by Helen M, Upper Sixth

Over the summer, I was a cast member in British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT)’s ‘Why The Whales Came,’ based on the Michael Morpurgo book for 7 performances.

 

I spent just over a fortnight among a cast of 38 young performers, led by West End pros, putting together an incredible show that got us a standing ovation on our last night and made Morpurgo himself proud. My character was Miss Wellbeloved, an unhinged but charismatic teacher who was incredibly fun to play.

Each performance I found a new way to make her even more chaotic, especially in the song ‘War Games,’ and I loved every second of playing her. But, the most rewarding part of the course was how the cast became like family members to me. The sense of community that the show promoted became very real as we developed inside jokes, sang show tunes in our dorms, and supported each other during both our highs and lows, and I have remained friends with many cast members.

 

Putting a professional-level show together in less than two weeks and performing to packed venues was daunting, but a fantastic experience that I will never forget, and I’d recommend auditioning for BYMT to anyone who wants to go into theatre or just enjoys acting - you won’t regret it.