The UK’s leading musical theater company for young people, British Youth Music Theatre, has opened applications for its 2022 Summer Camps. A fun, open-access summer activity holiday offering intensive and creative training in musical theater for anyone ages 11-17, students stay away from home with full bed and board and create an all-new piece of musical theater to present to friends and family on their final day.
BYMT alumni include West End musicians, actors and musical theater artists such as Ed SHeeran, Sam Smith, Charlotte Richie, Lauren Samuels, Jamie Muscato and Dean John-Wilson. BYMT maintains the highest levels of tutoring, training and direction, with each course delivered by professional practitioners with extensive experience in the theater industry across the West End, National Theatre, RSC, Festival of Edinburgh, National Tours and the Fringe Theatre.
As a national performing arts company (an Arts Council of England NPO), BYMT aims to maintain the talent pool for the industry and improve access for underrepresented groups. This summer school is for young talents who want to explore their potential and develop their acting, singing, dancing, lyrical and instrumental writing skills. The course is packed with engaging activities and inspirational training that builds confidence, teamwork and self-esteem while imparting the skills necessary for the performing arts industry. The students work daily with the artistic team, made up of a director, a musical director and a choreographer, and stay on site for six days, with meals and pastoral care 24 hours a day. During the training, the students collaborate to develop a musical production based on a theme or a concept animated by their professional director.
In addition to training, final performance, and social skills, BYMT Summer Camp also offers a Grade 6 Certificate in Musical Theatre, Contribution to the Arts Award, or Trinity-accredited Duke of Edinburgh Award College of London.
“Oyiye came back from BYMT summer camp a totally changed person – more resilient, more mature, more confident. The following year, he auditioned for BYMT Productions and was successful. His journey has been truly amazing for all of us. And he has the certificates to prove it!” Carmel Beirne-Francis, Head of Drama, Newman Catholic College, London.
BYMT has transformed the lives of nearly 15,000 young people since 2003, nurturing singers, actors, dancers and musicians, as well as budding creative artists and stage technicians. The company recruits talent from across the country for its core programming, which includes 10 original musical theater productions and 8 residential skills courses (summer camps) each year across the UK. Summer courses at BYMT are open-access, so no audition, prior experience, or preparation is necessary to participate.
Pete Gallagher, Artistic Director of BYMT Hertfordshire Summer Camp, said: “There are no good or bad ideas, only ideas, all of which have value. There is an argument that nothing anything truly original hasn’t happened in a hundred years or more…but even so, that IS what I’m looking for!Something that will even make me – after almost forty years in this wonderful industry – go WOW…I I’ve NEVER seen or thought of this! That’s what I hope…and BYMT participants rarely disappoint me!”
London 2021 Summer Camp student Eleanor said: “The camp experience has been good for confidence, both in acting skills but also in making friends, especially Camp 2021 after the lockdown when I hadn’t met anyone new in ages. It also helped a lot with the acting and guidance from the creative team, who were really nice and helpful.”
Learn more about britishyouthmusictheatre.org.
