National Youth Theatre Will Host Biggest Ever Round of Free Nationwide Auditions

National Youth Theatre has announced dates for their biggest ever round of free nationwide auditions across 14 UK cities in 2025, as well as video and school auditions.

Taking place in Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Glasgow, London, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Perth, Poole and Sheffield with Welsh dates to be announced, the auditions are open to all young people aged 14-25 and disabled and neurodivergent young people up to the age of 30. NYT Auditions offer a relaxed audition environment where participants can get a sense of what it's like to be part of the NYT community and what courses are best suited to them. Auditionees will also have the chance to ask questions and meet like minded creatives from across their region.

Auditions in London will take place at the National Youth Theatre’s home in Holloway on 11 & 12 Jan and 15 Feb. Previous NYT London members include Rosamund Pike, Rafe Spall, Joe Cole, Zawe Ashton, Paapa Essiedu, Adeel Akhtar and William Gao. NYT Patron, Daniel Craig said “I literally owe my career to the National Youth Theatre”.

Belfast auditions will take place on 16 Feb at the Lyric Belfast, previous members from Northern Ireland include Valene Kane and Molly Logan; Birmingham auditions will take place on 10 Feb at Birmingham BOA Stage and Screen Academy where NYT alumni include David Harewood; auditions in Bristol will take place on 22 Feb at Bristol Grammar School where alumni include Joel Dommett; Exeter auditions take place on 15 Feb at the Barnfield Theatre where previous NYT members include Ben Aldridge; Glasgow auditions will be on 22 Feb at The Boardwalk where alumni include double-winner at the 2023 Scottish BAFTAs Lauren Lyle; Leeds auditions will be on 9 Mar where alumni include Olivier award-winner Elliot Levey; Liverpool auditions will take place on 15 Mar at LIPA where previous NYT members include Con O’Neil and Simon Lennon; Manchester auditions are on 15 & 22 Mar at Contact Theatre where previous local members have included Julie Hesmondhalgh and Paula Wilcox; Newcastle auditions are on 8 Mar at Northern Stage with graduates including Andrea Riseborough and Gina McKee; Perth auditions take place on 1 Mar and this is the NYT’s first time auditioning in Perth; Poole auditions will be on 19 Feb with NYT alumni from the area including Rebecca Night and Sheffield on 1 Mar where previous members include NYT REP alum Eddie Joe Robinson. Dates for Welsh auditions will be announced soon at nyt.org.uk. 

Young people can also send a video audition online from wherever they are based in the UK. To apply via the digital auditions route, auditionees simply need to record a video of themselves  performing a monologue and answering a series of questions listed on the NYT website - visit nyt.org.uk/auditions/digital. Over 50 schools will also be participating in school auditions across the nation.

Taking place for the first time this year, an Audition Choice Award will see two young people from each location selected to receive a free course of study with the NYT and free accommodation on over 18 courses where accommodation is offered during their learning time. There will also be two recipients selected from online auditionees and a school with stand out talent will also be recognised.

Paul Roseby OBE, CEO & Artistic Director of National Youth Theatre said; “Start your 2025 story with a free National Youth Theatre audition. We're offering free auditions at more locations than ever before this year. At every location our new Audition Choice Award will offer a completely free place to a stand out auditionee.  In addition to our already extensive free offer, we’re adding this extra element to recognise outstanding talent at each of our audition days around the UK. We're also auditioning in more than 50 schools and young people anywhere in the UK can audition via video, making it our most accessible audition round ever.”

Established in 1956 as the world’s first youth theatre, NYT produces ambitious theatrical productions in local communities, on leading global stages and in unusual spaces across the UK and beyond.

National Youth Theatre is a creative home for young storytelling talent. Inclusion is at NYT’s heart and its members come from a wide range of backgrounds and all around the UK. Global stars who started their journey with the charity include Ed SHeeran, Daniel Craig, Helen Mirren, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rosamund Pike, Adeel Akhtar, Florence Pugh,  Rege Jean-Page,  Olly Alexander, Matt Smith, Vanessa Kirby, Zawe Ashton, Paapa Essiedu and many more. 

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