Amateur Stage Magazine

RSC searches for amateur actors for new production

As part of RSC’s Open Stages project the RSC is looking for amateur actors from across the Midlands to create an ‘RSC Amateur Ensemble’ of actors to perform Shakespeare’s Pericles at the RSC.

The Royal Shakespeare Company Amateur Ensemble is a new and exciting collaboration between amateur theatre makers and the RSC’s professional creative and production teams. Pericles will see a cast entirely made up of amateur performers working with RSC directors, designers, stage managers and technicians to create an exhilarating new production of Shakespeare’s tragic romance Pericles for performance in the Courtyard Theatre between 5 and 7 October 2012.

Auditions for the Amateur Ensemble will be held on the weekends of 12 and 13 May, and 19 and 20 May. Rehearsals begin on 20 August, with rehearsals evenings and weekends at the RSC’s rehearsal spaces in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The production process aims to share skills, practice and resources between amateur and professional theatre makers. The production itself looks to be a beacon of collaboration and to celebrate the idea that Shakespeare belongs to everyone to perform as well as to watch.

Those wishing to audition should be over 18, have a background in amateur theatre and live within a one hour drive/public transport of Stratford upon Avon (to attend rehearsals). Those auditioning should also be available for rehearsals from the 20 August. No previous experience of Shakespeare is necessary.

Deadline for applications 2 May 2012.

For further information visit HERE

TICKETS ON SALE AND REHEARSALS UNDER WAY FOR SHAKESPEARE’S ULTIMATE COMEDY FARCE 
 
Rehearsals are well under way and tickets now available to book online for Shropshire Drama Company’s forthcoming production - William Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor.
 
Directed by Rosalind Garrard and assisted by April Ryder, the outdoor performances will take place from 11 - 16 June at Holy Trinity Church Green in Much Wenlock as part of the town’s biennial arts and music festival. The play, which will be staged in-the-round, is a story with a number of interwoven plots and deals with themes that are universal and commonplace in every society.  The characters are colourful and relatable, and the sort of people found on the streets of small English towns both now and during Shakespeare’s time.
 
Rosalind Garrard said:  “In this very special year – thinking of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics – it seemed a good idea to stage this most English of all Shakespeare’s plays, and arguably the funniest!  It has no dark undercurrents and is considered to be the forerunner to the great tradition of English farce. It is very accessible, celebrating the power of laughter and value of female wisdom! Unlike most of Shakespeare’s other plays, there are no earth-shattering events occurring to irrevocably change the community.  The English way of life will continue in Windsor much as it always has - a town, at that time, not so very much different from Much Wenlock.”
 
In addition to the play performances in June, there will be a pre-production fundraising event. This will take place on Saturday 28 April in The Square, Shrewsbury where members of the cast and friends from other drama groups across Shropshire, will undertake a non-stop reading of scenes from Shakespeare’s plays based on the theme of marriage. Entitled ‘The Merry Wives of Shropshire’, the event will run from 10am to 4pm, with proceeds raised going towards the Severn Hospice.
 
Tickets for The Merry Wives of Windsor are available to book online at www.muchwenlockfestival.co.uk.

Mrs Reece of the Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society says:
"Well, it's only a few weeks now until our magnificent production of Macbeth has its opening night, and we at the FAHETGDS are very excited.  As everyone knows, Macbeth is Shakespeare's most romantic tragedy, about a man who loves his wife so much he's prepared to commit murder so the couple can make their way in the world.  Everything is in place, our lines are almost learned, and, most importantly, we have a splendid raffle with Mrs Dabney's traditional cakes and pastries as prizes!!!  So make sure you come and support us - a fun time is guaranteed!!!!"

New Stagers presents 'The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society production of Macbeth' by David McGillvray and Walter Zerlin Jnr. The FAHETGDS have been rehearsing Macbeth for nine months and tonight's performance is their chance to go to the regional finals in Welwyn Garden City. But Lady Macbeth has got lost, another of the cast is in a plastercast...and there's one more little snag...they can't act. A hilarious look at the worst of amdram. St Anne's Hall, St Ann's Crescent, London SW18 2LR Tickets £9 (£5 concs) www.newstagers.co.uk 07814 611239

In 2011 a reviewer described Edinburgh Theatre Arts’ production of Moll Flanders as “unashamedly amateur”.  Far from being offended, the cast identified with this, as I think many other theatre groups in Edinburgh would.  We are amateur, but we do it exceptionally well, and we are proud of what we achieve.  The amateur theatre scene in Edinburgh is incredibly exciting.  There are many great groups who produce fantastic shows.  Over the coming weeks and months I will introduce you to these groups and their upcoming productions, but to start off these blogs, I want to talk about the World Shakespeare Festival and how Edinburgh fits in. 

 

Open Stages

Last year, the RSC announced a new programme – Open Stages – which was open to any amateur theatre group in the UK.  The aim was to “embrace, develop and celebrate amateur theatre, re-forging the bond with the world of professional theatre”.   Over 260 amateur companies signed up across the UK, with 4 companies in Edinburgh participating – Edinburgh Theatre Arts (ETA), Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group (The Grads), Edinburgh University Theatre Group and Arkle Theatre Company.   The Grads and Edinburgh University Theatre Group performed their shows late in 2011, with performances to come in April and May for Arkle Theatre Company and ETA respectively.    Personally, this has been an incredibly rewarding experience, not only in terms of challenging ourselves but also as a learning experience. Some of us were lucky enough to attend a skills exchange day at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow (formerly RSAMD), run by NTS and RSC.  This was a fantastic day which allowed us to meet the other groups taking part, and take part in workshops run by some of the best people in the industry. 

Dates for your diary!  The upcoming performances for Open Stages in Edinburgh are:

Arkle Theatre Company – We Happy Few, April 2012 (Dates TBC) (Edinburgh & Melrose)

Edinburgh Theatre Arts – MacBeth in Scots (translated by Robin Lorimer), 1^st – 5^th May 2012 & August 2012 (St Ninian’s Church Hall, Comely Bank Road, Edinburgh).

There will also be extracts from some of the plays at Traquair Shakespeare Festival on 27 May 2012. 

SCDA One-Act Playwriting Competition

 

However, before any play can be brought to life by a great cast of actors, we need good scripts.  Scottish Community Drama Association (SCDA) has launched their ‘Play on Words’ One-Act Playwriting Competition for 2012-13.  Entries are invited from any aspiring playwrights, with the deadline being 30 June 2012.  Entry forms and full rules are available from www.scda.org.uk or by email from headquarters@scda.org.uk.  
 

THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY SEEKS AMATUER AND SEMI-PROFESSIONAL THEATRE GROUPS FOR OPEN AIR PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT SUMMER 2012

The Dell
Stratford-upon-Avon
Saturdays from 9 June to 25 August 2012
www.rsc.org.uk

The Royal Shakespeare Company is offering amateur and semi-professional theatre groups the opportunity to put on a play at The Dell, the Company’s open air performance space in Stratford-upon-Avon, on Saturdays throughout summer 2012.

Now in its seventh year, The Dell provides a great platform for these groups to work with the RSC and to present their work to a large audience. Last summer’s season of open air theatre at The Dell saw record breaking attendances. Over 6,000 people watched 36 performances by 20 theatre companies, schools, universities and community groups with more than 1,100 people attending over one weekend alone.

With the World Shakespeare Festival taking place in 2012 this year’s season at The Dell offers a fantastic opportunity for amateur and semi-professional artists to perform to an even wider audience.

In keeping with the spirit of the World Shakespeare Festival, where thousands of artists from around the world will perform in the UK, the RSC is keen to see a broad mixture of performers from different nationalities and backgrounds playing at The Dell this year.

The Dell Co-ordinator Nicola Salmon said:

‘The Dell offers amateur and semi-professional theatre companies the chance to perform at and work with the RSC.

‘In addition to providing a stage we also hope to offer different opportunities for companies to promote their performances and to supply skills training with our professional artists.

‘We’re also expecting large numbers again this year, especially with the World Shakespeare Festival taking place.

‘The World Shakespeare Festival is a truly international, culturally diverse event with companies from across the globe taking part and l would really like to see this broad cultural mix reflected at The Dell.’

Performance times at The Dell are available on Saturdays from 9 June to 25 August 2012. There are two performance slots a day, although the exact time of each performance may vary.

Anyone interested in performing at The Dell will need to submit an application from which can be downloaded from the RSC’s website.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is Monday 19 March 2012.

For further information and to download an application form please visit www.worldshakespearefestival.org.uk/stratford-upon-avon/the-dell.aspx  or contact Nicola Salmon via email: thedell@rsc.org.uk.

Amateur Stage is please to launch its new weekly quiz where we invite readers to answer a series of questions based around theatre knowledge, current shows and news from our very own magazine.

It's dead simple, answer the questions and a winner will be drawn from the top scorers each week. Prizes will vary from week to week.

This weeks quiz revolves around Shakespeare so have a go and enjoy!!

You can take the quiz HERE and when you're done tell the world how you did by posting the results on your Facebook and Twitter pages.

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited down by the RSC to view the magnificent new building they have recently completed.  It's truly remarkable with key features of the old building retained alongside the new structure.

The new auditorium itself is intimate and comfortable. The thrust brings everything right into the audiences laps. We attended Rupert Goold's new production of Romeo & Juliet which was full of energy and passion and well worth a look if you can get down to see it.

I can highly recommend the new restaurant which is offering several pre-show deals. The food is sublime and the view over the river on a gorgeous day just can't be beaten. Make a point of travelling up the tower whilst you are there to take in the breath-taking views.

More information can be found at www.rsc.org.uk





Adding a new turn to the phrase "Treading the boards", selected section of the foyer floor is comprised of timbers from the old mainstage.





A view from the restaurant balcony



The original art deco box office is suspeded in the main entrance.