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BARD FROM THE BARN SERIES 2 TRAILER RELEASED STARRING WEST END STARS AND GRADUATES

• NATASHA BARNES AND NATHAN AMZI AMONG NEW CAST FOR THE BARN THEATRE’S ONGOING SHAKESPEARE IN LOCKDOWN SERIES

• THE NEW PHASE ALSO SEES THIRTY-FIVE DRAMA SCHOOL STUDENTS JOIN THE SERIES AS PART OF THE BARN THEATRE’S INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT NEW TALENT

TRAILER CAN BE VIEWED HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJd7y4deNS8

SERIES ONE CAN BE STREAMED HERE: https://bit.ly/2BM4g2T

The Barn Theatre and Aaron Sidwell have released the official trailer for the second series of their Shakespeare in lockdown digital theatre series, Bard From The Barn.

The second series of the digital theatre series, which reimagines William Shakespeare’s work to a modern-day setting, will begin on Monday 6^th July at 7:30pm with over 50 cast and creatives joining the series, including thirty-five 3rd Year drama school students.

The new episodes will see West End stars, such as Natasha Barnes (Funny Girl, Falsettos), Nathan Amzi (Heathers) and Mark Peachey (Dear Evan Hansen), partner with the third-year students to bring new life to the Bard’s most iconic duologues.

The series, which is co-produced by Aaron Sidwell and the Barn Theatre and based on an original concept by Aaron Sidwell and Hal Chambers, will air on the Barn Theatre’s Facebook, YouTube and Instagram channels every weekday at 7:30pm with the return of the Weekly Review every Sunday at 10am.

The complete first series of Bard From The Barn is available on the Barn Theatre’s YouTube channel and features performances from West End stars including Tricia Adele-Turner (Dear Evan Hansen), Max Hutchinson (The Woman in Black) and Aaron Sidwell (EastEnders, American Idiot).

Co-producer Aaron Sidwell has said of the extension that “the response to Bard From The Barn has been so incredible that we’ve decided we’re not going to stop there. With our 2nd series Bard From The Barn has become a global creative process with actors joining us from as far as Australia, to work with thirty-five 3rd Year Drama School students.” 

The Barn Theatre’s Artistic Director Iwan Lewis has said that “this series is the epitome of what the Barn Theatre stands for- to bring theatre to new audiences in a fresh, exciting and innovative way. I’m particularly pleased that we are able to create an opportunity for emerging drama school graduates to work with the UK’s leading directors and performers. I hope this will provide them their first step into the industry after their courses and showcases have been cut short due to Covid-19.”

The drama school students come from institutions including ALRA North, ALRA South, ArtsEd, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Drama Studio London, East 15 Acting School, Guildford School of Acting, International College of Musical Theatre, Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, London College of Music, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Rose Bruford College, Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

Aaron Sidwell also said of the announcement, “Working now in pairs with a director our actors are bringing you a new and fresh look at some of the Bard’s greatest characters. Covering 30 of the Bards plays, every week of the 2nd series will be themed. From Lovers week to Lesser Known Gems week we hope to keep you entertained daily for the next few months!” 

The series is production managed by Emma Smith with Benjamin Collins as Lead Editor and sound design by Harry Smith.

The actors joining the series are: Laurence Alliston-Greiner, Nathan Amzi (Heathers), Natasha Barnes (Funny Girl, Falsettos), Adam Best (Holby City), Jason Broderick (Wicked), Dougie Carter (Sunset Boulevard), Aamira Challenger (Blithe Spirit), Tom Chapman (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Jessica Dennis (The Habit of Art), Henry Douthwaite (Travesties), Emma Drysdale (Goodnight Mr Tom), Eddie Eyre (The Mousetrap), Sarah Finigan (EastEnders), Joe Frost (City of Angels, Evita), Jordan Ginger, Claire-Marie Hall (The Wicker Husband), Katherine Heath (The Mousetrap), Ffion Jolly, Iddon Jones (Wicked), Blioux Kirkby, Elinor Lawless (King Charles III), Zoe Mills, Perry O’Dea (Motown, Young Frankenstein), Rhys Owen (Only Fools and Horses), Mark Peachey (Dear Evan Hansen), Alex Phelps, Marc Rhys, Colin Ryan (My Brilliant Friend, Wendy and Peter Pan), Dan Smith and Jessica Temple (Peter Pan).

Returning cast members from the first series are: Abigail Mathews, Matt Ray Brown (The Inheritance), Adam Sopp (Grange Hill), Sarah Waddell and Jonathan Woolf.

The third-year graduates joining the series are: Isabelle Anderson, Maxim Ays, James Burman, Sam Butters, Matilda Childs, Esmée Cook, Laura Cooper-Jones, Isobel Coward, Ian Dunnett, Doxah Dzidzor, Libbi Fox, Joshua Griffin, Evangeline Henderson, Katie Hitchcock, Teegan Hurley, Dominic Hyam, Matthew Khan, Meg Lewis, Jordan Leigh McMahon, Mark Milligan, Adam Patient, Patrick Quinn, Andreane Rellou, Alistair Rowley, Warren Sauterelle, Dorothea Sawczuk, Rochelle Soares, Georgina Squires, Holly Surtees-Smith, Ollie Tennant, Phoebe Townsend, Molly Vincent, Charlotte Ware, Laura-Josephine Williams and Ciara Wright.

The directorial team on Bard From The Barn has also expanded with Derek Anderson, Paul Anthoney, Amie Burns Walker, Paul-Ryan Carberry, Charlotte Conquest, Richard Corgan, Scott Ellis, Nick Evans, Richard Fitch, Victoria Gimby, John Greening, Francesca Goodridge, Matt Harrison Alastair Knights, Scott Le Crass, Katie-Ann McDonough, Richard Neale, Jonathan O’Boyle, James O’Donnell, Michelle Payne, Dan Phillips, Abigail Pickard Price joining returning series one directors Hal Chambers Kirstie Davis, Robert Forknall, Oliver Lynes, David Mercatali, Joseph O’Malley, Joseph Pitcher, Jake Smith and Sean Turner.

Editors on the series are: Nathan Amzi, Derek Anderson, Jasper William Cartwright, Paul-Ryan Carberry, Richard Corgan, Ben Evans, Richard Fitch, Matt Gibbon, Oliver Lynes, Abigail Pickard Price, Joseph Pitcher, Colin Ryan and Sean Turner.

The Barn Theatre (registered charity no. 1174253), which is facing a loss of £250,000 and possible permanent closure, have launched their SAVE OUR BARN campaign, via their website and social media platforms, to ensure the Barn Theatre’s survival.

#scenechange – Dialogue in Strange Times…

DESIGNERS LAUNCH

#MISSINGLIVETHEATRE

ACROSS THE UK AND IRELAND FROM 3 JULY 2020

As much of the UK entertainment and hospitality industries open to customers from 4 July, theatres remain closed, unable to stage live performances. From early on in lockdown, the design community have been uncomfortably aware of the negative visual imagery and sadness around closed buildings. Theatres which are usually teeming with life feel stark and bleak, some even shut away behind hazard tape to prevent them inadvertently being places of gathering. On Friday 3 July, in collaboration with theatres across the UK, #scenechange will launch #MissingLiveTheatre and wrap theatre buildings in a positive message of hope and visibility to the industry.

Beginning with the National Theatre, #scenechange will, in conjunction with theatre staff, wrap theatres with pink barrier tape reading ‘Missing Live Theatre’. The baton will then be passed from the National Theatre to Royal Exchange Theatre, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Lyric Belfast and Sherman Theatre across the day on Friday, and throughout the West End on the Saturday. The week beginning 6 July will see further theatres nationwide joining #MissingLiveTheatre, with over 50 venues already committed including the RSC, Sadler’s Wells, Theatr Clwyd, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Sheffield Theatres, Ambassador Theatre Group, amongst many others.

#scenechange said today, “As businesses begin to reopen, the doors of theatres remain firmly shut, whilst we navigate a way back to live performance. Today as we launch #MissingLiveTheatre, we want to bring joy and colour to theatres across the UK and Ireland, whilst highlighting the ongoing impact of Covid-19, and what we as an industry and local communities are missing.”

#scenechange began as a small email exchange ‘Dialogue in Strange Times’ between a group of set & costume designers. Now it is a wide community of designers covering the breadth of the discipline and growing to over 1000 members, promoting ways of coming together in conversation and action in support of theatre.

For theatres who wish to join in the #missinglivetheatre campaign, please contact: [email protected]. Working with production manager Anna Fox, #scenechange will provide risk assessment and technical support, as well as linking theatres up with local designers for on site installation. The tape will remain in place for up to one week before being removed and reused by #scenechange to envelop another theatre.

https://www.scene-change.com/

Twitter: @_scene_change_

Instagram: _scene_change_

#scenechange

#MissingLiveTheatre

THE WORLD’S LONGEST RUNNING PLAY

THE MOUSETRAP

TO RE-OPEN IN THE WEST END ON 23 OCTOBER

Production to open with social distancing in accordance with

Stage Four of the Government’s Road Map for the return of theatre

Agatha Christie’s thriller to resume record-breaking run

at The St Martin’s Theatre, London

www.uk.the-mousetrap.co.uk

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap – the longest running show in the world, which had to be suspended when the Coronavirus Pandemic resulted in the closure of UK theatres – is to re-open in the West End on Friday 23 October.

The brilliant thriller, which has played in London since 1952, is to re-open at the St. Martin’s Theatre in accordance with the Government stipulations for Stage Four of the recently announced Road Map for the return of live theatre and music.

Adam Spiegel, the producer of The Mousetrap, said:

“I recognise that for the vast majority of West End productions, operating with social distancing is simply not possible. I produce other shows which will also be unable to re-open under these restrictions. We are very fortunate with The Mousetrap that, with the help of our stakeholders, we are able to adapt our economic model to be able to re-open. Whilst this cannot be a long-term exercise, we believe it is a crucial first step in restoring live theatre to the London landscape.

From examinations of the operational requirements of the building, we are able to adhere to necessary social distancing on stage, backstage and throughout the auditorium and public spaces. The recent announcement of the government’s road map therefore brings our re-opening into immediate focus.

It feels very symbolic that The Mousetrap will be amongst the first – and potentially the very first – West End show to open its doors again. As well as being the longest running play in the world, Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist this country has ever produced. She had already left a legacy for us to take great pride in. Her name being back up in lights in the West End, heralding the beginning of the end of a very dark time in the history of the theatre, means she will rightly remain one of the most celebrated figures in our cultural life.”

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap is the world’s longest-running play. The West End production was originally adapted from Christie’s radio play, Three Blind Mice, written for the Royal family in 1947.

The Mousetrap has been intriguing and delighting audiences for as long as Queen Elizabeth II has been on the throne. It is the genre-defining murder mystery from the world’s best-selling novelist of all time.

As news spreads of a murder in London, a group of seven strangers find themselves snowed in at Monkswell Manor, a stately countryside guesthouse. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover – to their horror – that a killer is in their midst. One by one, the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts. Which one is the murderer? Who will be their next victim?

The Mousetrap will celebrate 70 years in London in 2022. It has been performed 28,200 times in London and sold over 10 million tickets. To celebrate the 50^th anniversary in 2002, The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh attended a special Gala performance.

The Mousetrap is produced by Adam Spiegel Productions.

For further information, see www.uk.the-mousetrap.co.uk

Presented by Talawa Theatre Company
Tales from the Front Line
Autumn 2020

Talawa Theatre Company are creating an online experience featuring six brand new short pieces using verbatim interviews from Black key and frontline workers which explore the historic moment of the Covid-19 crisis and its impact on them. The pandemic has had a starkly divergent impact on communities; Black people are four times more likely to die from Covid-19, according to Public Health England’s figures in May for England and Wales.

What has been learned, challenged and changed forever? What might life in the UK look like in a year’s time? Tales from the Front Line will document the contribution of Black workers at the front line of the Covid-19 crisis, creating a lasting historical record. It will explore their relationships with British society and how the pandemic has challenged their perceptions of belonging, especially in the wake of the Windrush Scandal and the global Black Lives Matter movement. With humour and hope, Tales from the Front Line will be an interrogation of the society that is being impacted greatest by Covid-19, and the society that will emerge from it.

Talawa are speaking to people from a wide spectrum of key and frontline workers, including Transport for London employees, supermarket staff, teachers, teaching assistants and delivery drivers, and draws contributors from Talawa’s Croydon home and across the UK. The interviews are intended to provide a space for these workers to share their experiences, and articulate their concerns and hopes for the future.

Artists will be given the freedom to use the testimonies to create a dramatised work featuring music, photography, movement, soundscapes and animations – whatever they feel best conveys the story. With support from Croydon Council’s Culture Relief Fund, the pieces will be available on Talawa’s website this Autumn.

Michael Buffong, Talawa’s Artistic Director, comments, If not for Covid-19, we would find our lives dominated by BREXIT and the Windrush scandal. Covid-19 has exposed the fact those people most affected by these hostilities are the ones who are keeping the country alive, sustained and functioning. We want to gather and share these powerful stories from the front line to ensure that these contributions by Black British people cannot be erased
from the historical record.

Talawa are an Arts Council England NPO.

LAMBERT JACKSON ANNOUNCES VIRTUAL PRODUCTION OF SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD WITH FULL CAST

Lambert Jackson Productions in association with The Other Palace, today announces a “virtual lockdown production” of Jason Robert Brown’s Songs For A New World. Filmed entirely in isolation, Séimí Campbell directs Rachel John (Hamilton), Ramin Karimloo (Phantom of The Opera), Cedric Neal (Motown) and Rachel Tucker (Come From Away), with musical supervision by Adam Hoskins and musical direction from Josh Winstone. The production will be streamed on The Other Palace – Digital Venue, for £12.50.

“It’s about one moment. It’s about hitting the wall and having to make a choice… or take a stand… or turn around and go back.”

Written by Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown and sitting between musical and song cycle, this moving collection of powerful songs examines life, love, and the choices that we make as it transports audiences through time and space.

An exclusive presale for subscribers will take place from midday on Thursday 2 July – please visit www.theotherpalace.co.uk. Tickets will go on general on sale at midday on Friday 3 July

Rachel John plays Woman 1.Her previous theatre credits include Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre), The Color Purple – In Concert (Cadogan Hall), The Bodyguard (Dominion Theatre/UK tour), Memphis (Shaftesbury Theatre), Rent (UK tour), We Will Rock You, Sister Act (London Palladium) and The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre/international tour).Ramin Karimloo plays Man 2. Hisprevious concert credits for Lambert Jackson Productions include Dr Zhivago (Cadogan Hall). His other theatre credits include Chess in Concert (Umeda Arts Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar in Concert, Evita (Theatre Orb Tokyo), Chess (The Kennedy Centre), Anastasia (Broadhurst Theatre), Murder Ballad (Arts Theatre), Les Miserables (Imperial Theatre/Princess of Wales Theatre/Queens Theatre/Palace Theatre), The Phantom of the Opera 25^th Anniversary (Royal Albert Hall), Love Never Dies (Adelphi Theatre), Les Miserables 25^th Anniversary Concert (O2 Arena), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre) and Miss Saigon (UK tour).

Cedric Neal plays Man 1. His previous theatre credits include Back To The Future (Manchester Opera House), The View Upstairs (Soho Theatre), Stagger Lee, Death of a Salesman (Dallas Theater Center), Porgy and Bess (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), and Dreamgirls (Signature Theatre). His credits for television include Friday Night Lights and The Good Guys.

Rachel Tucker plays Woman 2. Her previous theatre credits include Come From Away (Phoenix Theatre), Wicked (Apollo Victoria/The Gershwin Theater), Communicating Doors (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Last Ship (Neil Simon Theatre), Farragut North (Southwark Playhouse), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), Dusty (Leicester Square Theatre), The Wizard of Oz, To Be Sure, Merry Christmas Betty Ford (Belfast Lyric Theatre), Tonight’s The Night, Tommy and The Full Monty (UK tour).

Séimí Campbell directs. His previous credits include My Son Pinocchio (Southwark Playhouse). As an assistant director his credits include Come From Away (Phoenix Theatre) and Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); and as resident director credits include Amour (Charing Cross Theatre), Cereal Café (The Other Palace) and Sweeney Todd (Shoreditch Town Hall).

Twitter:

@LJProds

@TheOtherPalace

Instagram:

@lambertjacksonproductions

@theotherpalace

Facebook:

Lambert Jackson Productions

The Other Palace

Malvern Theatres Public Appeal Update

Malvern Theatres is delighted to announce that its Covid public appeal has now reached an astonishing £100,000 thanks to its audiences and supporters. In recognition of this feat, a formal ‘thank you’ page will soon be launched on the theatre’s website to publicly acknowledge every individual who has contributed to the appeal, be it through a donation, a monthly direct debit or through the gift of refunded tickets.

Chief Executive Nic Lloyd said: “This amount has exceeded all of our expectations and we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed so far.

“Your generosity has bought us valuable time and will ensure that we reach the autumn before losing our reserves. With no end to the crisis in sight for theatres however, we cannot relax our efforts and our next target is to secure the theatre through to the New Year.

“We aim to raise a further £100,000 between now and Christmas. Every step that we take now will make a huge difference to our reserves, offering a lifeline to our future sustainability.”

There are a number of ways people can support the theatre without making a donation, including supporting them on social media, setting the theatre as your designated Amazon Smile charity, hosting your own fundraiser, or purchasing a membership or gift voucher for future use.

To donate to the fund, please visit malvern-theatres.co.uk/support-us

Yorkshire based Mikron start fundraising appeal for 50^th anniversary year with future of company at risk

The unique canal-based Yorkshire theatre company, Mikron Theatre, are launching a new fundraising appeal that aims to help them reach their incredible 50th year of touring.  

Mikron Theatre Company, who have been touring the UK’s canals, rivers and roads for the past 48 years, have had to cancel their entire 2020 season, but with help from their supporters and the general public they aim to be back in 2021 for the 50th year of touring. 

In April this year, the Huddersfield based company were due to tour two new plays to over 130 dates and were busy planning their 50th year of touring in 2021. Then the Coronavirus epidemic hit.

Since making the decision not to tour, Mikron took Arts Council England’s advice and have been helping the community in their home village of Marsden, West Yorkshire. They have repurposed their office and van to assist with the village COVID-19 mutual aid group ‘Marsden Help’ and have delivered hundreds of food parcels and prescriptions to self-isolating and vulnerable families.

The company’s Artistic Director Marianne McNamara said:

“We’re so incredibly sad not to be touring. In the early stages of the Coronavirus outbreak we looked at every possible combination, but none of them were practical.

What I would not give to see Mikron performing at a Canalside venue to a large crowd with the sun setting behind us. We see the same faces in different places year on year and we really miss them but the safety of the cast and crew, venues and of course our loyal audiences, had to come first.”

Based in the village of Marsden, at the foot of the Yorkshire Pennines, Mikron Theatre Company are like no other. For starters, they tour for most of the year on board a vintage narrowboat, secondly, they put on their shows in places that other theatre companies wouldn’t dream of; a play about growing-your-own shown in allotments, a play about bees performed next to hives, a play about chips to audiences in a fish and chips restaurant, as well as plays about hostelling in YHA Youth hostels and the RNLI at several Lifeboat stations around the UK.

2021 will, with the success of this appeal, see Mikron tour two brand new shows; Amanda Whittington’s Atalanta Forever which tells the story of Women’s football in the 1920s and Polly Hollman’s  canine comedy caper A Dog’s Tale.

Since they were formed in 1972 they have written 64 original shows, composed and written 384 songs, issued over 236 actor musician contracts, spent 30,000 boating hours on the inland waterways, covered 530,000 road miles, performed over 5060 times and performed to over 428,000 people 

COVID19 has dealt the Yorkshire based theatre company a potentially catastrophic blow and they need help to ensure that they get back on their feet, back on the road, and back on the water.

With no income from shows, no merchandise, no programmes, or raffle in the budget, Mikron are currently looking at a shortfall of £48,337.49. The entire management team is doing as much as they can to reduce costs month by month, but this simply is not enough. On current budgets the company will run out of money before their 50th year of touring in 2021.   

With this in mind the acclaimed and much loved theatre company  had no choice but to launch an appeal to raise £48,337.49 by the end of December 2020 to ensure that their 50th year of touring can go ahead and that Mikron has a future within the theatre industry. 

For further information and to donate please visit www.mikron.org.uk/appeal . Donations can also be sent to Mikron Theatre, Marsden Huddersfield, HD7 6BW).

Blackeyed Theatre streaming popular
Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four
by Arthur Conan Doyle
Adapted by Nick Lane
Sunday 5th July – Wednesday 15th July 2020

As theatres face extended closure due to Covid-19, Blackeyed Theatre is making its acclaimed 2018 production of Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four available to watch online for free, from Sunday 5th July – Wednesday 15th July.

Crammed full of adventure, romance, comedy and of course one or two rather brilliant deductions, The Sign of Four is a breath-taking yarn brough to life in this spectacular stage adaptation. When Mary Morstan arrives at 221B Baker Street to request help with the mystery of her missing father, Holmes takes the case and together with his companion Dr Watson enters a murky world of deception and trickery, unravelling a complex plot involving murder, corruption and stolen jewels. Original live music, stylish theatricality and magical story-telling combine for an unforgettable theatrical experience. The game’s afoot!

The world premiere production, adapted by Nick Lane from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s epic second Sherlock Holmes novel, played to over 50,000 people in 70 towns and cities across the UK, the Netherlands and China between September 2018 and June 2019, ending with a week of performances at the Shanghai Grand

The performance will premiere on YouTube on Sunday 5 July at 19:30 and it will be available to watch free of charge until Wednesday 15 July at 23:30 (BST) –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeQAlhAAFYu-fW59bug4DZA. While the show will be available to watch free of charge, Blackeyed Theatre welcomes donations – http://www.blackeyedtheatre.co.uk/donate/

Artistic Director Adrian McDougall said, Like any Sherlock Holmes tale, The Sign of Four is so much more than a detective story. As well as being a cracking adventure, it offers audiences today a glimpse of Victorian attitudes towards Empire and ‘otherness’ that have largely (though not entirely) disappeared, lending the play particular resonance in the light of recent world events. I’m delighted that through each of our online shows, we are managing to offer some financial support to our artists, but we need public support in the form of donations to be able to continue doing so. Going forward we will be looking at increasingly sustainable ways to engage and entertain audiences.

LONDON THEATRE RUNWAY

 A NEW GRADUATE THEATRICAL TRAINING PROGRAMME

ANNOUNCED FOR SEPTEMBER  AT TROUBADOUR WEMBLEY PARK THEATRE

London Theatre Runway is a bespoke training and connectivity programme for performing arts graduates which will be based at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.  The first term is due to begin in September and the application process opens today. Full details can be found at www.londontheatrerunway.com.

This brand new training programme is specifically aimed at driven and aspirational professional performers who have recently graduated or those already working in the industry who feel they would benefit from time with leading industry directors, choreographers, musical and casting directors in a supportive, non-competitive environment.  It is also aimed at performers who may find themselves with a gap in a busy schedule and want to use this free time to keep ‘match fit’ and work on their performance skills. Through masterclasses and rigorous classes, London Theatre Runway offers the unique opportunity for attendees to work with a different industry leading professional every weekend and gain their guidance and expert feedback.

 London Theatre Runway consists of 3 terms per year, and each term is ten weekends long. There will be no more than 20 people per class. You can join for the first year now or join London Theatre Runway term by term. The programme is specifically tailored to working performing arts professionals and their lifestyle. If you need to leave the course to accept an offer of employment, the cost of the classes that you have missed will be rolled over into the next London Theatre Runway term, so you can participate when it suits you, giving attendees the flexibility they need.

 The Saturday sessions will be packed full of classes devoted to rigorous training aimed at keeping individual’s performance skills at the best possible level. Expert instructors will advise on technique and provide the opportunity to hone skills or work on areas of practise to perfect – focussing on dance, acting and script work, and singing and vocal techniques. Dance subjects include: ballet, technical jazz, musical theatre jazz, body conditioning and contemporary. In addition to this, each weekend a different guest choreographer will join to take classes in their unique style. Acting classes will include script and sight reading as well as improvisation. Singing classes will include vocal technique, acting through song and repertoire.

 On Sundays, leading directors, casting directors, musical directors or choreographers will host masterclasses, offering valuable advice, tailored feedback and guidance through mock auditions, Q&A’s and observation sessions. Masterclass leaders joining London Theatre Runway’s first year include: Jim Arnold CDG, Karen Bruce, Hannah Chissick, Aletta Collins,  Alistair David, Bill Deamer, Nikolai Foster, Natalie Gallacher CDG, David Grindrod CDG, Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, Lucy Jenkins CDG, Ellen Kane, Rachel Kavanaugh, Nigel Lilley, Rachel O’Riordan, Adam Penford, Jessica Ronane CDG, Jeremy Sams, Sarah Travis, Gareth Valentine, Anne Vosser, Roy Alexander Weise, Tara Wilkinson, Nick Winston and Matthew Xia.

 Matt Cole, leading choreographer and Olivier award Nominee, and one of the founders of London Theatre Runway says “The Saturday sessions are all about training and keeping fit and ready for the next challenge. They are specifically geared towards strength and technique in all disciplines – singing, acting and dance.  The Sunday classes are where this programme becomes very unique as they are geared toward connecting you to the industry and putting you in front of the highest level of industry professionals. They are the best of the best in their field and will be working with you, offering guidance that can help take your skills as a performer and your career to the next level.”

 “This is a tough industry and this bespoke programme is designed to help people who want to help themselves to navigate their way through the maze with leading support and guidance, at a cost which breaks down to less than £9 per hour across the programme”

 Interested applicants should have trained at drama school or a vocational performing arts programme for a minimum of 2 years. To register for a place at London Theatre Runway visit www.londontheatrerunway.com. For an application form.  Applications close on 27 July 2020.

 Please note that in uncertain times around Covid -19 regulations, London Theatre Runway will only open when it is possible to do so in a manner that is consistent with government guidance and safe for all participants and staff.  If you purchase a place on a London Theatre Runway course and it cannot go ahead for safety reasons, your position on the programme will be held until the time when it can go ahead safely and within regulations.

HOPE MILL THEATRE TO LIVE STREAM UK PREMIERE OF NEW DOCUMENTARY CELEBRATING THE CAREER OF OSCAR-WINNING STAGE AND SCREEN ICON OLYMPIA DUKAKIS

FILM TO BE SHOWN FREE OF CHARGE ON HOPE MILL THEATRE’S FACEBOOK PAGE ON FRIDAY 10^TH JULY AT 6PM

Hope Mill Theatre will live stream the UK premiere of a new documentary celebrating the career of stage and screen icon Olympia Dukakis, in collaboration with the producers of the film.

Olympia, directed by Harry Mavromichalis, will be shown on Friday 10^th July at 6pm on Hope Mill Theatre’s facebook page.

The premiere of the US documentary was due to have taken place in New York but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic – so producers have decided to have a one-off online premiere of the film before its wider release. As well as the UK premiere, it is also being streamed in the USA & Europe.

Olympia  is an intimate look at the life and career of one of the greatest actresses to grace the stage and screen. A deeply personal portrait of the actress and her craft and her legacy.

The fly-on-all-wall film features stars including Whoopi Goldberg, Laura Linney and more talking about 89-year-old Dukakis, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1988 for her role in Moonstruck and appears in the much-loved film Steel Magnolias.

The documentary will be followed by a pre-recorded Q&A with the actress. 

The documentary will be free to view but Hope Mill Theatre is asking for donations from audiences. 

Joseph Houston, Artistic Director of Hope Mill Theatre, said: “We are honoured to be involved in the live stream of the Premiere of Olympia. So many generations know Olympia’s incredible work from screen, but not many may be familiar with her career on stage, which was her first love and continues to be. It will be an in-depth, personal look into her craft and career and we are thrilled to be sharing it with UK audiences. There will be no cost to view the documentary, but we will be sharing info on how to support us and make a donation to the venue.” 

Olympia is produced and directed by Harry Mavromichalis, Executive Produced by Anthoula Katsimatides and Sid Ganis.

“Olympia delivers an uncommonly personal, cinema verité-style portrait of its fascinating, iconoclastic subject.” — The Hollywood Reporter

For more information on Olympia, visit https://www.olympiathefilm.com/

Twitter: @Hopemilltheatr1

Facebook: Hope Mill Theatre