British Youth Music Theatre

Creative Work Placement Scheme

British Youth Music Theatre's Creative Work Placement Scheme (previously titled the Creative Trainee Scheme)

This scheme has for the past 20 years helped emerging artists to take their first steps into the theatre industry by providing work placements on our professionally-staged productions as Assistant Musical Director, Assistant Designer and Assistant Stage Manager. 

Each placement involves working alongside our professional artistic and technical staff on residential production with a company of between 35-40 young people from across the UK. Each candidate will be partnered with an industry professional aligned with their role who will act as their professional line manager and mentor, and a pastoral staff member who will oversee their personal wellbeing whilst on production. The placements are ideally suited to conservatoire and university graduates or final year students wishing to develop a career within the theatre industry and are interested in working with young people.  

Our productions run throughout the year, with one during the Easter holidays and seven in the Summer between the months of July and August. Our productions are all newly devised music theatre of a variety of genres, and each candidate will be appointed to a show that best suits their skillset. The programme of activity will vary but each candidate will have a considerable level of responsibility, akin to a professional role, the exact nature of which will be decided upon by BYMT in conjuncture with the candidate's line manager, and pastoral team representative. Responsibilities could include (but will not be limited to) the below - 

Assistant Music Directors will support the production's Musical Director in the musical staging of the production. This could include anything from leading the company warmups, coaching individuals and groups, act as rehearsal pianist, band leader/conductor; work closely with instrumentalists, creating arrangements and supporting the MD administratively. 

Assistant Designers will support the production Designer in all aspects of design, ranging from props, to set, to costume. This could include anything from measuring the cast for their costumes, designing and making props and/or providing the stage management team with prop briefs for them to source, sourcing and tailoring costumes, participating in the get in and get out and liaising with the Designer regarding budget and petty cash. 

Assistant Stage Managers will support the Stage Manager and Deputy Stage Manager in the technical production of the show. You may be asked to create and maintain a clear and accurate prompt copy for the show, ensure the rehearsal space is prepared for the cast and staff, support the stage manager in risk assessments and other production paperwork, and participate in the get in and get out. 

The productions involve young people selected from auditions across the UK and each of these projects will be creating new musical theatre in a variety of genres. Production courses run for two/three weeks at Easter and during July and August.

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.

We are also open to applications for Assistant Directors and Assistant Choreographers. Whilst these roles are not currently part of the Creative Work Placement scheme, we warmly welcome any interest and these will be discussed and offered at BYMT’s discretion.

If you have any questions or difficulties, please feel free to get in touch with the team, at mail@bymt.org or on 020 8563 7725.

How to apply

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