This summer, the National Youth Music Theatre is collaborating with the American musical theatre composer, lyricist and playwright, JASON ROBERT BROWN, who has been hailed as “one of Broadway’s smartest and most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim” (Philadelphia Inquirer).
Sarah Redmond will direct SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD – one of his best-loved works – at The Bridewell Theatre, London from 31 July to 4 August and, under the composer's direction, we shall give the West End première of 13 at The Apollo, Shaftesbury Avenue, from 22 to 25 August.
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the première of another of his works, Jason Robert Brown discusses THE LAST FIVE YEARS and Matt Ryan directs a workshop performance at The Bridewell Theatre on Sunday 5 August. This remarkable two-hander stars recent alumni, Helen Clarkson and Dom Hodson. Tickets go on sale soon!
Our founder, Jeremy James Taylor OBE, will also direct Howard Goodall’s THE DREAMING, which we shall present for the International Youth Arts Festival at the Rose Theatre, Kingston from 16 to 22 July.
In addition, our company will perform with JASON ROBERT BROWN & VERY SPECIAL GUESTS in a special gala concert in aid of NYMT at The Apollo, Shaftesbury Avenue on Sunday 26 August.
13 - THE MUSICAL
The Apollo Theatre, 22 to 25 Aug
Book online or call 0844 482 9671(24hrs) Tickets from £16.00
NYMT presents "13"
Directed by Jason Robert Brown
Music & lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn
The National Youth Music Theatre celebrates its return to the West End with the London première of "13", composed and directed by Tony Award-winner, Jason Robert Brown, who has been hailed as "one of Broadway's smartest, most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim". (Philadelphia Inquirer)
A hilarious, high-energy musical for all ages, 13 tells the story of Evan Goldman who is approaching his 13th birthday when he is forced to leave his New York home and move to the Midwest with his mother following his parents' divorce. 13 charts Evan's experience of figuring out where he belongs in the world and is about discovering that cool is where you find it and sometimes where you least expect it.
NYMT represents the very best in work with young people in musical theatre. For 35 years it has enabled thousands of young people aged 11-23 to unlock both their creative and personal potential, leading Andrew Lloyd Webber to describe it as "the best youth music theatre in the world".
Book now to experience this summer's most exciting musical theatre event and see the stars of tomorrow!
"13" was commissioned by Center Theater Group, Los Angeles, CA
Subsequently produced for The Goodspeed Opera House by Michael P. Price, Executive Producer
Original Broadway production produced by Bob Boyett, Roger Berlind, Tim Levy, Ken Davenport, Ted Hartley, Stacey Mindich, Jan Bergere, Broadway Across America, Sharon Karmazin, Carl Moellenberg, Tom Miller, True Love Productions/Olympus Theatricals and Center Theatre Group
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Ltd. on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York.
Written by Jason Robert Brown
Directed by Sarah Redmond
The National Youth Music Theatre is delighted to return to The Bridewell Theatre with Songs for a New World by Tony award-winner, Jason Robert Brown, who has been hailed as "one of Broadway's smartest, most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim".(Philadelphia Inquirer)
With an emotionally charged score of contemporary pop/rock theatre music, Songs for a New World takes us from the deck of a 1492 Spanish sailing ship to a ledge 57 stories above Fifth Avenue through 16 unique songs, each telling its own story: how to survive in a new set of circumstances – a new world – even against seemingly overwhelming odds. “It’s about one moment. It’s about hitting the wall and having to make a choice or take a stand, or turn around and go back”. These are the stories and characters of today; these are the songs for a new world.
Songs for a New World is directed by Sarah Redmond (who performed in the show’s European première at The Bridewell in 2001) with choreography by Cristian Valle and musical direction by Francis Goodhand.
Songs for a New World was originally produced by the WPA Theatre, NYC, 1995 (Kyle Renick, Artistic Director). Original orchestration by Brian Besterman and Jason Robert Brown.
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Ltd. on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York.
JASON ROBERT BROWN & SPECIAL GUESTS - IN CONCERT
The Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Ave, Sunday 26 August at 7.30pm
In aid of National Youth Music Theatre
Book online or call 0844 482 9671(24hrs) Tickets from £16.00
TONY Award winning composer, Jason Robert Brown, returns to London for a very special concert, for one night only, in aid of the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT). To mark the previous night's final performance of the NYMT production of his musical,13, Jason will be performing solo, with his band, members of NYMT and some very special guests.
All proceeds from the concert will go towards the NYMT Bursary Scheme helping to support the best young musical theatre talent throughout the country to develop their skills.
As a soloist or with his band The Caucasian Rhythm Kings, Jason has performed around the world, including numerous sold-out shows at New York's legendary Birdland and Washington DC's iconic jazz club Blues Alley. As composer and lyricist, his Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals include, 13, The Last Five Years, Songs For A New World and Parade. His first solo album, Wearing Someone Else's Clothes, featuring his band The Caucasian Rhythm Kings, wasnamed one of Amazon.com's best of 2005. His collaboration with singer Lauren Kennedy, Songs of Jason Robert Brown, is available on PS Classics. Jason's piano sonata, Mr Broadway was commissioned and premiered by Anthony De Mare at Carnegie Hall. Jason is also the composer of the incidental music for David Lindsay-Abaire's Kimberly Akimbo and Fuddy Meers, Marsha Norman's Last Dance, David Marshall Grant's Current Events, Kenneth Lonergan's The Waverly Gallery, and the Irish Repertory Theater's production of Long Day's Journey Into Night, and he was a Tony Award nominee for his contributions to the score of Urban Cowboy the Musical.
Presented by Jon Bath for Fiery Angel Ltd
THE DREAMING
The Rose Theatre, Kingston, 17th and 19th-22nd July
A musical by Howard Goodall with book and lyrics by Charles Hart.
Commissioned and first performed by the National Youth Music Theatre.
Director: Jeremy James Taylor, OBE
Musical Director: John Pearson | Choreographer: Ewan Jones
The Dreaming is a musical version of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Howard Goodall, the composer of such well-known theme tunes as The Vicar of Dibley and Blackadder, teamed up with lyricist Charles Hart (The Phantom of the Opera) to create this fabulous show for the National Youth Music Theatre. The show has a distinctly spooky edge, mixed with superb comedy. And some glorious tunes.
NYMT IN CONCERT WITH MATT LUCAS & FRIENDS
The Vaudeville Theatre, Strand, Sunday 22 April 2012
On Sunday 22 April, we celebrated our 35th year with a barnstorming concert by the 2012 Company and featuring some of its illustrious alumni, including Gina Beck, Amy Nuttall, Lara Pulver, Michael Jibson, Adam Pearce, Stuart Matthew Price, Dominic Tighe and Ian Virgo. This glittering evening was hosted by Matt Lucas, who also performed Master of the House with Lizzie Wofford and the company. Matt Lucas is a long-standing supporter of the NYMT having first joined the NYMT company in 1987. He performed with NYMT at the Edinburgh Festival in THE ROMAN INVASION OF RAMSBOTTOM playing a character called Accrington Stanley.
JJT says, "He played the pub comic amd was already hilariously funny and outrageous. You just watched that career - you didn't quite know where it was going."
"I had the time of my life in the NYMT. I learned a great deal as a person and as a performer." MATT LUCAS
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
Best Performance in a Supporting Role - SHERIDAN SMITH - Flarepath
Best Actor JONNY LEE MILLER (with Benedict Cumberbatch) - Frankenstein
Best Theatre Choreographer - PETER DARLING - Matilda
Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical - NIGEL HARMAN - Shrek
IDRIS ELBA joined the Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron at a glittering state dinner hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House.
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!
Site requires QuickTime, Flash & Adobe Reader for full functionality. These are all free, non-intrusive and useful downloads.
The Children's Music Theatre Ltd. Trading as The National Youth Music Theatre.
Company Registration No: 01508781. Registered Charity No: 281159. VAT No: 426 608254
