theatre blogs
My first experience in theatre was playing a street urchin in Oliver when I was 15. From the moment we were cast, we had to adhere to a strict diet to ensure we were skinny for show dates and we weren’t allowed to cut our hair. One week prior to opening night, we washed our hair, and that was the last time we were allowed to wash our hair until the end of show season, four weeks later! How times have changed! I wrote my first one-act play in 2021 and winning two awards, was motivated to write a jukebox musical (I wrote the script and added well-known pop songs) in 2003. It was a hit, playing to 12 full houses. 22 years on and I have lost count of the number of productions I have directed – Oliver, Annie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicoloured Dreamcoat, Hairspray, The Sound of Music, Grease, Wicked, Les Miserables, Footloose, The Wizard of Oz to name a few… and a number of Jukebox musicals. I design and make most costumes and have been awarded a number of CAT awards – including the Gold CAT in 2009. Last year I started writing a full musical, musically collaborating with a good friend, Gail Smith, on Cracks in the Mirror. It premiered in April this 2023 and is now available for licencing. We are working on our next musical in our spare time (we both have full time jobs that are not theatre!)
Directing
Directing a theatre production is extremely rewarding and satisfying. It’s also one of the most terrifying and time consuming things you will do. More so if you are with a small amateur theatre group, where the director does everything!! In these blogs I will share some of my experiences, the lessons I have learned including the good, bad and downright scary moments. Hopefully you will learn some good tips which will assist in your directing journey.
Auditioning
So you have made the decision to audition for an upcoming production. Congratulations!
But what exactly is the production team looking for in an audition? How do you prepare for the audition? How do you dress? Do you write which part you want? Demand to play that part and nothing else? (Yes I have experienced this!)
Hopefully you will gain some insight by reading my Audition blogs.
Other Theatre Stuff
Theatre isnt just about the actors on stage! Without sound, lighting, costuming, set designers and builders, backstage assistants, how would the show ever go on?
Understanding the other areas of production is really important, especially if you are studying for a career in performing arts or considering being a director. These blogs will give you some inside knowledge of working on theatre production.