Since its inception in 2003, British Youth Music Theatre has created over 100 new productions, taking one of them to an Olivier Nomination in the West End, and has brought over 8,000 teenagers to the stage. Previously known as Youth Music Theatre UK, it is celebrating its 15th Birthday with a new name, a new head office location and a new website.
From the beginning, British Youth Music Theatre set out to do something different. It would avoid repertoire Musical Theatre and work on productions that would be exclusively British, from current writers. The company would focus on devising and putting young performers right at the heart of the artistic process and this has led to a diverse body of work that mirrors the talents and concerns of the company members. That focus side-steps the traditional problem for youth theatre casting – with 75% of GCSE Drama students identifying as female and only 35% of theatre roles written for women – and BYMT have created productions such as 2017's Wild, with female cast members, a female creative team and any male company members excluded from some rehearsals. They have had strong commercial success as well, with Loserville the Musical Co-Written by BYMT Patron and one-time band member of Busted, James Bourne. It transferred to the Garrick Theatre in the West End in 2012 and garnered an Olivier Award Nomination for Best New Musical.
A stepping stone to Higher Education
The emphasis on devising requires company members to deal with artistic uncertainty, which can sometimes be minimised in the school studio due to the pursuit of predictable, high grades. It is, however, a prized skill at tertiary level and BYMT's set up has led to a significant number of past members going on to be accepted into Drama Schools nationwide. The company is clear that it can be a stepping stone towards the creative industries; including but not confined to performance.
The links with tertiary education meant that a closer collaboration made sense and the company's rebrand coincides with a relocation to a world-class new centre for theatre training at Mountview in Peckham with some of the finest rehearsal and performance facilities in the UK. As well as access to two new performance spaces and the obvious crossover with the practicalities of set, lighting and costume, BYMT Executive Producer Jon Bromwich said the company have been surprised by the number of practitioners, staff and other visitors who have ‘popped in’ to see them since their move at the end of 2018.
So, should classroom Drama teachers be pointing students in the direction of BYMT? Bromwich is keen that we should. He estimates that 30-40% of the performers in the main shows each year end up at one of the top 20 UK drama schools and for any young person who is serious about a career in the theatre, it makes sense to test themselves outwith the confines of the classroom.
Short courses
BYMT is not just for those who have their sights set on being in a production, however. As well as auditions held in regional centres across the UK, the company runs 2-day summer camps and 6-day boot camps, which are open to all and are intensive, skills-based courses run by industry professionals. Uniquely, BYMT courses are assessed by Trinity (at either Grade 6 or Grade 8 Level) accruing UCAS points, as well as contributing to Bronze or Silver Arts Awards or the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
As ever with the Arts, funding is a concern and, although the company itself is funded by Arts Council England and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland amongst others, there is a cost implication for company members. Bromwich estimates that about 30% of participants are on some sort of bursary, while the company can offer extended payment provision and support in fund-raising from suitable sources. Ultimately, he says the company's intention is to ‘make it work’, whatever the participant's background.
As for the profile of the ideal candidate, Bromwich is unsure. The age of the young people that the company works with means that a huge amount of change happens in a very short time. People who thought that the performing arts were their world might find that it is not, while the opposite is also true and some who were just dipping their toes in the water might turn into something special. When Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran first joined the company, no one knew that the start BYMT gave them would pay off quite in the way it has. Ultimately, Bromwich says the qualities they are looking for are ‘commitment, curiousness, an open mind and a willingness to explore.’
British Youth Music Theatre will hold their national auditions for talented 11-21 year olds across the UK and Ireland in January and February 2019 and details can be found at www.britishyouthmusictheatre.org