News and Events
9 June 2010

MAD Festival 2010 Opening Night

We have a fantastic line-up of short to very short pieces for our opening night of the Monologues and Duologues Festival 2010, with themes running the gamut from sex farce to tragedy.  It all kicks off this Sunday at 7 pm in the bar of the ADC theatre. Book now - tickets are selling fast!

THE BOOK GROUP by Clare Shaw
Performed by Debbie Gallagher
Directed by Michelle Golder

Geraldine has made herself chairman of the book group but, having succeeded in getting the group to read Jackie Collins, senses that her position is threatened. Will she be able to carry on being ‘the Margaret Thatcher of the literary world?’

SOFA STORIES (5 linked duologues) by Julia Bolden
Performers include Jacob Millin, Isabel Rees, Simon Jones, Hind Shubber, Cara McLean, Stefan Haselwimmer, Sue Kenwrick and Simon Kelly
Directed by Sarah Ingram

A department store, one sofa, five couples at different life stages.

MR E. GUEST by William Patterson
Performed by Stefan Haselwimmer and Paul Holloway
Directed by Simon Kelly

A black comedy of revenge, betrayal and an assassin in Hush Puppies.

SEAN CARMICHAEL by Paula Fleming
Performed by Carla Keen and Carla Moore
Directed by Anita Lehmann

Gwen and Harriet have created a website for fans of the movie star Sean Carmichael, but when they finally get a chance to meet him in person, they ask themselves whether it is a wise thing to do.

A GLASS OF WINE WITH OUR MEAL by JR Hale
Performed by Robert Jezek
Directed by Sarah Ingram

Bill doesn’t approve of booze being in the house but soon becomes a wine buff. Is this for real?

CRASHED WHILE PARKING by Alan Dignam
Performed by Simon Jones and Hind Shubber
Directed by Michelle Golder

Trevor is almost engaged to his girlfriend Emma but on the eve of their formal engagement he tries to tell Emma it’s all off. Emma is determined to keep her man but her attempts at sexual experimentation, despite her religious convictions, go badly wrong...

NEW SHOES by Julia Lee Dean
Performed by Sue Kenwrick
Directed by Trish Rawson

Melanie will never forget the shoes she bought for him in the January sales. Shoe shops never lace them up properly and neither had he.

Sunday, 13 June 2010
7-9.30 pm
ADC Theatre Bar
Tickets £5 (concessions £4)
Book free online: www.adctheatre.com or phone 01223 300085

Writing Opportunities

Comedy Writer, Messrs Comedy

Submissions for the next Messrs Comedy event, scheduled for late August, are being accepted now.

The one-night pilot was a huge success and the plan for the second event is to perform over the course of three evenings in a central London venue. The main bulk of the forthcoming show will be the best material sourced from the pilot; however, new material will also be included.

The aim of the show is to promote new writing and create an evening of an almost tele-visual experience, giving each sketch a theme tune. With this in mind, should you wish to have any sitcom extracts or comedy film extracts performed please don't hesitate to submit those as well.

All submissions must have minimal technical requirements and run no more than six minutes in length.

Closes: Saturday 10 July 2010
Unpaid
Contact: Hugh O'Shea & James Britton at messrscomedy@googlemail.com

Writers Wanted, Spilt Milk Theatre

Spilt Milk Theatre are seeking short plays for their upcoming show 'Fourplay' which will showcase the very best in new writing. The show's theme is 'Game playing' whether it be psychological, sexual or even just a short play about scrabble.

We are predominantly looking for plays with an element of humour although not exclusively comedy.

All submissions need to be approximately 20 minutes long.

Spilt Milk Theatre's New-Writing productions have always been a critical and commercial success.

To find out more visit: www.spiltmilktheatre.com/

If you have already submitted scripts to us please do not re-submit.

Closes: Sunday, 20th June.
Unpaid
Contact:submissions@spiltmilktheatre.com

Acting Opportunities

Actors Wanted for Wilde in New York

A pair of exciting new one-act plays based on Oscar Wilde stories and set in the Big Apple will premiere this autumn at the ADC theatre. A cast of four Cambridge based actors is sought for this profit-share production.

1. The Strangeness of Love - Stuart is a painter living with a younger man named Joe. Their first few months together have been blissful, but a visit from a catty friend threatens to ruin it all. Jealousy, insecurity and temptation come to the fore and Stuart and Joe's relationship may never be the same again. A moving, witty look at the dilemmas of love. Inspired by 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'.

2. A Bed for the Night - Jack lives with his partner Ernest. So why does he pretend to have a wife named Susanna? And what will Ernest do when he finds out? A sparkling comedy of confused identities. Inspired by 'The Importance of Being Earnest'.

Presented by Pleasant Danger Productions with the participation of painter Nicholas James Juett from the Cambridge Arts Movement.

Brief character descriptions:

STUART/JACK  Male, 30s-40s. American accent.

STUART - A successful painter, in love with Joe, a younger man. A sophisticated New Yorker with a sharp wit.

JACK - Lives in an apartment with Ernest, his long-term partner. Outgoing and carefree. Doesn't necessarily think things through as much as he should and tends to get himself into muddles. Once in, things just go from bad to worse and he finds it hard to extricate himself from the mess.

HAROLD/ERNEST   Male, 30s-50s. American accent.

HAROLD - Cultured, sophisticated. Bitchy, but not camp. Likes to know all the dirt about others. Has a nose for intrigue and gossip. Rather caustic, but highly amusing.

ERNEST - A successful New York tax attorney. Likes to stay fit. Jack’s partner for over twenty years. Is the older, more mature one in the relationship.  Responsible, professional. Probably works long hours in a high powered job. May own his own business or is a senior partner in a firm.

JOE/OSCAR       Male, mid to late 20s. American accent.

JOE - From Kansas. Potential male model material. Genuinely fond of Stuart and caring. Ambitious to be an actor. Not necessarily in the relationship for the long haul. Happy to take one day at a time and see where life leads. Much less mindful of the age gap than Stuart is.

OSCAR - Jack’s nephew. Engaged to be married. Quite young for his age. Slightly ditzy. In his own little world most of the time. No doubt is kept on a short lead by his girlfriend/fiancé. An engaging fellow, always ready for a laugh. Probably has lots of mates and is into sports. Very comfortable with Jack’s homosexuality and the fact that he lives with another man.

AUNT HARRIET    Female, 50s/60s. American accent, preferably Midwestern.
Motherly. Warm-hearted, good-natured. The salt of the earth. No-nonsense Midwest mentality. Gracious, but puts on no airs. Likes a nice chat and enjoys a good laugh. Interested in others. Very family-oriented.

Available Audition Dates and Times:

Tuesday 22nd of June, 2-10 pm, central Cambridge
Thursday 24th of June, 2-10pm, central Cambridge
(Further details and an audition time slot will be given in audition invites)

Rehearsal period: Monday 30th of August - Saturday 18th of September.  Rehearsal schedule will include daytime and evening rehearsals depending on performers' availability.

Performances: Tuesday 21st - Saturday 25th of September, evenings 7.45pm;
Saturday 25th Matinee, 2.30pm

To book an audition slot, PLEASE CONTACT DAVID GEASOR AT: d_sareggo@yahoo.co.uk

Casting for One Woman Show at the Edinburgh Fringe, Theatre Ad Infinitum

Theatre Ad Infinitum is looking for a strong leading female for their exciting new one woman production, The Big Smoke which will be premiering with Pleasance Theatre at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August. It will be directed by Nir Paldi, director of Odyssey which was an outstanding Sell-Out success at last year’s fringe and received massive critical acclaim including winning a Stage Award for ‘best solo performer’ and The Observer’s Best of the Fringe 2009.

This is a challenging but extremely rewarding role that will stretch and test the abilities of any actress.  Candidates must possess the highest level of singing/vocal capability, a high level of acting ability, a very strong character and be able to carry the full weight of an entire show with their presence on stage. Candidates should also be able to carry a believable North American and RP accent. 

The entire narrative and all the different characters are brought to life by one performer through song, speech and a distilled physical style. The original score is a combination of various musical styles from jazz to operatic to folk to cabaret.

The show deals with dark content and tackles suicide and depression.  It tells a story inspired by the lives and works of Virginia Woolf, Silvia Plath and Ann Sexton; a tormented woman whose search for identity becomes a descent into madness.

Full time rehearsals will run from the end of June right through July until the opening at the Edinburgh Festival. Performances will run from 4th August to the 30th with two days off - 17th & 24th August. Please do not apply if you are not available for the full period stated above.

First round of auditions will be held on Tuesday 15th of June 10am to 4pm.

To apply please send a cover letter and CV to Nir at tbsaudition@theatreadinfinitum.co.uk

You can read more about the company on the  website: www.theatreadinfinitum.co.uk

Closes: Monday 14 June 2010
Paid
London Based

Community News and Events

The Hedgehog Collective at the Cambridge Comedy Festival

The Hedgehog Collective is a lively, fast-paced sketch show written by Edinburgh Fringe regulars (and WRiTEON members) Alan Morgan and Paul Richards. 45 minutes of silly, good hearted, and occasionally quite rude fun. Directed by Pamela Jenner; starring Colin Woodham, Vaughan Allanson, Juliette Burton and Heather Yeadon.

Date: Sunday, July 11, 2010
Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: The Boathouse, Cambridge
Tickets £5.50, book by clicking HERE

Julia Bolden at the Cambridge Comedy LOL-athon
 
WRiTEON writer Julia appears in her second stand-up attempt at the LOL-athon at the Haymakers this Thursday (tomorrow) 10th June from 8pm. Also appearing: Joanna Breeze, The Silky Pair, Paul Laight,Richard Fox, Larry Dean and more, plus  host Andy Higson!
All for only £3! Wow!

Date: Thursday, June 10, 2010
Time: 8:00pm - 9:30pm
Location: The Haymakers, 54 High Street Chesterton
Tickets at the door

Cambridge Playwright Wins Award in Brighton Festival Fringe First
 
Cambridge Playwright Gytha Lodge has won the first New Writing South Best New Play Award for her play OTHERWISE. This new annual award is in recognition of an outstanding new play premiered at the Brighton Festival Fringe.
 
Chris Taylor, Director, New Writing South says ‘OTHERWISE by Gytha Lodge was original, truly theatrical, and formally inventive - with a sensational coup de theatre. All the judges agreed it was a diamond.’
 
Almost 40 plays in the Brighton Fringe were judged by a panel of eight judges from New Writing South.
 
The award winner receives £150 cash prize and New Writing South membership.  

Cambridge International Student Film Festival

From the 18th-20th of June a student film event of extraordinary proportions is coming to Cambridge! The public is invited to a celebration of student films from 21 countries across the globe.  Highlights include an opening ceremony with Hilary Bevan Jones (Producer and former Chairman of the BAFTA's), Q&A events with actors Tom Hollander (Pirates of the Carribean, In the Loop) and Samuel Barnett (The History Boys), a talk with Oscar-winning Documentary maker Jon Blair, an Award Ceremony and After Show Party and lots of other talks, workshops, panels and of course screenings of student films from all over the world! Films will be screened at various university premises.

All festival events are free, however places are limited and registration is required. Click here for the full festival programme and to register  http://www.cam-era.org

If you have any questions write to info@cam-era.org.

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