National Youth Theatre holds nationwide auditions

Published: 17 December 2017
Reporter: Sandra Giorgetti

DNA - part of the summer programme

Leading youth arts organisation The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain is holding nationwide auditions during the spring for this year's summer courses in acting and backstage positions.

The acting courses—the Junior Acting Course for those aged 14 to 17 and the Senior Acting Course and four-week Epic Stages Course for those aged 18 to 25—look at skills development in theatre practice, voice and movement and the backstage programme develops skills through practical experience in the fields of lighting, sound, scenic construction, stage management and costume. There is also a new digital course as part of the backstage courses.

Auditions consist of a three-hour group workshop and an individual performance of a prepared speech. Speeches should be from a published play and learned by heart.

The auditions and interviews (for backstage courses) take place in over 40 locations. The cost is £46 and bursaries are available for those facing financial barriers to applying.

Auditions take place during February and March at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Barnsley Civic, Belfast Grand Opera House, Bexhill On Sea De La Warr Pavilion Marina, Birmingham MAC, Blackburn The Bureau, Birmingham Old REP, Bradford Alhambra Theatre, Bridlington Spa, Brighton Dome, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Bristol Hamilton House, Arts University Bournemouth, Canterbury Gulbenkian, Cardiff WMC, Hall for Cornwall, Chelmsford Tomorrow's Talent, Edinburgh Traverse, Elgin Gordonstoun School, Glasgow Platform, Guildford G Live, Hull Truck, Lancaster The Dukes, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leicester The Curve, Liverpool Everyman, London Archway Methodist, London ArtsDepot, Theatre Peckham, London Jackson's Lane, London Bubble, London National Youth Theatre, London Toynbee Studios, St James the Less Pimlico, Manchester Z Arts (backstage interviews), Manchester Royal Exchange, Milton Keynes Stantonbury Theatre, Newcastle / Gateshead Baltic, Northampton Royal & Derngate, Norwich Theatre Royal, Nottingham Playhouse, Plymouth Devonport Guildhall, Sheffield Theatres, Swansea Gower College and York Theatre Royal.

The National Youth Theatre spring programme sees Dennis Kelly’s DNA and The Fall from Olivier Award nominee James Fritz play a three-week engagement at Southwark Playhouse.

Additionally, Nessah Muthy’s award-nominated The Host will have return to London for a run at St James’s Church Piccadilly.

This play about the life of a Syrian refugee in the UK appears with an accompanying major art installation, Suspended by Arabella Dorman, reflecting experiences of refugees. The Host is directed by Zoe Lafferty.

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