The YMT Creative Trainee Scheme

If you're in second or third year of higher education or a recent graduate, then why not apply for our range of trainee work placements on YMT summer productions and workshops?

We're looking for young people usually aged 20-25 who have been in formal training at drama school, conservatoire, dance academy, university or other higher education institutes and who are intent on pursuing a professional career in the musical theatre industry or who wish to widen their range of musical and theatrical experinces. The courses will take place across the summer between 25th July and 3rd September. Each course will last between one and three weeks depending on the size of the project. As a a trainee assistant you will be working with experienced professional directors, composers, musical directors, choreographers and designers in creating new work with young people aged 11-20. We expect a high degree of competence as you will be asked to take workshop sessions both under guidance from the professional staff and also on your own. The placements are ideally suited to those wishing to develop a career in music theatre or related areas and who are committed to working with young people.

The places available are:

Assistant Director
Assistant Musical Director
Assistant Choreographer
Designer

The productions and workshops take place across the UK and are residential - you will be staying with the young people and the creative teams at the rehearsal spaces,usually a university hall of residence or a boarding school. Productions take place in theatres such as the Wilde Theatre Bracknell, the Barbican Plymouth, Greenwich Theatre, the Lemon Tree Aberdeen and the Rose Kingston; workshops (our Skills courses) are usually presented in the school or unversity theatre to private audiences. Productions and Skills courses usually involve between 25 and 45 young people aged 11-21.

The Productions involve young people selected from auditions across the UK. These projects will be creating new music theatre in a variety of genres. Production courses generally run for 2-3 weeks.

Summer Skills, on the other hand, involves young people from a wide range of backgrounds, some from mainstream schools, some less advantaged children referred through Leaving Care Teams, Young Careers groups, Foyer projects and refugee organisations. A few may display various forms of challenging behavior and integrating the various groups is an essential part of the project. Summer Skills courses are all one week long, starting on a Monday and finishing on a Saturday.

The programme of activity will vary but each trainee will have a considerable level of responsibility, the exact nature of which will be decided in conjunction with the director or musical director of the project.

The placements are unpaid but trainees receive accommodation, food, travel and a modest allowance during their placement.