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How does the National Youth Theatre work? | National Youth Theatre 2009/ 2010
2011-04-05
How does the National Youth Theatre work?
How does the project work?
Step 1 - Auditions
Open auditions are held for young people from youth theatres affiliated to NAYD. The young people must be aged between 16 and 21 years of age. Auditions take place in regional centres and take the form of a workshop rather than a traditional `audition` format. A big effort is made to make the audition workshop as enjoyable as possible, so that young people who dont progress any further in the project have a positive experience, meet young people from other youth theatres and build on their workshop skills.
Young people are then called for callback audition workshops in Dublin. Again, the audition is in the drama workshop format but this time, young people are asked to prepare a short piece that they would be comfortable exploring during the session.
It can be a very difficult process choosing the final cast. Project staff are always very sensitive to the hopes and expectations of the young people who audition. Typically, young people will be selected who demonstrate the ability and maturity to take part in the NYT project and who work well as part of a team. The NYT team also take into account the range of characters in the selected play and the range of youth theatres represented by the cast.
Step 2 - Casting and Skills Workshops
The final cast of National Youth Theatre members will be invited to participate in a three-day residential casting and skills workshops in late June. These few days together are really important for building the group dynamic and providing the young people with the space to get to know each other, as well as for building key skills and establishing an approach to working together. This stage of the project also provides the director with a great opportunity to get to know the cast better, to see them improvise and experiment with scenes from the play. The director usually casts the play following these workshops.
Step 3 - Rehearsals
The cast then come together for a 4 week rehearsal period on a full-time residential basis, usually during July / August on a university campus. This intense rehearsal period sees them work all day from Monday to Friday each week, unwinding in the evenings with an entertainment programme.
The cast works with the director and assistant director, as well as choreographers, musicians, vocal coaches and designers. They explore the play, build on their skills as actors, develop characters and relationships, experiment and play. Under the guidance of the director, scenes are explored and blocked and the play begins to take shape. The young people are central to the creative process, not simply as actors, but as co-creators of the performance.
Step 4 - Performance!
The final stage of an NYT is a production/performance week. The cast and the production team spend time in the venue for technical rehearsals so that the young people feel comfortable with the stage and set. They experience the work of designers, technicians and stage managers first hand and see their production take shape.
The run is normally for 7 performances, and always sells out! The final performance is followed by a party, so that the young people can celebrate what they have achieved together.
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