How a schoolboy's holiday project became the world's first national youth theatre company

History · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in 1956 by Michael Croft and Kenneth Spring, the National Youth Theatre began as a simple desire to keep performing Shakespeare during school holidays. It evolved into a prestigious institution that launched the careers of stars like Helen Mirren and Daniel Craig, while pioneering inclusive, industry-standard training for young performers.

The National Youth Theatre (NYT) emerged from the English department of Alleyn's Boys' School. After Michael Croft left the school, his former pupils approached him to continue their theatrical work during breaks. Their inaugural production of Henry V at Toynbee Hall in 1956 was a radical departure from convention; at the time, seeing young actors tackle Shakespeare was considered an innovative, even stir-inducing, experiment. This early success attracted high-profile attention, including that of actors Richard Burton and Ralph Richardson, the latter of whom became the company's first President.

As the organization expanded, it shifted from a summer-only project to a year-round powerhouse. By 1960, it adopted the name National Youth Theatre, and by 1966, it began diversifying its repertoire beyond Shakespeare with George Bernard Shaw's The Devil's Disciple. Under the leadership of Edward Wilson, who succeeded Croft in 1986, the company deepened its social mission. Wilson launched an Outreach department in 1989 to engage socially excluded groups and young offenders, a legacy of inclusivity that continues today through programs like the Inclusive Practice Collective, which supports disabled youth.

The modern NYT balances high-profile professional work with rigorous training. It operates the REP Company, a nine-month course modeled on traditional repertory theatre, and the Playing Up program, which offers accredited training for those not in employment or education. Despite financial turbulence in 2012, which required a £680,000 bailout from Arts Council England, the company remains a cultural fixture. From staging ceremonies at the 2012 London Olympics to gender-fluid West End productions of Macbeth, the NYT continues to bridge the gap between amateur enthusiasm and professional excellence for thousands of young people annually.

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