Throughout 2012
Since September 2010, Theatre Royal Stratford East has been asking the people of East London and beyond what they want to appear on its stage from January to July 2012. Called Open Stage, this initiative is designed to let the public have complete programming power. After talking to around 3,000 of you, you have told us that you wanted new work, and that in this we should prioritise new plays and musicals. You want work that is familiar in some way - be it a story or reference point - and many of you wanted to have a deeper relationship with us. With all this in mind, we will continue our Open Stage initiative and present a series of ways in which we talk to you about stories and shows that you may want to see on our stage in the not-too-distant future.
Open Stage is supported by Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the National Lottery through Arts Council England and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Open Stage highlights include:
CINDERELLA
Click here for more information on our 2011-2012 panto.
ANGELIC TALES
Acclaimed writer and director Rikki Beadle-Blair and his Team Angelica have personally selected some of the most interesting pieces of new writing around to present as rehearsed readings in February and March. Then, for the second edition of Angelic Tales, we're putting a call out for new plays to be selected for development. The most promising twenty plays will be rehearsed and read in front of an audience. Through the Open Stage process, there will be opportunity to debate and comment on the work and the theatre pledges to further develop at least one of the most popular pieces to a professional performance level.
Click here for more information and to book tickets.
Presented by Theatre Royal Stratford East in association with Team Angelica
A COMMUNITY SHOW IN AND AROUND THEATRE ROYAL STRATFORD EAST
A huge number of people who took part in Open Stage told us they wanted to be more involved with Theatre Royal Stratford East - including putting on a show. Over Easter we will turn the building inside-out for a mass participatory show - with performance spaces throughout the building - creating a tailor-made promenade event.
More information to be announced.
MUSICAL THEATRE INITIATIVE: CONCERTS AND SHOWCASES
As part of our Musical Theatre Initiative, which has developed and produced new musicals from British voices since 1999, Theatre Royal Stratford East will present concert versions of some of our top musicals from the past decade, as suggested by you: The Big Life, Come Dancing, and The Harder They Come. Come and relive the passion of the songs and stories you loved the first time around.
Then join us for a showcase of scratch performances of new musicals as we continue our search for artists and help them develop the musicals of the future.
Click here to book tickets for the musical theatre concerts.
More information to be announced.
PUBLIC DEBATES
Have your say at three day-long public debates exploring the themes and values of Open Stage.
Democracy in the Arts: Whose art is it anyway?
Who has the right to decide what happens in arts spaces in a modern, diverse society? Can the cultural elite continue to define what art should be available for others? Who is really serving who?
Community Empowerment
How can organisations truly engage and involve the public in making decisions about their communities? Engagement experts and voluntary organisations explore the impact, practice and future of involving communities in the decisions that matter to them.
What ‘Big Society'?
Can the arts and cultural sector lead government thinking and policy around the Big Society? Does it want to? And what would this look like? Leading thinkers come together to explore these big ideas.
More information to be announced.
We'll also be handing over the bar for one night a month to the Open Stage volunteers who'll be programming a diverse selection of music and performance acts. Get in touch and tell us what you want to see!
Plus a host of Open Stage events, activities and ways for you to get involved!
Choose one of the following ways to get involved with Open Stage:
Volunteering
Discover more about theatre, gain skills and have fun. There's lots of volunteering opportunities at Theatre Royal Stratford East -- from helping out backstage with the technical team to creating and running events. Our weekly volunteer sessions (6:30-8:30pm Thursdays) are hives of activity and also include talks with guest speakers and theatre trips: a great way to meet and make new friends of all ages.
Ambassadors
Enjoy what Theatre Royal Stratford East does and want to tell people about it? We're looking for people to help spread the word and encourage other people to get involved. If you're enthusiastic, like meeting people, and are interested in arts and your local community then this is perfect for you.
Hosts
Theatre Royal Stratford East recently won the Most Welcoming Theatre 2011 award from the Theatrical Management Association. We're committed to making this theatre even more welcoming, especially for first-time visitors, so if you like chatting with people and making them feel at home, why not try hosting?
