Three local young people awarded National Youth Theatre scholarship programme

As a partner organisation with National Youth Theatre, The Playhouse hosted workshops and auditions for NYT’s Auditions Access Fund in February.

Supported by NYT Alumnus and Patron Hugh Bonneville, the Auditions Access Fund is a new fund created as part of NYT’s ongoing commitment to outreach and access.

The successful applicants, Aodhan Kehoe, Molly Duffy and Honor Cosgrove, have accepted invitations to take part in National Youth Theatre’s residential summer courses in London. The courses run for two to three weeks. A fourth successful local applicant, Conor Doherty, chose instead to accept a place at the prestigious Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

After the summer course the young people become NYT Members and remain so until they turn 26. As NYT Members they can audition for NYT shows, take part in workshops, or apply for their long term free training scheme, the REP Company.

The Playhouse hosted free participation workshop and audition days to allow for 20-40 young people aged 14-25 to audition for the scheme. The Participation Workshop Day introduced young people to NYT, to theatre techniques, and aimed to build confidence by demystifying the process of auditioning. The following Audition Day included a three hour workshop with NYT Associates, where they considered how well the young people worked as an ensemble, followed by individual one on one auditions with an NYT Associate.

“We can’t describe how proud we are of these young talents” Pauline Ross, founding director at The Playhouse said. “These young people have seized this incredible opportunity; they’ve earned their place working with the most prestigious company. The work they do with NYT Associates will shape their creative careers, give them confidence and conviction to push themselves and their dreams as far as they can.”