National Youth Music Theatre unveils 2024 summer season in London

The National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) has announced its 2024 summer season, which will debut at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant in London.

This season, performed by the remarkable Young Company Members of NYMT 2024, who range from 10 to 23 years old, will feature a diverse array of productions including the iconic UK band Madness’s musical Our House, Stephen Sondheim’s timeless classic Into the Woods, and an ambitious new folk musical Catastrophe Bay, penned by Kit Buchan and James Barne.

For nearly half a century, NYMT has been at the forefront of providing exceptional pre-professional musical theatre training for talented young people. This year marks an exciting chapter as the theatre brings these shows to the heart of London.

The season kicks off with Into the Woods, where the Tony Award-winning book and score enchant audiences with poignant themes of family, friendship, love, and betrayal, woven through the tales of well-known storybook characters. This production promises to be an innovative and intricate allegory that resonates across all ages.

Following this, the new folk musical Catastrophe Bay by the successful British writing duo Jim Barne and Kit Buchan takes the audience to the wilds of Cornwall. Set against a backdrop of smugglers and wreckers, this musical features the curious inhabitants of the tiny fishing village of Newfrock, who follow a unique patchwork of rituals to protect their village’s secrets.

To conclude the season, NYMT presents Our House, featuring music and lyrics by Madness, with one song by Labi Siffre. Set in 1980s Camden Town, this production includes hits like House of Fun, Baggy Trousers, and Our House, offering a nostalgic trip through a quintessentially British landscape.

Chris Cuming, Artistic Director of NYMT, said: “NYMT 2024 will see the next generation of talented new voices taking to the stage in three fully mounted productions in London. Having seen our Young company members rehearse over Easter, we are certain that the journeys from the Woods to the Bay to the House will bring nothing but joy.

“The vibrancy and energy of the performances this year are extremely impressive. We’re also pleased to be introducing a season ticket so audiences can see all three productions in the summer. News on our other work across the year including our PLATFORM series will be released soon.”

This year’s company, chosen from nearly a thousand auditionees, follows in the footsteps of notable NYMT alumni such as Idris Elba and Sheridan Smith. Newly appointed patrons include Matt Lucas, Amara Okereke, and Callum Scott Howells, highlighting the theatre’s commitment to nurturing future stars.