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New shows to look out for.............

We recommend that you go and see Snookered by Ishy Din produced by Tamasha Theatre Company as it tours round the country. Read about Ishy and his journey writing this play here: http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1471094_cue-for-a-play----taxi-driver-gets-big-break-in-new-theatre-career

Also at the top of our list and coming up very soon is BLIND SUMMIT'S THE TABLE which comes to Lakeside Arts Centre in Nottingham next week on 31 January and 1 February.


Kate Chapman
Theatre Writing Partnership
Chief Executive and Artistic Director

0115 9474361



Get down to Cambridge for some winter inspiration!

The excellent Menagerie Theatre Company are working towards their bi-annual festival of new writing for theatre in Cambridge this summer but they have an exciting weekend of workshops for writers happening at the end of this month (26 - 29 January). 

We recommend you check out this link for more details and if you can get to Cambridge for the workshops - you won't be disappointed!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR PILOT Night Thursday 29th March @ mac Birmingham, West Midlands - CO PILOTED BY FIERCE FESTIVAL

Deadline for submissions Mon 30th Jan 5pm


PILOT IS THE CELEBRATED SCRATCH EVENT WHERE THEATRE MAKERS GET TO TEST OUT NEW IDEAS IN FRONT OF A LIVELY, SUPPORTIVE CROWD.


Fierce Festival Artistic Directors Harun Morrison & Laura McDermott join the PILOT team as guest curators for March Pilot at mac, Birmingham. This Pilot will also be part of the launch of Fierce Festival 2012 and will be complemented by activity happening across the building through out this Thursday evening. 

Fierce is annual festival of live art that takes place across Birmingham in a mix of established art venues, found sites and public spaces.  The forthcoming Fierce Festival runs from Thurs 29 March – Sun 8th April. You can find out more about us at. . . www.wearefierce.org

We hope that Pilot applicants will make the most of the spaces on offer which include the cinema, Cannon Hill Park itself, the bar and the shared connnecting spaces in the building.   The event will be a peripatetic one, happening across mac. Here’s a bit of info about the spaces available, please demonstrate how you would work with one of the sites in your proposal.

 

 

1. Hexagon (http://www.macarts.co.uk/hires/hexagon-theatre/) - This is an old-school lecture hall. Could be perfect for a sly performance-lecture?

 

 

3. Cafe bar

 

4. Weston Room – Used as painting room and workshop space, this could be perfect for something, installative, intimate and messy.

 

5. There are plenty of undefined public spaces: corridors, stairways, the lift  what could you do in one of these?

 

6. Outside – MAC has the good fortune to be situated within the bucolic Cannon Hill Park, lakes, geese, bandstands. . .  (http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cannonhillpark)
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Whether you classify yourself as established or emerging we want to hear from you...

If you have 10-15 minutes of new research visit www.pilotnights.co.uk and fill out an online application to be part of a night which promises a fantastic range of audience to engage with your new and growing ideas. 

In return we offer a small fee, video and stills documentation and an audience happy to stick around in the bar afterwards and tell you exactly what they thought.

Deadline for Submissions 5pm Monday 30th January 2011.
-- 

Kate Chapman
Theatre Writing Partnership
Chief Executive and Artistic Director

0115 9474361


Act 2 - next deadline 15th January

You've got a play. You've given it a lot of thought, time, and effort, and shown it to a few people, most of whom don't think it's completely stupid. You're not sure if it's performance ready yet, but you'd like to take it to the next level. Perhaps you'd like to talk it through with some passionate people who know their stuff. Maybe you'd like to get your work into the hands of a skilled director. Wouldn't it be really useful to hear your words read aloud by a group of actors? Or to get a response from a discerning, impartial audience? Then look no further.

Act 2 is Quirksome's latest ongoing project. We want to provide a platform for emerging theatre writers and makers to develop new work, by staging readings of their pieces with actors, and supplying useful feedback. We will work with you over a period of around one month- meeting with you, discussing ideas, rehearsing parts of your piece and working towards a rehearsed reading in front of a small audience, followed by an informal discussion. Hopefully this will be an invaluable experience for your creative process, and will help you to polish and develop work that may be rough, and in its infancy.

Our first Act 2 rehearsed reading was performed in December 2011, with 'Renfield' by Nottinghamshire writer Marty Ross, at Lee Rosy's tea shop. Around 30 people attended and participated in a Q&A session afterwards. We also appeared on BBC Radio Nottingham with Marty to discuss his script. You too could benefit from this incredibly useful process.

If you have a script, or parts of a script, or an idea for a devised or performance piece which you would like to take further, we would be delighted to hear from you. We are highly flexible and will do whatever we can to aid the growth of your work. You can download an application form by clicking on the link below. If you have any questions, please send a message to 

(we will endeavour to get back to you within 48 hours). We look forward to working with you.

We hope that Act 2 will be beneficial to everyone in the East Midlands theatrical community. If you are an actor or director and you'd like to be a part of this marvellous project, please send a message to the above address.

http://www.quirksometheatre.co.uk/act-2.php

Call for submissions

SCRIPT SPACE 2012
: 
Call for submissions
Developing writers and their work

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Back for a fifth year running, Tobacco Factory Theatre’s Script Space is an open competition that invites submissions of new, unperformed one-act plays from UK-based writers for tailor-made development opportunities.

It’s very simple, really: we’re looking for exciting writing from exciting writers whom we’d like to work with further. We will select up to three plays to take forward for development. What form that development takes will depend on the plays themselves; it’ll be bespoke, to ensure maximum benefit to the writing and the writer. Previous development work has included: dramaturgical advice, R&D time with actors and a director, a rehearsed reading or small-scale production.

Submission guidelines
We’d much rather receive your play by email. Please send a single Word or PDF attachment (no CVs or synopses, please) to scriptspace@tobaccofactory.com
, putting the play title in the subject box and including your full name, address and contact details in the email. Entries will be judged anonymously so please don’t include your name on the script itself.
Do note that we are anticipating a high volume of submissions, so please bear with us. Deadline: 31 January 2012

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About Script Space
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Script Space has gone from strength to strength since its inception four years ago. So far the initiative has worked with over twenty emerging and established writers, bringing their new plays before an audience for the first time in the form of script-in-hand readings. In 2011 Script Space IV took place in collaboration with Bristol Festival of Ideas and realised a new capacity for and commitment to bespoke development opportunities, producing a small-scale run of Digits by Tamsin Walker
, directed by Emma Callander, and carrying out development work on The Girl from Sparta Road by Martin Lytton with director Lee Lyford and students from City of Bristol College.

[Pics show Digits at the Brewery (Nov 2011) and The Girl from Sparta Road in development (Oct 2011)]


















STOP PRESS! New Perspectives offering a great chance for writers. Deadline is the end of January.

Writers are the lifeblood of theatre and New Perspectives has an enviable track record of finding and nurturing the very best new regional writing talent, as well as providing early career opportunities for writers to see their work performed.

This year we’re running another DREAM UP writing competition, and we’re inviting East Midlands based writers to submit short scripts in response to the following question, posed by Tyrone Huggins in his play The Honey Man which we’re co-producing with Derby LIVE in Spring 2012.

‘How can I remember things I never knew?’

We are looking for scripts that are 10-15 minutes in length, and feature a maximum of 3 characters.

We’re offering cash prizes of £500 for the winning script and £100 each for five runners up.

Plus, a selection of the best entries will be performed as part of a summer 2012 touring production by our new STEP UP Creatives training ensemble, and/or as one of a series of audio recordings which we will publish on our website.

More information, application forms, and full competition rules are available on our website athttp://www.newperspectives.co.uk/DREAMUP_Writers.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kate Chapman
Theatre Writing Partnership
Chief Executive and Artistic Director

0115 9474361


A MESSAGE FROM THE GRAMOPHONES

Hello friends and colleagues,
 

The Gramophones are very excited to announce that they will be attempting to make a journey from Lands End to John o'Groats using as many different forms of transport as is humanly possible. This will be for research and development for a new piece of theatre 'End to End' 
We will limit ourselves to just 18 days to complete the journey. This is the average number of days it has taken world record breakers on ALL different forms of transport to make this journey (according to Wikipedia). 
We want to gather as many followers as we can, so please follow our project on our website www.gramophonestheatre.com

Although we have the wonderful support from Theatre Writing Partnership’s Making Tracks bursary, we are still need a wee bit more cash to make the journey possible. It would be fantastic if you could help make this unusual and daring journey possible by pledging a five pound boat, a ten pound boat or whatever you can afford! Pledge here…
http://www.wefund.com/project/end-end

If you like the sound of our project but can not help finacially please help us by telling people about what we are doing, also, you can subscribe to our blog, follow us on facebook and twitter. Please forward this email to all your contacts.

Thanks for all your help and support, Hannah, Ria, Kristy and Kath aka The Gramophones

-- 
The Gramophones
Twitter- @The_Gramophones



















SOME THEATRICAL TREATS COMING UP IN THE NEW YEAR!

We're sharing this information from Midlands Arts Centre to draw your attention to some great new shows coming up in the Spring. We recommend Thirsty by Paperbirds which is also coming to Lakeside in Nottingham and also Me. Myself, Miss Gibbs which is a great show and went down a storm at the Edinburgh Fringe.

However most of all we'd like to recommend GRAVITY by Arzhang Pehzman and MUSTAFA by Naylah Ahmed. These are NOT TO BE MISSED. SEE BELOW. Get your tickets NOW!


 

Are you struggling to find the right presents for your loved ones this festive season? mac birmingham can help. Our spring events season and next term of fabulous courses are on sale now. We do lovely gift vouchers too, which can be redeemed against any of our offerings, perfect for the cultivated creative in your life.

  

Marketplace: Contemporary Craft Fairs

Sat 17 & Sun 18 Dec | 11am – 6pm | Free Entry | Various Spaces

There is still time to catch our contemporary craft fair before Christmas. It features a range of high quality work from some of the region’s most exciting artist makers. With over 20 exhibitor stands each day, this is an exclusive opportunity to buy and commission unique crafts direct from the maker

Theatre Picks

It’s too hard to choose our favourite up and coming theatre shows so here are just few.

This spring see stand out pieces from the 2011 Fringe Festival right here in Birmingham. Our three Edinburgh Picks, Thirsty; Me, Myself and Miss Gibbsand The Seagull Effect showcase the innovative best of the festival.

We are proud to be presenting poet Nick Makoha’s My Father and Other Superheroes, which explores the search for a missing father figure amongst the icons of popular culture. Pentabus will be here in March showing new work by award-winning writer Tim Price, For Once. 

Birmingham REP return to mac birmingham with three exciting new works. Gravity,a contemporary new play by Arzhang Pezhman is a fictional story with roots in the real-life newspaper headlines of today's society. Later in the season performance poet Kate Tempest serves up a storm with her debut play Wasted and the season ends with Mustafa a though provoking story of a man serving a prison sentence for the death of a boy during an exorcism.

Comedy Picks

Patrick Monahan: Hug Me I Feel Good

Wed 8 Feb | 8pm | Tickets: £13 (£10) | Theatre

Lovable comedian Patrick Monahan blends a high energy style with hilarious and engaging stories of his Irish/Iranian/Teeside heritage.

Robin Ince: Happiness through Science

Wed 21 Mar | 8pm | Tickets £13 (£10) | Theatre

In his latest show, Robin Ince, of Radio 4’s Infinite Monkey Cage fame, investigates the human condition and asks if happiness and rationality can ever go together.

Music Picks

Making Tracks: SambaSunda

Fri 10 Feb | 8pm | Tickets: £12 (£9) | Theatre

Groundbreaking gamelan innovators SambaSunda strip down to a quintet and reflect the enduring classical tradition of Sundanese music whilst creating something fresh, modern and original.

Spiro - with support Cliff Stapleton

Thu 22 Mar | 8pm | Tickets £12 (£9)

Recently signed to Peter Gabriel’s Real Word Records Spiro are four musicians performing compelling music influenced with classical and contemporary influences, but with roots set firmly in the English tradition.

Family Picks

Fevered Sleep: The Forest

Wed 7 – Sun 11 Mar, various times | Tickets £8 | Age 5-7yrs

There is a place at the very heart of the forest. People become animals, birds become music, day becomes night-time, leaves become light. It’s full of adventure. It’s always changing.

Horse + Bamboo: Red Riding Hood

Thu 16 & Fri 17 Feb | 11am & 2.30pm | Tickets £8 (£6) | Age 4+

A gorgeously rendered re-telling of the classic girl-and-the-wolf tale, exquisite visuals blend with pantomime-style silliness and spooky moments to create an enchanting piece of theatre.

Learning & Participation

New term begins on Mon 9 Jan 2012 | Various prices

We offer a varied programme of courses – learn a new skill, refresh an old one, get active and meet new friends. There is something for everyone and for all ages too.

The Lost Happy Endings

Until 6 Jan 2012| Various times | Tickets £14.50 (£11.50) Family ticket £44  | Age 4+

Our Christmas show is now in full swing and we have had some great reviews and you can view them all on our website.

There are still tickets available so grab some now before you're too late.

Our Opening Hours

From Mon 2 Jan mac birmingham’s opening hours will be from 10am – 10pm on weekdays and from 9am – 10pm on weekends. This is just one of the changes that mac birmingham is making to reduce the resources consumed in the day-to-day running of the building. Fuller details of how we intend to make the building more sustainable and green will be on our website soon.

Please note: This change does not apply to future commercial hires - times may be altered to suit event hire requirements.

 
 
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Kate Chapman
Theatre Writing Partnership
Chief Executive and Artistic Director

0115 9474361



(download)

THEORIES OF THE MODERN STAGE, WITH DAVID KERSHAW

Aimed at writers and anyone with an interest in theatre, this course will explore the extent to which modern theories of the stage affect how a playwright works. It will investigate such things as the following:

• Whether the principles of naturalism or the theatre of alienation still have an influence on the modern theatre.
• The well-made play.
• Absurdism, political theatre and the theatre of cruelty.
• The impact of acting techniques and methods.
• The role of improvisation in script development.
• The script into performance: the role of the actor, director, designer, producer and audience.
• Audience expectations and demands.

Examples of both playwrights’ and practitioners’ work will be studied in detail, and class members will be encouraged to bring in their own work for discussion.

ABOUT THE TUTOR

David Kershaw has had extensive experience of the theatre, both as a practitioner and a teacher. Among other things, he has directed and administrated a small-scale touring theatre company, has taught drama to college and university students and, latterly, has acted with amateur theatre companies. His teaching experience is also wide and varied: apart from his work in further and higher education, he has also been a tutor in prisons and in adult education.

DATES: Every Monday for 10 weeks from 9 January 2012 to 19 March (apart from half-term 13 February), 6.30–8.30pm.
COST: £100 (£80 for NWS members).
VENUE: Nottingham Writers’ Studio, Broadway Business Centre, 3rd floor 32a Stoney Street, Nottingham, NG1 1LL.
TUTOR: David Kershaw

TO BOOK

Download and return the booking form: www.nottinghamwritersstudio.co.uk/assets/NWS_ModernStage2012_BookingForm.doc

Enquiries to admin@nottinghamwritersstudio.co.uk