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Why Youth Theatre Matters with Craig Randle and Matthew Hawksworh
75 Plays3 months ago
What role does youth theatre play in shaping us, not just as performers, but as people?
In Episode 2 of Open House, the official NYMT podcast, host David and NYMT Young Company member Abbie Palliser Kehoe are joined by Craig Randle from Birmingham Hippodrome and Matthew Hawksworth from Chichester Festival Theatre to explore the impact of regional youth theatre.
From school productions and first performances to local youth theatre groups and professional arts venues, Craig and Matthew reflect on their own journeys into theatre and the role youth theatre plays in building confidence, creativity, friendships and life skills. They also discuss accessibility, training, community, and the many different pathways young people can take into the arts, both on stage and behind the scenes.
They also share how youth theatre can open doors, support personal growth and help young people find a sense of belonging, whether or not they go on to work professionally in the industry.
A must-listen for young performers, parents, youth theatre members, educators and anyone passionate about the importance of creative opportunities for young people.
In this episode:
How Craig and Matthew first discovered theatre and youth performance
The difference youth theatre can make in a young person’s life
How to find and join a local youth theatre
Why youth theatre is about more than just performing
The life skills, confidence and friendships it can build
How Birmingham Hippodrome and Chichester Festival Theatre support young people
Why accessibility and bursaries matter in youth theatre
The different theatre careers young people can explore beyond performing
Guests:
Craig Randle – Education Manager at Birmingham Hippodrome
Matthew Hawksworth – Head of Children and Young People’s Programme at Chichester Festival Theatre
Hosts:
David Grant – NYMT Associate Producer
Abbie Palliser Kehoe – NYMT Young Company member and co-host
Follow / find out more:
NYMT: nymt.org.uk
Instagram: @NYMTuk
TikTok: @nymtUK
David: @david.z.uk
Abbie: @palliserabbie
Birmingham Hippodrome: birminghamhippodrome.com
Chichester Festival Theatre: cft.org.uk
Recommended
Transcript
Theatre's Role in Personal Development
00:00:00
Speaker
youth theatre, drama club or even just a school assembly. It's all creative and it's all theatre but what role does it play in not just shaping us as performers but us as people?
Introduction to NYMT's Open House Podcast
00:00:11
Speaker
Welcome to our official NYMT podcast series Open House, the podcast that brings you insight and inspiration from a whole host of incredible guests and friends of NYMT and the world of theatre in celebration of our 50th anniversary. Can you believe it? Our fiftieth anniversary over 50 years of national youth music theatre and you can find out even more about our 2026 season on the socials at NYMT UK or online nymt.org.uk so without further ado it gives me great pleasure to introduce our co-host for today's episode and an and NYMT young company member herself having done no less than nine NYMT productions. Yes, nine. Please welcome Abbey Palasakiho.
Abbey's Journey with NYMT
00:01:00
Speaker
Abbey, welcome.
00:01:01
Speaker
Hi. How are you? I'm really good. How are you? Fabulous. I'm really well, thank you. Thank you so much for joining us. It's so exciting to you here. No, to be here. I mean, nine NYMT shows, that is absolutely extraordinary. Yeah, well, my first year was the 40th anniversary Oh my gosh. the Yeah, so I know.
00:01:20
Speaker
That was the first introduction. Yeah, I think I was around then. God knows what I was doing. But 40th, the 40th, that's insane. Anyway, listen, tell the listeners a bit about you, what you're up to, where have you been? What was your last MYMT production that you were a part of?
00:01:33
Speaker
So in the 2025 season, I was in Tuck Overlasting at the Birmingham Hippendrome. And yeah, that was great. So much fun. And yeah, I'm now in my final year of training at and Bird College. Just about to do my final musical. But yeah, no, things are all good. Amazing. a Tuck Overlasting was a gorgeous show. ah It was stunning.
Youth Theatre's Impact with Craig and Matt
00:01:56
Speaker
the best experience I think it was the UK premiere as well yeah it was don't forget that don't forget that with little one and you mentioned that you did at the Birmingham Hippodrome which does segue quite nicely towards one of our fabulous guests on today's episode come on tell us let's get things started who we got on the show for today's episode On this episode, we have Craig Randall, who is the Education Manager at the Birmingham Hippendrome.
00:02:20
Speaker
And we also have Matt Hawksworth, who is the Head of Children and Young People's Programme at Chichester Festival Theatre. And they're on today to just have a little chat about regional youth theatre. fabulous i cannot wait to meet them there is so much to deep dive into youth theatre is so important and i cannot think of two people that are more informed uh to tell us all about it from their two respective venues this is open house and this is our mymt podcast
00:02:53
Speaker
Craig and Matt, welcome. Hello. Hello. A very good afternoon. How are you both? Are you well? Oh, good. Thank you. How are I'm great. Thank you. Thank you for asking. Matt, how are you?
00:03:04
Speaker
I'm really well. It's great to be here. Oh, it's absolutely fantastic to see you both. Thank you for joining us because NYMT is obviously all about youth theatre and youth theatre is so integral to both your roles in your respective venues. Tell us, what is your first memory of theatre in your youth ah or youth theatre when you were wee lad? Craig, you can take that one first.
00:03:29
Speaker
um So i was having to think about this and be fair, it was really, really young. um I remember being in primary school and it was the Christmas nativity, um but I'd got asked in particular to do a solo. um I was the only kid in our year group that had been asked to do it because it was normally saved for the juniors.
00:03:48
Speaker
And I think I was in year two, I think. And yeah, I had to sing a solo. I can't remember the name of the Christmas Carol that it was, but I got up and I sang. And I think just that moment of performing, I really, really enjoyed. And then after that, in terms of like the school, then I continued to do all the productions. My first production was Joseph and it's Technicolor Dreamcoat. And I got to play Benjamin. Is it really you? Joseph, is it really you? Yeah. And I got to play Benjamin, which was great. Absolutely loved it. Didn't really have a clue what I was doing at that time. And I remember somebody guiding me around the stage. But I absolutely loved it. And obviously then did all the productions throughout, which then followed into kind of then going to watch theatre generally, like my parents taking to the theatre. never actually attended a youth theatre, but that was certainly my sort like insight into theatre was definitely through school side of things and definitely in primary school. That's fabulous. And I know everyone's thinking, can you still remember all the colours of Joseph's Technicolor Dreamcoat?
00:04:47
Speaker
Absolutely Don't worry, we'll move swiftly on. Matt, how about you? Youth theatre, cast your mind back. Where does it start for you? Well, I think, well, my first experiences um were actually when I was a baby. My mum and dad said that um whenever there was music on, I just had to move. So my mum took me to a and ah parent and toddler movement class. And that's kind of where it all kicked off. And I was just really lucky to kind of have a love of music and dance ever since then. um and then similar to Craig, really, through primary school and secondary school, was really lucky to be involved in productions. but But I was part of a youth theatre. It was the Oxfordshire Youth Music Theatre, um which was really incredibly special because it was run by two amazing and inspiring ladies, Lynne Marsh and Judy Thompson.
00:05:42
Speaker
And we rehearsed every Monday night. And those were and still are some of my friends for life. It was a really special time, I think, um being in. What do we do? We did ah the first one. i think I was in. i was in a show called Little Me. I did The Boyfriend. ah We did Me and My Girl.
00:06:04
Speaker
um We did Anne of Green Gables. um And then I think i I mean, I missed it all so much that actually when I went off to university, I volunteered and went back and helped out as a stage manager because um I just missed being around it all. No, that's so real. think it's so cool that both you had it like so much in schools.
00:06:22
Speaker
Like, I think that's one like brilliant thing about the UK that like, it's so ingrained into your school systems, even that like, you're able to take it as like GCSE and A-level like subjects. It's so good. it's I think looking back and and being like quite reflective on that, I think just looking back at my primary school, like we we sang every single day, like in assemblies and things like that. And we had... um a pianist teacher and a guitar teacher um and they literally were playing all the time and obviously they then kind of formed the band as I said when we came to school productions but yeah it was very much kind of ingrained from a very early age singing as I said in school like school school assemblies but then aside from that as well so I think, Craig, you mentioned that when you were at school, you actually weren't part of a youth theatre, but then now, look at you you, know, such an integral role into youth theatre at the Birmingham Hippodrome. What was your awareness of perhaps youth theatre in the local area when you were growing up, or perhaps was just something that wasn't on your radar?
00:07:23
Speaker
Do you know what, being completely honest, it wasn't on my radar. And I think, again, growing up, I don't think actually people knew kind of much about, I say, drama in general. in But in terms of like, I knew nothing about sort of like drama schools either, in terms of like London and things like that. Nobody kind of guided me that way. People used to say, you're a good performer and you you can go somewhere, but they would never kind of say where. um Now, in my kind of like local area back back home, I know of youth theatres, but certainly at the time of me growing up, never never knew where to go to kind of to develop even more. so um you know and Outside of the kind of like the home area, you know going wider into Birmingham, i just didn't know didn't know them at all.
00:08:09
Speaker
And I think for Matt as well, i mean, you you obviously were part of a youth theatre when you were younger. But again, being aware of it, how did you find out of that youth theatre at that early age? Yeah, it was it was word of mouth, really. And and as Craig said, and you know, my my my parents weren't from um an artistic background. um So it was all about word of mouth and being connected to the community, really. And so it was um from kids that were chatting at school, um other youth groups. And then it was something that every there was a real buzz about, um and you could really tell that people felt at home and safe, and and there was a lot of fun to be had. um and And that side of things was just as important, I think, as um as as the skills that we were learning. um That sense of belonging, I think, was really important, um and that's more important than ever for young people.
00:09:05
Speaker
No, and i like I was watching some of the promo videos for like and the youth theatre groups in Birmingham and in in Chichester and Festival Theatre. And in the video for, um and I think so it's CFYT, isn't it? That's absolutely right. yes c f i t Yeah, So in the video... and Ten points to Gryffindor. Yeah, yeah, thank you. and There was like a little lad and he was like, and he was like talking about it. And he said, it just makes me look on the bright side of things. And i my heart actually melted because that's like the most like...
00:09:40
Speaker
gorgeous like statement or like not promo but like like kind of summary of like what it can do for people absolutely off that i was like if you had to like summarize what you hope to achieve or what you kind of receive from like working in like the youth theater like what would be your like summary or your like remark from the video yeah i think it's about it's about finding a place where you can express yourself um make new friends, connections. um You can learn from unbelievably talented people ah like in grassroots level, and which is why I think youth theatre is so key. um And it's where personalities really begin to blossom and come out. And um young people are
Getting Involved and Career Pathways in Youth Theatre
00:10:28
Speaker
just the best. They have all the ideas, all the creativity and all the imagination. um
00:10:33
Speaker
and yeah, that that little ad is very special. Yeah, yeah is it's a gorgeous advert. Craig, if there's someone at home listening, thinking, do you know what? I'd love to be part of a youth theatre, but I just don't know where to start. How can I get involved? Where would I find it? Maybe they're in Chichester, maybe they're in Birmingham, maybe they're in Newcastle. Where would you say is the best place to start when it comes to finding and getting in touch with your youth theatre?
00:10:56
Speaker
I think now um it would absolutely be sort of like go to your local theatre's website and and kind of look for their educational offer or outreach offer or participation offer and obviously different theatres will call it different things. um So for us at the Birmingham Hippodrome we've got a whole page that is around Hippodrome youth theatres and we've got several at the theatre now. So we've got a Musicals youth theatre which is made up of a junior and a senior group.
00:11:25
Speaker
We've got a Drama youth theatre and then we've also got an SEN youth theatre as well. um So we've got four in total now at the Hippodrome. and But definitely it's about kind of like just doing the research, finding out Google, um go onto the website and you know type in local drama youth theatres in the area or as I said, if it's in in the city, look at those theatres and see what the organisations are offering. um because they will be offering something. um It's just about kind of like finding out that work and researching to get involved and then literally sign up or email and get involved. And don't be one of the things that I keep saying to a lot of people recently is just don't be scared to email. and just say you're interested or you just want more information about it. You don't have to sign up there and then on the dot, but you can find out more information about it. So absolutely just do that research, go on those websites. and Or as I said, if you're in the city of where that theatre is, pop in, go and see them. I was going to ask that. If I'm not on email, who's the best person when I walk into a theatre to ask to speak to? Who's going to be the person that's going to be help me find out more about the local youth theatre in a typical venue? Who would that be?
00:12:37
Speaker
So for us it would be um either our education or our participation team. So we or our participation team look after the youth theatres, they hold that space, um but equally if somebody went in and was like, can I speak to someone either in your educational participation team, even someone in the education team would be able to point them in the right direction, would be able to provide them with the information. and So i think that kind of umbrella department um will always know who to kind of put them in touch with. And even if those people aren't in on the day, um it's, you know, leave your details for someone at maybe stage door or at the reception. And, you know, but that always gets passed on to us. The amount of emails that I've had passed on a piece of paper and to be like, this is these persons come in. Can you kind of reach out to them? um And we absolutely will reach out to them to kind of have acknowledge that we've received something and what are they wanted to find out more about.
00:13:30
Speaker
and so yeah, that's great. And I think for Matt, Matt, you ended up youth theatre now, but I know that there was a journey weren't always in youth theatre. You started new theatre when you were young. And now, of course, you're head of education and working in Chichester. But you've been performer yourself. You've been a choreographer. You even choreographed me in my first NYMT musical in 2009. Thanks for reminding me, David. You got me through my first ever dance audition. And I have to say, when you talk about people in youth theatre being inspirational in in young people and their careers, you know, I looked at Matt as someone who was absolutely hugely inspirational for me as a young performer and someone that I looked up to and was really supportive in that safe space. And I know, Craig, you mentioned that. But Matt, tell us, how did you go through all those different stages of your your career? Tell us a little bit about them, maybe the highs, the lows, and how you ended up in the world of youth theatre at Chichester.
00:14:29
Speaker
Absolutely. Well, firstly, David, that was very sweet of you to say. And I think because it's about connections, isn't it? It's about and it's about creating memories through the stories that we tell on and off stage. I think that's what's what's really important. and Yeah, I didn't know what I wanted to do when I left school. And even though youth theatre was part of my life, um I wasn't quite ready. i didn't I didn't have the confidence, I don't think. And and I also say that to young people that um you will find your own pathway. And sometimes it takes time.
00:14:59
Speaker
and we have to take the knocks as well because we have to be really pragmatic that a life in the theatre industry can be tough and challenging. So it's about building up that natural resilience.
00:15:11
Speaker
um So for me, I went off to university and I actually did a languages degree and I had four of the best years of my life and I grew up, I moved away to a big city, ah got to travel, which was fantastic. um But all the while I was kind of still taking um dance classes, I was still I'm very much involved in um the musical society at the university. And then afterwards, I was very fortunate to get a place at Mountview where I studied. um And then, yeah, I worked for the best part of 10 years as ah as an actor.
00:15:43
Speaker
And then out of that, particularly um being a dance captain on shows and projects, I was asked to lead workshops. And I just really loved it. I loved giving back. And i always say to my team of practitioners that it's about passing the baton on. on um And I just got a real kick and a thrill out of other young people's brilliance and their creativity that they brought to the room.
00:16:07
Speaker
um So that really started to build. And then I was asked to go into schools to deliver workshops. And so that's kind of how over the years that I built my CV. um And then I taught in a secondary school for five and a half years, which was really special. And so to see the inside of things um and Abby was alluding to the importance of all of the teachers in all subjects as well, and how you can link up um across the subjects. um And then from there, I moved to work for what we call a national portfolio organisation, which is supported by the Arts Council.
00:16:46
Speaker
So I worked for a dance theatre company, which was magical and had three really special years there, um before I found the dream job in Chichester. The dream job. And what a dream it is. um Tell us, what was it that first drew you to NYMT? Because am I right that you actually joined as a performer as a young person? Yeah, yeah, I did. What, go on, tell us, what show was that? Maybe don't tell us the year if you don't want to, but you can tell us what production it was.
00:17:13
Speaker
Hey, David, I'm proud. i think when you get to a certain age, you've got to stop being proud of it. Tell us, tell us. So I was really proud. So in 1996, um I was cast in a beautiful new production called Creation. and This is one of the things that I think NYMT does so well, is new work and developing new work. and This was um an original piece um by Richard Taylor, um and directed by the artistic director Jeremy James Taylor at the time, with Jonathan Gill as the musical director and Kay Shepherd as the movement director.
00:17:47
Speaker
and We workshopped this piece and it was unbelievable. We took it into cathedrals. um And so we had a cast of performers alongside a choir and a massive orchestra.
00:17:59
Speaker
um And we toured that. And then I went on to do what else I did? I did Into the Woods. um I then went back to the creation for a national tour. And then did Oklahoma. which we were really fortunate enough to get to do in the West End and on tour and in Northern Ireland, which was magic. Nearly rivaling Abbey's Nine, right, Abbey? It was a long time. It was a long time. Very grateful. Craig, correct me if I'm wrong, but you, like, I don't know if you've ever done MYMT, but you definitely were around it a lot this summer with it being set in Rome. I was, yeah. And, like, I don't know, what was your experience? Or, like, what was your experience of, like,
00:18:37
Speaker
being Maybe even witnessing NYMT on the outside, like of like witnessing like people coming to see the show or stuff like that. I think um certainly from you guys, your perspective, the performers, um I just always think like what an incredible opportunity it is, and you know, for you guys to be able to work in ah in a live working theatre and get to know like how to, how things happen, those stop starts that happen in tech rehearsals and the, you know, the kind of the blocking and things like that is, i think it's just a brilliant opportunity that, you know,
00:19:12
Speaker
gets brought to life and enriched so much more and enthuses you all as performers as well. um And I just remember sort of like looking and I get to see quite a lot of um youth theatre productions in the Hippodrome. And I just think that's always a, it is always a bit of a hard slug when you're going through tech rehearsals and things like that. But I just think ultimately the opportunity that you are getting is absolutely incredible. And, know,
00:19:38
Speaker
to then almost see that process through as well. and And because you get to see that process from, you know, auditioning for those parts and then you're rehearsing outside of the theatre, so they move into the theatre and that theatre becoming your home as well for that, um you know, period of time that you're that you're with us and is brilliant. And yeah, just then from an audience perspective, I think just seeing... just seeing the audience's reactions and to particularly to shows that they might not necessarily have seen before. So Took Everlasting in particular, like I know I was genuinely excited about Took Everlasting because it was something that i I knew the story, I knew the music, but ah as David said earlier, you know, it had its um British premiere with you guys. And I was so excited to kind of see it brought to life.
00:20:22
Speaker
So I think for audiences to kind of like see those pieces of work as well um and new pieces or pieces that have been out there for a while, but they might have not been heard of for a while. You know, they've been kind of tucked away, but it's about reigniting them. Again, Carousel, another absolute classic um brought to life, um particularly in in Birmingham Outdoors last year, which was incredible. um Yeah, I just think it's just a brilliant, brilliant opportunity for you guys to be a part of that. and also just to work with professionals that are in the industry and you know and that's not just the direct team that you closely work with your choreographers your directors it is all with the tech technical people it is all the the costume designers and the set designers and being around those people and just hearing those conversations or being part of those conversations um you know it opens those so many doors so many doors to where you might want to progress into like because you may have a love for performing but you've also got a passion for costume. And obviously then if you're kind of like closely working with someone, you can have those conversations. And again, it just opens those doors. And I think that's so true.
00:21:31
Speaker
so so true. You're talking about all these different opportunities. And I think so many youth theatres now have that offering available. If you have a passion for theatre, There's different strands of different areas, like you mentioned, Craig, costume, sound, lighting, stage management, performing. The the the opportunities are so vast. And I know and NYMT as well. There's those courses that run throughout the summer. They're also available for people with those different interests. but I think what we do and NYMT in in Easter and summer is amazing. But there's nothing better for us when we work with young people.
00:22:03
Speaker
in those school holidays but then all year round they're engaging with a local youth theatre i think that's really so important and it can really it's like i touched on the start it can actually shape an individual as a person you might not necessarily see yourself going on to a career on the stage or in the theatre but those skills that you can learn in youth theatre they can be so important to next stages in life tell us more about those or experiences or individuals that you've witnessed in your youth theatre Matt, you go first.
00:22:34
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I think it's like you say, it's so special to see what young people go on to achieve. um And we've got some stories from CFYT of young people going on to be local businessmen and women, um doctors and nurses, they're entrepreneurs, they create their own companies. um And it's those communication skills, um being empathetic. um ah but Yeah, those relationships, how you how you hold yourself in a room. um how you can engage with people, um which I think is really, really special. And then, as you've said, if if people go on to choose a career in the creative arts, we will always be there for them to support them with auditions or masterclasses and workshops, and as NYMT does.
00:23:18
Speaker
and And I think it's about those building blocks that that you can um have, and they'll be there for the rest of your life. Yeah, I think echo everything that Matt said, um but just someone in particular that I've i've just thought of um who was part of Musicals Youth Theatre.
00:23:35
Speaker
and We kind of supported them with their audition to go on university, um which they studied a musical theatre course. And only recently, again, as Matt said, like those doors are always open and they've come into the theatre and said, oh, they're performing in X show. And they've literally been just before they've literally just been performing on the Hippodrome main stage um with another kind of touring show, which is brilliant to see. And it's just brilliant when they kind of come up to you or you see them in the green room and you're like, oh, what are you doing here? But you know that you've kind of been a part of that journey. And, um supported them throughout. And like I said, Matt's already said, but those doors will always be open to support, and to even just be an ear, you know, to kind of listen to if they want some advice and things like that. um
00:24:24
Speaker
But I think, again, Matt said it earlier, I think those skills that kind of brought out and um you find yourself I think in those places as well and you find your people and you find people that you know understand you and get you and it makes collaboration so much easier as well and because you you've you all of you have got so many ideas and to bring those ideas forward and I just think it's just a really nice environment to kind of be with people that kind of get get the arts get theatre and get get you as well and like you know it's sometimes the arts can be seen as like oh it's you know it's not sports or it's not you know all of the sort of higher rated professions maybe um and sometimes it can feel like a bit of a world that is lost but I think when you get into those Those areas of work and those environments, it's it's powerful. It's really powerful.
00:25:20
Speaker
Do you think it's accessible enough?
Accessibility and Leadership in Youth Theatre
00:25:23
Speaker
I'd like to think so. i think we certainly here at the Hippodrome, um we have bursaries that are available for um you people that can't afford to pay the full membership. um And we don't audition either for our youth theatres. So we try to make it as accessible as as possible. And again, that's as well as the bursaries to support getting onto the the courses, it's to support with travel as well where possible.
00:25:49
Speaker
um So I'd like to think that from our end, what said, we certainly make it as accessible as possible as I'm sure Matt, you're probably the same over in Chichester. Matt, what do you guys do at Chichester to help keep as accessible as possible? Absolutely. We we have a real duty. We're really fortunate to have amazing facilities and and wonderful loyal audiences, but um we always need to do more to open those doors and break down the barriers. So um similarly to the Hippodrome, we will offer bursary places, um
00:26:19
Speaker
It's incredible seeing a young person's journey right the way through. and if we can do that by removing a barrier, then we'll we'll always do our very best to do it. um We also have ah a really special um group where we work with a local college supporting young unaccompanied asylum seekers um who have had very, very difficult starts to life and may have only arrived in the UK only a few months ago. And so it's about helping them with their English skills,
00:26:47
Speaker
and feeling that they are supported and welcomed and integration. um and And that is really important because we want them to be the audiences of tomorrow. So um anything that we can do and our youth theatre, likewise, and you don't have to audition. Everybody is welcome. And we have satellite groups right across the region so that we can really meet young people where they are, um because we know transport can be a real barrier for people.
00:27:13
Speaker
Yeah, I saw you have m ah ticket scheme as well. Yes. Yeah, we do. That's a brilliant thing to have. It is amazing. Our fantastic marketing and comms team run this. um It's called Prologue. So i'll I'll give it a bit of a shout out, which is really lovely. And this is, um we want to get young people to watch theatre so that it it can inspire them. um And so there are always £10 tickets for each show.
00:27:37
Speaker
um that they can sign up for. And they feel like they're part of a club, there's um special um access um events that they can join. And again, it really just mixes things up and anything that, again, they can go back and it might help them write about it in their school drama, GCSE or A-level piece, their BTEC piece. They might go and have a conversation with somebody. They might be talking to a member of the community and pass, again, pass that baton on.
00:28:04
Speaker
um So it's a really lovely small thing that we can do. yeah i think it's I think it's fair to say that across the Birmingham Hippodrome and Chichester and and NYMT, if you're a young person listening or a parent or a guardian, none of us want finances to be a barrier in getting a young person engaging in youth theatre. There's always a conversation to be had. We'd always look to try and find a way to make it possible to keep youth theatre as accessible. The door has never been open wider. And certainly at NYMT, everyone is welcome and everyone is welcome equally. I can't believe it. We are approaching the end of this absolutely glorious episode. i just want to go out into the world and and do a youth theatre with everyone. Come on! join the circus come join the theater i feel i feel so inspired it warms my heart um craig the work you do at birmingham hippodrome is absolutely extraordinary that venue that building is huge uh and to have so many groups of young people doing such amazing work
00:29:10
Speaker
It's just extraordinary. And Matt, you know, for you at Chichester, but also for me personally, you know, as a as a practitioner and a teacher that taught me so much at such a young age. It's so amazing to have the both of you on this on this episode. um I know Abby has some questions from some of our listeners. Yeah. Quick fire, rapid fire. Let's go for it. Over to you.
00:29:32
Speaker
To be fair, this is my favorite one. It's from Jack who's 14 and he said, what's the silliest or like nichest skill you think youth theater gives someone? So I know we were talking about like the good ones, but when I looked at it, I remembered production of Honk I did with NYMT where we walked in flippers. So was like, I must be better at that than the average person. But I was like, if you have anything similar.
00:29:59
Speaker
Amazing. Oh, it's a really good question. jack I'm going kind of turn the question back on him. I think it's the ability to be silly and be playful. um We want adults to have more of that in their lives as well. And so I think it's that creativity that that we see in babies and toddlers um and that young people just have innately um comedy and humour.
00:30:23
Speaker
i think it's about that and not taking yourself too seriously. um because there's plenty of opportunities and moments for that. But I think that that joy, that total sunshine joy is is is magic for me.
00:30:35
Speaker
any Craig, anything? No, I absolutely agree. going steal Matt's answer there. absolutely agree with him. think it's just about having that space to be playful. And, you know, especially if you're sort of like 11, 12, 13, you know, still quite young you know, To still have those childlike abilities and, you know, to have fun and to be silly, put on silly voices, experiment with voices when you're playing different characters and things like that. So, yeah, just be fun, be silly, be whatever that character needs, whatever you need to bring to that character and just go with it and enjoy it and embrace it.
00:31:15
Speaker
No, i was I was talking to my flatmate, Annabelle, who also NYMT, about it. And her answer really made me laugh. But she was saying, like, if you put a group of, like, average people, like everyone just from, like, the street in a game of splat, she's certain she would win. And that made me laugh.
00:31:33
Speaker
Everyone loves a game of splat. We love a splat. I think we've got time for two more questions. and We were talking um earlier about like jobs in theatre that aren't necessarily
Exploring Diverse Roles in Theatre
00:31:45
Speaker
performing. and but like what like We talked about it a small bit, but like could you expand on like what both of the youth theatres do in promoting and jobs in theatre? Yeah, absolutely, Abby. Well, I'll dive in. we're We're really fortunate to have a technical youth theatre and they are fundamental to our work, as I know backstage and production elements are to NYMT. um Because not everybody wants to be front and centre, nor should they. And so those skills to make props, design and make costumes, do wigs, hair and makeup, be involved in stage management, all of those things are wonderful.
00:32:23
Speaker
um And they take a lot of hard work and commitment. So anything we can do to to champion those. And again, knock on doors, go and go and ask to be involved. um I think that's really important. And then I guess the other thing that I'll just cram in also I think is the importance um as you get a little bit older is for apprenticeships and traineeships, um because not everybody wants to go in to uni or straight into work, and but they're a really fantastic real world lived experience opportunity. um
00:32:55
Speaker
to go and get those skills and then become, you could go on and become a producer or an accountant for finance, or you could go and work in marketing or fundraising. And um I think they're great routes in too.
00:33:08
Speaker
Definitely. I think I agree with Matt. You've hit the nail on the head there with technical theatre courses. That's something that I am wanting to do and I've been wanting to do for so long. So I might be knocking on your door. um But we also do here a work experience week as well, and where we kind of, we don't even look at the performing side. And it is more sort of generic theatre roles, generally with marketing, festivals, front of house. and things like that but I think again it's just providing that information and providing the young people with the opportunity that there are other roles outside of just having to perform you can still be in the theatre yet you don't have to be on that stage um but also I know within AU theatres as well they have like I said earlier they have a very much collaborative approach and you know they put forward their ideas for what they want for lighting and um what they want for set and things like that so it's it's there it's very much embedded um and their their ideas are heard loud and proud no that's so good because like don't think you'd necessarily know that those are jobs that like exist in the world if you weren't like exposed to them like even with like i have so many friends who've done the cpp um program at mymt and done assistant directing or like costume and stuff like yeah i
00:34:23
Speaker
Like it's always it's always been such a helpful experience for them. Absolutely. i butt It blows my mind that so many people in the industry started off in NYMT stage management. yeah I was really lucky to have a lot of friends way, way back. um And, you know, I'm godfather to some of their children. It's crazy. We're that old. But they are they are such highly skilled experts and that's what they learned from NYMT. And summer courses and drama schools and their regional theatres, their local grassroots youth theatres just getting involved and getting stuck in and they're some of the best in the business and our um our cpp courses that abby mentioned there that is our creative production pathways uh there is so much information about all of our courses if you're listening and you want to find out more it's at nymt.org.uk for writers stage managers lighting sound costume uh creatives and so much more if it's okay abby i'm gonna steal that last question girlfriend and finish off with with one final question for craig and matt this mymt season uh the year of 2026 is the season of dreams and the question for you two is what is one dream of yours and i'm gonna hand over to craig to go first So my dream, um just generally, and I think it's, I'm trying to become even more creative. a like i So I'm a musician as well, just generally and play piano. And that's kind of took a bit of a backseat. So it's trying to be more creative. But ultimately, and my biggest dream that I would love to do is actually writing and putting on my own musical sometime in the future.
00:36:02
Speaker
um it's always kind of been there in the back of my mind um but yeah this year I've actually started taking the steps to start writing um and putting things down on paper so it's feeling a little bit more real um yeah still very much the early stages still very much the early stages but that's my dreams getting those creative duties flowing I like definitely I'm looking forward to a Craig Randall recital aren't you Matt I'm gonna book my tickets tonight uh one month show Matt 2026, season of dreams.
00:36:32
Speaker
Watson, what's a dream of yours? Chasing those dreams. Absolutely. yeah I'm going to be cheeky and I'm going to dive in. So one work one is to form better connections with other youth theatres so that we're really joining up because um local youth theatre is really important, but so is regional youth theatre and nationally. So how can we give a young person an opportunity to um be the very best person they can be locally, but also travel to new towns and cities and and have amazing experiences and meet new people? would be that one. And then personally, it for me, it's it's just time with family and friends on the beach.
00:37:05
Speaker
um that's It's a dream just to spend more time outdoor breathing in the fresh air, um and especially as the sun is shining brighter these days. The sun is shining so bright. Time with friends and family is so, so important. And that takes us to the end of this episode. Thank you all so much. Abby, thank you so much for being our fabulous co-host. Have you enjoyed it? thank you. Yeah, this makes me really nervous. I've had a great time. Oh, it's been absolutely fantastic having with us. Thank you so much, Abby. And of course, to our two fabulous guests, Craig and Matt.
00:37:42
Speaker
Craig from the Birmingham Hippodrome, Matt from Chichester. Thank you both so, so much for joining us. It's been a glorious 40 minutes celebrating the importance of youth theatre across the yeah UK and the powerhouse practitioners and the people that make it all happen.
00:38:01
Speaker
That's it for today's episode. And thanks so much for listening to Open House. If you enjoyed the show, please don't forget to like, subscribe and comment wherever you're listening from. And hey, why not tell a friend? The more the merrier.
00:38:14
Speaker
Check out nymt.org.uk to learn how you can support us, get involved and what's on throughout the season. Or find us at NYMT UK on the socials. And why not drop us a message with what guests you want to see and hear from in a future episode. So, so long. Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen and goodbye.