David Lammy and Ed Vaizey appointed to National Youth Theatre Board

• CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE DAWN AIREY APPOINTS TWO FORMER CULTURE MINISTERS, DAVID LAMMY MP AND THE RT HON ED VAIZEY MP, TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

• NYT 60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS CONTINUE WITH CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED WEST END REP SEASON, WHICH HAS NOW PERFORMED TO SCHOOLS FROM EVERY LONDON BOROUGH & SOLD OUT IT’S FINAL PRODUCTION, DENNIS KELLY’S DNA

Dawn Airey, chair of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and CEO of Getty Images, has announced the appointment of the Rt Hon Ed Vaizey MP and the Rt Hon David Lammy MP to their Board of Trustees. Vaizey is the longest running arts minister in British political history, having served as Minister of State at the DCMS between 2014 – 2016 and previously as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries between 2010 and 2014.
David Lammy served as Minister of State at the DCMS between 2005 and 2007. He has also served as a Minister at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Health and the Department for Constitutional Affairs. He was also previously a member of the GLA with a portfolio for Culture and Arts.

Ed Vaizey said: “I’m thrilled to be continuing my relationship with the NYT by joining their Board in. Watching their 60th anniversary celebrations was a powerful reminder of the benefits we reap from investing in young creative talent. I look forward to banging the drum for more support for this vital national institution and championing their free opportunities and inspirational work.”

David Lammy said: “I love how the National Youth Theatre brings talented young people from all different backgrounds and from across the country together to entertain and tell important stories. I’m delighted to be joining this truly national organisation that is leading the way in diversity and opportunity, at a time when this work is more important than ever before.”

Dawn Airey said: “I’m thrilled to be adding two distinguished individuals with such rich experience and passion for the arts and young people to our board of trustees. Despite a successful diamond anniversary year, with sell-out houses and critical acclaim, we urgently need Government and other funding bodies to recognise the true value of our unique free opportunities that fuel the success of the UKs leading cultural artists and creative economy at large.”

The charity’s 60th anniversary year has so far seen sell-out productions at the Arcola and Finborough Theatres, a sold-out star-studded Gala at the Shaftesbury Theatre and acclaimed productions at the Royal and Derngate Northampton and Hay Festival. The NYT REP Company, the charity’s free alternative to expensive formal training, are currently enjoying strong reviews in the West End where they are staging Stephen Kelman’s Pigeon English adapted for stage by Gbolahan Obisesan and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, abridged by Owen Horsley. Their third production, DNA by Dennis Kelly, opens in November and is sold out.

50% of the 2016 REP Company are BAME and over 150 schools will see this year’s three productions performed in repertory, including a school from every London Borough. In 2016 well over £100,000 has been awarded in bursaries to enable young people to take part in opportunities. Graduates from past NYT REP Company’s include Sope Dirisu, currently appearing as Cassius Clay in One Night in Miami at the Donmar Warehouse, Zainab Hasan who is currently appearing in the Donmar Warehouse’s all female Shakespeare Trilogy, Ellise Chappell who has been cast in a major role in series 3 of BBC’s Poldark and Jeremy Neumark Jones who will play the lead in new BBC One drama One of Us.