WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND
21st Anniversary Production

Calling all former Whistle cast members -

A message from AMY NUTTALL - read more.....

NYMT PRESENTS ITS 2013 SEASON

FORTHCOMING PRODUCTIONS

This summer the NYMT is staging three major productions in what promises to be our most exciting season ever. In July we return to The Rose, Kingston, with WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND for the International Youth Arts Festival.  At the brand new St James Theatre in London we present the premiere of our latest commission, THE OTHER SCHOOL, by one of Britain's most exciting young musical theatre composers, DOUGAL IRVINE. And the season ends with an epic, site-specific production of WEST SIDE STORY in the Victoria Warehouse, Manchester.

WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND

Based on the novel by Mary Hayley Bell
Adapted by Russell Labey and Richard Taylor
Music and lyrics by Richard Taylor

Director - Jeremy James Taylor OBE
Design - Jason Denvir
Choreography - Kay Shepherd
Musical Director - Benjamin Holder
Musical Supervisor - James Rose
Lighting Design - Richard House
Sound Design - Charles Simpson

PERFORMANCES
at THE ROSE THEATRE, KINGSTON

Wednesday 24 July at 4.00pm
Thursday 25 July at 7.00pm
Saturday 27 July at 12.30pm
Sunday 28 July at 7.30pm

BOOK ONLINE

WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND is “The heart-warming must-see show of the season." (Standard)
Three farm-children discover a mysterious man hiding in their barn. Convinced he is Jesus, they, alongside nine friends – The Disciples – pledge to protect him and keep him secret from the adults. Who is he?

NYMT’s 1993 production of Richard Taylor’s magnificent musical won high acclaim. ”Remarkable" (The Times). With over 100 of the UK’s most talented young performers, WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND is “so good, even Jesus might return to earth for a ticket!” (Yorkshire Post).

THE OTHER SCHOOL
Commissioned by National Youth Music Theatre 2013
  
Book by Dominic Marsh and Dougal Irvine
Music and lyrics by Dougal Irvine
 
Director - Lotte Wakeham
Musical Director - Mark Collins
Choreography - Tim Jackson
Design - Colin Falconer
Lighting Design - Howard Hudson
Sound Design - Andrew Graham
 
PERFORMANCES
at ST JAMES THEATRE, Palace Street, London SW1
 
Wednesday 14 August at 7.30pm
Thursday 16 August at 7.30pm
Friday 16 August at 3.00pm and 7.30pm
Saturday 17 August at 3.00pm and 7.30pm

BOOK ONLINE
  
Polly and Kester Parish are bored of first days. This is their fifth new school in five years thanks to Mum’s job. This school seems a bit different though. Every student seems to have suffered a random freaky accident. Some of them enjoy snapping their limbs and slamming their fingers in doors. That Head Mistress is definitely not all there, not to mention the creepy caretaker. Welcome to The Other School - once you’re part of the system it’ll never let you leave!!
 
A 'psycho'logical new musical from the writer of Departure Lounge and the associate director of Matilda.
 
Dougal Irvine’s first musical, Departure Lounge, won the MTM award for Best Music at the Edinburgh Festival and was nominated for Best New Musical at the 2011 WhatsOnStage Awards. Dougal was also bookwriter/lyricist/composer for In Touch which ran at Trafalgar Studios as part of Perfect Pitch, and then at the Pleasance, Edinburgh 2010. He was lyricist for the recent smash hit Britain’s Got Bhangra (Stratford East/Rifco Arts-TMA Award Nomination). He was also composer/music director for The Merchant of Venice, The Merry Wives of Windsor and The Comedy of Errors (Changeling Theatre/Hazlitt Arts Centre). Songs by Dougal have featured at three WhatsonStage award winners concerts.

WEST SIDE STORY
 
Based on a conception of Jerome Robbins
Book by Arthur Laurents 
Music by Leonard Bernstein 
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
 
Director - Nikolai Foster
Design - Takis
Choreography - Drew McOnie 
Musical Director - Tom Deering
Lighting Design - Ben Cracknell
Sound Design - Tom Marshall
 
PERFORMANCES
at VICTORIA WAREHOUSE, Trafford Road, Manchester
 
Wednesday 21 August at 7.30pm
Thursday 22 August at 7.30pm
Friday 23 August at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Saturday 24 August at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
 
BOOK ONLINE
 
With a cast of 40 and an orchestra of 35 exceptionally talented young people drawn from all over the UK, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to 1950s New York City, as two young idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks.
 
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a new production of arguably one of the most significant and greatest musicals of all time. West Side Story represents the very best in music and dance storytelling, as relevant today as when it first exploded onto Broadway in the 1950s. The mighty Victoria Warehouse is an exceptional space - epic and uncompromising. It is here we shall create a piece of work contemporary in tone, ambitious in scale, immersive, truly explosive and unashamedly theatrical." NIKOLAI FOSTER - director

"13 The Musical"
Original West End Cast Recording

SPECIAL SALE PRICE ahead of general release: £11.99 (25% off).

A grown-up story about growing up! When his parents get divorced and he's forced to move from New York to a small town in Indiana, Evan Goldman just wants to make friends and survive the school year. Easier said than done. The star quarterback is threatening to ruin his life and his only friend, Patrice, won't talk to him. The school freak sees an opportunity for blackmail and someone is spreading the nastiest rumours.

With an unforgettable rock score from Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown, "13 The Musical" is a hilarious, high-energy musical for all ages about discovering that cool is where you find it, and sometimes where you least expect it.

Upon the release of the London Cast Recording of 13, Jason Robert Brown said: "13" has had an amazing journey in the four years since it opened on Broadway, with over a thousand productions throughout the world, but a particularly exciting milestone was this summer's premiere in London's West End, produced by the invaluable National Youth Music Theatre company and directed by the composer himself. With a cast handpicked from all over England, this production of the show represented yet another step in its evolution, as Brown and librettists Robert Horn and Dan Elish dug back in and tailored the show to the extraordinary young performers.

Tracklisting: 1. 13/Becoming A Man, 2. The Lamest Place In The World, 3. Hey Kendra, 4. One Day In October, 5. Get Me What I Need, 6. Opportunity, 7. What It Means To Be A Friend, 8. All Hail The Brain, 9. Terminal Illness, 10. Getting Ready, 11. Any Minute, 12. Good Enough, 13. Being A Geek, 14. Bad Bad News, 15. Tell Her, 16. It Can't Be True, 17. If That's What It Is 18. A Little More Homework, 19. Brand New YouThis recording was made in Sphere Studios, London immediately following NYMT's West End premiere of "13 The Musical" under the direction of Jason Robert Brown himself.

All proceeds will go to the NYMT Bursary Fund.

Buy Now

THE DREAMING RETURNS AND A NEW SEASON IS LAUNCHED

Following its triumphant run at the 2012 International Youth Arts Festival, National Youth Music Theatre returned to the Rose for just three performances of its highly praised production of The Dreaming.

Directed by Jeremy James Taylor and Russell Labey and with a cast of 45 and a 12 piece orchestra, THE DREAMING is a magical treatment of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The Dreaming was dubbed as “the year’s best new British musical by a mile” (whatsonstage.com). Filled with hilarious comedy, melancholy, mystery and “haunting music full of shimmering textures” (Michael Billington, The Guardian), The Dreaming “ comes like a breath of woodland air. Simply marvellous!! (The Scotsman).

Following the Saturday matinée, The Stage and Sunday Express theatre critic, Mark Shenton, led a lively Q&A session with composer Howard Goodall and lyricist Charles Hart. We then launched our new 2013 season with a party in the gallery bar. Guests included alumni Sheridan Smith, Matt Lucas, Mike Jibson, Chiké Okonkwo and David Witts.

NYMT CHRISTMAS CONCERT

The first ever NYMT Christmas Concert took place on 19 December within the beautiful surroundings of The Actors' Church in the heart of Covent Garden. The 2012 Company and a gathering of alumni presented a feast of Christmas carols, seasonal songs and readings. The magical atmosphere continued afterwards with mulled wine and mince pies. There was a retiring collection in aid of the NYMT Bursary Fund. To see the programme and photos of the event.

Click here

NYMT REUNION

On Sunday 9 September we welcomed over 300 NYMT Alumni to a reunion party in the David Lean Room at BAFTA. It was a tremendous occasion, including performances by our current company of extracts from THE DREAMING, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD and 13. Special thanks go to Mike Jibson and Chiké Okonkwo for organising the event. They promise that the next one will be even bigger!

NYMT's RETURN TO THE WEST END

In the summer of 2012 our founder, Jeremy James Taylor OBE, directed Howard Goodall’s and Charles Hart's THE DREAMING at the Rose Theatre, Kingston, as part of the International Youth Arts Festival in July. Co-directed by Russell Labey with musical direction by John Pearson and choreography by Ewan Jones (NYMT 2003), the opening night was attended by our president, HRH The Earl of Wessex.

In honour of our collaboration with the American musical theatre composer, lyricist and playwright, JASON ROBERT BROWN, Sarah Redmond directed SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD – one of his best-loved works – at The Bridewell Theatre, London from 31 July to 4 August. Choreographed by Cristian Valle and with musical direction by Ben Holder supervised by Francis Goodhand, this exciting but demanding show was the perfect showcase for our outstanding cast.

Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Broadway première of another of his works, Jason himself discussed THE LAST FIVE YEARS with Lara Pulver (NYMT 1993-7). Extracts from this remarkable two-hander were performed at The Bridewell by recent alumni, Rosie Clarkson and Dom Hodson, directed by Matt Ryan. Also, under the composer's direction, NYMT gave the West End première of 13 at The Apollo, Shaftesbury Avenue, from 22 to 25 August. The infectious energy of the young cast earned them a standing ovation at every performance!

Our season was rounded off with a special gala concert given by JASON ROBERT BROWN & VERY SPECIAL GUESTS in aid of NYMT at The Apollo, Shaftesbury Avenue on Sunday 26 August. The entire 2012 Company and participants of our summer workshops at Sevenoaks performed for a packed house alongside alumni, LARA PULVER and STUART MATTHEW PRICE and special guest, RAMIN KARIMLOO.

You might have expected us to take a rest on the bank holiday Monday but, instead, the cast and musicians of 13 descended upon Sphere Studios in Battersea to record the Original London Cast Album under Jason's direction. The album is now available for download or see above to order the CD version from us.

Headlines

From THE STAGE:

Jude Law and Jason Robert Brown launch National Youth Music Theatre season
Published Tuesday 21 February 2012 by Natalie Woolman

Jason Robert Brown’s Broadway musical 13 is to run in the West End this summer under the auspices of the National Youth Music Theatre, as the company celebrates its 35th year. Brown will direct his musical, which is about being 13 and features a young cast. It will run at the Apollo Theatre from August 22 to 25. The writer will also stage a gala concert at the theatre on August 26.

Speaking to The Stage: “It’s really exciting because not only are they amazing kids but they are also under the umbrella of this company, which has such a wonderful reputation for nurturing kids and taking care of them and supporting them and that feels like exactly the right balance".

Brown also said that auditioning children in the UK was different from his experience in the USA.

He explained: “It’s very different. I feel like kids in the States sell very hard. They are very driven and they are very tough and they are very hard to rattle, they are used to pressure. These kids [in the UK] were much more relaxed and comfortable in their skin and they seemed to be enjoying the process. It wasn’t as competitive and it wasn’t as aggressive and I miss elements of one while I am in the other.”

NYMT alumni including Eddie Redmayne, Sheridan Smith and Jude Law were all at the launch of the company’s new season, which also includes The Dreaming by Howard Goodall and Charles Hart at the Rose Theatre in Kingston in July.

Speaking about his experience at NYMT, Law said: “It gave me a sense of discipline, a sense of improvement, a sense of responsibility, a sense playing a part in a company, being a company member and fitting in and all the politics of that.”

NYMT Patrons

We are delighted to announce that AMY NUTTALL & SHERIDAN SMITH are to join Tom Chambers & Jude Law as patrons of NYMT.

NYMT in Concert with Matt Lucas & Friends

The Vaudeville Theatre, Strand, Sunday 22 April 2012 The NYMT celebrated its 35th year with a barnstorming concert by the 2012 Company that featured some of its illustrious alumni. Matt Lucas hosted the evening and the casts of "The Dreaming", "13", "Songs for a New World" and "The Last Five years" were joined by Gina Beck, Amy Nuttall, Lara Pulver, Michael Jibson, Chiké Okonkwo, Adam Pearce, Stuart Matthew Price, Dominic Tighe and Ian Virgo. Proceeds from this concert will support the NYMT Bursary Scheme.

NYMT Alumni

NYMT Alumni gather 2012 Olivier Awards

NYMT performs at Buckingham Palace

On Monday 9 May, Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh gave a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate Young People in the Performing Arts. Members of the National Youth Music Theatre performed with Joe McElderry and Rumer alongside the English National Ballet, Flawless, Alleviate and the Docklands Sinfonia in a specially commissioned entertainment inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.  The music was directed by Mike Batt with choreography by Cristian Valle. At the champagne reception, NYMT members could be seen mingling with the likes of Helen Mirren, Kevin Spacey, Michael McIntyre, Sheila Hancock, Jamie Cullum and Jools Holland!  

View report on ITV News http://www.itv.com/london/buckingham-palace-drama64384/

View YouTube London Tonight - Buckingham Palace reception, rehearsal (featuring Joe McElderry)