Our young artists participate in an intensive rehearsal and performance process, learning both the artistic and technical standards, as well as the complexities of developing and performing Broadway-quality productions.

Each summer, this free experience is offered to approximately 50 to 75 of New Jersey's most talented young performers, musicians and technicians who aspire to enter the professional arena. Many New Jersey Youth Theatre alumni have gone on to successful Broadway, regional theatre, film and television careers.

To participate in the summer production program, young performers and musicians must go through a highly competitive audition process. The auditions, open statewide, are held in March/April each year at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). Information about auditions appears in newspapers across the State, including Backstage.

June 7, 2009 News Article:
Star-Ledger Theater Critic Peter Filichia says: "if there were Tony Awards for New Jersey's theaters, here's who would shine:
A New Jersey Obie, for off-Broadway achievement, would go to:
* Cynthia Meryl, for once again taking a group of teens (and people barely out of teens) and making everyone seem to be a seasoned pro in "1776" at New Jersey Youth Theatre in Newark.
The Theatre World Awards are bestowed on those making significant Broadway and off-Broadway debuts. This season in New Jersey, they'd go to:
* Kevin Melendez ("1776", New Jersey Youth Theatre). Playing John Adams isn't easy, but this young man made it appear so.
* Matthew Robertson ("1776," New Jersey Youth Theatre). He high-stepped across the stage as Richard Henry Lee -- most delightful-lee."

NJYT's "Ragtime, the Musical" was one of the top ten New Jersey stage productions of the year" - Star-Ledger, December 26, 2006 and was selected by Peter Filichia, Broadway critic for New Jersey's Star-Ledger, as the "Best Musical Revival of 2006-2007."

Past NJYT/NJPAC Productions 2010 - Rent 2009 - Sweeney Todd (Read reviews) 2008 - Midnight Madness 2008 - 1776 (Read reviews) 2007 - Carousel (Read reviews) 2006 - Ragtime, The Musical (Photo below) (Read reviews) 2005 - Guys And Dolls 2004 - Anything Goes 2003 - West Side Story (Photo right) 2002 - South Pacific 2001 - Once On This Island 2000 - Brigadoon 1999 - Oliver! 1998 - Carousel

Each of these shows drew critical acclaim and was a box-office sellout. A number of the productions also toured to the historic Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan, NJ, for extended runs.

In 2003 NJYT’s revival of "West Side Story" won the Music Theatre International Award for Excellence and the following year, New Jersey Youth Theatre received the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, 2004 Citation of Excellence.

PRE-1998 NJYT PRODUCTIONS: The Threepenny Opera The Gay Divorce Stage Door Dames at Sea A Midsummer Night's Dream Carnival Camelot Fiorello! Crimes of the Heart Merrily We Roll Along Isn't It Romantic I Do! I Do! Love Letters A Christmas Carol