An Evening with the NYMT 🎭

NYMT

Yesterday evening, I attended the press launch of the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT), and it was truly a heartwarming experience.

As someone from Belgium, where musical theatre training and opportunities are still relatively limited (though improving!), it was inspiring to see how much NYMT supports young people who love this art form. The support, the structure, and the sense of community felt like one big family.

Over the past five decades, NYMT has been the launchpad for some of the UK’s biggest names, including Idris Elba, Mike Jibson (Hamilton), Joe Griffiths-Brown (Phantom of the Opera), and Rosy Church (Les Misérables), and it continues to nurture exceptional young performers, creatives, and technicians from across the country.

The evening began with a performance from NYMT alumni Olly Adams and Kacey Wadge, accompanied by Alexander Miranda Zezula — all involved with NYMT and part of the upcoming West Side Story. We were treated to a small preview, and it was beautiful. Their talent and evident love for musical theatre instantly put a smile on my face.

This anniversary season is packed with exciting highlights:

• A bold new production of West Side Story at the Birmingham Hippodrome, co-produced with The Stephen Sondheim Society, featuring a 70-strong young company.

• Every Day, a new musical based on David Levithan’s novel, written by Martha Geelan and Nick Barstow in association with DEM Productions.

• A revival of Just So by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

• Plus a series of New Musical Workshops developing fresh British writing, including School Play, Lifelines, The Ballad of Raggedy Alice, Unbound, and The Unstoppable Letty Pegg.

  
  

The night was filled with energy and excitement about these projects. I had the opportunity to speak with several NYMT members, and every single one of them was incredibly passionate about their work. It’s that kind of genuine love for performing that makes you believe even more in the future of theatre.

NYMT is also partnering with the Birmingham Hippodrome, something they’re understandably proud of — and rightfully so. With over 1,200 young people auditioning this year and partnerships with leading venues like the Birmingham Hippodrome, NYMT truly remains the UK’s leading platform for emerging musical theatre talent.

I left feeling inspired and happy. It’s amazing to see a place where young people have the chance to grow, perform, and share their love for musicals. Nights like this are a beautiful reminder of why I fell in love with theatre in the first place.

More information can be found on the website of NYMT