National Youth Theatre Not Applicable Backstage Interviews User Manual

Not Applicable Backstage Interviews

National Youth Theatre: Backstage Interviews

Am I eligible to apply For the National Youth Theatre?

All applicants should be:

• UK residents 
• Age 16 by 5th August 2024* 
• Aged 25 or under on the 17th August 2024**  

*You can apply to join as a Backstage Member of National Youth Theatre at the age of 15 providing you will be 16 by  5 th  August 2024. 

For those aged 25 when you complete your course, membership can continue to be active  until your 26th year. In order to be eligible to audition in 2024 you must not turn 26 years of age  before  17 th August 2024**. You can apply for a membership extension if you are 26-30 and are  neurodivergent or have a disability – if this applies to you, please sign-up to an interview day and  also complete this form.

Kindly note if you are successful in your application, identification to verify your age may be  required before the course start date.

If you are unsure about your eligibility to apply, please email [email protected]

Which course should I choose?

You should choose the course in the discipline which you most want to learn about. It does not  have to be the area in which you have most (or any) experience so far.

If you are genuinely interested in two disciplines you can give a second choice also. If you know  that you are only interested in applying for one course, it is fine not to put down a second choice.

How do I apply?

In 2024 you can choose to sign up for a digital interview which will take place via zoom or an in  person workshop day which will include a face to face interview. If you want to gain Backstage  Membership in 2024, you must attend an interview or workshop by June 2024.

Should I choose an online interview or an in person workshop?

All applicants will be considered equally, regardless of their application method. Neither option is  more likely to gain you a place on an NYT course. It is a choice of which method suits you best.

Booking my online interview/in person workshop
You can book your application date online, after
becoming a Hub Subscriber!

You will be emailed confirmation of your
interview/workshop, including the date and time,
to the main email address on your NYT account.
For online applicants you will also receive further
instructions on how to access the online interview
room.

National Youth Theatre: Backstage Interviews

ONLINE INTERVIEW

What happens at my Online Backstage Interview?

On the day and time of your online interview you will log into NYT’s online studio. In this space you  will meet (digitally) with NYT ambassadors who will welcome you and answer any questions you  have. You will then join a break out room with your NYT interviewer and will have around 20  minutes to chat to them one-to-one.

What should I prepare for my Online Backstage Interview?

You should ensure your Zoom account works well in advance. Ensure you have good sound  quality and visibility from your device. Please also prepare the task below.

IN PERSON WORKSHOP

What happens at a Backstage workshop?

The backstage workshop will be a relaxed chance for you to find out a bit more about NYT and  the courses. You will get to know the other applicants and enjoy the company of other young  people who share your passion for backstage theatre. You will get a chance to share your ideas  in response to the task below and receive some support in preparing for interviews.

What should I prepare for my Backstage Workshop?

You should make sure you know where the workshop is taking place and how you plan to get  there. Please leave plenty of time for traffic/transport delays so you arrive in good time. Please  also prepare the task below.

THE INTERVIEW BIT – ONLINE AND IN PERSON

What will I be asked in my interview?

You will have an informal chat with your NYT interviewer.

They will be interested to find out:

• A piece of storytelling (theatre, book, film, TV show, podcast) that you have enjoyed and  why. 
• What you are up to in life at the moment?
• Do you have any relevant experience that you would like to share? (and it’s OK if you  don’t)
• Why you would like to join NYT?
• What you are interested in learning from the experience?
• If you have any thoughts about what you’d like to do in the future? (and it’s OK if you’re  not sure)

The interviewer is keen to get to know you as a person, so during the chat you can tell them about  your hobbies and interests outside of theatre as well as any theatre experience you have.

National Youth Theatre: Backstage Interviews

The courses accept applicants with a wide variety of theatre experience, so if you’ve done lots of  things before we’d love to hear about them. If you are new to backstage theatre then we’re  keen to hear what excites you and what you would like to learn more about.

APPLICATION TASK

As part of your interview/workshop, you will be asked to share your ideas in response to the task  below:

You are a member of a theatre production team who is pitching to turn Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary special ‘The Giggle’ into an on-stage play.

The episode includes a significant moment where a new doctor is bi-generated (splitting into two  doctors) for the first time in the show’s history. The production will be premiered at The Lowry in  Manchester, in their main house the Lyric Theatre. The theatre is looking for a show that will appeal  to all the family and bring different generations together.

Doctor Who is a time travel adventure so the pitch needs to showcase how the company can  deliver ideas to make this work for the stage. The pitch will focus on two moments from the  episode shared below.

You do not need to watch the TV series but we do recommend watching these two clips on  YouTube:

Clip 1 depicts the Doctor and Donna (their assistant) meeting The Toymaker in his shop:  https://youtu.be/Z6DXUOsZavQ?si=KYuiz_H1B9N22QVm

Clip 2 depicts the Doctor bi-generating in a version of modern-day: https://youtu.be/l2MFwLn SmA?si=9FiwTPjcQJpc2vK5

The two images below depict the key moments and settings:

National Youth Theatre: Backstage Interviews

You need to respond to the brief set out by your director below for the upcoming pitch meeting.  Your department is the one(s) that you are applying to NYT for.

National Youth Theatre: Backstage Interviews

Hey Team

I am really excited about our upcoming pitch to the Lowry to make Doctor Who’s ‘The Giggle’ a play! Let’s showcase how  we can use theatre magic to time travel and get families to enjoy some inter-generational fun.

At our pre-pitch meeting on Monday. You will each have five minutes to share what you’ve come up with and then we  can put it all together to make something truly special!

Remember out main concepts are:

• Time-travel magic– we want to show people we’ve been transported through time
• Fantasy design language – this is not naturalistic even in the modern day, it should feel other worldy  -like our world but not quite…
• Inter-generational – we want the young fans of Doctor Who to be excited about this retelling but  the older fans or parents to feel connected to the material too.
• We are not presenting a copy of the TV designer’s work but our own interpretation inspired by it.

We are going to be presenting how we plan to bring to life the two key moments in the show- The Toymaker’s Shop and  The Doctor’s Bi-Generation as proof of concept. We will move from the 1925 toy shop to the futuristic landing pad during an interval that will see the entire space transformed – effectively travelling through time for our audience.

I would like to see ideas that can deliver the magic of both these worlds with a stunning transition between the two. We  could even bring the magic into the front of house to make it a truly interactive experience. I want to hear big WOWs  and gasps coming from the audience.

As you know we have a generous budget, a big stage to fill and the hearts of the fandom to warm- so don’t hold back on  your ideas!

See you Monday,

Jay Lanes

Director

National Youth Theatre: Backstage Interviews

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FOR ONLINE APPLICANTS

You will present your ideas to your interviewer. You will have five minutes to share them, and they  may ask follow-up questions.

If you have loads of ideas, is recommended you have a think in advance about the things you  would most like to share and communicate in this short amount of time.

You will be able to share your screen and play sound during your interview if you wish. It is not a  requirement to share material in this way.

FOR IN PERSON WORKSHOP APPLICANTS

You will bring your ideas to the workshop where you will share them with other members of your  production team. You will then work together to create your pitch for the meeting.

You will only have a few minutes to share your idea to your team so focus on one clear idea that  you can communicate quickly.

You will not have access to a computer in the workshop so we recommend bring hand written  ideas on paper, printing out your ideas or if this is not possible, having them on a portable device  such as a mobile phone.

———————————————————-

There are a number of ways you can show us your ideas, we have made some suggestions below.  Feel free to go in whichever direction excites you most.

If you have chosen to apply for two disciplines, please prepare something for both disciplines.  You do not have to have experience in your chosen course, this task is designed for you to share  an idea you have which you can show us in any way that makes sense to you.

Scenic Construction and Set Design:

You could bring a design for the space or think about what structures may need to be put in  place. You could share with us a:

• Moodboard
• Drawing
• Design
• Research findings
• How you would make a piece of set/design
• Example graphics you might use in your design
• Historical research for your design
• Ideas for set pieces that would transition between the two locations/time periods
• Something we may not have thought of!

National Youth Theatre: Backstage Interviews

Costume Design and Making:

You could bring a design for one of the characters or think about where we could source/make  the costumes. You could share with us a:

• Moodboard
• Drawing
• Design
• Research findings
• Colour palette
• Historical reference images
• How you would make/source a piece of costume/design
• How costume might be designed for the bi-generation
• Something we may not have thought of!

Sound Design and Composition:

You could compose an original piece of music or soundscape for the scene or think about how  the space can feature sound. You could share with us a:

• Composition
• Soundscape
• Sound clips
• Kit list
• List of Instruments you would use
• Playlist
• References/historical research
• Ideas for how sound might help us transition between the two time periods • Something we may not have thought of!

Lighting, Video and Projection:

You could design the lighting/video/projection for the scene or think about how the space can  incorporate lighting/video/projection. You could share with us a:

• Design
• Kit list
• Lighting styles/moodboard
• References/research
• Video
• Ideas to convey the two time periods using lighting
• Projection ideas
• Example graphics you might use in your design
• Ideas for how lighting/video might help us transition between the two time  periods/locations
• Something we may not have thought of!

National Youth Theatre: Backstage Interviews

Stage Management:

You could create or research a prop/props list or prepare for the production meeting/interval  scene change. You could share with us a:

• Moodboard
• Drawings /making of a prop
• Historical research for toys in the toy shop
• List of possible props with suggested sources and costings
• Ideas for how to make the scene change quick and safely store the props • Your pre-pitch meeting agenda
• List of questions/things to prepare before the pitch
• Something we may not have thought of!

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Can I send in a portfolio or my interview task for NYT to look at after my interview?
No, we will only look at material during the interview/workshop itself.

What happens after my Backstage interview?
Your result will be emailed to you on results day, May 8th 2024. If you have an interview date after  results day you will receive the outcome of your interview within 2 weeks. Please make sure your  email address is up to date on your NYT account and add [email protected] to your approved  contact list to avoid your results email going to spam.

How will I receive the outcome of my interview?
No matter what the outcome, NYT will always send results via email, so make sure your account is  up to date with your correct contact details. NYT will never give results of first round self-tapes or  live digital recalls over the phone, so keep an eye on your email account including your junk-mail.

I have access needs, who should I contact?
If you require any additional support to access the interview task, on your interview day or course,  or have any access needs please don’t hesitate to contact us on [email protected].

I am under 18, can I have a parent or a guardian with me during my Interview? We advise that you undertake your interview in a private place. However, if you would be more  comfortable having an adult or friend present, you are welcome to do so. They cannot be  involved in your interview in any way. NYT may also record interviews for safeguarding purposes.  Any recordings made will be stored in accordance with our GDPR Policy.

Can I get feedback on my interview?
NYT is not able to provide specific feedback for interviewees.

National Youth Theatre: Backstage Interviews

Can I cancel my subscription and get a refund?
Please see the terms and conditions for information regarding transfers and refunds.

Can I change the date of my interview or get a refund?
Please see the terms and conditions for information regarding transfers and refunds.

Can I change the time of my interview?
Unfortunately, we cannot change your allocated time. Please ensure you are available all day on  your chosen interview date.

How do you choose who gets a place on a summer course?
All interview information is sent to NYT where the cohort for that year is selected by a dedicated  selection panel. We are looking for a company who represent the diversity of Britain’s Youth. We  celebrate individuals and do not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, gender, sexuality or  disability. We do not accept bullying or harassment of any kind.

What happens if I don’t get a place on a Summer Course?
We meet nearly 400 young people every year and can only offer around 100 places on the  backstage courses making the programme highly competitive.

If you’re not invited to join the company this time there are still so many ways to be involved with  the organisation. As HUB Subscribers you get access to all the online programming, masterclasses  and workshops for the year as well as other opportunities listed on the HUB board on your profile.

Our Digital Masterclasses are also offered throughout the year. Many of our members interviewed several times before gaining a place, so it’s important to not give up and to utilize all the  opportunities provided to subscribers as part of the HUB.

Bursaries, Fees and funding

We offer bursaries to help those facing financial hardship take part in our auditions, courses and  productions. Find out more and how to apply via https://www.nyt.org.uk/accessibility-and bursaries

I have more questions, who should I contact?

If you have any further questions you can contact NYT at [email protected]

National Youth Theatre: Backstage Interviews

TOP TIPS

• There are no right or wrong answers or silly questions.
• The task is designed to be FUN – don’t over think it and enjoy the process.
• If there’s something you want to ask the director in the task, assume they haven’t made a  decision on it yet, and are open to your suggestions.
• We’re keen to meet and get to know you in the interview, we welcome your whole self and  think your quirks and individuality are what makes you great!

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