News and Events
6 January 2010

Naked Stage 2010
Submissions Now Closed
Performance Dates: 24 and 31 January, 7, 14 and 21 February
Performances Start 5 pm
The Larkum Studio, ADC Theatre, Park St, Cambridge
Tickets on Sale Now from www.adctheatre.com or ring the box office 01223 300085
£5/£4

We have received a record number of submissions for the second half of our annual Naked Stage Programme - a total of 37 scripts (including a few carried forward from the first series). With only five nights of performance available, the competition for places is going to be stiff. Artistic directors Julia Bolden and Trish Rawson have been reading all of the scripts and hope to have the final selection confirmed by the casting session this Sunday. They will then contact all writers to let them know if their submission has been successful. Best of luck to everyone!


Naked Stage Casting and Production Session
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Casting: 2.00pm - 4.00pm (arrive 1.30 to sign in)
Production Meeting: 4.30pm - 6.30pm

Venue: Large Hall, Ross Street Community Centre
Ross Street (off Mill Road)
Cambridge CB1 3UZ

Click Here for Map.

All those interested in acting, directing or producing for Naked Stage, as well as interested writers, are invited to attend our casting session, which will be followed by an open production meeting, this Sunday at the Ross Street Community Centre. The afternoon will begin at 2.00pm with readings from a selection of submitted scripts. The purpose of the readings is to allow those doing the casting to get to know potential actors and what they can do. No formal audition piece is required. We are in need of a very wide variety of ages and types for this series, so we are interested in seeing anyone with the talent and confidence to present these plays in development as effectively as possible. If you are chosen for a part, the commitment will be for at least two evening rehearsals in the week before the performance. You will also be required from 1 pm on the day of the performance. No memorisation is required for Naked Stage  performances.

We still have openings for experienced directors for this series. Anyone interested in directing and/or producing is asked to attend right through from 2.00pm until 6.30pm to observe the readings (or participate if they want to act as well),to be briefed on the role of director/producer and to participate in the discussion. There will be brief talks on the roles of Naked Stage producer and director, the relationship with the writer, and the resources available. Writers are very welcome to stay for any of the day's activities.

Please notify artistic director Julia Bolden if you plan to come to any part of the day's events. Write to Julia at julia@writeon.org.uk and please state whether you are interested in acting and/or directing and if acting please give your gender, contact telephone number and approximate playing age range. You will also need to let Julia know if there are any dates you will not be available for rehearsal or performance.

NB: The centre only has a very small car park so if you are travelling by car you will need to arrive in good time to find parking in the adjacent streets. Please let Julia know if you need a lift from somewhere and she will try to arrange one for you.


WRiTEON Playgoing Group Meeting
22 April 2010, 6.545 pm
The Habit of Art
Arts Picturehouse,
38-39 St Andrew's Street
Cambridge CB2 3AR

The next meeting of the WRiTEON Playgoing Group, a social group which meets irregularly to see and discuss plays in Cambridge and beyond, will be on 22 April when the group will attend the NT Live screening of The Habit Of Art at the Arts Picturehouse. For more information about the play, visit the Arts Picturehouse website where you can also book your own tickets when available.

If you plan to attend, please let organiser Richard Latham know at this address: richard@writeon.org.uk

The usual format includes a drink and talk before and after the show. For this event we will meet in the Arts Picturehouse bar.


WRiTEON Scriptreading Group
Next Meeting: Tuesday 26th January at 7.15pm
36a The Limes, Harston, Cambridgeshire CB22 7QT

The Scriptreading Group meets regularly to read and discuss scripts in progress. The atmosphere is casual and supportive. Anyone is welcome and new members attend regularly. At the last meeting, seven writers discussed the final scene of a member's now completed TV drama, a scene of a Radio sitcom pilot, a short sketch and the first 10 pages of each of two radio plays. If you would like to attend, please contact the organiser, Julia Bolden, at julia@writeon.org.uk.


Writing Opportunities

Sitcom Saturday Accepting Submissions 
Deadline: Scripts must be submitted between Monday, March 1 and Wednesday, March 31, 2010 only. No entries will be accepted outside these dates.
Next Event Date: June 12, 2010
Westminster Reference Library, 35 St. Martin's Street, London WC2H 7HP

RealDeal Theatre is looking for six fifteen-minute sitcoms for Sitcom Saturday, a professionally-directed and acted script-in-hand rehearsed reading, open to the public, at Westminster Reference Library off Leicester Square, London. A director will  be allocated for each of the selected scripts and the directors will liaise with the writer(s) before a casting session, rehearsal and the performance on Saturday, June 12 2010. Entries are welcome from anywhere as long as the writers can liaise with the directors beforehand and can attend the June public rehearsed reading in London. Writers must be 16 years or older.

Click here for full submission guidelines.

Entries should be emailed to scripts@realdealtheatre.org.uk  
 
For further information, please email info@realdealtheatre.org.uk 
 
 
Musical Theatre Book Writer Wanted, Strong Point Theatre
    
Strong Point Theatre seeks a talented book writer to develop the script for a new musical, due to be work-shopped in April.
 
The show centres around four young women in 1960s London, and the choices they make faced with the society that they find themselves in. We would like the script to explore the emancipation of women, so ideally (but not essentially) the writer who comes on board will have an interest in writing about this theme.
 
There is a modest fee on offer for the successful writer.
 
Expressions of interest, including any examples of past work if available, should be sent to Johannah Jolson (co-founding producer of Strong Point Theatre); info@strongpointtheatre.co.uk.
 
For more information about Strong Point Theatre, please visit: www.strongpointtheatre.co.uk.


The Leah Ryan Prize for Emerging Women Playwrights 2010
Deadline: January 15, 2010, 6pm EST

Leah Ryan’s Fund for Emerging Women Writers (Leah Ryan’s FEWW) is pleased to announce its first annual Prize for Emerging Women Playwrights. The Prize will be given each year to one emerging woman playwright in recognition of an outstanding work written for the English-speaking theater. Eligibility does not require that a submitted work adhere to the traditional three-act structure. One-acts, two-acts (even four-, five-, six- acts), monologues, adaptations, and any other format will be considered. The only absolute requirement is that the submitted text be a completed full-length work for theater.

The Winner will be chosen by a committee selected by the board members of Leah Ryan’s FEWW. The Winner will receive a cash award of $1,000 as well as a staged reading of her play hosted by FEWW at a theater in New York City. In addition, a stipend of up to $700 for travel and accommodation may be provided by FEWW if necessary. All finalists will be recognized on the FEWW website, and in any other announcements pertaining to the 2010 Prize.

The 2010 Winner will be announced on May 1st, with the reading to follow on an evening to be determined in mid-June.

TO APPLY
All women who consider themselves emerging playwrights (as distinct from fledgling or mid-career playwrights) are encouraged to apply for the Prize. Applications must include the following:

All applications and supporting materials should be submitted electronically to:
leahryansfeww@gmail.com. Enquiries can also be made to this address.

See the website for more information.


Iceandfire Accepting Submissions for Everyone Has the Right
Ongoing

Iceandfire is a theatre company which explores human rights stories through performance. Founded in 2003 by playwright Sonja Linden, the company sees theatre as the natural medium to communicate stories that make real and relevant the impact of human rights issues on everyday lives.

A joint initiative with Amnesty International UK, Everyone Has the Right is a rolling script submission service for plays with human rights at their heart.

To submit, send your script and cover sheet with full contact details including email  to: Everyone Has the Right, iceandfire, Toynbee Hall, 28 Commercial Street, London, E1 6LS. We cannot accept scripts by email or fax. You will receive an emailed report within two months of submission. Plays from outside of the UK are welcomed but must be new work, previously unproduced and written in English. Plays can be of any length, but we will only read full scripts (no outlines or synopses please).

For more information visit: the website.

Bare Bones at the Old Red Lion Seeks Submissions
Current deadline for submission: 16th January 2010 for March 29th show.

Bare Bones are seeking writers to submit scripts for one of the slots at a Bare Bones Night. Bare Bones Nights are held on Monday evenings every two months at the Old Red Lion Theatre, London. The show is rehearsed to performance level and plays twice during each evening. Bare Bones Nights operates a strict policy of minimal set, lighting, costume, and will be performed on whichever set is being used in production at the theatre that week. The Bare Bones Night will consist of five or six plays of various styles and genres to create an exciting and engaging production. The play can be on any topic and in any style but you must agree and conform to the following.

Occasionally directors will invite the writer to help workshop the script prior to and during the rehearsal process, which can be an excellent learning process for both. If you would NOT like to be contacted please advise Bare Bones in your covering letter. It is important to note that this is a collaborative environment between directors and writers, and you must be happy to allow the director freedom to stage their interpretation of your script. Naturally, the more involved you are in the workshop stage, the more informed you will be of the finished result.
The set available will consist of up to four chairs and one table (which can be used as a platform. You are not required to include this set in your script as they can be moved out of the way.
Any backing music required for the show should be sent on CD as opposed to a score - please ask for the address. If you have referred to specific songs to be played, you don’t need to send these in. It’s likely that they will not be used due to licensing restrictions that will be incurred.
Don’t leave submitting until the last minute; get in early to get our full attention!

Plays submitted after the current deadline will be considered for the following event. If you would like to withdraw your script at any time, contact Bare Bones Nights.

Contact/submissions: Barebones2010@gmail.com

Women Screenwriters Wanted - She Writes!
Deadline: 29 January 2010

She Writes! is a new training programme from the Script Factory.  The programme will involve eight 'emerging' women writers who will enjoy a residential retreat, attend two specialist workshops in London, meet with mentors, gain a better understanding of how the film industry works, have exclusive access to industry and training events at the Birds Eye View Film Festival and Script Factory preview events and masterclasses, and get the opportunity to workshop their feature screenplay project with actors.

If you are a new writer with just one drama credit to your name (be it a short film or a piece of TV, radio or theatre), this could be the boost you need to take your writing to the next level.

To find out more click here.


Euroscript Screen Story Competition 2010
Deadline: 31st March 2010, midnight
Entry Fee: £35 per treatment. 

Now in its 16th year, the Euroscript Screen Story Competition 2010 is an opportunity for screenwriters to develop their scripts to a high, marketable standard through an intensive, creative and focused script development programme.

The winning writer will receive one-on-one professional guidance to develop his/her screen story from treatment or first draft. Working closely with one of Euroscript's script consultants, the writer will have the opportunity to complete three drafts with a full script report at each stage of the development process. In addition, the writer will have regular scheduled meetings with his/her consultant and continuing email and telephone support.

At the end of the process, which will take place over a period of six months, the winning writer will be given help and advice on marketing the script.

All writers receive a Bullet-Point Report on their treatment.

For more information visit the website, email or ring.

e-mail: su.kent@euroscript.co.uk
telephone: + 44 (0)20 7609 3067
website here


Acting Opportunities

Little Chairs Theatre Company Looking for Co-Leader
Unpaid

WRiTEON member Sophie Tulley is looking for an enthusiastic person to help her run the adult theatre group, The Little Chairs Theatre Company. The company runs courses throughout the year on all aspects of theatre and performance. This term's course begins on 12th January and will run until Easter. Sessions are every Tuesday night from 8pm-10pm at Ross Street Community Centre. This term we will be working towards a final performance of scripted and polished improvisation pieces which will be showcased to friends and family after Easter. Each night we warm up with games and exercises and  focus on a specific area of theatre/technique or director/playwright. I am hoping to find someone who either has experience of teaching theatre or has participated in numerous adult theatre groups/studied theatre and would like to get involved with teaching and directing. I would like this person to take on the majority of the teaching with me running some sessions and acting as creative director. The group has been together for two years now and has several long term members as well as attracting new members to each course. This is not a paid position but it is great fun and very rewarding. For more info visit the website and email sophie_tully@hotmail.com.
 
Cambridge Arts Theatre Presents: Guys and Dolls
Thursday 29 April - Saturday 8 May, 2010
Unpaid

Cambridge Arts Theatre is putting on a professional production of Guys and Dolls.  All the creative team and many of the actors will be pros, but we want to open up opportunities to talented local amateurs. Ultimately, the show will be a pro/am production, but you will be able to put the show down as a professional credit on your CV.  If the show goes well, we will think about touring it later in 2010 or in 2011.

Auditions will take place next term, so please get in touch if you would like an audition slot.  We will announce our creative team early next year.  Rehearsals will take place during evenings and weekends.

To register your interest in the production, please contact:

Mhari Gallagher
Creative Producer
Cambridge Arts Theatre
mgallagher@cambridgeartstheatre.com
01223 578927
07725739106

Actor Wanted: Turning Point Productions
No Deadline Provided
Paid: small fee
 
Turning Point Productions is seeking an actor for the part of Victor in The Terrapin. Based on a short story by Patricia Highsmith, The Terrapin has been written for stage by Paola Trimarco. ADeC at Babylon Gallery, Ely is supporting the production.
 
This dark comedy is set in New York in the early 1960s.  Victor, a teenage boy, lives with his eccentric French mother, Marlene, who brings home a terrapin that he assumes is a pet for him.  He soon learns a 'horrible' truth that changes his life......
 
We are looking for an actor who can identify with the pains of growing up wearing a sailor suit and suffering from a then newly-discovered condition called dyslexia. Victor is 18-20 years old.
 
Performance Dates
Saturday, 27 February: Matinee and Evening performances at Haddenham Village Hall.
Rehearsals start on 17 January and continue on Sunday afternoons and on one evening per week in February to full production.
 
If you are interested in this part please ring Jean Rees-Lyons, Director, on 01353 860027 or email: genirees@btinternet.com for a copy of the script.


Artist Seeking Performers for Workshop at The Junction
Monday Jan 18th - Thursday Jan 21st

The artist Rachel Oxley is currently developing a new performance work based on ‘moments of encounter’ to be shown in a market place context. Taking inspiration from the daily rituals and patterns of Cambridge market square, Rachel will lead four days of exploration and collaboration in the Junction studio and on site.

Interested participants should be able to commit to the following:

Monday Jan 18th 2-4 pm background / introduction
Tuesday Jan 19th - Thursday Jan 21st 10-4pm development

It is not necessary for participants to have prior experience in working in performance. However it is necessary to be interested in an experimental and collaborative creative process. Participants will receive £15 expenses per day.

For further information please contact Rachel Oxley on: rcmoxley@yahoo.co.uk or ring 077915 66105.


The Vagina Monologues Benefit 2010, V-Day London
No Deadline Provided
Performance 14 February 2010

The Vagina Monologues returns! Think you've seen it? Think again!

This year's limited run of exclusive performances for V day will be a vibrant, imaginative revival of Eve Ensler's legendary work, reiterating the message of V-Day: that our work will continue until the violence stops.

We would love to hear from anyone interested in getting involved in this fantastic show.

This year we are specifically looking for:

Performers with a movement/physical theatre background and with a strong physical presence, some vocal training (an ability to deliver lengthy monologue text) and a passion for ensemble work.

AND

Comic character actors or comediennes with a strong physical presence and a willingness to experiment.

If you sing, play an instrument, have a specific performance skill or a taste for the outrageous, get in touch and tell us what you can do!

Women of all shapes, sizes, ages and nationalities welcome.

Contact: Annie Saunders vdaylondon@gmail.com


Actors/ Impersonators/ Performers Wanted, London College of Fashion
Closes Friday 8 January 2010
Auditions on 9th January 2010
Paid - £100 (one off)
   
The 2010 BA show showcases work by BA Costume for Performance, BA Technical Effects for Performance and BA Make up and Prosthetics for Performance courses at LCF and is directed and choreographed by Marie-Gabrielle Rotie with assistant choreography by Athina Vahla.

We are casting for a range of performers /specialist actor/movement solo roles for Elvis Presley/ Oscar Wilde/Marilyn Monroe/ Elizabeth 1/ Madame de Pompidou and the voice of David Attenborough. (impersonators welcome)

Rehearsals start 22 Feb and there are 3 performances at Cochrane Theatre on March 8-11th.

Production photos for CV and Video are the perks plus working with great team, making industry connections, guaranteed audiences to see the work and a chance to perform!

Time commitments will vary greatly depending on role, however it is highly unlikely that actors will be called for the entire period and rehearsal times will aim to be succinct. There will also be two short 1-day sessions in Jan/Feb to generate ideas and material for which only some of the cast will be called.

Performers need to have work status in UK, NI number, not be full-time students and will also need to be available for a few costume fittings/make-up calls during Jan/Feb (dates TBC)

PLEASE SPECIFY WHICH ROLE YOU ARE AUDITIONING FOR. To audition please send 1 page CV with clear head shot by email to  Ginny Yang: lcfbaperf@gmail.com with [role- your name] in the title of the email (i.e.[Bird boy- Peter Smith])


Female Actor Wanted, The Outside Edge Theatre Company
London
Paid
No Deadline Provided

Female actor wanted to play early-mid 30's mother addicted to methadone/alcohol for pilot drama project. Rehearse February 15th - 27th in London, followed by 2 weeks of performances in Gloucestershire in April.  Fee £930 + travel expenses. If interested please email photo, CV and letter of interest to Phil Fox: phil.fox@outsidedgetheatre.com

www.outsidedgetheatre.com


Actors Wanted (1m, 1f, 1m/f), Elephant Foot
Closes Monday 11 January 2010
London
Unpaid   

Elephant Foot seeks three actors for its upcoming run of Wealth:

1 male, 20-30s, white ethnicity. British or North American accent.
1 female, 20s, black ethnicity. Central East African (Rwandan) accent.
1 male/female, all considered. Androgynous.

Experience in physical theatre and movement/dance desired but not essential.

Please send a CV and headshot to auditions@elephantfoot.co.uk 

Auditions will be held during the day on Sunday 17 January.

Rehearsals will commence 25 January for production in March.

There is the possibility of a subsequent production/tour.

Funding for this project is being sought, but reimbursement for the initial March production cannot be guaranteed.

Website: elephantfoot.co.uk.


Workshops and Courses (non WRiTEON)

Performance with Classworks Theatre 18-25 Group

This group is for anyone interested in exploring the nature of performance in a wider context.  Using text, installation, physical theatre, ensemble and site specific work, participants will have a chance to explore performance and the relationship between audience and actor.  This term will be devoted to devised work aiming for a short performance at the end of ten weeks.

Suitable for both experienced performers and those who would like to try for the first time.  There is no audition process and all are welcome.

Dates: 14 January, 2010, 7.15pm - 9.15pm and weekly thereafter

Venue: ADC Theatre, Park Street

Cost:  £5 per session or £45 per term (concessions e.g. students or unwaged),£7 per session or £60 per term (waged)

Tel: 01223 321900
info@classworks.org.uk
www.classworks.org.uk


Sitcom Writing Weekend with Euroscript
 
In this intensive weekend you'll develop your own sitcom while you master the machinery of this very distinctive genre to create classic characters, settings and plots.

You can use the carefully constructed exercise on the course to work on ideas you bring with you, or to help you develop completely new material from scratch.

You'll leave the weekend with a portfolio of original, enduring characters; ideas for episodes and further series, and a bullet point first draft of your own sitcom.

TUTORS
Fenella Greenfield and Paul Bassett Davies

VENUE
Central London. To be announced.

DATE
Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th February 2009
10.30am-5pm (registration 9.45am)

PRICE
£150 (£135 concessions)
For more information Click here to log onto Euroscript or contact Paul Bassett Davies: paul.bassettdavies@euroscript.co.uk


Community Events

Bogles, Boggarts and Big Black Dogs - Tales from the Fens
Cambridge Storytellers on Tour

An afternoon of enthralling local legends, suitable for brave 8-year-olds upwards.Hot chocolate included.
Dates and Venues:

9 January               Central Library, Cambridge
16 January              March Library
23 January              Whittlesey Library
30 January              Ely Library

Tickets available from your library, families £2, individuals 50p.
For further details contact Helen Taylor, 01223 703522
helen.m.taylor@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or visit www.cambridgestorytellers.com