To celebrate 30 years of the annual youth theatre festival, 5,500 young people from across the UK are performing at theatres across the country, and 2026 applications are now open.
Until 12th May, young people from schools and youth theatre groups are taking to the stage to perform one of ten new plays specially commissioned at 33 regional theatres.
The performances are part of the National Theatre’s annual youth theatre festival, National Theatre Connections, which is celebrating 30 years. From the performances, ten groups will be selected to perform their play on the Dorfman stage at the National Theatre Connections Festival in June.
Kirsten Adam, head of young people’s programmes at the National Theatre, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the landmark 30th anniversary of National Theatre Connections with youth groups and schools across the UK.
“Whether this is the first rung on the ladder to a glittering career on the stage, or the mechanism that builds confidence in a young person to go on and embrace challenges later in life, youth theatre is the foundation that allows young people to flourish and develop. We can’t wait to witness the talent and creativity that these groups will bring both on and off stage this spring.”
Applications for schools to sign up for next year’s National Theatre Connections are open. The application deadline is Monday 7th July.
About National Theatre Connections
Connections is the National Theatre’s annual, nationwide youth theatre festival, celebrating the creativity of young people.
Now in its 31st year, the programme has a history of empowering the next generation and alumni include Rose Ayling-Ellis, Callum Scott Howells and Keira Knightley. Former playwrights include Jack Thorne, Chris Bush, Lenny Henry, James Graham and Alice Birch.
Connections offers a director’s weekend, a skills-development event for group leaders, before the groups start rehearsing for their performance. Each group then performs at a local performance where they receive feedback before getting to perform at one of the 33 professional regional theatres, which range from Theatre Royal Plymouth to Pitlochry Festival Theatre, and Aberystwyth Arts Centre to Lyric Belfast Theatre.
Each year ten new plays are commissioned that explore contemporary themes relevant to young people. These plays have been written by a range of writers, both emerging and established and are collated into anthologies for each year, which schools can purchase.
This year’s plays are:
- Mia and the Fish by Satinder Chohan
- The Company of Trees by Jane Bodie
- Ravers by Rikki Beadle-Blair
- YOU 2.0 by Alys Metcalf
- Fresh Air by Vickie Donoghue
- No Regrets by Gary McNair
- Their Name is Joy by May Sumbwanyambe
- Normalised by Amanda Verlaque
- Saba’s Swim by Danusia Samal
- Brain Play by Chloë Lawrence-Taylor and Paul Sirett
For more information about National Theatre Connections visit nationaltheatre.org.uk.
