Abbey Theatre - Amharclann na Mainistreach

The National Youth Theatre performs on the Peacock stage during the last of week in August, after a four week residential rehearsal period in Dublin. The cast, drawn from the 58 youth theatres around Ireland, are auditioned during Easter each year with call-backs in May.

NAYD has been producing the National Youth Theatre since 1982. It is a platform that provides an opportunity for NAYD to showcase the best of what young people from youth theatres around Ireland can achieve by surrounding them with a professional team of theatre makers, from directors to designers, on a national stage. The young actors respond to this context by committing to the process and working to create a work of the highest artistic quality.

The young cast many of whom want to develop a career in the professional theatre sector learn a wealth of new skills and experience that they being back with them to their own youth theatre.

Year on year the numbers of young people auditioning continues to increase and we hope that despite the impending cuts being forecast for the arts that initiatives such as the National Youth Theatre can continue to develop and flourish.

This year the cast of sixteen will perform The Seagull by Anton Chekhov in a version by Martin Crimp from the 24-29 August on the Peacock stage. The show is directed by Wayne Jordan (former Abbey Resident Assistant Director).

What the cast say…

‘What’s so unique about this production, I think, is that there is an awareness of us, as young people, telling the story of ‘The Seagull’. We don’t want you to think of us as musty old characters, trapped in 19th Century Russia, but as young people. Young people, totally set on telling you a timeless tale of worry and woe’
Ben Waddell, Cast

‘The Seagull is a brilliant choice for youth theatre! A lot of the time, we put on plays centered around young people and it gets boring after a while, but this play is so good and well-written and it’s not about drugs or joy-riding or anything like that (not that they’re bad, but this is better!).’
Damien O’Sullivan (18) CSM Youth Theatre, Cork

‘This play is something a young actor can get their teeth stuck into.’
Shannon Comiskey (16) Wexford Youth Theatre

‘I saw NYT’s production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle two years ago and I sat in awe through the whole performance. It was theatre at it’s very very best and when I found out the performers were my age and we had the chance to be part of something as amazing and professional as that, I knew that I was going to audition every year I had the chance.’
Sinéad Bolger (17) Waterford Youth Drama

For a taste of what it is all about visit the NYT Bebo page for photographs and a short video of from last year’s NYT experience.