British Youth Music Theatre

In addition to the New Music Theatre Award, BYMT programmes five to six productions each year, which are a combination of returning concepts and new submissions.

Every production is given a two-week rehearsal process with a cast of 36 young people, a band of up to six young people and professional musicians, and a full creative and production team, culminating with performances in a regional theatre (e.g Birmingham Hippodrome, The Lowry Manchester, Southwark Playhouse).

We also programme six to seven development camps where ideas for new shows can be trialled and developed over a week with a group of young people.

Submissions for our 2025 season are now closed, however if you have an idea for a new show that you’d love to be programmed as part of our 2026 season, applications for productions and camps are welcome until 30th September 2025. 

All submissions can be sent to Cerys at cerysjones@bymt.org with the following information:

• Synopsis of the concept (1000 words)
• Practical considerations of BYMT’s process (see criteria below)
• Short bios of the writers/composers involved
• An example of the music style
• Evidence of suitability for BYMT and reasons for submitting

Helpful to include but not essential are:

• Links to material (script/score/previous performances)

BYMT’s criteria for considering submissions includes:

• At least 36 named characters with something to contribute to the narrative / performance
• Opportunities for at least two young musicians in the band
• Global / community driven narratives
• A clear message for an audience
• Between 8-12 songs, with a majority of ensemble and minimal solo/small group numbers
• A practical sense of how the production could be delivered in a short rehearsal period
• An understanding of how the piece will cater to and celebrate the wide range of skill sets and experience of our young company
• The type of young person the material will engage, and an idea of casting brief / breakdown

All submissions will be looked at by the BYMT team and then a longlist will be selected and discussed with BYMT’s Young Company Panel. Their recommendations for the shortlist, along with discussions with venues and the Board, will form the 2026 programme.

As an organisation, British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) maintain a significant responsibility for the safety and welfare of our young people. The majority of work undertaken by BYMT operates in a residential setting, where our young people will be staying away from home, often for the first time. This requires BYMT to have a caring, patient and communicative pastoral team who work alongside any artistic and production staff to support our young people on each project. We have a duty of care for all our young people and the pastoral team are expected to exercise the same care and control as a responsible parent in securing that a young person’s needs are met and respected.

If you would be interested in becoming a member of our pastoral team, please read the following information, and if you feel you’d be a good fit with us, fill out the application form attached.

(Please note, if you have worked in a pastoral role for BYMT in the last 3 years please email Rosa directly at rosahiggs@bymt.org to express your interest in reprising your role).

Professional Experience:

Essential:

• Previous experience of safeguarding/pastoral work with young people
• Experience working in a team
• Experience in managing relationships and building rapport with a variety of people including teachers, young people, pastoral and creative staff

Desirable:

• Experience in an arts organisation/environment and interest in applied theatre

If this is a role that you’re interested in please read the relevant Job Description below and complete the APPLICATION FORM. Please send your completed application form to our Outreach and Welfare Manager, Rosa, at rosahiggs@bymt.org.

Pastoral Team Member: JOB DESCRIPTION

Pastoral Lead: JOB DESCRIPTION 

Each year British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) make a number of training places available for emerging artists, recent graduates, or those in their second/third year of higher education, wishing to gain work experience on professionally-staged Musical Theatre projects working with young people. These placements take the form of assistant roles to professional practitioners within the chosen discipline, on one of our 2-3-week residential projects held nationally across the summer/Easter holidays, working with a cast of 36 young people.

Our productions are all newly devised music theatre of a variety of genres, and each individual will be appointed to a show that best suits their skillset.

Typically, we offer placements for the roles of Assistant Musical Director, Assistant Designer and Assistant Stage Manager, but we are also open to applications for Assistant Directors and Assistant Choreographers. Whilst these roles are not currently part of the Creative Work Placements, we warmly welcome any interest and these will be discussed and offered at BYMT’s discretion.   

Creative Work Placements will receive full board accommodation (including meals), and an expenses allowance to cover their travel and any further fees incurred on production.

If you have any questions or difficulties, please feel free to get in touch with the team, at mail@bymt.org or on 0113 320 1018.

How to apply: The deadline for applications has passed. Please revisit this page in January 2025 for more information regarding next year.

At British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) we love to give opportunities to those who are wanting to pursue a career within the musical theatre industry the chance to complete some work experience with us.

We offer those in sixth form, college or university the opportunity to complete 14 days minimum work experience with us working within a role suited to their interests. You must be aged 18 or over at the time when you will be volunteering with us, but are welcome to apply before.

We also offer those who are post education or those who are wanting some experience volunteering within an arts charity, the opportunity to volunteer with us on a longer basis. 

Applications for these positions are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. Please note these are unpaid positions. 

We can offer administrative work experience with either our marketing department (based in our Leeds Office) or within the roles focusing on our young company (based in our London Office).

If you are interested in working with us in this capacity, please complete the Google form attached here, so we can consider the suitable work experience, or volunteer role, for you. We are unable to accept an email of a CV alone as a way of registering interest.

There is the potential to cover some travel expenses, however this would be discussed on a case-by-case basis once your position has been agreed on.

Please note if you are looking for experience within a production role, we are unable to offer this as a work experience role and instead each year hire a Production Assistant to help programme and run our season. This is a paid role and works on a fixed-term contract, from January to December each year. If you are interested in creative work experience on one of our productions not as a Production Assistant please see the Creative Work Placements as there may be a role that interests you there. The application for Production Assistant for our 2025 season has now closed. Applications for Production Assistant for our 2026 season will open in November 2025.

If you would like to discuss our volunteering or work experience opportunities, or have any further questions please email us at mail@bymt.org or call us on 0113 320 1018.