The National Youth Theatre today announces its 2019 Summer and Autumn Season which will feature an extended 7th annual REP season of three plays in London, brand new commissions staged in five cities across the UK and festival appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe, Latitude and Bradford Literature Festival. This is the first time the majority of NYT’s summer / autumn season productions will be staged outside of London. Three NYT members have also been appointed as paid Centre Stage Creatives and have also been commissioned to build local NYT networks and create new work in towns around the UK.
Paul Roseby, NYT Artistic Director, said: “From the ongoing Cambridge Analytica Scandal to the rise of Artificial Intelligence, this season will tackle urgent topical issues that will define the future for our young people for decades to come. We firmly believe that being National means being local and this year’s creative programme at venues and festivals around the UK reflects a shift to expand our reach, which has already seen us audition at 70 venues and schools around the UK this Spring. In London we are proud to have extended and expanded our free alternative routes into the industry, the NYT REP Company and Playing Up, offering diverse young talent unique opportunities to learn in front of an audience on leading stages.”
The 2019 summer and autumn programme includes an extended REP season which will see the most performances ever in a season. With themes of science and technology running throughout, this REP season will feature an Artificial Intelligence-inspired production of Mary Shelley’s gothic story Frankenstein, adapted by Carl Miller and directed by Emily Gray, Artistic Director of Trestle Theatre, and Great Expectations, adapted by Neil Bartlett and directed by the 2019 Bryan Forbes Bursary Director at Southwark Playhouse from 18 October – 30 November.
The REP Company will then perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the Criterion Theatre directed by Matt Harrison working in association with Kneehigh and abridged by Kate Kennedy running from 6 December to 17 January.
The production of Frankenstein will be accompanied by a free AI Digital Installation, created in partnership with immersive content studio Megaverse. This year all NYT REP productions will include a relaxed performance as part of the NYT’s wider Inclusion Programme, which aims to make the charity accessible to young people, artists and audiences with disabilities. All three productions are set-texts and with schools tickets from £15 and free Q&As and educational resource packs the NYT REP aims to offer affordable access to live theatre for school groups, against a backdrop of declining drama in schools.
The NYT REP is inspired by the traditional repertory theatre model and was set up by Paul Roseby in 2012 to provide a much-needed free alternative to expensive formal training whilst embracing the best and diverse young talent to work with leading institutions culminating in three productions in London theatres.
Full season details, including those outside London can be found here.
