Monday, April 29

NEWS

Panto is back in Blackpool this Christmas… OH, YES IT IS!
NEWS

Panto is back in Blackpool this Christmas… OH, YES IT IS!

For the first time in its 157-year history Blackpool’s famous North Pier will present a Christmas pantomime. The pier’s newly named Joe Longthorne Theatre will present Cinderella from Tuesday December 15th to Sunday December 27th. Starring Britain’s Got Talent winner and Scottish singer-songwriter Jai McDowall as Prince Charming tickets are on sale now from www.ticketsource.co.uk/blackpoolpiers The production of Cinderella is presented by Blackpool-based International Shows who already programme events in the unique venue. Managing Director Dominic Creighton was determined to see panto’ return to the resort this Christmas and, due to the vast size of The Joe Longthorne Theatre, the production can be staged with full social distancing in place. Dominic said: “We are absolute...
M6 Theatre Company to Stream When We Started Singing
NEWS

M6 Theatre Company to Stream When We Started Singing

M6 Theatre Company will be streaming a brand-new short film for families on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th November 2020. When We Started Singing for ages 5+ and families tells the story of Mr Popple (Declan Wilson), an elderly man whose acts of kindness bring his community together during lockdown. Written by Mike Peacock, the film began life as one of the winning entries in M6’s lockdown monologue writing competition. The theatre company went on to work with film maker Nick Farrimond to develop the piece. M6's Artistic Director Gilly Baskeyfield said: "Usually at this time of year we’d be creating a performance for schools which would then be toured to venues across the country. This year we’ve had to do things a little differently.  When We Started Singing reflects on a share...
Freedom Studios looking for new Youth Theatre members
NEWS

Freedom Studios looking for new Youth Theatre members

Award-winning Bradford theatre company Freedom Studios are looking for new members aged between 11-19 to join their Youth Theatre. Freedom Studios’ youth theatre continues to offer free weekly sessions and workshops creating a space where young people can connect, create, and express themselves. Some of the Youth Theatre members have formed a small film production company to make a short film. Not only will the film production team write and perform in the films, but they will be guided through a production process from fundraising and pitching to screening and dissemination.   All sessions will be delivered through a combination of Zoom workshops and in-person, where possible, at Kala Sangam under the guidance of actor, film director and online content creator Tanya Vital, ...
Keeping A Christmas Carol safe at Leeds Playhouse
NEWS

Keeping A Christmas Carol safe at Leeds Playhouse

It’s tough enough directing a big festive show but for Leeds Playhouse’s associate director Amy Leach she also needs to keep the cast and crew safe as they rehearse A Christmas Carol during a national lockdown. They are working in their own bubble where they regularly sanitise their hands, have daily temperature checks and the rehearsal room is fogged clean every weekend. This revival of Deborah McAndrew’s version of the Dickens classic began life at Hull Truck Theatre before becoming a hit in the Playhouse’s pop up theatre they used when the main stages closed for a multi-million refurb. And the need to perform safely has forced the creatives to offer their socially distanced audience a really different show when it opens on December 3 in the Quarry Theatre. “Myself and Hayley G...
ATG Announce Free NHS Tickets and Casting for Pantomimes Across UK
NEWS

ATG Announce Free NHS Tickets and Casting for Pantomimes Across UK

Ambassador Theatre Group are delighted to announce that all tickets for the first performance of their pantomimes, produced by Qdos Entertainment in Manchester, Bristol, Milton Keynes, Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham will be gifted to NHS workers and their families. Mark Cornell, CEO at Ambassador Theatre Group said today “The Ambassador Theatre Group is delighted to be showing pantomimes in five of our venues in Bristol, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Stoke and Birmingham this Christmas, thanks to the support of The National Lottery. ATG and its staff are also inviting our magnificent NHS and their families to the first performance at each venue free of charge. We hope that this small gesture shows how incredibly grateful we all are for what the NHS has done for this country”. NHS worker...
Paul Zerdin’s Hands Free Tour 2021 to visit Rhyl
NEWS

Paul Zerdin’s Hands Free Tour 2021 to visit Rhyl

Back by popular demand, Paul Zerdin and everyone’s favourite puppets are heading your way with a brand-new UK tour in Autumn 2021. Paul will appear at the Rhyl Pavilion Theatre on Thursday 28th October 2021 Sam, Albert, Baby, Roger the bodyguard and an urban fox have all survived 2020 locked down with Paul….well nearly. They can’t wait to see you, so get ready to be involved. As well as his hilarious characters ‘Hands Free’ features Paul giving us a glimpse into his own world showing us what it’s like to be able to throw your voice in everyday situations where anything and everything can talk back! Don’t miss out on your chance to see the winner of America’s Got Talent, the star of London’s Palladium Panto and without doubt one of Britain’s finest entertainers at the Rhyl Pavili...
Experience a new kind of Panto magic online
NEWS

Experience a new kind of Panto magic online

Oldham Coliseum Theatre have created a new kind of panto magic for 2020. Panto Digital Storytelling will be available online between Saturday 12th December and Saturday 2nd January. Although we’re all missing the spectacle of the Coliseum panto this year, the theatre has created a digital offer that gives audiences the opportunity to invite Dame Dotty Trott and Cinderella into their homes for unique tellings of their famous tales. Jack and the Beanstalk 2019 pantomime at Oldham Coliseum Theatre. Straight off the Coliseum stage these much-loved panto characters tell their stories as you’ve never heard them before – from their own perspective. Audiences will be able to choose between Jack and the Beanstalk with Dame Dotty Trott or Cinderella with Cinderella herself, with access to ...
53two & TripleC are back and bringing you another festive treat!
NEWS

53two & TripleC are back and bringing you another festive treat!

Last year, 53two teamed up with TripleC to create a Christmas advert on a minimal budget in the hope of delivering some Christmas joy whilst highlighting the lack of disabled artists seen on our screens. The response far exceeded their expectations. By Christmas Day it had received over 75k views. Following this success, the team are back this December to create another festive advert full of love, kindness and inclusivity. 53two is a charity offering support for creatives in all disciplines through workshops, placements, opportunity and more, as well as supporting countless charities across the UK with mentoring, venue, equipment, tech support and other resources. Although 53two’s plan of moving into their new fully accessible theatre venue has been delayed until 2021, they have remai...
MTFestUK Returns in 2021
NEWS

MTFestUK Returns in 2021

In February 2019, Paul Taylor-Mills launched the inaugural MTFestUK season which ran at The Other Palace followed by a second season at the Turbine Theatre in February 2020. Next year’s season will run from 1st – 13th February 2021. MTFestUK is a celebration of new musical theatre from around the world, and submissions are now open with shows for consideration to be sent to submissions@paultaylormills.com MTFestUK will follow the Turbine Theatre’s first pantomime, Cinderella: The Socially Distanced Ball, which will now be running from 3rd December to 23rd December 2020 and Hair The Musical (In Concert), directed by Arlene Phillips, originally part of the Jetty Season, which will now run at Southampton Mayflower Theatre on the 14th & 15th January, and at the London Palladium on 16th...
Theatre continues #GetBehindUs Crowdfunder due to extended closure
NEWS

Theatre continues #GetBehindUs Crowdfunder due to extended closure

Oldham Coliseum Theatre is continuing to fundraise to support its future as it remains closed to the public until early 2021. The theatre was less than two weeks from reopening with a season of Covid-safe, socially distanced events when the Government announced that a further nationwide lockdown would commence from Thursday 5th November.  The Coliseum’s first ever Crowdfunder has received phenomenal support, reaching its £40,000 target on the day the lockdown began. The theatre is continuing to fundraise and has now stretched this target to £55,000 Launched in September following the postponement of this year’s pantomime to 2021, #GetBehindUs asks people to support the Coliseum to help keep the magic of theatre alive and save Christmas in Oldham for generations to come. Having ...