Youth Music Theatre UK

You don't have to prepare any material. The audition is a 2-hour online group workshop where you’ll be led by a professional director, a musical director and a choreographer. During your workshop you will learn a song, possibly look at a piece of script or even try out some movement.

Please be ready to learn new material, create new characters and think on your feet!

Although you don’t have to prepare any material, you do need to prepare yourself! Here are a few important tips to consider:

• Make sure that you are doing the online audition in a reasonably large room where you can move freely; ideally not on carpet;
• Make sure that your camera is positioned both so that you can be close up and so that your whole body can be seen at a distance. It’s a good idea to set up your room with a mark on the floor where you can be seen in the camera full length;
• Make sure your face is well lit from the front. Avoid having bright daylight coming through windows behind you; 
• Tell everyone in your house, including the dog, that you have an audition between the hours of X and X; 
• Before you join us, do a few warm up exercises in advance; 
• If you know how to warm up your voice, do so; 
• Shake yourself down; 
• Get used to being noisy in your space; 
• Have a bottle of water to hand by your laptop.

The auditions consist of a 2-hour online workshop led by top theatre professionals. During the workshop you will first undertake a series of warm up exercises, then learn a new song and sing it back to the auditions team, learn a short movement section and do some acting exercises. Our team will learn a lot from this about your abilities, any past training and all that raw talent you can show off. 

Information packs will go out the Monday before the weekend of auditions. A link to the Information Pack is also available in your booking confimation email.

Zoom links will be sent out after 5.30pm on the Friday evening.

      You are auditioning to join the BYMT Company and take part in BYMT's 2021 Season of New Music Theatre. These are two/three-week residential courses over Easter or during the summer, where you'll work with a professional artistic team to create a brand new piece of music theatre that will be performed in a professional theatre at the end of the project.

      Unlike most other Youth Theatres, BYMT is unique in creating ONLY brand new shows. Be part of something incredible and star in one of our new shows taking place across the UK.

      We are looking for ANYONE aged 11-21 who loves theatre! We are looking for people with guts, determination, integrity, ambition, energy, authenticity, generosity and a willingness to give it everything! You don't need to have any prior experience whatsoever; we are looking for potential! 

Yes you can audition for BYMT as long as you turn 11 by the start of your project.

Everyone will be given a mark for acting, singing and movement based on the practitioners notes, which are made during your audition. After your audition the creative team meet for a casting session to match the most suitable performers to the skills required for a range of different shows. Their feedback will then go back to the BYMT office team who will prepare offer packs and emails to go out to everyone by the end of April 2021. Please bear with us during this time and we will be in touch as soon as we can.

      You may be successful and receive an offer to join the BYMT Company or you may not make it onto a show this time. Please don't be disheartened if you don't receive an offer, there are plenty of other opportunities to get involved with BYMT, especially through BYMT's Musical Theatre Camps! We also aim to provide specific feedback and advice from your audition so you know where you can improve - this will be available throughout May 2021.

      Selection is not based on where you live, so you could be put onto a project anywhere in the UK - Plymouth, Aberdeen, Belfast, London! BYMT projects are residential courses - so you'll be staying in university/boarding school-style accommodation away from your family. This gives you the unique opportunity to meet like-minded people, develop your skills and build confidence all whilst eating, sleeping and breathing theatre!

      There is a non-refundable booking fee of £30 for BYMT Online Auditions. Paying for auditions is standard industry practice; unlike many auditions for Performing Arts colleges, which can be £50 for a 10-minute audition, BYMT's Online Auditions are two hours long giving all auditionees the chance to really show their talent!

      Discounts are also available for Group bookings - please get in touch with eugeniebacher@bymt.org for details about these. This year, due to charitable funding, BYMT is able to offer the special audition rate of £15 to those in receipt of free school meals/pupil premium. This offer can be claimed by using promotion code 'FSM' when booking online or booking over the phone 020 8563 7725.

      If successful, there is a course fee. BYMT is a not-for-profit educational charity and so our primary source of income comes from course fees. The course fee varies depending on the length of the course and whether you're a performer or a musician. For 2021 our courses for performers start at £1,550 an go up to £2,000 and our courses for musicians start at £500 and go up to £750.

      This may sound expensive but it covers all-inclusive accommodation for the whole duration, tuition from leading industry professionals, 24-hour full pastoral care, theatre hire, sets, props, costumes, sound design and technical staff (and your fee doesn't cover all of it - the actual cost is way over £3,000). We never insist that the course fee is paid in one lump sum, instead we create a flexible payment plan. Furthermore, we run a comprehensive bursary scheme if required and we're always happy to offer help on ways to raise money.

If you have any questions about BYMT Auditions, please contact the BYMT team by email: mail@bymt.org or call: 020 8563 7725

Lots of luck at your audition from all the team at BYMT!

We are very aware of the level of concern about the risks from Covid-19 and are closely following Government and Public Health England (PHE) advice so we can monitor and plan accordingly. We will take all necessary precautions to ensure that our activities are run as safely as possible and this may mean additional health precautions.

In the event that the government forces us to cancel our activities, you will receive a full refund.

If for any reason you have to cancel your booking or withdraw from a project, please be aware that any fees already paid are not refundable, as per our Terms & Conditions. If your cancellation is due to Covid-19, we will review and discuss this on a case by case basis.

• Please read BYMT's full update on Covid-19 here.