News and What's On

 

This is the place for all the latest information about GDL forthcoming productions and events.

If you're a member group, please keep us informed about your next production and anything exciting that's happening with your company.

To see what's coming up soon, go to the end of this page, or click here...

Please email your details as soon as you can (with a graphic, if you have one) to the webmaster


News
date added
 

Training courses galore! Two courses available within the GDL region this week - on the same day: Saturday 24th July 2010.

In the Howardian Centre in Cardiff, The Unknown Theatre Company are running a special day of creative courses for young people including performance poetry, and writing your own musical. Fee £10 for the whole day! For full information see The Unknown Theatre Company's website: www.unknowntheatre.co.uk

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And on the same day in Neath, there's a Clowning Workshop for adults. This is what course organiser Damian Healy (well known to Neath Little Theatre audiences) has to say:

(please note: The Clowning outlined here is not connected with circus tradition clowning, but focused on performance clowning and comedy - the course is designed to cultivate the intuitive performer.)

"Laughter is the best medicine... well, at least that's what that dead guy said... In this one day workshop we will be exploring laughter and clowning - not silly shoes, and wigs - but the fun and simplicity of being ridiculous in the space - it is about play. I will be focusing on the individual, and what makes you funny - exploring individual quirks, and just what it is that makes us so ludicrously unique. How we are the clown in our daily lives - and how often we don't realise!

The workshop will be light-hearted, and playful - with plenty of laughs thrown in. It is suitable for all skill levels, but will be tailored to those unfamiliar with clowning. For those interested in theatre it will be of great benefit to performance, and for those who are not, it will be a great confidence builder and a good laugh. "

There are 20 places available, and will cost - £20 per person. 18+ only.
Venue: Neath YMCA, Neath, South Wales.
Please email damian-healy@live.co.uk for more information, and to reserve a place.

20.07.10

Once again, Ian Sarginson GODA was our adjudicator for the Glamorgan One-Act Play Festival, held in Swansea's Dylan Thomas Theatre, 22-24 April.

There was stiff competition, but winners had to be chosen, and in the end it was Telstars Theatre Company's night, winning Best Adult Production for Ritual for Dolls - and other awards. The Unknown Theatre Company picked up the Youth Award for Cotton Girls.

Offstage, outside influences made this the most eventful and unpredictable festival in recent years. The full story and details of winners is now available. Photos to follow shortly.

Following the trend of recent years, two GDL productions - Telstars' Ritual for Dolls and The Unknown Theatre Company's Cotton Girls - made it through to the Wales Final Festival of One-Act Plays, held in Swansea on 4 & 5 June.

(Another GDL production, Gelligaer Young Farmers' Lear's Daughters, was the reserve production, in case any of the invited shows was unable to perform.)

And we had a great night: Telstars picked up the presentation award, and The Unknown Theatre Company won the festival, and went on to represent Wales at the British Final at the end of the month.

And while the girls from Unknown - the first youth company to represent Wales at the British Final - gave undoubtedly their best ever performance of Cotton Girls, it was Ireland's night, with the Howard de Walden deservedly going to the excellent production of Melody by Deirdre Kinahan, from Lurig Drama Group.

updated 04.07.10

The Drama Association has circulated some important information about the Olympic .380 BBM Revolver - as it fires blanks it may be used in stage productions. They guns are being reclassified as illegal and need to be handed in. Find out more in the pdf released by the Metropolitan Police.

23.05.10
Congratulations to Andrew Machin, the recipient of this year's prestigious Bob McTurk Bursary. Andrew receives a full bursary to the 2010 Drama Association of Wales Theatre Summer School. The bursary is awarded to a young actor (aged 18-25 years) who shows the most promise in the first round of the National Festival of Community Theatre in Wales (otherwise known as the regional one act festivals). This year's adjudicator, Ian Sarginson GODA, decided that Andrew would be the recipient after seeing him as Brian in The Unknown Theatre Company's production of Deoxyribonucleic Acid in the GDL One Act Play Festival last month. Well done, Andrew!

14.05.10
Cardiff and the Vale Coalition for Disabled People run a group for young disabled people with a range of activities, including the opportunity to getting involved in drama and music activities. More information available from Diverse2U's info sheet. (Word doc). 02.03.10
The website for the Drama Association of Wales went live today: www.dramawales.org.uk.

The website covers all the areas of activity that DAW is involved in and can give a good overview of what you get for your membership fee. The preparation for the website's launch has been undertaken by GDL Vice-Chair Lon David, and Swansea Little Theatre Committee member Ben Wheeler. Ben's company Beach Software, which donated the work on building the sites, specialises in the creation of websites, and a range of other e- and web related activities.
27.10.09
The Drama Association of Wales offers a special service for writers: a script reading service. For only £25 for a full-length play, and £17.50 for a one-act play, you get a critique from an expert with experience in the fields of writing, directing and academia. The written critique you receive is not edited in any way and is anonymous.

Plays receiving a 'rave' critique can be recommended by the service readers to DAW for consideration for publication though DAW does not accept any obligation to publish.

For further information, contact DAW at on 029 2045 2200, or via email at teresa@dramawales.org.uk or see their website www.dramawales.org.uk.

07.01.08

updated 17.03.10

Do you have any company news you'd like us to include on this page?  Let us know by emailing the webmaster.

Forthcoming productions

pile of playing cards with Queen of Hearts highlighted

The Dylan Thomas Youth Academy

Alice in Wonderland


The Dylan Thomas Theatre
Maritime Quarter
Swansea


7.30pm
Wednesday 21st - Friday 23rd July 2010 7.30pm
Saturday 24th July 5.30pm

Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland adapted by Charlotte Chorpenning , directed by Clare Friswell Owen.

Chasing the White Rabbit, Alice tumbles down the rabbit hole into Wonderland.

She meets all its famous residents: the King of Hearts, Red Queen, White Queen, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Gryphon, Mock Turtle, the Dormouse, Mad Hatter and March Hare, the Frog Footman, the Dutchess, the Caterpillar and White Rabbit.

More information available from clare@dylanthomastheatre.org.uk www.dylanthomastheatre.org.uk

The Unknown Theatre Company

Life, Actually


Howardian Centre
Hammond Way
Cardiff
(need a map ?)


7.30pm
Thursday - Saturday 22nd-24th July 2010

The Unknown Theatre Company is proud to present another in its tradition of commissioned new musicals. This show has been especially written for the company by professional writers with a strong connection to the company: Ashton Lesley Ross and Matthew Brind.

The show was commissioned in 2004 and tells the story of a week in the life of a school that is closing down.  We meet various pupils from the school and learn about their lives, their choices and what might be their future paths. 

Fantastic music and a great storyline!

(Matt is currently the Musical Director on the hit musical Legally Blonde in the West End and is also John Barrowman's MD. Local boy (from Bridgend) Ash is well known within the GDL community - not least in his role as bouncer to Miss Gladys Over - host and star of the 2010 Glammies). 

Tickets £8.50/£7.50 (concs)
Phone 029 2076 6056 www.unknowntheatre.co.uk

Briton Ferry Little Theatre

Proof


Briton Ferry Community Hall
Shelone Road
Briton Ferry


7.30pm
Thursday - Saturday 9th-11th September 2010

further information to follow on the show, which is the Welsh amateur premiere of the play.

Tickets £5 (10% discount for bookings of 10 or more people)

and are available from 01639 792497 or www.bignightboxoffice.com

See also www.bflt.org.uk

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Updated: 20.07.10

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