BYMTalks
We are so excited to introduce BYMTalks, our free access webinar series exploring the secrets of the theatre industry. We will be joined by special guests with extensive experience in the industry to give you some exclusive insights into the theatre world. Check the dates and topics below! Places are limited, so register NOW!
BYMTalks #22 | Sat 18 June 2022 - 12pm
Q&A WITH A CREATIVE TEAM
With Director Steven Dexter, Musical Director Adam Gerber and Choreographer Jocelyn Prah
We offer you a thorough 360-degree insight into theatre making from multiple points of view with a full Creative Team: a Director, a Musical Director and a Choreographer. These are the people you will be working the most with when you perform in a musical. This BYMTalks will be a longer session (from 12pm to 1.30pm) so you can ask all your questions and discover all the insights from a full creative team, that will be working on our different projects this summer.
West End Director Steven Dexter will be the Director for our smash-hit new musical Breadboy that will be performed at the Lyric Theatre Belfast in 28-31 July. Steven's credits include Loserville (Olivier Award nomination: Best New Musical, Broadway World Award nomination: Best Director); La Cava (Eon Productions), Romance Romance (Gielgud Theatre), Peter Pan and The Pirates of Penzance in rep at the Savoy.
Composer and Musical Director Adam Gerber will be working on our innovative and poignant dance show Terra Nova at the Winchester Theatre Royal in 13-14 August. Adam has been teaching in The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, The Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Mountview and working with The University of Aberdeen, Scottish Opera and The University of Glasgow.
Choreographer Jocelyn Prah will be part of our creative team for the new hilarious rock-pop extravaganza Angry Salmon at the Theatre Royal Plymouth on 20-21 August. Jocelyn's credits include Magic Goes Wrong (UK Tour), Snow White (Kenneth More Theatre), Man of La Mancha (English National Opera), Ishq The Musical (Sadlers Wells), as well as Moulin Rouge for Channel 4 and The Crown for Netflix.
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BYMTalks #21 | Sat 4 June 2022 - 11am
STARRING IN A WEST END MUSICAL
With West End Performer AILSA DAVIDSON
This Saturday, join our BYMTalk with West End Performer Ailsa Davidson!
Ailsa is currently playing the leading role in the West End smash-hit show Heathers The Musical, the winner of the WhatsOnStage Award as The Best New Musical. Ailsa will be sharing her experience and answering all your questions about what is it like to star in a West End musical.
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BYMTalks #20 | Sat 12 September 2020 - 12pm
Q&A WITH BYMT'S EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JON BROMWICH
This Saturday, join our last BYMTalk with BYMT's Executive Producer Jon Bromwich!
Jon will be answering all your questions about BYMT and the theatre industry. He will be talking about how he got into theatre, making new shows, theatre he has most enjoyed, how to get into the industry today and everything in between! Places are limited, so make sure to register now!
Jon started in theatre as a Company Manager both touring and in the West End; he then became a Producer for North Bank Productions, again mostly UK tours, including long runs of To Kill A Mocking Bird and Funny Peculiar. He started BYMT in 2003 and since then has been its Executive Producer. Each year he has been putting together an exciting programme of new musical theatre and has seen many talented young people finding their way into the industry including such stars as Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Charlotte Ritchie and many others.
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BYMTalks #19 | Sat 29 August 2020 - 12pm
WHAT YOU GAIN FROM A BYMT PROJECT
With BYMT participant Charlotte and her mum Christine Desmond-Cleary
We would like to invite you to take part in our conversation with our brilliant participant Charlotte and her mum Christine Desmond-Cleary about what to expect from a BYMT project and what you will gain from it! This webinar is aiming to reveal Charlotte's experience of going into a BYMT project in details for all our new participants and to invite everyone to share their BYMT experience.
Charlotte, 17, came to our Audition in Dublin in 2019 and then participated in our devised project Hot Wheels which was performed at Barbican Theatre in Plymouth in August 2019. This year she has also taken part in our National Auditions 2020 and will be joining the cast of Breadboy at the Lyric Theatre Belfast in 2021.
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BYMTalks #18 | Sat 15 August 2020 - 12pm
HOW TO DEVELOP A CHARACTER
With Director Sarah Ingram
Join our conversation with West End Director Sarah Ingram about how to develop a character.
Sarah performed at some major venues including The Royal National Theatre and The Old Vic. Her directing credits include among others Annie, Rags, Address Unknown, Oliver, Grease, Guys and Dolls and bespoke cabarets Flight, Songs From my Trunk, Sibling Revelry (Broadway World Nomination), and Sapphire Soul, all at London's Hippodrome.
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BYMTalks #17 | Sat 1 August 2020 - 12pm
MENTAL WELL-BEING FOR A PERFORMER
With West End Performer and Choreographer Christopher Tendai
Join our conversation with our amazing alumnus, West End Performer and Choreographer Christopher Tendai as he talks about the mindset and mental well-being for a performer in the industry.
Christopher's credits include: Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1); Dancer for Brit Awards; Hamilton (West End); Matilda The Musical (Cambridge Theatre); In The Heights (King's Cross Theatre); Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre); In The Willows (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre). Choreography credits include: Union J UK Tour; Hamilton Cast at Westend Eurovision; Identity for Young Actors Theatre; Piano Legends National Tour.
Christopher also runs his own dance company, CTC Company, and they can currently be seen performing their show 'IDENTITY' at The Turbine Theatre.
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BYMTalks #16 | Sat 18 July 2020 - 12pm
Q&A WITH CHARLOTTE
With Actress and Singer-Songwriter Charlotte Ritchie
Join our conversation with our brilliant alumna, actress and singer-songwriter Charlotte Ritchie.
Charlotte is most well-known as Oregon in Channel 4 comedy series Fresh Meat and as Nurse Barbara Gilbert in BBC1's Call the Midwife. Her other TV Credits include: Presenter on Boomerang TV network, Ruby in Channel 4's Raised By Wolves, Harriet in Channel 4's Stath Lets Flats, Hannah in BBC3's Siblings, Lin in BBC1's Doctor Who, Lottie in A Christmas Carol. Charlotte can currently be seen in new Channel 4 and Netflix comedy series Feel Good, written by and starring Canadian comedian Mae Martin, where Charlotte plays Mae's new girlfriend (George). She will also be reprising two roles (both characters called Alison!) this year with the second series of BBC1's Ghosts and E4's Dead Pixels.
Charlotte also sang with classical girl group All Angels, who have sold over one million records.
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BYMTalks #15 | Sat 4 July 2020 - 12pm
GETTINT INTO COMEDY
With Writer and Performer Rosie Dempsey (Flo & Joan)
Join our conversation with Writer and Performer Rosie Dempsey (Flo & Joan) as she talks about getting into Comedy!
Rosie is a writer and performer and one half of the multi-award winning musical comedy duo Flo & Joan. Credits with Flo & Joan include The Royal Variety Performance, BBC’s Live at the Apollo, Rob Delaney’s Stand Up Central, Horrible Histories, The Now Show (BBC Radio 4), Mark Watson Talks a Bit About Life (BBC Radio 4) and a number of viral songs online. Flo & Joan have performed all over the world and their hour-long live special is currently streaming in over 200 countries on Amazon Prime.
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BYMTalks #14 | Sat 27 June 2020 - 12pm
JOURNEY TO THE INDUSTRY
With West End Performer Kayleigh McKnight
Join our conversation with our amazing alumna and West End Performer Kayleigh McKnight.
For BYMT, Kayleigh was in No Stone Unturned (Edinburgh 2006), Frankenstein (Plymouth and London 2007 and 2008) and The Dummy Tree (London 2010).
Kayleigh most recently performed as a vocalist on Hugh Jackman's World Tour, where they travelled to Paris, Dublin, Sydney, New York City, and Hollywood to name just a few stops. She has amassed a number of impressive West End / off-West End credits including Harrier/Cover Jules in Bend it Like Beckham (Phoenix Theatre), Factory Girl in Les Miserables (Queen's Theatre), Soul Girl and Understudy Mary in Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), and Understudy Rhonda in Tina (Aldwych Theatre).
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BYMTalks #13 | Sat 20 June 2020 - 12pm
MUSICAL DIRECTOR: INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
With Musical Director Tarek Merchant
Join our conversation with Musical Director Tarek Merchant.
Tarek was show MD on the multi-Olivier-Award nominated West End revival of Sunset Boulevard and has subsequently worked as a composer and MD throughout the UK, Europe and North America. His MD credits include Chess the Musical for its residency at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto, the No 1 UK tour of Fiddler on the Roof starring Paul Michael Glaser and directed by Craig Revel-Horwood, musical projects with the National Theatre, the West End revival of Girl From the North Country.He has taught at a range of drama schools including RADA, Arts Ed, Rose Bruford, Guildhall and GSA. Tarek holds a DipABRSM on piano and also plays flute, violin and accordion. For BYMT Tarek composed Salsa Sisters and Ali and Nino as well as orchestrating and musical directing Gulliver's Travels.
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BYMTalks #12 | Sat 13 June 2020 - 12pm
PERFORMANCE TIPS - KEEPING IT FRESH!
With West End Performer Phoebe Fildes
Join our conversation with our brilliant alumna and West End Performer Phoebe Fildes.
Phoebe made her West End debut in Once: The Musical at the Phoenix Theatre, for which she was nominated for Best Featured Actress in a West End Musical at the BroadwayWorld Awards. Her other credits include: Emma Goldman in Assassins (The Watermill Theatre / Nottingham Playhouse); The Dreamers (Abbey Road Studios); Mollie Ralston in The Mousetrap (St Martin's Theatre); Lady Stutfield in A Woman of No Importance (Vaudeville Theatre); Cover Wendy/Jane in Peter Pan (National Theatre); The World Goes Round (Stephen Joseph Theatre); Ophelia, Gertrude & Horatio in Hamlet (Globe Theatre's World Tour); Soloist in A Little Less Ordinary (Apollo Theatre). At BYMT Phoebe was in Red Hunter (2007) and Mort (2009).
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BYMTalks #11 | Sat 6 June 2020 - 12pm
FROM MUSICAL THEATRE TO OPERA
With Soprano Opera Singer Elizabeth Karani
Join our conversation with our brilliant alumna and Soprano Opera Singer who performs globally Elizabeth Karani. At BYMT Elizabeth was in Frankenstein (2006 and 2007).
Elizabeth recently made her Royal Opera debut as Nanna / Embla in The Monstrous Child, as well as her English National Opera and Regent's Park Open Air Theatre debut as Gretel in Hansel and Gretel. Her other opera appearances include: Tatyana (Eugene Onegin) for Mid Wales Opera, Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus) for Diva Opera, Jano (Jenufa) for Longborough Festival Opera, Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi) for Festival Azuriales, Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) at Aldeburgh, Tartagliona (The Little Green Swallow) for British Youth Opera, Isabella (L'Inganno Felice) at West Green House Opera.
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BYMTalks #10 | Sat 30 May 2020 - 12pm
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS FOR YOUNG PERFORMERS
With West End performer Luke Bayer
Join our conversation with our fantastic alumnus and West End performer Luke Bayer.
Luke took part in BYMT projects in 2011-2012 and now his credits include India in Yank! The Musical (European Premiere at Hope Mill Theatre), The 12 Tenors (China Tour), Les Misérables 20th Anniversary (Queen’s Theatre) and Alternate Jamie in West End musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie for which he was awarded Best Performance By An Understudy/Alternate in Any Play or Musical at the 2018 BroadwayWorld UK Awards. At BYMT Luke was in Out There (2011 and 2012)
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BYMTalks #9 | Sat 23 May 2020 - 12pm
WRITING TIPS: FINDING YOUR VOICE
With bestselling author, leadership consultant, peacebuilder, broadcaster Tony Macaulay
Join our conversation with bestselling author Tony Macaulay who will share some essential tips for young writers.
Tony is a celebrated writer, leadership consultant, peacebuilder, broadcaster and suicide prevention advocate from Northern Ireland. Tony has written three ‘coming of age’ memoirs a, Paperboy (2011), Breadboy (2013) and All Growed Up (2014). His fourth memoir ‘Little House on the Peace Line’ (2017) tells the story of how he lived and worked on the peace line in North Belfast in the 1980s.
In 2012 the W.B. Yeats Society of New York invited Tony to present a reading of Paperboy in the National Arts Club as part of the 1st Irish Festival. He is now a regular speaker on Northern Ireland, peace building and creative writing at universities and colleges in the USA.
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BYMTalks #8 | Sat 16 May 2020 - 12pm
HOW TO GET AN AGENT AND PRODUCING MUSICAL THEATRE
With Producer, Composer and Agent Jimmy Jewell
Join our conversation with Producer, Composer and Agent Jimmy Jewell.
In 2005 Jimmy founded artist management company JWL following a prolific career as a musical director, working on shows such as Evita, The Prince & The Pauper, All You Need Is Love!, Strike Up The Band, Mamma Mia, Jesus Christ Superstar and Bugsy Malone. Jimmy toured worldwide for five years with members of The Who, Spandau Ballet, YES, Free, Bad Company, Procol Harum, The Alan Parsons Project, Peter Frampton, Alice Cooper, Billy Preston, Paul Young, Darlene Love, the Harlem Boys Choir and The British Rock Symphony. As a composer Jimmy has had his music recorded by The London Symphony Orchestra in Abbey Road, sung by choirs across Europe and The Americas.
As a producer Jimmy has presented three seasons at the Edinburgh Festival, the world tour of Dietrich: Natural Duty, Britten in Brooklyn at Wiltons Music Hall, Lunch & The Bow of Ulysses at Trafalgar Studios, and was associate producer on Memphis The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre and The Mentalists at The Wyndhams. Jimmy’s production company also provides management services to the global screen industry as well as creating and working on worldwide YouTuber products.
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BYMTalks #7 | Sat 9 May 2020 - 12pm
CHOREOGRAPHY & MOVEMENT: TIPS FOR TRAINING IN DANCE
With Choreographers Rachel Birch-Lawson and Khyle Eccles
Our two brilliant choreographers Rachel Birch-Lawson and Khyle Eccles will be joining us on Sat 9 May to give us some essential tips for training in dance! Don't miss out.
Rachel’s work has been performed across the UK, Europe and Africa. She is currently a Teaching Fellow in Dance and Movement at Guildford School of Acting, and lectures and supervises on the MA/MFA Choreography Programme at Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance.
Khyle runs and directs Athletic Artist providing training and education events that support the dance community. Currently lecturing at Arts University Bournemouth, Academy or Dramatic Arts (Zagreb), and Trinity Laban, and previously London Contemporary Dance School and Kingston University.
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BYMTalks #6 | Sat 2 May 2020 - 12pm
WORKING IN MUSICAL THEATRE
With Actor Luke McCall
Join our conversation with alumnus and actor Luke McCall and ask him questions live to discover the secrets behind working in the West End.
Luke took part in 4 BYMT projects including Macbeth in 2011 & 2012 and has since moved on to work on major productions. He played understudy Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and appeared in the English National Opera's production of Man of La Mancha at the London Coliseum. Now he is playing Courfeyrac and alternate Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in the West End.
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BYMTalks #5 | Sat 25 April 2020 - 12pm
AUDITION FOR DRAMA SCHOOL: ACTING THROUGH SONG
With Actress Aretha Ayeh
Actress and alumna Aretha Ayeh will be joining us on Sat 25 April to give us some great audition tips for drama school, and more specifically about acting through song. Aretha took part in two BYMT projects in 2004 and 2005. As an actress her credits include major productions such as "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". She is now performing for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
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BYMTalks #4 | Sat 18 April 2020 - 12pm
CAREER ADVICE FOR YOUNG PERFORMERS
With Director Sarah Ingram
On Saturday 18 April, West End Director Sarah Ingram will be giving you some great career tips. Don't miss out!
Sarah performed at some major venues including The Royal National Theatre and The Old Vic. Her directing credits include among others Annie, Rags, Address Unknown, Oliver, Grease, Guys and Dolls and bespoke cabarets Flight, Songs From my Trunk, Sibling Revelry (Broadway World Nomination), and Sapphire Soul, all at London's Hippodrome.
The video mentioned in the webinar can be watched HERE.
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BYMTalks #3 | Sat 11 April 2020 - 12pm
AUDITION TIPS FOR A WEST END SHOW
With Performer Grace Mouat
Join our conversation with West End performer Grace Mouat and ask her anything you want to know about working in the West End.
Grace did 3 BYMT projects, and has since moved on to work on major productions such as SIX the Musical and &Juliet where she plays the first cover for the lead role.
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BYMTalks #2 | Sat 4 April 2020 - 12pm
ASK A DIRECTOR - HOW ARE NEW MUSICALS MADE?
With Director Luke Sheppard
This Saturday don't miss our BYMTalk with multi-award-winning director Luke Sheppard. We will be discussing how new musicals are made; and you'll be able to ask him questions live!
Luke Sheppard has extensive experience in the industry. He is currently directing sensational new musical &Juliet playing now at Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End. He has also previously worked as Associate Director on several major productions including Matilda The Musical at the RSC, in London and on Broadway.
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BYMTalks #1 | Sat 28 March 2020 - 12 pm
INS AND OUTS OF A WEST END SHOW
With Actor Alex Hammond
BYMT alumnus and West End actor Alex Hammond whose credits include Pretty Woman, Matilda and Motown among many other productions, is sharing with us everything about the ins and outs of a West End show! Watch the replay below.