Weds 29th September 7-10pm Welcome Night and Company auditions, Barclay Viewforth Church Halls Sat 2nd October 3:30-7pm Audition session 1 for principal/featured roles, Deaf Action, 49 Albany Street Mon 4th October 7-10 pm Audition session 2 for principal/featured roles, Barclay Viewforth Church Halls Wed 6th October 7-9pm Dance workshop (to learn dance audition piece) Barclay Viewforth Church Halls Wed 6th October 9-10pm Audition session 3, for principal/featured roles, Barclay Viewforth Church Halls Thurs 7th October 7-10 pm Callbacks, Deaf Action, 49 Albany Street Sat 9th October 10am-1pm Dance auditions, Barclay Viewforth Church Halls
We cannot wait to get started with EMT's production of The Drowsy Chaperone!
Come along to the welcome evening to meet the production team, get a feel for the company, hear about the vision for the show and have a good old blether - in person - with some old friends and new!
Everyone welcome and no obligation to audition if you attend. See you there!
Edinburgh Music Theatre are delighted to share audition news and information about their Spring 2022 show, The Drowsy Chaperone, the show that will mark EMT’s return to the stage. This popular show celebrates the joy of musicals, being a gentle, loving, and very funny pastiche of the golden age of shows.
The Drowsy Chaperone is a musical with book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar and music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison. The story concerns a musical theatre fan. As they play the record of their favourite musical, the fictional 1928 hit ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’, the show comes to life onstage as they knowingly comment on the music, story, and actors.
It debuted in 1998 at The Rivoli in Toronto and opened on Broadway on 1 May 2006. The show was nominated for multiple Broadway and West End theatre awards, winning five Tony Awards and seven Drama Desk Awards.
You can find all the information you might need to know about auditions, rehearsals, show dates, and about being a member of the EMT company, in our audition pack
here
If you want to join us for this show, please begin by signing up for our Welcome Night on 29th September.
here
Make sure you follow the links in the Audition Pack to book audition slots as well for lead/featured roles, or the dance workshop and the dance auditions, if you wish to do so.
Please also make sure you familiarise with our COVID Safety Policy before you come
COVID Safety Policy
We are so excited to come roaring back, and we can’t wait to both see old friends and meet soon-to-be-new-friends on 29th!
Edinburgh Music Theatre (EMT) was established in 1982 with the aim of producing large scale musicals that were rarely staged in the Edinburgh Area. Whilst our performers are largely amateur our artistic and production teams are made up of professionals with a wealth of experience. We pride ourselves on producing musicals to an exceptional standard and this is evident from our rave revues. No prior experience is required as we provide all the training needed.
We are thrilled to announce an additional €5k bursary for our Playwriting MFA programme. This will be awarded to successful new applicants to the programme for the academic year 2021-2022, commencing in November 2021.
We would very much appreciate it if you could circulate these details to anyone who you think might find it of interest. You can also see this information on our website here. To apply, please send a cover letter, CV and a 45 minute play (reading time) to info@thelir.ie with the subject line Playwriting Bursary by 30th September, 2021.
Shortlisted applicants will be asked to attend an online interview.
The Lir Academy would like to express our gratitude to Janet and James Curley for their continued support of this bursary in memory of Janet's mother, Patricia Leggett. To read more about the life and legacy of Patricia Leggett, please click here.
Many thanks,
Jessica Hilliard
Director of Marketing
Drama Notebook has over 600 royalty-free skit and play scripts available for immediate download. Written by a variety of talented playwrights, the plays include: fables, fairy tales, contemporary plays for children and teens, one-acts, full-length scripts, abbreviated Shakespeare, comedies, and more!
This site is perfect for theatre educators, amateur groups, community theatre, and drama clubs.
The site offers an affordable way for schools and groups to teach theatre skills, and put on engaging performances.
Most scripts are $1 ($9.95 for up to ten downloads).
08/12/2021 - 11/12/2021 7:45pm & Sat Mat 2:00pm 16/12/2021 - 18/12/2021 7:45pm
An intriguing and entertaining version of Dickens’ classic tale. Two weeks in December is a new departure for Shoestring. On 12 to 14 December, when we are not performing, the Arts centre cinema will be operating.
Hello there! We would like to announce that we are looking for a theatre tech crew person(s). More info at www.southdevonplayers.com/crewing.html We have been having a chat with our main sound/ lighting technician, Simon, who is incredibly busy with his main job, as an ambulance paramedic, and while he can tech some of our shows, he may not be available for them all. We have therefore all decided that we need to advertise for someone (well one, or two people) to help with the shows Simon and others of the team are fully able and willing to provide training to anyone interested, if needed, so “never having done it before” should not be anything to get in the way of coming on board. We are open to anyone aged over 18, background does not matter whatsoever. We are a female led theatre company with a wide range of people who become involved in our shows, at all levels of experience, from all kinds of different backgrounds, some with disabilities – inclusion alongside the creation of excellent shows are key to our work. Our rehearsals are on Wednesdays and Sundays at Chestnut Community Centre, on Poplar Close in Brixham, and our shows tour in Devon, Cornwall and up to Bristol. Rehearsals are 1-2 sessions a week, and performances (when we come to performance tour time) are one- two days (Fridays and /or Saturdays) on various weeks (not every week by a long chalk- it’s dependant on when performance venues have booked our show for one-day performances) This role involves Training on our equipment as needed Keeping the technical equipment safe and in good working order Being aware of, and following, good health and safety practices Working sound/ lighting cues for rehearsals and performances Working alongside the rest of the actors and stage crew in a kind, positive team Sometimes working alone Discussion with show venue staff about tech at shows. We would be hugely grateful if anyone reading this could forward the details to anyone who may be interested. There is more information on our main website, and we can be contacted at any time on southdevonplayers@gmail.com. we would love to hear from you.
Based on a true story, with a fantasy theme.
Some time ago in West Yorkshire where I used to live I was fascinated by the story of the Cottingley fairies, about two young girls who photographed fairies, involving Sir Author Doyle. As I was involved in amateur dramatics I decided to write a musical about the story. It was preformed on stage with help from my thespian friends and was quite a success. I have all scrips lyrics and music and would love to see it preformed again. I would loan everything necessary to put on the performance if you are interested. Look forward to hearing from you.
I would dearly love to see my musical on stage again. I have all necessary scrips and music, and I would licence it for a nominal £100. I would give help and advice when and if required.
I hope this sufficient to encourage a drama society to take this up.
The musical is based on a true story about two girls, Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths who took photographs of fairies in a small wood next to the village where they lived. The photographs became quite famous and were eventually exploited by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. When the two girls were much older they admitted the pictures were fake .... BUT they did insist, they had actually seen fairies and one of the 5 pictures was genuine! !
The story is set in the little village of Cottingley in 1917. Two young girls Elsie Wright 16 years of age. A very talented artist and photographer. Her cousin Frances Griffiths only 9 years old had come to live with the Wrights and the two girls often visited a small wood by a stream at the edge of the village.
Elsie being a talented photographer would borrow her father's camara to take pictures in the wood where it was reputed, they saw faeries and took pictures of them that were quite amazing. Eventually Sir Arthur Conan Doyle became involved and made the pictures famous.
This makes the girls a little out of place in a small village, and are mocked by the other children, but they still visit the dell with their camara.
Meanwhile in the wood the fairies are brought together from other fairy dells by the fairy king Dianthus for the fairy gathering.
During the festival two faeries are attracted to each other Mocella and Galtonia, and wonder off together. unfortunately, they are so distracted by one another they miss seeing the two girls and are photographed by them.
The consequences of this photograph are that the Fairy King must banish Dianthus from his kingdom and the two fairy lovers can never meet again.
Eventually the girls find out and publicly declare that their pictures were fake.
Therefore, Dianthus and Mocella can reunite and live together in the land of the Fairies happily ever after.
Yorkshire, known for its Dales, Emmerdale, Last of the Summer Wine and Tea. Yet, a meeting place used by Hitler and his Cronies to regroup? No, not so much. We watch as Ay Up, Hitler is set “down the pub” with an array of Yorkshire accents, lots of warm beer drunk (mimed) and donning the flat cap. Writer David McCulloch has certainly put the Ay Up into Hitler.
Himmler (Michael Grist), Goebbels (Marcus Churchill) and Goring (David McCulloch) reconvene in a small village somewhere nestled in the Yorkshire countryside as they await the return of their leader Hitler (Peter McCrohon). Ready to rebrand and attempt a come back they feel it’s the right time to put the history books straight.
As Hitler meets up with the newly generated Boris Johnson another role performed by the talented Michael Grist. The audience hears the lightning crashes and whirs of electricity as Johnson comes to life behind the screen, reminiscent of the scene from Frankenstein as the monster in Mary Shelley’s famous gothic novel comes to life.
Blundering and “baffooning” onto the stage waving two union jack flags and mumbling the odd words like “Brexit” and “vote” in a haphazard exaggerated manner as Johnson often does it wasn’t hard suspending your disbelief that he had just been assembled.
Joined by ex-US president Donald Trump (Hannah-Cait Harrison). Hitler is “treated” to this glorious meeting of minds with a baffled look on his face as you can see him questioning, however, did these two men get into power and could lead their countries. Although it’s impossible that a meeting like this could take place its thought-provoking ideas led me to wonder what a powerful dictatorial would make of these two rather character style politicians. Probably with bewilderment, disgust and a touch of ridicule.
Described in their programme as an “anarchic pantomime, in the worse possible taste” it is certainly a fitting description of what I have watched. There’s no mention of “he’s behind you” but there is a sort of pantomime dame on offer though.
They certainly won’t change anything historically. However, the cast offer humour, bad taste jokes and plenty of laughs throughout the hour-long production. Resident artistic director for Blackbox Theatre, Chris Hawley has bought Gamma Ray’s debut production to stage.
Four Stars
Written by David McCulloch
Director Chris Hawley
For tour details please use the link below.
It will be our 6oth anniversary and to celebrate this we are delighted to be at The Carver Theatre, Marple SK6 7AX and it will be a TWO week Festival with a few “one year only” differences!
We will be publishing entry details in October so watch this space for further details – exciting!
The Ballybunion Arts Festival will host a diverse programme of Theatre, Poetry, Performance Art, Music, Visual Art & workshops for artists and audiences.
Contact: via our website or social media
Recently Posted Sets & PropSwap
Stephen O'Carroll
V94 V48R - IRELAND
FREE
Table and 6 chairs
We've a table and 6 chairs going free to a good home - just needs collecting - if any of the drama groups need a table and chairs for props?
Table in good condition. Chairs are useable (some bottom rungs have been attacked by the dog)
It is with regret that due to advice I have received, in relation to the recent surge in COVID cases and hospital admission ahead of the restrictions lifting in England on the 19th July, I have made the decision not be pushing ahead with Community Spirit 2021.
I am aware that some events were talked about in England, I have shared the advice with those concerned and asked that if they choose to run their event, not do so under the Community Spirit canopy and that any money they do raise should be donated to their local theatre.
I would like to thank everyone who has contacted me with questions, advise and support, I do hope that will continue going forward. It is hoped that Community Spirit will run in 2022, I will continue to update the website.
If you would like to be part of this or any other event I am planning, or indeed know someone who would, then I encourage you to make contact, if you haven’t already.
Once again thank you for your continued support.
I have a Barristers Robe which belonged to my father. I am happy to donate it for free as long as someone can make good use of it!
Posted 10/06/2021
Recently Posted Script Swap details
Eileen Norton
UK
Available
I have a number of copies of well known plays, (in good condition) looking for a home. These include Noel Coward, ‘ Private Lives’ and Chekhov ‘ The Cherry Orchard’ and various others.
Do you know of any group that would like them? If so, please get in touch, my email is: elnorton49@gmail.com
Posted 03/05/2021
Recently Posted Musicians Required, Music Services, Music Swap
St Louis Catholic Academy
UK Fordham Road, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 7AA
I am looking for a music teacher to deliver lessons at St Louis Catholic Academy.
Hi, I’m not sure if this is the right place to enquire, so apologies in advance if so.
I am trying to find info on a distant relative. I have a newspaper cutting saying she belonged to the West Sussex players. She played in The Queen and the Rebels, I think early 60’s, and Witness for the prosecution in 1959. Her name is Elizabeth Marriott.
Is there any kind of archive for past plays/actors and actresses in amateur dramatics? Or could you point in a direction where I might find more info, would love to know what other parts she played.
Many thanks,
Claire
Peter's response:
Hi Claire,
I'm afraid I don't have any information on the West Sussex Players and I don't know of any archive for actors / actresses appearing in amateur theatre. Certainly in the early 60s there wouldn't have been digital records. I have found a website http://www.westsussex.info/theatre-groups.shtml West Sussex info which contains a section on theatre groups. I couldn't see the Players listed but they may have someone on staff who might remember?
I will post your query in the #Advice section of www.dramagroups.com asking anyone who is able to help to contact you directly via your email address.
I wish you luck in your search and would be interested to hear if you are successful in tracking your relative down.
I’m Amanda. I’m currently doing make up artistry at West College Scotland. I am in my first year level 6.
I am looking for any work experience I could do. Anything at all would be great. Any local groups who need makeup artists for their productions do please get in touch.
At Create Studios, we have 5 bespoke studios available for hire, which is perfect for Drama Groups/Dance groups. We have many rehearsals take place at our Studios, and our welcoming staff are always happy to help and go the extra mile for those in the Creative Industry! If you have an event coming up in the future,or would like somewhere to rehearse and perform shows etc, Create Studios might be the perfect place!
We're located in Clarendon Park, Leicester. Create is somewhat like a tar-dis as you don't realise just how big it is until you walk inside!
With our bespoke studios, we have great working spaces for freelancers and groups to use for their creative purposes. Additionally, we have had an influx of musicians booking in with us as we offer a great music room for lessons and rehearsals in Studio 2, as well as larger choirs who rehearse in our larger studios for events.
