Where to start? British Youth Music Theatre's camps for young performers

Every young person has talent and the main challenge for their parents and tutors is to inspire and encourage to discover and refine this talent. Thankfully, nowadays there are endless opportunities available to overcome this challenge including a wide range of companies providing educational and entertainment activities for young people. Especially now, as Easter and summer half terms seem the best time to have fun with their friends, explore their abilities and learn something new and exciting.

If a young person has a passion for performing, but unsure if it's really worth to commit to a career on stage, one of the best options might be a week-long musical theatre summer camp. One of the leading providers of training in musical theatre for young people, British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) has a number of Easter and summer camps open to anyone aged 11-17.

'I will never forget my first day at BYMT's summer camp,' – Says Suraya, 16, from Aberdeen - 'In the beginning I was really nervous, nearly having second thoughts, but then I remember saying to my mum on the phone in the evening: 'I don't want to go back to school, I want to stay and do nothing but BYMT'.

BYMT Practitioner Amber-Rose May

In my first summer camp I was working with our director Des Kennedy, who was the associate director for the original cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It was such an amazing opportunity to work with someone from the professional industry.

The hardest part for me, the same as for everyone, was saying goodbye after the show in the end of the week. There were tears and hugs, no one wanted to leave. We just ended up becoming one big family.'

Each BYMT's Easter or summer camp is a week-long holiday where young people are training with top theatre professionals, develop their singing, acting and dancing skills, meet new friends and create a brand-new piece of musical theatre that will be shown to their friends and family at the end of the course. It's a great opportunity for any young person to get a taster of theatre-making and decide if they want to do it for living or just boost their confidence, polish their skills and choose another path.

One of BYMT's practitioners Amber-Rose May says: 'In a week we create a new musical. We turn up with an idea or topic in mind, and over the course of 6 days we help young people devise scenes, write scripts, compose music, write lyrics, choreograph dance routines and compile it all together to make a show. A new young ensemble arrives and by the end of the week they will be performing their hearts out on stage in a brand-new musical. In a nutshell it's an opportunity of a lifetime!

I have seen many young people thrive over the course of the week: from arriving shy and leaving with a new lease of life and confidence; from arriving with huge anxiety, and leaving with the belief in themselves; arriving not knowing a sole and leaving with a family of friends. Working with the young people is an absolutely fantastic experience, whereby we all learn a lot about each other along the way. It also gives facilitators a chance to work with highly skilled practitioners and curate and create work, by collaborating directly with the young people-whom all have the chance to share ideas along the way.'

As BYMT's patron James Bourne (Busted) says: 'Having worked with British Youth Music Theatre for the past 10 years on several of their productions (Loserville, Out There, Busted the Musical) I can guarantee that BYMT will give you some of the highest quality training in performing arts. Summer Camps are a great way to take the first step towards a career on stage. You will learn essential performing skills, build your confidence and improve your creativity with top theatre practitioners.'

James Bourne

All BYMT Easter and summer camps are taking place across the UK. This year BYMT is holding 2 Easter Camps in Wiltshire and Yorkshire and 8 summer camps in London, Wiltshire, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Hertfordshire.

If you know a young person who would want to explore their creativity, their journey starts here https://britishyouthmusictheatre.org/courses