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Photoshoots and stray doggies!

16/1/2022

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Fabulous early call for photoshoot at Chestnut Community Centre with the two lead actors in our stage production of Ben Hur. By this time next week the posters will be ready.
A huge thank you to Jenny for doing the photos and to Carol for sorting Judah Ben Hur’s outfit.
Third photo is Spirit- a large and beautiful elderly stray dog who joined us for a little while (now reunited with his humans)
#theatre #benhur #brixham #actor #actorslife #regionaltheatre #britishtheatre #torbay #acting #photoshoot #modellife #stage #performingarts #creative #dog #doggie
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Audience research 2021

8/8/2021

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To get an idea of getting our shows advertising again after the pandemic, we ran a small survey about theatre-going. It wasn't enormous, we had 16 replies so far (it is stilopen) and we need to thank everyone who filled this out as it has revealed some very useful trends and information which we will be taking into account. For anyone wishing to still do the survey, it is online HERE  

For theatre practitioners elsewhere, putting this into context, this survey was mainly shared around local discussion groups and forums in the rural southwest of England, aiming at reaching "the ordinary person in the street" to capture their views and feelings. 

If you wish to share this information in a publication etc, please credit The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company, 2021. ​
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An update on theatre performances following the August 13th 2020 government announcement.

14/8/2020

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We have been very pleased to hear of the UK governments move towards allowing limited indoor performances from August 15th 2020, and the associated guidance on the uk.gov website.
Having reviewed the information as updated, we wanted to set out, for clarity, how this will affect us.
For the time being, we will not be returning to live shows in physical spaces (though once it is safe and possible, we will be back with bells on!) and will be continuing to focus on our Autumn “Virtual season” and while we will regularly review the situation whenever new information and guidance comes out, we are not expecting a return to live physical performances until at least the awaited announcements from the British Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, expected in November 2020.


This decision is for a number of reasons.
  • Our actors earnings are usually based on the ticket sales (profitshare), and a lower number of seats available for sale, means less earning potential for our cast and crew. Venues also often rely on sales of refreshments etc, to fund the venue, aside from the hire/ box office split, so it is also difficult for a lot of our regional venues right now.
  • Furthermore, while here in Devon, we are in a relatively safe area with lower numbers of Covid-19 cases, our shows do tour, including to venues outside of the area, some of which do have higher rates of infection. We would be very remiss in exposing our cast and crew to these higher-infection rates, or risking one or more of us bringing it back to family and friends.
  • A lot of venues, especially older Victorian or earlier buildings (some of our venues go back to buildings from the 1600s and 1700s), do not easily allow for recommended social distancing back/ sidestage, in what is often a quite cramped area.
  • A number of our regular venues have taken the decision to be closed until the New Year.
  • Rehearsals still need to take place with social distancing in place, either 2 metres radius between people, or 1 metre with masks/ PPE. Actors also should not face one another unless absolutely necessary. This makes it near impossible (or impossible) to rehearse a naturalistic performance involving physical interaction between people and set (what is called “blocking”.), though it would work for simple recitation (which our shows are not).
  • Actors and crew, at all times, must remain a minimum of 2 metres from any member of the audience.
  • We have looked into the possibilities of performing outdoors, however, again we have encountered a number of issues. In addition to the socially distanced rehearsals/ performance issues, when out of doors, you require additional microphone and sound equipment so that audiences can hear you – sound is easily carried away outdoors. While we could borrow a suitable speaker system, we would not have enough microphones for the whole cast (microphones cannot be shared, there was a serious infection case in Northern Ireland, where a cast shared a microphone). Actors of course need access to changing spaces and toilets (audiences also need access to toilets) which means it is not possible to just “set up in a field”. We have found that every event needs a minimum of a calendar month to advertise, market, re-rehearse, and plan the logistics. If you do not have marketing and advertising in place one month before, as a minumum, you will be unable to sell the tickets in a reasonable enough amount. You need a large space again, to make it worthwhile for the cast and crew, with socially distanced audiences (again, down to earning from the ticket sales, and while most of our actors are from the local region, we also have actors and a technician, who come over from the Republic of Ireland to work in our shows.).
    From our experience of street theatre, this is again impossible as you cannot charge for tickets, meaning the actors cannot earn, and that is an unacceptable situation unless you are an amateur dramatics club, which we are not. We also found doing street theatre years back , even with marshals in place, that people often will push through an audience, climb over barriers, and physically collide with performers, in fact at least one of those incidents - often more- would happen every single performance, which in this situation is utterly unsafe for everybody., for distancing etc. In addition to which, the scale of our current shows, (full scale 2 and 3 hour plays, professionally performed, with costuming etc for a cast of around 10-12 ) does not allow for performance on a street corner.




In the meantime therefore, we have our Virtual Season, which is allowing for some incredible collaborations to form, and some super broadcast theatre with new and established creatives to our team, working almost entirely online. We are also working with the Arts Council and Torbay Culture, to create a filmed performance piece about local Brixham ghosts and spooky tales, which creates some brilliant fully paid work for some of our actors; and we are in rehearsals for physical shows, to return to the physical stage once it is safe, and cost effective. We are also planning further ahead with writing for new shows, and working with more theatre shows through 2021 and 2022.


When we are able to return to the physical stage, our cast, crew and audiences should be aware that there will likely still be some level of restrictions, or additional guidance still in place, and to work with us on those.


We also recognise that there may still be a number of people, who may feel unsure about attending the theatre in person. We are working to run livestreams of our performances (at least one per production) from the venues, so that for those who would rather attend the theatre from the safety of their own home, they are able to, for the same ticket cost. Early equipment tests are proving very positive, and we are now working on linking the systems to high-quality cameras to provide the best audience experience.


There are also a number of other creative plans, the viability of which, will be looked into through the autumn, and developed from this work. (Some will succeed and others not be deemed as likely to work) so we are using this time as usefully as is humanly possible.


We fully realise that some of these “realities” of why we are not doing the “distanced indoor shows”, are hugely disappointing to many, both our audiences and our creatives, however, we feel that it is very important that we do everything in our power to ensure the wellbeing of our cast, crew and audiences, while also continuing to create work and . It is much better to come back to physical shows, a bit later with everyone well and happy, than to have had some avoidable disaster.
With the understandable confusion already appearing in some articles circulating online, regarding the August 13th announcement, we wanted to take the time to explain in detail, where we stand, and the reasons for our decisions.  


​Laura Jury

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Launching new clothing & homewares line

23/5/2020

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The Show Will Go On. A new design designed for the Covid-19 pandemic, keeping the lights on for theatre, fundraising for the ongoing survival of The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company, an internationally awardwinning team based in the Southwest of England, with performing members in several countries. During the pandemic, we are creating new shows streaming online from home, and making lots of plans for when we can return to live touring. Every penny raised from each sale of this design, goes directly into our Covid-recovery programme.
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The Show Will Go On

15/5/2020

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Internationally award-winning Brixham theatre company brings Shakespeare's classic Midsummer Night's Dream to life, defying lockdown in an international, online performance, with actors performing from their homes.
“The course of true love never did run smooth ”
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 1 scene 1



Shakespeare's classic comedy, is brought to life in a lockdown production, by a theatre company based in Brixham, South Devon.
Already in rehearsals for the live shows, with a national tour being booked for the live shows, when the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, caused postponement and cancellation of live shows for several months, for every theatre in the UK. Of course, many theatres, both venues and production companies had no choice but to close, and work for professional actors temporarily collapsed.
The South Devon Players decided to resist the trend, and as well as postponing (not cancelling!) the usual shows to such time as when it is safe for theatre venues to reopen, the Players decided to create online performances, in which the actors come together to perform online from the safety of their own homes. This in itself has not been easy, as many people in the team, have had to learn new technology & software, and find ways to make it work on household electronics, with the cast and crew working from their lockdown locations mainly in south Devon but also sheltering in place spread across the UK, as well as the Republic of Ireland, and Los Angeles in California.
The first of these online performances, is a full length, costumed production of William Shakespeare's classic romantic comedy; A Midsummer Night's Dream. Keeping as close as is possible to the originally planned steampunk styling of the live shows, the members of the team are dilligently rehearsing and learning software online, creating costumes and makeup styles, to create this show, and develop an entirely new way to present theatre using modern technology during this time.
Following this first performance, the Players are also planning further online shows, performing Shakspeare and other classic dramas, in the same way.
The South Devon Players Theatre and Film Company, are developing a proud history of Shakespeare productions, as part of their focus on historical and classical dramas. In 2019, their production of Macbeth, was booked for a second tour and won an international theatre award in New York for its professionalism and creativity. Laura Jury, the director of that production of Macbeth, & many of the Player's shows, and founder of the theatre company, has returned to lead this new project. Laura has also recently been selected to appear in an online Shakespeare project by the Globe Theatre in London. The South Devon Players were founded in the winter of 2005-6, on the proceeds of a carboot sale, to create professional opportunities for local actors, and has flourished ever since; previously winning national and regional arts awards, including the national Epic Award 2017 for England, a national arts award celebrating creativity and innovation in grassroots arts. Based in Brixham, the Players primarily specialise in researched historical theatre productions and old “Classics”.



William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream will be broadcast on the evening of May 30th 2020, as a ticketed event online, with tickets costing £5 each. All details on how to book tickets, and receive the online viewing links, are available at the company's website www.southdevonplayers.com.
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Announcing our first lockdown show

4/5/2020

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A full costumed production of Shakespeare's classical fantasy drama
This production is the full uncut script.

A production performed via video-conference from our actors homes PERFORMED ONLINE AT
www.southdevonplayers.com (full link made available to ticket purchasers. Link includes the page where the show will be streamed, a virtual programme, and a production blog covering the month running up to the show.. We would like to reccomend that a laptop or PC, or internet enabled television, is used for the best audience experience)

Running time approx 2.5 hours plus half-time interval. Doors open 30 mins before the performance start time. The show will be available to watch back or catch up on for the ensuing two days after the first streaming.
If you have any questions about the show, please feel free to email us on southdevonplayers@gmail.com
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Laura Jury (also sometimes appearing under the stage name Laura Jay), from The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company, Brixham appears in Leaders Council podcast alongside Geoff Hurst.

28/2/2020

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The Leaders Council of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is currently in the process of talking to leadership figures from across the nation in an attempt to understand this universal trait and what it means in Britain and Northern Ireland today.

Laura from The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company was invited onto an episode of the podcast, which also included an interview with Geoff Hurst. Host Matthew O'Neill asked both guests a series of questions about leadership and the role it has played in their careers to date.

Matthew O'Neill commented, ‘Hosting a show like this, where you speak to genuine leaders who have been there and done it, either on a national stage or within a crucial industry sector, is an absolute honour.’

Lord Blunkett, chairman of The Leaders Council of Great Britain and Northern Ireland said, ‘I think the most informative element of each episode is the first part, where Matthew O'Neill is able to sit down with someone who really gets how their industry works and knows how to make their organisation tick. Someone who’s there day in day out working hard and inspiring others. That’s what leadership is all about.’

You can listen to the podcast in full here: https://youtu.be/LIZ9du16ot0

You can also discover more about both Laura Jury and Geoff Hurst here:
http://www.leaderscouncil.co.uk/members/laura-jay
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Working on new ways to grow the arts organically

7/1/2020

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In these times, with budgets stretched, and marketing of shows always being a challenge for any theatre company, we are proposing this new initiative, where theatre companies exchange advertising. A text page of line adverts in a programme, where we list each others productions in the same region, means that we all reach more audiences, encourage theatre-going, and grow together.  This isn't intended to exchange money, just help one another with a few lines of text. 

Since it is based on an exchange, (just with the provision of a checking copy to the companies involved, to prove openly that agreements are honoured), it should hopefully be something that is accessible to all companies. 

We are based in the Southwest (Southwest UK), and that is the area that we would cover, but if people in other areas of the country want to initiate the same kind of idea - that would be awesome :) 

Please get in touch if you would like to exchange with us, and get involved in this new idea. 
​Laura (company director) - email southdevonplayers@gmail.com
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The South Devon Players launch new corporate sponsorship

27/11/2019

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sdp-_introduction_to_corporate_sponsorship_opportunities.pdf
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The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company, in conjunction with the South Devon Players Supporters Trust are launching the next part of our fundraising drive, with the corporate sponsorship pack.  This is to raise funds for ongoing productions; expenditure includes rehearsal hall hire, costumes, props, printing of scripts & publicity materials, insurances, wages to cast & crew, provision of educational workshops & training. This supports the cultural work of our company, leading to the creation of educational experiences in theatre, literature and history, for our audiences & cast, as well as the development of both theatre-industry specific skills, and wider transferable skills for general employment and day-to-day life, for those working with us. 

For more information; or to chat about this project, please contact southdevonplayers@gmail.com, or call Laura on 07855 090589
Our Audiences & Marketing Reach

“The power of the final scene was such that the audience sat transfixed in silence, barely able to comprehend the beauty of what they’d just witnessed”
Rick Stone – Audience member, 2019.



​Awards:


Our productions have won international, national and regional awards including the Theatre Partner Award at the Long Island Theatre Awards New York in 2019, the BrixAward for community contribution in 2019, the All-England Epic Award in 2017, the Torbay Together: Creativity In The Community Award in 2014, with national and international film festival nominations for our film and video projects, including the Los Angeles Cinefest, Miami Epic Trailer Film Festival, and the UK Screen One International Film Festival.


Audience Figures for The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company are growing:


  • Between June 2018 and Oct 2019, our physical audiences increased by 490%.
  • Online followers on social media increased to over 22,000 from 44 countries.
  • Audiences grew with both many new attendees, and a high retention of returning audiences from previous shows.
  • Audiences are also building abroad with those who cannot attend our shows in person, viewing our stage productions online. These include private individuals, and schools, primarily in the Americas, Middle East, and Asia.


Marketing Reach:
  • Online newsletters and social media posts reach over 23,000 people internationally, directly, and many more with shared posts and forwarded messages.
  • Printed theatre programmes for each show reach all audiences, around 63% of audience members purchase one. They are often shared when people make group bookings.
  • Online sales have increased year on year although box office sales “in person” remain popular.


Audience Profile:
  • We have a local physical audience based on regional demographics.
  • The average local age is 44, with a higher number of retired people
  • An average of 91% of residents are UK born, however in the summer we see an increased footfall from people on holiday due to being a high-tourist area.
  • We have a large international following, who follow our shows online using such tools as YouTube or social media feeds. Our current social media following is over 22,080, before counting an organic reach.

Location & physical footfall:
  • While our rehearsal venue is a small community centre out-of-town, we ensure that our performances take place at central locations in towns and cities, close to public transport as well as parking.
  • Show / project advertising in physical locations is centred on, though not in any way limited to, the town centres & city-centre locations where the shows are talking place. Current shows typically tour South Devon, and then go on to Bristol. We are hoping to expand further as funding and venues permit. 
Sponsorship benefits

​Powerful brand association with innovation, creativity and world-class performance, produced in the heart of beautiful South Devon, through the activities of a fast-growing organisation.
  • Access to multi-channel marketing activity, including campaign-wide branding and logo for main sponsors
  • Direct connection with our audiences; communicate your key messages to a receptive target market via a printed programme, newsletters, and online.
  • A variety of different activities to get involved with from making it happen on stage, to making it happen in the community, contributing to, and being seen as a key factor in developing theatre in the regional artistic and cultural landscape, alongside the improvement of training and employment prospects for regional people
  • High profile marketing activity; make a splash, with regional and international reach in print, online and social media
  • Have full transparency as to how 100% of your sponsorship is used with reporting and acknowledgements.

Corporate Sponsorship Packages

The list below describes opportunities that are currently available. We love to explore ideas and come up with a creative package that will fit your aims and identity. Please get in touch to start a conversation. Corporate sponsorship may count as tax-deductible.
We use 100% of monies or items in kind, for the growth and benefit of the South Devon Players.
If you have a specific preference as to how your contribution is used, please discuss with us in advance about the ringfencing of your contribution for that specific purpose. As well as being open to discussing flexible schemes tailored to you, we also have the following schemes:

Business Friend of The South Devon Players
From £50 per year
As a Business Friend of the South Devon Players, your annual subscription is invaluable to sponsor rehearsal space, costumes, props, or promotion of the group.
In return; you will receive

Vouchers for two free tickets per year.

A signed poster from the cast of each show
A “Thank you” text credit in printed programmes for that year.
Regular email newsletters.

Production Sponsorship
From £500 per year (SME's)
From £1,000 per year (large)
As a Production Sponsor, your company logo will be added to our show marketing. Your contribution will not only allow your logo and advertising to be seen by all of our prospective audience, but also all those who encounter our advertising. In addition to a strong marketing opportunity, you will be supporting the development of creative opportunities for local people and the development of wider skills which will contribute to the quality of life, and work skills, of local people.

All of the benefits of Production Sponsorship below are included:
  • Creative PR launch as part of show marketing campaign 
  • High resolution photography for use in your own marketing & PR (Minimum 4 images)
  • Full page advert in our printed programmes
  • Your logo on posters (usual distribution 100-150), banners (roadside), and flyers (shops & door to door: 2,000 – 4,000)
  • Your logo and a weblink on all e-newsletters for the duration of the rehearsal and performance period for the show.
  • 4 free tickets to the theatre production.
  • Show poster signed by cast
  • 4 complimentary programmes
  • Your company logo on our show videos reaching up to 23,000 direct social media followers of our work globally.
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The South Devon Players Supporters Trust launch new gift memberships "The Friends of the South Devon Players

23/11/2019

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Our wonderful Supporters Trust, formed of long-standing friends and fans of our work, are busy creating ways for members of the public to help support the work of our company. 
As a result, we are launching public memberships, where for a small annual fee, every penny of which is used to directly fund production costs (rehearsal space, costumes, props, show posters, etc). members of the public can gain exclusive benefits. 
We should be be very clear here. Buying a "Friends of" membership does not confer any preferential treatment should the member wish to apply to join our cast or crew (we are strictly against pay-to-play) and make this statement to avoid any misunderstandings. 
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Friends of the South Devon Players memberships are available at £10 for 1 year & can be purchased, or gifted.
Memberships purchased in November and December 2019 will arrive presented in a South Devon Players Christmas Card.

Benefits include:
- Concession rate on a ticket for each show (please contact for online code for each show)
- Tickets available to members one week before they go on general sale.
- Show posters signed by the cast.
- Membership card.
- Text thank you in programme.
- Access to social events at least twice a year.

To purchase, contact us on southdevonplayers@gmail.com with "Friends of South Devon Players" in the title line. 
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<<Previous

    Updated by our founder
    ​Laura Jury

    This is our new format news page. To read all our news between 2010 and Jan 2015, please see our old format news page HERE

    If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at
    southdevonplayers@gmail.com

    The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company, is the trading name of The South Devon Players Limited;
    Registered at Companies House: Company number 11569166 
    ​

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