National Youth Theatre

National Youth Theatre
Founded1956 (1956)
FounderMichael Croft
Kenneth Spring
TypeCharity and CLG
Registration no.306075
HeadquartersLondon, England
Key people
Paul Roseby
(CEO, Artistic Director)
Websitenyt.org.uk

The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain (NYT) is a youth theatre and charity in London, created with the aim of developing young people's artistic skills via theatrical productions and other creative endeavours.[1] Founded in 1956 as the world's first youth theatre, it has built a reputation for nurturing the early talent of actors such as Daniel Craig, Daniel Day-Lewis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Colin Firth, Derek Jacobi, Ben Kingsley, Ian McShane, Helen Mirren, Rosamund Pike, and Kate Winslet. Some former NYT members went on to pursue non-acting careers, such as musicians Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Ed Sheeran.

The NYT holds annual acting auditions and technical theatre interviews around the United Kingdom, receiving an average of over 5,000 applicants. Currently, around 500 places are offered on summer acting and technical courses (costume, lighting and sound, scenery and prop making, and stage management), which offer participants NYT membership upon completion.[2] Members are then eligible to audition for the company's productions, which are staged in London's West End, around the country, and internationally.[3]

NYT members staged the Olympic and Paralympic Team Welcome Ceremonies at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[4] In 2013, the NYT raised their age limit to 25 and introduced a new summer course called Epic Stages to cater for performance and production talent between ages 18–25.[5] In 2014, members staged the Village Ceremonies at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.[6]

  1. ^ Whitney, Hilary (17 July 2006). "It's a stage they've all been through". London: Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Matt Lucas urges future stars to join youth theatre that inspired him". Evening Standard. 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  3. ^ Allfree, Claire (11 August 2008). "Bridging different worlds for National Youth Theatre". Metro. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  4. ^ "'Two weeks that could change your lives': Team GB athletes given carnival welcome to the Olympic Village". Daily Mirror. 24 July 2012. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  5. ^ http://www.thestage.co.uk/columns/education-training/2013/02/a-couple-of-new-courses/ [dead link]
  6. ^ "National Youth Theatre to perform at Glasgow Commonwealth Games ceremonies : News : The Stage". Archived from the original on 9 January 2014.

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