The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company News

Tickets on sale at Brixham Theatre for Henry V

27/8/2021

Great news! We are so pleased to be returning to the live stage this year, with our production of William Shakspeare's Henry V.

Yes! A theatre show, on an actual STAGE! - **AT LAST!!**

Tickets have gone on sale at Brixham Theatre - you can book now at http://brixhamtheatre.uk
(direct link at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/brixham-theatre/the-south-devon-players-present-shakespeares-henry-v/e-vpblzv)

Brixham Theatre will have full covid safety procedures in place when it reopens in September 2021, and any questions relating to keeping your visit to Brixham Theatre safe, can be answered by emailing info@brixhamtheatre.uk

Back to the live stage! Don't forget - the Ben Hur auditions are this month

3/8/2021

Open theatre auditions for a southwest-touring theatre production of Ben Hur, based on Lew Wallace's classic novel.

The auditions will take place on Sunday August 29th, from 12.30pm - 5pm at our rehearsal base of Chestnut Community Centre, 1-3 Poplar Close, Brixham, Devon, TQ5 0SA.

People are welcome to "turn up" but with Covid-safety in mind, it is useful to contact us in advance because if we get a lot of applicants, we may stagger the castings through the afternoon to reduce group sizes.

We will let everyone who auditions, know the outcome of the casting by the end of the following week.

The rehearsals will take place many Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons (schedule dependent on role and actors availabilities given to us at auditions) at a local community centre in Brixham, before being performed in Devon, Cornwall and up in Bristol. Most of the show dates are already booked and are all on Friday evenings and/or Saturdays.
We do prefer that all actors are based in the Devon area.

Full Covid-safety procedures will be followed in auditions, rehearsals and shows.

We have roles for actors aged 18 - 80, which range from main principal actors, as well as smaller roles, and crowd scenes. We expect that most actors will end up taking on more than one role, other than key characters Judah Ben Hur, Massala, Myriam, Esther and Tirzah.

All actors and stage crew are guaranteed a minimum of an equal share of 100% of the ticket sales (as shared equally among the cast & crew) although our fundraising volunteers are also applying for specific funding to increase that to full Equity rates for you. Profitshares with us are very "open-book" and include full unedited copies of box-office sales reports.

This is a self-employed role and as such all actors will need to declare whatever they earn from the project to HMRC as part of their annual self-assessment.

Costuming is part-sponsored by Tesco Bags for Life.

All actors and crew will also receive copies of individual character posters featuring their main character, portfolio photos from dress rehearsals, videos of the performance, and copies of any press/ blogs/ reviews/ feedback in which they are featured.

Actors of all levels of experience are very welcome. We look at your talent and suitability for the role at auditions, not at resumes.

Some roles will require action (combat etc) scenes which will be headed by our fight choreographers. Training will be given. There is no nudity, or visual sexual content. There are a couple of verbal references to rape in a single conversation. There is very little bad language; the word "bastard" is used by one character. The show itself will be largely suitable for all ages.

All ethnicities, gender identities, religions, disabilities, and other demographics equally welcomed. The audition venue is fully accessible. If you have any questions abut this, or making the auditions accessible, please do get in touch and discuss (or with any other questions).
More info at https://www.southdevonplayers.com/auditions.html

Casting for a Fluellen for our live performances of Henry V

27/7/2021

THEATRE - TORBAY/DEVON - PROFITSHARE
Character: Fluellen- Shakespeare's Henry V.

Gender: Any (castings for this show have all been genderblind)
Age: playing age 18-80
Pay: Equal profitshare of ticket sales (100% of ticket sales divided equally among actors & crew), plus show photos and a video of the full performance.
Rehearsal location/ Dates: Brixham, in Devon Sunday afternoons: Oct 31st, Nov 7th/ 14th/ 21st plus tech at the theatre venue on evenings Weds Nov 24th & Thurs 25th
Performance location / dates: Brixham Theatre in Devon: Fri Nov 26th (evening), Sat Nov 27th (matinee & evening)
To apply: email southdevonplayers@gmail.com

Requirements: Ideally can do a Welsh accent though this is an optional bonus! Should also be based in the South Devon area as will need to attend the rehearsals and performances in person.

Notes & general information: This is a recasting to join our team who have previously done broadcast performances online of Henry V for Bristol Shakespeare Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe. Sadly our lovely original Fluellen is moving up-country for a new "day-job" and will be unable to do the "on-stage" performances. We will be asking our new Fluellen to learn lines between the time of casting and the "physical" rehearsals, as the physical rehearsals will mainly focus on the blocking and tech for the stage shows. One to one sessions at mutual convenience, with the director over Zoom can be arranged in addition. The script has some small cuts in it but is largely the original full text, set and costume styling is a mildly post-apocalyptic near-future.

Video of previous "online" performance and featuring the full cast you'll be working with, also available.
Our website casting page, although currently geared to our next main production casting, explains how we work with all our castings and shows including full details of how the profitshares are worked, our inclusion and covid-safety policies, and example of our actors agreements: https://www.southdevonplayers.com/auditions.html

And here is a video from our founder (also the director of this production) also showing a clip of a previous Shakespeare show performance by our team - on the same stage as we will be performing Henry V: https://youtu.be/ggB6sYWnd30

Play the #Torbay Lottery for just £1, support our #theatre work & creating arts opportunities for local people

14/7/2021

Play the #Torbay Lottery for just £1, support our #theatre work & creating arts opportunities for local people - AND be in with a chance to win a luxury #staycation- to enter, visit:
https://www.torbaylottery.co.uk/.../the-south-devon-players

Henry V tickets for Bristol Shakespeare Festival on sale (reminder & update)

5/6/2021

The tickets for our production of Henry V at Bristol Shakespeare Festival are now available through two outlets. You can either buy via the Festival at
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/william-shakespeares-henry-v-the-south-devon-players-theatre-film-comp-tickets-156262343877
Or via our website at https://www.southdevonplayers.com/box-office.html!!!
We hope to see you there!

Checking in - Mailchimp and lots of other great news.

25/5/2021

Hello lovely people!
Apologies for the delay in updating.

Mailchimp
First of all, we think and hope that we have got the mailchimp glitches sorted out. It should all come out smoothly only Friday to everyone again as usual. We do ask anyone recieving our newsletter to let us know if anything seems glitchy though!

Edinburgh Fringe Festival
In very good news, we are, for the first time, but not the last, bringing our shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This year we will be taking Henry V, and next year Ben Hur. Many thanks to our actor Eve Germaine, for finding the details of such a fantastic opportunity!

As soon as we have ticketing information, we shall of course be sharing the details all across oour website and social media.

Henry V
The rehearsals are going fabulously well; it is a real privilege to work such brilliant cast! Everyone is almost off-book and thier characterisations are flawless - it is simply a case now of practicing the techincal aspects and the show will be ready.

Ben Hur
A number of people have been asking for the audition packs and sides - which are already available. The information packs are on our website - and please email us on southdevonplayers@gmail.com for sides.

Other
Over the past months three people have been able to get their membership of Spotlight approved based on their South Devon Players credits - which is a question we are often asked - so it does indeed look as if the credits are easily accepted. Again, all fantastic news for everyone building thier careers.

And that, in a quick summary, is the main news of the last little while.
Stay safe, and keep well!

Beginnings of a new outlet for our shows

10/5/2021

Excellent news announcement!!
This year our digital production of Henry V, and next year, Ben Hur, will be going into the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Logistics have been checked and all are fine.

The hope, longterm, is to make this another of our our annual “traditions” and another outlet for showing our work further afield, raising the profile of not only our organisation, and future work, but also of all the amazing Southwest actors and crew who work with us.

Stay tuned for more details over the summer. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival takes place each August, and is now piloting remotely streamed work as well as performances from venues in the city of Edinburgh.

Helpers and volunteers appeal

2/4/2021

As we look towards busier times again after the pandemic, we are also looking for people who would like to get involved with us, behind the scenes, to help create shows, and increase access to our work. The roles we are looking to fill vary hugely in commitment and theme, but as long as you are based in the relevant area, are reliable & communicative, and love the arts, then we should get along very happily indeed. Please read on to find out what we are looking to fill. If you would like an informal chat about any of these roles, do please drop us an email on southdevonplayers@gmail.com, at any time.

*NB, at the moment, due to lack of funding, all of these roles are voluntary. We hope, eventually, to be able to make all of these roles paid positions by dint of raising the funds to do so! Sadly with the Brixham Pannier Market being permanently closed by the town council, we have lost our large second-hand book stall, meaning that we are having to create new sources of fundraising even for basic things like rehearsal space, from scratch.

COVID NOTE
We would also like to be very clear that we take Covid-safety extremely seriously. While some roles can be done, or at least prepared for, from home and can therefore start sooner rather than later, any roles that involve working out and about with others/ in groups will only begin when it is safe to do so - we estimate August onwards. In the meantime, training and preparation, as far as can be done remotely over Zoom etc, will happen for those roles in preparation. All of our "face to face" work in groups will have Covid-safety measures in place.

FUNDRAISERS (largely from home)

This is a role which can largely be done from home. We are especially looking for someone who is good at writing grant applications, to help us contact funding bodies, for arts funding.

This is likely to require use of a computer, and the internet; the person helping should be reasonably literate and numerate, and able to communicate a real enthusiasm for, and love of the arts.

Funding could be for specific costs like rehearsal space, costumes, props, etc, towards a specific theatre production, or for general use of the theatre company.

We are also looking for people who are interested in helping create new innovative ways to fundraise, within our organisations people-power and access to facilities. (This could be online, or in person, or something new altogether; as long as it is legal and ethical!)

Full support is given, and these roles are ones which are in regular communication with the rest of the theatre company admins, so that we can all work together and not jump on anyone's toes.

The request for help is because there is more to do than hours in the day for the theatre company admin team, and we desparately need help to be able to apply for things!

The time commitment varies around what the volunteer is able to do, and does not require strictly kept hours.

ANY help is amazing.

THEATRE BUDDIES (Torbay, Plymouth, Bristol)
This is a new venture which we will be trialling in late 2021 and into 2022, when we return to live shows, to increase access to our theatre productions. At the moment we are looking for theatre buddies in our most regular areas of performance; Torbay, Plymouth and Bristol, although we expect to expand this.

Many people, either older, or with social anxiety, may be worried about attending a theatre production on their own, and therefore do not attend. Sometimes they do not have a partner, or friend who is available to attend with them, and this is where the Theatre Buddies come in. The official theatre buddy will act as a friendly, approachable person who will meet these audience members at the entrance of the show, and faciitate friendly company at the show and during the interval; and if there are several people coming on their own, the theatre buddy will make introductions and facilitate a friendly group experience. Meetings start and end at the theatre or performance venue.

The theatre buddy will be asked to be in regular contact with the rest of the theatre company for show information, details of any buddy requests, and anything related to making a friendly, welcoming experience for anyone requesting a theatre buddy.
There is no need to share personal information or contact details, as buddying will be done through the theatre company.

We will require checkable references for this role. The theatre buddy needs to be trustworthy; positive, respectful of, and patient with, other people of any demographic, able to facilitate friendly conversation; and have excellent communication skills.

The time committment will involve online or in-person discussions with the theatre admin team at mutual convenience, and attendance at theatre performances up to four evenings per year, in thier local area (with a free ticket and drink for the Theatre Buddy!).

TRAINEE SOUND & LIGHTING STAGE CREW (Torbay)

We are looking to take on one or two people to join our production team with sound and lighting work for shows.

This will involve learning to run our basic (but safe and functional) sound/ lighting (and possibly video projection) equipment, and working to production cue scripts, in conjunction with the production team, on our major stage shows from the end of 2021, onwards.

The ideal trainee will have an excellent eye for, and attention to detail, a willingness to learn, and be able to reliably attend rehearsals and performances.

They should also be communicative with the rest of the team, well-mannered,calm, tidy & adhere to acceptable social behaviour at all times.

During spring/summer 2021, theory and distanced training can be provided at mutually agreed times over Zoom, then From September, the time committment will be one weekday evening and/or one weekend afternoon, with attendance at show performances which take place on Fridays and Saturdays several times a year.

The audition pack for Ben Hur is now available!

2/4/2021

sdp_ben_hur_audition_info_pack.pdf
File Size:	863 kb
File Type:	pdf

Please visit our AUDITIONS page here for full information on our production, work, etc.

We are delighted to be launching the audition information for our stage production of Ben Hur.
This stage adaptation of the classical story by Lew Wallace (want to read the original book? It is available HERE on Project Gutenberg) has been a script written over about a year during the Covid lockdowns, by our company founder Laura Jury, looking towards a time when we can return to live rehearsals and theatre.
Of course, all these timings and plans are subject to the easing of the pandemic, and relevant safety being possible. If things dont work out with the pandemic easing, then dates may be altered. This is not a play that would work as a Zoom production.

As always, regular and new actors (and stage crew!) are equally welcome to apply, and we look forward to hearing from everyone who is interested. This is looking to be our biggest single stage tour yet, with more venues, and streaming performances to global audiences from at least two venues.

If you would like to find out more, or discuss the project, then do please drop us a line on southdevonplayers@gmail.com

New personal safety phone app when out and about

11/3/2021

We are sharing this to reach our actors and crew, as this may be of use to performers and models travelling to auditions with companies they don’t know, or photo shoots or just travelling to and from rehearsals/ performances at all kinds of odd times.
The direct app information website is at https://hollieguard.com/

As shared from Brixham Police on their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BrixhamPolice/photos/a.230609447130645/1576040529254190 :

We encourage people to download a free personal safety app to their smartphones to help them feel safe.

HollieGuard is a free personal safety app for smartphones that can track a person’s location as they make their way home, as they’re out jogging or cycling, or simply going about their day to day tasks.

If they feel unsafe, all they need to do is shake their phone to send an alert to a group of contacts to warn them that they may be in danger. Once the phone has been shaken, it will then start recording both audio and visual footage of what’s happening around them.

This will be saved and sent to their contacts so they can see what is happening and call the police or ambulance service if they are required.

If the phone is shaken again, a flashing light and high-pitched beeping will start coming from the phone to alert people nearby that that person may be in danger.

Key features of the app include:
• Journey - Allows a person to safely and confidently travel, by providing their emergency contacts with real-time updates of their movements as they move between two places.
• Meeting - This function allows the person to identify when they are going to a potentially dangerous meeting or working alone. An alert will automatically be created if the timer expires or they do not cancel the meeting.
• Man Down - Man Down will send an alert to a dedicated contacts to make them aware if a person hasn’t moved in a while. The app will flag sudden non-movement and impact, for example if someone has been assaulted or fallen down.
• Duress Pin - If a person is being forced to cancel an alert they can enter the Duress Pin of 9999. The alert will appear to have been cancelled, but will remain active on HollieGuard’s secure server, so they will know the person has been forced to cancel an alert.

The app was set up in memory of 20-year-old Hollie Gazzard, who was stabbed to death in 2014 at the salon she worked at in Gloucestershire by a jealous ex-boyfriend who couldn’t accept that she had ended their relationship.