National Youth Theatre Auditions

Last Friday saw our Drama scholars, alongside pupils from de Stafford school, audition for the National Youth Theatre. NYT is a leading organisation which nurtures young creative talent. Its members have access to courses and auditions across the country, and its alumni include the likes of Helen Mirren, Daniel Craig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rosamund Pike and many more incredible actors, several of whom would be considered national treasures!

The day started with a three-hour workshop which saw both groups of pupils having to work collaboratively and creatively on a variety of different exercises. It was amazing to see the openness and enthusiasm from all the participants, working with new people and getting stuck in with a real willingness to be open and vulnerable with each other. The short scenes and sketches that were created were genuinely impressive, with everyone bringing different skills and ideas that helped shape cohesive and imaginative performances. The morning was a fantastic reminder of how drama is an excellent tool for fostering teamwork, bravery, communication and commitment and it was a joy to see everyone giving it their all.

The afternoon was perhaps a more nerve-wracking affair, with everyone taking it in turns to audition on a 1:1 basis with the representative from NYT, delivering a monologue they had prepared. The range of pieces presented was a testament to the breadth of theatre and plays our pupils seek out, with everything from Shakespeare to contemporary new plays on show. Everyone came out of the room with a smile, proud of themselves for the work and effort they’d put in.

Across the country there is an 8% success rate of getting into NYT, so whilst we wait with bated breath to find out the result, and keep our fingers crossed for all the auditionees, we couldn’t be prouder of all who took part, no matter the outcome.