http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/ en admin@thebroadwaybarking.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-01T11:08:49+00:00 http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/comedy-tickets-going-going/ http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/comedy-tickets-going-going/#When:11:08:49Z We've already reported to you that Lee Nelson tickets have now sold out, and that an impressive waiting list for returns is now in place - well it looks like Jon Richardson is proving just as popular! Richardson, star of Stand Up for The Week & 8 Out of 10 Cats is selling really quickly, so if you're keen to do some laughing this season, move quickly! "Richardson is a neurotic genius whose stuff on his hang-ups and rigid world view will make you weep!" - Radio Times **** - The Times **** - The Mirror ***** - Chortle Magazine There are also very few tickets left for Red Riding Hood. So few in fact that we've taken them off the website. Please call the Box Office (quickly!) if you'd like one of the remaining few. News 2012-02-01T11:08:49+00:00 http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/carolines-first-two-months/ http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/carolines-first-two-months/#When:10:50:11Z   My First Two Months At The Broadway Caroline Wood - Press and Marketing Officer It’s been a wonderful first two months for me here at the Broadway . I’ve temporarily taken over from Lucy Saddington as Press and Marketing Officer, while Lucy is on maternity leave, and will be here until the Autumn. Lucy brought her beautiful baby Holly into the office last week, and I very much enjoyed having a cuddle. One of the things I've enjoyed most about coming to the Broadway, is that it's enabled me to experience life in Barking and Dagenham. I'm ashamed to say that I'd never been to this borough since I moved down to London from Scotland five years ago, and it's been a revelation. I've been overwhelmed by the strong feeling of community the borough has, and the sense that everyone is looking out for each other - something I hadn't felt so strongly in Central London. I've got involved with promoting some of the community events that the Broadway supports, like Close Knit and the BYT shows, so it's nice to feel like, while I'm here, I'm contributing too. The Press and Marketing position here is terrific fun, and you never know what each day will bring. One day you’re writing formal press releases and arranging interviews for our incoming acts, the next you’re scrambling up a 20 ft ladder, dismantling the Christmas tree. It’s one of the things I love most about working in this area of the theatre – you’re never bored! Everyone in the office has been very welcoming, and they’ve made it easy for me to hit the ground running.  We’ve got an exciting and busy season ahead of us, so I’ll have my nose pressed firmly to the grindstone making sure that you’re all kept aware of what your local theatre can provide you with. Keep checking the website, and look out for our e-mail outs: there’s something for everyone. Blog 2012-02-01T10:50:11+00:00 http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/the-broadway-in-the-guardian/ http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/the-broadway-in-the-guardian/#When:11:31:53Z If you had bought tickets for Buddy Greco's show at the Broadway which had been scheduled to take place on Saturday 28 January but which was cancelled due to Mr Greco's ill health, please contact the Broadway Box Office on 020 8507 5607. We have made several attemps to contact all ticket holders in advance but there were four we were unable to reach. News 2012-01-10T11:31:53+00:00 http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/the-broadway-makes-the-front-page-of-the-stage/ http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/the-broadway-makes-the-front-page-of-the-stage/#When:16:00:15Z The Broadway is delighted that our friends at The Stage are as concerned as we are about the threat to the Broadway Theatre Co. In fact, they even went so far as to feature us as their lead story, smack bang on their front page. Check out The Stage's coverage of us here: http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/34544/dramatists-rue-heartbreaking-threat-to News 2012-01-04T16:00:15+00:00 http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-work-experience-at-the-broadway/ http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-work-experience-at-the-broadway/#When:15:13:03Z Hayleigh Blinkhorne reflects on her time as a work experience student at The Broadway...     I feel extremely privileged to have been one of the few people to have their work experience at the Broadway Theatre.  The programme that they run is both comprehensive and exciting, and gave me the opportunity to find out what each role within the Theatre does and to spend time with the people doing that role. While some of my friends have been filing and clearing things away in offices, I have been involved in a Press Night, Youth Theatre Sessions, watched and was asked to write a review of the Pantomime, to name only a few of the tasks assigned to me.   At the Press Night, I met people from local newspapers, members of the general public and local school children who sang carols in the foyer as the audience arrived. I helped to sell programmes in the foyer and met a variety of different people.   I also attended two Youth Theatre Sessions. At the first one, I observed as they rehearsed for their ‘Sharing’ which they were performing before the Christmas break.  I then was able to watch their actual Sharing performance, which was funny, entertaining and showed off the many different skills the different age groups of children had been honing.   Writing a review of the Pantomime was easy as the performance was both fresh in my mind, and hard to forget! Parts which stayed with me included some of the panto jokes which had a hidden meaning that only adults would understand.   The best thing about this work experience is how different every day is and how you really get to gain an overall understanding of exactly how much there is to do in a theatre to make a production work and succeed.  I never realised how much hard work goes into preparing for each new show.  I do not have a bad thing to say about this and the only difficult thing to get used to was the different hours of work and working on a Saturday.   In summary I am really thankful for this experience and would love to stay associated to the theatre and help out as often as I can. News 2011-12-15T15:13:03+00:00 http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/hayleigh-reviews-the-panto/ http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/hayleigh-reviews-the-panto/#When:10:33:27Z  Our work experience student Hayleigh Blinkhorne has been with us for a couple of weeks, and amid her photocopynig, filing, and generally being an office angel, she found time to review our panto...   PANTO REVIEW!   This year’s pantomime performance of Aladdin at The Broadway Theatre is one not to be missed. A popular venue with a warm welcome! The script was dotted with jokes suitable for both children and adults, and was very up to date, referencing the hit series ‘Strictly Come Dancing,’ the eviction of ‘Misha B’ from ‘The X-Factor’ and ‘Eastenders’. The actor playing Aladdin’s brother, Wishy-Washy, was brilliant at getting the audience to participate, even getting the audience out of their seats! He really developed a bond with the children, which I think the parents very much appreciated. Jasmine (Roxanne Douro) filled the room superbly with her graceful vocals, and Aladdin (Michael Sewell)’s voice complimented hers beautifully. All the songs used were from today’s charts, which developed a nice spin on the play. Using the songs the young audience already know and enjoy created a fantastic sing-a-long atmosphere. The pair performed their songs with strength and passion which made an impact on the audience. Abanazar, the evil magician, performed the role perfectly to a chorus of boos and hisses. Aladdin’s mother, the dame, was an extremely funny, very well developed character and worked well with her on stage son Wishy Washy. The flying carpet was a very successful special effect wowing the children and adding an element of magic. The chorography was fun, but I would have preferred the routines to have been a little bit more developed. I also think the journey in which the emperor, Aladdin’s mother and Aladdin’s brother go to the castle in the middle of the desert could have been developed to include a few twists and turns in the road.  Overall, however,  the pantomime was an experience to remember. Although almost the entire audience was entirely made up of local schoolchildren, they made for a terrific crowd: cheering and booing as prompted by the cast. They were extremely pleased when Wishy-Washy arranged a singing competition between them and their teachers, parents and other adults.  When he announced he had sweets the audience went wild! I think the audience enjoyed being part of it, loved all the shouting and after all, what would panto be without it?   By Hayleigh Blinkhorne Work Experience –The Albany School Aladdin 2011, Youth 2011-12-14T10:33:27+00:00 http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-at-panto/ http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-at-panto/#When:10:27:36Z Beth Robinson, this year's costume maker for Aladdin talks to us about what her job involves... I moved to London from North Wales at the age of 18 to study for a BA Hons in Technical Theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. I now work as a Freelance Creative within the theatre, film and music industries. This involves working as anything remotely creative from scenic painting to costume design, prop making to make up. I have worked at the Broadway on and off for nearly four years now, starting as Assistant Stage Manager on 'Sleeping Beauty' a few years ago. This year I'm working as Costume Maker on Aladdin, which involves realising the designer's costume ideas from paper sketches to real life clothes that the actors can wear. This is done through sourcing and buying pre-made garments and customising them, buying materials to make items from scratch and altering costumes from the theatre's stock. It requires me to be resourceful and imaginative in the methods and materials I use as we're working to a tight budget. It is my job to ensure that all costumes fit the actors and are comfortable and non-restricting to wear for dancing, this takes place through a number of arranged fittings with each actor prior to technical rehearsals when all should be complete and only minor adjustments are being made. At this point I will hand over all costume maintenance to the Wardrobe Mistress and move onto other work. Aladdin 2011 2011-09-26T10:27:36+00:00 http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/get-your-scripts-in/ http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/get-your-scripts-in/#When:08:23:05Z Whether you're a new writer, established playwright or looking for some invaluable feedback on your script...the Broadway wants you and 10 pages of your script! Script This... is the bi-monthly new writing event held at the Broadway providing a platform for London's writers, giving them feedback from audiences and an opportunity to see their work developed. How it works: 4 scripts are selected by a panel and given the professional treatment by a director and a team of actors, who perform the script as a rehearsed reading in front of a live audience (who have a lot to say). Then the audience vote for the script they would like to see more of and that is the winner of the night! What happens next: the writer of the winning script will have the opportunity to come back the following Script This… evening and show the development of their play in a longer piece to the always eager audience. Please note Due to the overwhelmingly high number of scripts submitted entry for submissions for September's Sript This... is now closed. But please keep sending in your scripts as they will be considered for the next Script This... event which will be held in February 2012. If you have a piece in mind please send 10 pages or the equivalent of a 10 minute extract to scriptthis@thebroadwaybarking.com.   News 2011-09-05T08:23:05+00:00 http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/catherine-moggridge-joins-the-broadway-team/ http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/catherine-moggridge-joins-the-broadway-team/#When:13:43:11Z The Broadway is delighted to welcome Catherine Moggridge as the new Participation Coordinator. We caught up with Catherine during her first week.  I am delighted to join the team and have been learning about all the exciting ways people can join in and participate at The Broadway! I grew up in Southampton and was very lucky to be part of a youth theatre as a teenager, where I developed a great passion for theatre and enjoyed assisting in the sessions for younger groups! I had a brilliant experience studying theatre at Lancaster University where I experimented with lots of theatrical forms. I then joined Point Blank Theatre in Sheffield and devised and acted in their professional touring productions. This is when I first got a taste for setting up and delivering participatory projects and was lucky to work with a broad range of people across the city on a number of gutsy community productions. I went on to set up my own theatre company, Double Take, in Rotherham, where I worked with a diverse range of communities creating work for performance that aimed to give a voice to the voiceless. I then trained as a teacher and have taught BTEC Performing Arts courses and ‘A’ Level Drama and Theatre in several colleges, working with some very talented and creative young people. I have also worked for the Education Department at The Queens Theatre, Hornchurch, where I had excellent experiences working with their Youth Theatre and touring work for primary school children. I know that participation is central to The Broadway mission and believe in the transformative power of the arts! I am really looking forward to getting stuck in and developing even further opportunities for participation at the Broadway! So why not make it your mission to get involved!  News 2011-07-22T13:43:11+00:00 http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/pantomime-writer-marc-day-reveals-all/ http://www.thebroadwaybarking.com/blog/pantomime-writer-marc-day-reveals-all/#When:13:43:01Z Originally from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, Marc Day has travelled the world working in the entertainment sector in many roles from performer to stage manager, lighting designer to director. Through Marc’s career he has often put pen to paper and has this year returned to write the Broadway’s pantomime Aladdin. How did you get into writing pantomime scripts? Throughout my career working in various departments of theatres my favourite time of year has always been Christmas and the panto season. It was back in 2008 that I collaborated with a colleague to write a script for a production of Cinderella and since then I have written several panto’s on my own and more recently a new musical. How did you get involved with the Broadway? In 2010 I was introduced to Karena Johnson (CEO / Artistic Director of the Broadway) as the Broadway was about to create its first in-house pantomime production and my services were offered in an advisory capacity. The result of a production meeting was that I went away and wrote Snow White. After the success of Snow White I was thrilled when Karena approached me to write this years production of Aladdin. What is it like to write a pantomime script? Writing a pantomime script is like cooking a delicious meal from a complex recipe if you miss an ingredient it won’t taste good. Getting the correct balance of plot, comedy, music and audience participation are the ingredients of a good entertaining panto although it can feel quite odd writing something so associated with Christmas before summer has even made an appearance. Was it easy to make the script relevant to Barking? As a writer watching the audience response to Snow White last year was fascinating and has certainly helped with writing Aladdin. There are certainly lots of modern songs and references to make the show more relevant to the Barking audiences. Endless research on the urban dictionary has proved invaluable whilst you tube and itunes have made a large contribution to the choice of songs. Personally I enjoy writing for the Broadway as it takes me away from my usual choice of musical theatre songs and more traditional panto moments often developing the characters to feel more connected with today’s society. Now it is time for me to pass the final version of the script over to the production team to create the magic and fun, whilst I await the opening night and hope that the audiences approve of my contribution to the show.  Aladdin 2011 2011-06-20T13:43:01+00:00