Hello from Summer School!

Hello to everyone that's reading this!

This is the Northern Stage Internet Crew.

If you are in the North East this Saturday, how about coming to our theatre and watching a series of small plays about time, put on by our fantastic directing team and 50 of the hottest young actors in the region show what they have produced.

On Monday morning of this week, these future stars came into Northern Stage with no script, with no script, no story and just a theme (Time). Armed with just a fantastic and dynamic directing team, these talented youngsters didn't just meet the bar; they raised the bar tremendously and have come up with a series of four short plays with almost everything: acting, comedy, tragedy, surprise and wit fitted into 14 minute slots.

All involved have put blood, sweat and tears into making this a success, without a word of complaint (until the vending machines ran out of chocolate!)

If you have nothing planned for this Saturday (25 July 2009), why don't you come watch this rather amazing spectacle? Tickets are only £5 and the play starts at 7.30pm and will last just an hour at the most. That's right, you'll be back home for the start of Casualty.

You can book tickets at the box office here by coming in personally, or phoning up the box office on 0191 230 5151, or on the website.

Thank you, and hope to see you this Saturday!

Ali Perros and Lucy McKenzie

Summer School Update!

This week, the participants in this year's Northern Stage Summer School have been working and developing on this years theme of time, much like last years theme of a Quest.

And like the years before, there are four individual stories from the two divided groups, the 11-14 year olds to the 15-20s - both have been working and devising two stories each on the ideas and meaning of Time, creating Time based stories.

As in the past, Mark Calvert, the Director of the Goblin Who Saved Christmas, has been as usual, hard at work on the Production. With him is a new Director on the Summer School scene, Ruth Johnson, director of Animal Farm, who is taking over from where Annie Rigby left off, and has had a similar, hardworking contribution to the Production.

The finished show is open to the public to attend on Saturday 25 July at 7.30pm, tickets will be £5, while the participants will have two free tickets for themselves to use for family and friends, all coming to enjoy our hour-long show!

Jorden Hildrew and Hal Robinson

Summer School 2009

It's Summer School time at Northern Stage again!

For one week only, the entire theatre is opened up to young people, giving them the chance to make their own show and perform it on our main stage. Alongside sessions on acting and devising theatre there are lots of opportunities to get involved with the technical, costume and marketing sides of the theatre.

With lots going on around the theatre, from acting and movement to prop-making and picture taking, keep checking the website for more information about this weekend's show!

Summer School 2009 - Apply Now!

20th to 25th July 2009
£120
11 – 20 year olds

For this one week only, the entire theatre is opened up to young people, giving them the chance to make their own show and perform it on our main stage. Alongside sessions on acting and devising theatre, there are lots of opportunities to get involved with the technical, costume, and marketing sides of making theatre.

For any young people who want to get involved but don't fancy acting, we also run a technical strand to the summer school, where participants find out all about lighting, sound and staging working with Northern Stage’s technical team.

The last two Summer Schools have been a huge success and demand has exceeded the 50 places we can offer. This year, to give as many young people as possible access we have decided to assign half of the places to new participants. All places will still be allocated on a first come, first served basis, so previous summer schoolers and new participants alike, you need to be quick to get your form in as places are limited!

To register your interest in taking part please download and complete either the acting or technical application form and return it to Jo Cundall, Participation & Programming Co-ordinator (The return address is on the form).

Please do not send payment now. Payment arrangements will be made once your place has been confirmed.

Jo will be in touch with those of you who have got a place by the end of March.

Subsidised Places

Northern Stage offers a subsidised place scheme for people who love theatre but would otherwise not be able to afford to attend the summer school. This year we will be offering 5 places for the reduced price of £30 each.

If you would like to be considered for a subsidised place please indicate this on your application form. Subsidised places will be confirmed by April.

Summer School 2008: full show video online

Whether you took part, knew someone who did or are just interested to see some of the freshest new talent developing in the region, you can now watch the full video of 2008's Summer School performance.

The link takes you through to our Summer School page, but you can open the video to full screen if you like - it's almost 80 minutes long, so make sure you grab a cup of tea first. If you're interested in taking part in next year's performance, we hope to have details available soon.

Summer School: More photos

It's the second to last day of Summer School and the participants are hard at work in the Tech rehearsal, getting ready for tomorrow evening's performance. In the meantime, we'd like to bring you two more photo galleries - the first involves lots of shoes, and the second takes place on set...

Shoes & Performers
Rehearsing on set

If you've not yet bought your tickets, they're just £5 each and available on 0191 230 5151 - the show starts at 7.30pm. If you know someone who is taking part, make sure they've reserved their free seats - last year's show sold out.

Summer School Day 2: Photos

Our summer schoolers get to choose a speciality area whilst they're here and one group are looking at marketing their show (Saturday evening 7.30pm, tickets are £5 on 0191 230 5151).

This afternoon saw them roaming the building looking for images to use on posters, flyers and whatever else they may come up with. Three cameras meant three smaller groups, so click through to look at each album, and make sure you tell us which you like in the comments.

Group A
Group B
Group C

Summer School 2008

Summer School is back and this time it’s hungry!

We have 56 people and 6 days to make a piece of theatre for a packed-out crowd (we hope!) this Saturday night.

Rehearsals have started with the two groups, each taking stories about quests and putting their own unique spin on them – so far we have worms, sleepy princesses, tragic guinea pigs, whispering witches and a lot of shoes.

And that’s not all, there’s a set to build, costumes to make, posters to design, flyers to print, choreography to choreograph, tickets to sell, lights to focus...

Keep checking back to see how we are doing - make sure you leave us plenty of comments...