being part of it. 2025 will be my DD 4th year in NYMT. She has been in two shows and two workshops and will be in another workshop this year. There is nothing average or money making about NYMT. As far as workshops goes last year was one of the years that my DD enjoyed the most helping them create something new on two productions. There is nothing money making or mean spirited about this organisation and for £45 your DC would have had two days of auditions and workshops. Please go and see one of their performances before you pass judgement - they are inspiring and each and every child/adult will get something out of it. I really hope that your GC has the opportunity to benefit from learning from them. She will love it and you will be amazed at what they do.

It absolutely isn't a money making business. They don't receive any funding from anywhere and I can assure you nobody is getting rich on the fees paid. Where are you getting a figure of £150 000 from audition fees from? Your maths is way off! They had 1100 auditionees so nothing like that amount would have been made. Your £45 goes towards venue hire for auditions, the creatives' time, pastoral and admin support both on the day and in processing all the results. You'd easily pay £45 for any sort of arts skills training day, so the NYMT audition day is already competitive (compare for example with BYMT who charge the same for about 3 hours) but in this case if you had a recall you had a whole other session with fabulous creatives for free too. You are then allocated to a project based on your audition and the costs vary according to what it is. You are under no obligation to take it up if you don't like what you've been offered, so if you decline now you've only spent £45 and your DC has had 2 super experiences. I don't see any great unfairness in that.
If you do a workshop, yes, correct, there's not a big production at the end, but you've still worked with some interesting writers and creatives and had an experience typical of the industry. The workshops are cheaper than the shows, which reflects the fact that the residential is shorter and there isn't a big show at the end. But if you compare with a theatre summer camp I think they are comparable in price and probably quite a bit more interesting than some. If you are offered a course, as I understand it you are invited to a suitable one for you. If the suitable course is sold out by the time you go to sign up, don't panic. Possibly there are more coming. NYMT can only estimate how many people will take up course offers, but if they're proving popular and selling out I'm sure there will be some more dates available.
Regarding the venue, if what you want is for your DC to perform on a London stage (albeit briefly and amid 100s of others who may or may not have any real passion for performing) then there are companies that do this. You can do some classes, watch a show and do a dance on a West End Stage. No doubt it's fun but it doesn't in any way compare to an NYMT experience where you're in a cast that bonds, learning from some of the best directors, MDs and choreographers around. And I doubt it's any cheaper. I think for those who value what NYMT does, it's not about the size of the venue, as long as it's a professional theatre - it's about the quality of the product. Go and watch what those West.End experience companies put on if you like, then come.and watch NYMT in Birmingham and then you'll be able to decide which one is worth the money.

You can view 20 years worth of annual accounts on Companies House. Most recent filing was July 2024 (for the previous financial year) No big secret about how much they raise and spend....

FWIW no charity aims to run at a loss - of course they need to generate revenue to ensure there is enough funding in the pot to continue activities the following year.

Not sure if I can share links here, but if anyone is interested in the finacial side of things, just go to to Companies House and look up company 01508781

I tend to lurk on these threads as my child is older now and I have no involvement in the process.
However, I felt I wanted to express my thoughts.
£1950 or whatever the cost is now is a lot of money. There’s no getting away from it. It does however represent excellent value when you break down the costs I doubt very much that £60k (minus acommodation, food etc) pays for a show. I am fairly sure the school productions ran to this kind of sum. They were unusually elaborate but even so, not the same level.
The audition fees cover 2 days for a large percentage of children. That’s an absolute bargain and the creatives can only be doing it for the love of it!
I had mixed feeling about the recent changes with all the workshops and skills courses on offer but actually, this does mean it’s not so cutthroat and I’ve only heard good things regarding these.
I seem to remember when DS first auditioned you either got a show or nothing at all. Whilst this scenario is actually more realistic and helps manage expectations for all concerned, it’s really hard! There will be so many knock backs to come for anyone choosing this career path so it’s nice that there’s something to perhaps soften the blow. It’s up to the individuals to decide if they want to accept or not.
My child has had incredible experiences with NYMT both off stage and on and I’d encourage anyone to get involved despite the disappointments.

I can only echo what others have just said in that NYMT is the furthest thing possible from a money generating scheme. I’m based in Ireland and the initial audition cost is nothing in comparison to what a local workshop would cost here, and without the possible outcomes that may arise from it. Have been through every possible combination over the years with my DC with shows offered on their first year to none the second, to workshops, to workshops that grew into more, to concerts to workshops again, highs the lows, they are all designed to help our DC grow and suceeed in a very tough industry. They loved the musical workshops and heard only positive feedback for skills courses. Like @Biscuitsneeded said above you get two amazing experiences for 45, ands its very clear and transparent as to what paths you can choose to do down after that.

Hi all thank you for the feedback , Ive no doubt that the training is exceptional, however NYMT is still a business.
I agree with a lot you are saying and don't mean to be unkind in anyway.
I am new to this type of auditioning process and find it hard to understand why NYMT would audition nationally across 12 major cities and many extra in London alone , for so little places , Casting Workshops and Productions.
I'm certain that all participants that attend initial auditions already have a high level of theatre training and performing experience.
Participants are wanting the opportunity to perform in shows with a London Company as opposed to further training courses. It seems unnecessary to scout huge national auditions for so little places either on casting workshops and productions which is the reasons that hopeful young performers apply and audition in the first place.
Their advertising for these auditions is predominantly the shows they are doing , this year for example Fame at the Birmingham Hippodrome. This is the type of advertising that would attract attention and draw hopefull participants to audition.
I'm not so sure if the volume of hopeful performers would attend auditions if the advertising was predominantly based on skills courses.
Again to reiterate NYMT is still a business.
The whole process has opened up my eyes to the huge competition young performers face who wish to pursue a career in this industry and for that I am grateful I have been educated how tough the road ahead of them is.

I agree it is tough but nymt is a ‘value-led charity’ and is supported by the arts council and other benefactors to provide a service. No person can profit, only the organisation in its provision of the service can generate income. It’s not a business therefore. My DS has done both nymt and bymt and loves meeting others from all over the country.
I hope your GD has a good experience despite it being incredibly tough.

To the newbies reading this exchange, please remember that this person is sharing their opinion with no previous experience of this wonderful organisation. You've had counter opinions from several people with many years of incredible experiences across tens of shows, new musical workshops and skills courses. At lots of different venues too (indeed, mine has even performed at the Sondheim). Most of our DC have experienced all of the options at one time or another and we collectively believe that every experience is a)value for money b)industry training of unparalleled quality. That's why we keep going back!

As others have said - no obligation to do any of it. But until you do, you can't judge.

It's a charity. As @MxPickles says, you can view their accounts. I'm utterly sure that lots of the staff are working for pretty low salaries and daily rates that can't compete with anything they might get elsewhere, even in this famously badly- paid industry. They do it because they love it, and because they believe in offering training and chances to perform to talented young people. Any money NYMT do make goes back into the company, to allow it to continue.
I'm a little confused by what point you are making about the fact they hold auditions all over the country. They do that because they want to find the young performers they want so that their shows can be the best they can be. Some of those performers might be quite experienced and already in some form of training, yes. Others might be 11 years old and only ever have been in a school play. They look for potential.
Yes, you are probably correct that ultimately there will be about 150 places this year in a full production, from 1100 original applicants. Those are tough odds but not unrepresentative of the industry. For a professional show, your agent has to decide to submit you (first cut), then there might be self tapes (second cut), then you might be invited to attend an audition (third cut), then there will be multiple rounds of audition with cuts throughout until they arrive at the final round. Whereupon it may well be that the person currently in the role decides that are not leaving after all, so having jumped all the hurdles and paid to travel to auditions and spent time unpaid doing them, you've got nothing to show for it. And still the industry is saturated with young performers who keep on auditioning and working muggle jobs and just hoping that sooner or later one of these auditions will come to something, all for the love of it. If you think the NYMT audition process is tough, the industry is a thousand times harder.
If you want a guarantee that your DC will perform on a London stage, do pay for one of those companies like West End Stage that I mentioned earlier. I had a look and it costs £1400+ for one week including food and accommodation. There's no audition and your fellow participants may or may not be serious about performing. I don't believe that NYMT courses or workshops cost anything like that. A show costs more like £1900 I think, but for that you get two weeks of residential rehearsal AND show week. And of course the end result is spectacular.
Read the testimonies from several parents on this thread, some of whose DC have also been unlucky not to get a show this year and who despite that are coming forward and telling you that NYMT is a wonderful organisation and not out to get your money. If your DC has not received their outcome email yet, that's very unfortunate amd I understand that is upsetting when you read here of other people getting news. Admin errors do occur occasionally, as they might with any organisation, and I'm sure NYMT will be very sorry to hear that your email hasn't arrived. Have you followed up with them so they can put it right?

Hi just to clarify that it's not true that everyone invited to a castings recall is guaranteed a place in a show either productions or new Musicals workshops.
My 12 year old GD has a recall last Saturday 15th February but was only offered a skills course.
It is very disheartening especially when she has 5 years continuous experience of public performing lead roles with an Adult Musical Theatre Company for a large Hotel Chain. It certainly taken its toll on her confidence.
This thread is educating me on how NYMT works, I would never have had the understanding if it wasn't for this thread

I am interested to know other's opinions. Is there competition between BYMT and NYMT? For the Easter production of BYMT the deadline for acceptance was prior to the outcome of NYMT auditions. I understand for the summer production of BYMT the deadlines was after the NYMT outcome.

It is difficult to do both BYMT and NYMT in the same year due to costs and clashes. In a way the BYMT process seems fairer as they have more time with people before casting.

@Mariaamariaa for a west end show where cast sizes are usually small, I am sure there is heavy competition internationally for the roles. I am not sure why you think NYMT are doing something wrong by having auditions everywhere, giving the opportunity to as many people as possible?

@Truetoself I'll PM you on this. We've had experience of both but I'd rather share it privately 😜 will be a bit later as I'm about to go out

@doesanybodyhaveamap no worries, thanks

They're different, and I'm sure both have their merits. BYMT hold auditions, and the people who they think meet a certain threshold get allocated to a show. Yes, they then don't cast the individual roles until they have their company in person, but I assume they take casting scores and feedback into account when allocating to shows so they have a mix of skills, casting types, voices etc and can cast from those when they meet. I'm sure some cast members must arrive already (unknowingly) earmarked for a particular role, because otherwise they might not find what they needed among the cast, but there will also be a contingent who are just good performers and could have been in any show.
NYMT put on a much smaller number of shows, so regrettably there are fewer places. But they cast specifically for those shows and roles. You don't get cast until you've done a day-long first round audition and then a further 3 hour recall in a small group where they can really assess your suitability. So when you receive your offer, you know exactly what role you are being offered and that much thought has gone into it.

Hi as I've said before I am new to NYMT process and am being educated here .
What strikes me is that NYMT huge National Auditions advertising is predominantly for their shows, this year Fame and others at the Birmingham Hippodrome.
This of course is going to attract massive interest when in reality 99% of those that audition are only offered skills development courses.
I find this quite unfair
I also wonder if the annual NYMT National Advertising was based on Skills Development workshops opportunities rather than Productions and Shows opportunities , would this generate as much National interest and excitement with participants wanting to audition.

This is our first year of doing NYMT however I have seen one of their productions before and was very impressed - closest to being a professional production that you can get. I would echo that putting on a show is extremely expensive - the rights alone are thousands of pounds. Yes £45 is a lot but I understand that venue hire and the hire of professionals will need to be recuperated and the arts are severely underfunded.
I just wanted to say that as a family that live very rurally we are really grateful that they do cast their net far and wide and make it accessible to all. And also that we didn't have to travel down to London for the initial audition. My DD has had some professional experience but most of the time opportunities have been denied to her before even the audition stage because we don't live in or near London.
The whole business is cut throat and very competitive - we have been really impressed by how welcoming, kind and just generally nice all the staff have been. Definitely not always the case - particularly in professional auditions.
The courses and shows are expensive but when you factor in the accommodation and food etc then it's not unreasonable. A professional ballet company (can't remember which!) that offers the experience of being part of their show in our regional theatre is charging at least £500 and that is without any residential. And as others have said upthread there is no obligation to do the courses. It's expensive but I don't believe they are a money making initiative - they HAVE to make some money in order to be a viable company going forward but I genuinely don't think that that is their sole purpose.

Again, just want to correct your maths, as 99% emphatically do not end up in skills courses. About 1100 auditioned for about 150 places in shows, which by my maths means you have about a 1 in 8-9 chance of ending up in a show. And then there are musical workshops. So in fact the percentage who are offered a course (which by the way is still really great experience and not to be sniffed at) will probably be more like 40 or 50%.
You're entitled to your opinions, but it's unfair to make up statistics, as you have done twice now, and post them on a public site when they are entirely erroneous and might be read by others and accepted as fact.
I'm sure your GD is very talented if she has performed leads locally and secured a recall with NYMT. If they hadn't seen talent they would not have recalled her. But the reality is NYMT cannot cast everyone in Fame! That is what auditions are for - whether they be local, amateur events or West End pro shows.They are for the casting team to look at the available talent and decide who is right for the particular project. By definition, many will be disappointed. It does NOT mean that those not selected this time around do not have talent. The advertising campaign is to make sure lots of people know about the auditions so they have the widest possible pool to select from so that the shows end up the best they can be.