Monday night saw staff, young performers, musicians, and artists come together at The Other Palace to celebrate NYMT’s 2024 season and look forward to 2025.
The Other Palace Theatre was alive with music, laughter, smiles, and conversations last night as young artists, actors, musicians, and National Youth Music Theatre staff and supporters came together to celebrate their 2024 season and look forward to 2025. Those celebrations and smiles were richly deserved, as NYMT’s 2024 season came to a close, a season that included Into the Woods, Catastrophe Bay, Our House, Crescendo, and Platform, which closed the night’s celebrations with a standing ovation. Hell, they even achieved a Guinness World Record along the way!
Looking at the talent, artistry, and musicianship on display last night, it’s easy to see why NYMT has such a rich history in launching the careers of performers ranging from Amara Okereke to Matt Lucas and Calum Howells; this youth theatre is far more than a place for young people to hone their skills and develop new ones; it’s a diverse and welcoming family built around artistry and care.
Speaking at the event, which also launched a brand new logo and tagline “in tune with you”, NYMT CEO Adrian Packer CBE said, “As we look forward to our 50th Anniversary in 2026, we are bound to look back and reflect on the achievements of thousands of young company members who have passed through our doors. Olivier award winners, BAFTA award winners, Tony Award winners, Golden Globe award winners, and even an Oscar award winner. We celebrate and are proud of these accolades, but we are mindful that each of these success stories started with an inconspicuous child making that first step.”
Those first steps are daunting for all young people as they navigate adolescence and forge their identity, creativity, and personality. But those obstacles are often even more challenging for young people from economically challenged communities.
Adrian was more than aware of this challenge, adding, “NYMT accepts young people from all across the country, regardless of where they are from, their experience level or economic circumstances. We have a proud, long-standing commitment to an inclusive and accessible ethos. It’s not just a slogan; people here tonight have benefited from that support through fifty thousand pounds worth of bursaries.”
That sense of inclusivity as a living and breathing culture rippled through those in attendance; it’s easy to talk about diversity and inclusion, but ensuring it sits at the heart of culture and community is far more challenging. Every young person I spoke to last night was proud to call NYMT home, but more importantly, they were all supportive of each other, celebrating the work of their fellow members at every opportunity. It is a testament to the support, culture and ethos that the dedicated team of staff and supporters of NYMT encourage, and it’s clear that when Adrian says inclusion isn’t just a slogan, he means it.
Matt Lucas, NYMT patron, added, “In 1986, I was twelve when I auditioned for my school play. I was doing really badly at school. It was the type of school that was big on academic achievement, and if you couldn’t achieve high grades, you had better be in the rugby or cricket team, the orchestra or the school play. I didn’t get the part, but one year later, my life changed significantly because of the National Youth Music Theatre. Just being in an environment where there was this huge passion for theatre is something that stayed with me.”
As NYMT nears its 50th Anniversary, one thing was clear as I spoke with staff, young people, and supporters: the experience Matt so eloquently described is the experience of many young people who have walked through NYMT’s doors over the years. This welcoming, diverse, and inclusive family of creative endeavour has changed and continues to change so many young lives, and may that continue for a long time.
As the night drew to a close with a truly outstanding performance of Platform, a creative piece set to the music and lyrics of William Finn with a story about the journey we take from teen to adult and the love and loss that sits at the heart of that journey, the cast announced the shows that will make the 2025 season the most adventurous yet. Fame, Tuck Everlasting, Carousel and Lightning Boy all sit at the heart of next year’s programme.
As I watched and listened to the young people involved this year, I left knowing that NYMT would rise to the challenge of that programme and that a whole host of new young people would benefit from the love, care, artistic drive, and determination that this unique creative family offers.
NYMT 2025 Auditions are now open.
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