New Vic Theatre Annual Review 2015

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ANNUAL REVIEW

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150,000 ÂŁ12.5 million 29% Visits to the building

Value to local economy

Increase in earned and fund-raised income over ďŹ ve years

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A CulturAl Centre for StAffordShire The New Vic is the producing theatre for Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. Our mission is to make excellent theatre-in-the-round and to be a force for positive change in our region.

Our review for 2015 presents the highlights and headlines from our work across the year: our professional productions; the ground-breaking work of our Education and community outreach teams; and of Appetite, the New Vic-led, Arts Council England audience-development programme for Stoke-on-Trent.

The regional impact, and the national and international reach of the New Vic’s work continued to increase, helping promote Staffordshire as a place where creativity and excellence thrive.

CHAIR’S INTRODUCTION A CULTURAL CENTRE FOR STAFFORDSHIRE National Theatre Studio and The Hoard Festival Expanding theatrical horizons High quality work for children and young people High quality work with the community MAKING A DIFFERENCE Appetite Christmas lights switch-on Education, aspiration, achievement New Vic Borderlines RAISING STAFFORDSHIRE’S PROFILE Playing away – the New Vic on tour A cultural centre for our region CREATIVE ECONOMy A local charity with national reach Our numbers THE yEAR’S MAIN HOUSE PRODUCTIONS THE yEAR AT A GLANCE

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

For three days in August, Appetite’s Big Feast filled Stoke-on-Trent streets with international artists and performers

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316 12,068 99%

People worked at the New Vic during the year

Volunteer hours were contributed

Of our audience rate the New Vic Good or Very Good for quality

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ChAir’S introduCtion It is a real pleasure, as one of my first tasks as the incoming Chair of New Vic Trustees, to introduce this Annual Review. Not only do we have a successful story to tell, it is also an opportunity to demonstrate the ways in which the arts bring value to the whole community. it has been another year of high achievement across the whole range of our activities: large audiences enjoyed truly excellent main-stage productions; our Borderlines and education teams delivered life-changing work with communities locally, nationally and internationally; and Appetite, the new Vic-led initiative growing audiences for the arts in Stoke-on-trent, helped re-energise the city, attracting tens of thousands of visitors to dozens of events.

My colleagues and i have been particularly pleased to see the new Vic enhancing its national reputation, with productions on tour attracting large audiences, positive press, and nominations for prestigious national and regional awards – demonstrating that quality and creativity are thriving here in newcastle-under-lyme. locally, the new Vic is contributing more to its community than ever before. Correspondingly, the theatre relies more than ever on the support of the community. the pressures on charity finances mean that, to maintain the quality and output of our work, we need the help of individuals, businesses and organisations of all kinds. We launched our 30th Anniversary Appeal in 2015, aiming to raise £300,000 by the time of the new Vic’s 30th birthday in 2016.

So far, more than 1,000 people have donated to the Appeal, helping to raise the first £150,000 of our target. We look forward to further support in the coming year. in conclusion, i would like to pay tribute to Sir Brian fender, who recently stepped down as Chair of new Vic trustees. for more than 12 years, his wide experience, infectious enthusiasm, and robust wisdom helped guide the company into the most successful period of its 50-year history. the legacy of his leadership will be the artistry, creativity and unique role in the community for which the new Vic is famous.

Bryan Carnes MBE Chair of Trustees January 2016

More than 30,000 young people saw our shows, many taking advantage of our Under 26 Go Free ticket scheme.

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28,884 1st Attended Hoard Festival events

The Hoard Festival resulted from our ďŹ rst collaboration with the National Theatre Studio

19 New works commissioned

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A CulturAl Centre for StAffordShire national theatre Studio & the hoard festival During the year, our 18-month relationship with the National Theatre Studio – as an Affiliate Company – turned into a partnership to develop the Hoard Festival for summer 2015. funded by an Arts Council england exceptional Award, the six-week festival, inspired by the discovery of the Staffordshire hoard, became the largest project ever undertaken by the new Vic. We placed commissions for 19 new pieces of work with both established and emerging artists: Alan Garner, Caroline horton, lemn Sissay, Chris Bush, frazer flintham, Jemma Kennedy, francesca Millican-Slater, Samuel Adamson, lydia Adetunji, April de Angelis, Sara Pascoe, darren Sharp, tom Wells, non zero one, Matthew robins, Andy field, tom Wells, isy Suttie – and a new drama-documentary by our Artistic director, theresa heskins. historian Michael Wood agreed to become the festival Patron.

“We are especially proud that this affiliation helped with the inception of a project as ambitious as the Hoard Festival . . . A wonderful achievement.”

Matthew Poxon, National Theatre Studio

Alongside on-site archaeological digs, exhibitions and community projects, the festival introduced new Vic audiences to the work of playwrights and theatre-makers new to them; introduced new audiences to the new Vic; and promoted the hoard itself as a remarkable symbol of Staffordshire.

Almost 30,000 people attended hoard festival shows and events; and more than 1,000 took part in workshops, community projects, open rehearsals, and a whole raft of Staffordshire hoard related activities.

HHHH “A rich and rewarding cache of stories” The Observer

HHHH “Theatrical gold in the Midlands” The Guardian

The Hoard Festival – a Guardian top ten theatre production 2015

The Gift by Jemma Kennedy, was one of 19 new pieces of work commissioned for our Hoard Festival

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117,332 324 9 People saw our shows

Professional performances

New Vic productions for the main-stage

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A CulturAl Centre for StAffordShire expanding theatrical horizons As the producing theatre for Staffordshire, the New Vic has many roles to play: nationally, we support Arts Council England’s ambitions to make great art for everyone, and provide opportunities for theatre professionals of all kinds to work in theatre-in-the-round; regionally, we make the best contemporary drama, new commissions, innovative adaptations and accessible classics available to our audiences. And we continually seek to expand theatrical horizons. in March, we staged a daringly unconventional new adaptation of the Bram Stoker classic Dracula by Artistic director, theresa heskins.

Dracula combined spectacular aerial dance and live foley sound effects with trademark theatrical invention and a chilling new musical score to create the epic sweep and the intimate terror of Stoker’s original live on stage.

HHHH “One of the most impressive hours I’ve spent in the theatre in recent months” Susannah Clapp, The Observer

regular collaborators, upswing, devised aerial sequences which saw vampires fly through the auditorium; actors stationed on platforms around the stage used a range of weird and wonderful objects – rubber gloves, sticks of celery, egg boxes and keys among them – to create the foley sound effects that precisely accompanied the on-stage action. the sound of a fluttering bat, for example, was created by flapping a pair of leather gloves; a train by a large bolt, a roller skate, a piece of chain, a ring of keys, and a plastic cup.

“Challenging doesn’t have to mean ivory-tower work, and, as Theresa Heskins at the New Vic has proved, when audiences start to trust a company, they will go to places that neither they, nor the venue, might have thought possible”.

Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

Stop press: Dracula named in Observer’s top ten theatre productions of 2015

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31,729 100+ 1,000 Children saw our shows

Schools visit the New Vic each Christmas

Took advantage of our Under 16s Go Free scheme

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A CulturAl Centre for StAffordShire high quality work for children and young people Work for children and families continued to play an important part in our programme. Our Christmas productions are seen by more than 40,000 people every year – that’s the equivalent of more than one-in-ten of the North Staffordshire population! In the words of one local journalist, they’re: “as much a part of the annual ritual as buying the tree”.

When we make work with children and young people in mind, we have the same ambitions as for any of our productions – that it should be inventive, daring, surprising, absorbing, technically accomplished, have the highest standards of design and presentation, that is should challenge the audience’s powers of imagination. And, of course, it must be great entertainment. encompassing all these ambitions, The Borrowers combined aerial work, sophisticated puppetry, live Klezmer music, and a theme inspired by our work with the holocaust Memorial day trust – the endurance of the spirit and the triumph of survival against the odds. More than 28,000 children loved it.

The Borrowers was another seasonal success; seen by 43,160 people, it became our most popular show ever.

HHHH “Ingenious” The Guardian

HHHH “Truly enchanting” The Stage

What’s On West Midlands nominee for Best Home Produced Show

Sponsored by

The Borrowers became our most successful show ever, seen by more than 43,000 people.

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250+ More than 250 community performers appeared in New Vic professional and community shows

9,218 Participated in community and education programmes during the year

2 - 94 The age range from our youngest to oldest participant

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A CulturAl Centre for StAffordShire high quality work with the community Each year, thousands of local people get involved with our Education and community teams; some work on our main-stage productions. For Inherit the Wind, more than 20 joined forces with professional actors to make up the biggest cast ever seen on the New Vic stage. this great American drama was inspired by the real-life ‘Scopes Monkey trial’ in 1925 tennessee, when a biology teacher was prosecuted for teaching darwin’s theory of evolution. our community performers played the citizens of hilsboro, a small town in the Southern ‘Bilbe-Belt’ and the setting for one of the most sensational trials of the century. they were drawn from our Youth theatre, programmes for older people, and from awardwinning new Vic Borderlines, which works with some of our area’s most disadvantaged people.

Joining a professional company of 16, they undertook intensive four-week rehearsals to prepare for their roles, working with director Peter leslie Wild.

“You also don’t often get the opportunity to work with such a large cast; it is great to be given that chance with a both a professional and community cast working together. It is wonderful to see the New Vic’s stage filled with so many people who have been involved in other projects with the theatre.” said the director.

“a wonderful array of talented actors from in-house community and youth programmes” Staffordshire Life

“its outstanding reputation for quality ensemble pieces” British Theatre Guide

More than 20 community performers joined with the professional company for our production of Inherit the Wind

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307,732 30,000+ People have attended Appetite events

Have taken part

19

Appetite partnered 19 Community Hubs’ across Stoke-on-Trent

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MAKinG A differenCe Appetite’s Christmas treats Appetite is the New Vic-led programme for Stoke-on-Trent, working to get more people in the City to experience and be inspired by the arts, as part of the national, Arts Council England initiative, Creative People and Places. the programme for its second year included a spectacular show for the city’s big Christmas lights switch-on. Almost 7,000 people gathered by the town hall to enjoy the giant puppetry, music, fire jugglers and pyrotechnics in an unforgettable Christmas spectacle performed by emergency exit Arts as part of Stoke-on-trent’s Christmas Celebrations. And, with the crowds attracted to the city centre, it was a great start to Christmas for local businesses.

Because, all the evidence shows that art and culture boost local economies: attracting visitors, creating jobs and developing skills, attracting and retaining businesses, revitalizing places and developing talent.

“You are making people proud of living in this city and I can’t sing your praises enough” Audience member

Making an economic impact is one of Appetite’s core ambitions. So, it hasn’t just brought great art to Stoke-on-trent, it’s helped bring thousands of extra visitors – more than 360,000 people have attended events such as August’s The Big Feast, just one of more than 500 arts events presented around the city during Appetite’s first two years.

Appetite is led by the new Vic in partnership with BArts, Brighter futures, Partners in Creative learning and Staffordshire university. it is supported by Stoke-on-trent City Council.

The Christmas lights switch-on was one of the Appetite events that have attracted tens of thousands to the city-centre

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200

300 600+

We worked with more than 200 schools from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent, Staordshire and beyond.

We delivered more than 300 youth theatre sessions for youngsters aged eight to 18

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More than 600 pre-school children visited Tale Trail to The Borrowers

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MAKinG A differenCe education, aspiration, attainment Our Education team works, principally, within formal education, from pre-school and primary right through to universities, colleges and programmes of lifelong learning with older people.

The focus is on using creative techniques to raise attainment, increase aspiration, and develop an understanding of the benefits that education brings. the education programme offered opportunities for young people to make theatre and develop theatre-making skills with more than 300 Youth theatre and drama Club sessions, including a production of Sarah Solemani’s The Crazy, Sexy, Cool Girls’ Fan Club for the national theatre Connections festival of new writing for young people. theatre explorer days brought school groups to the theatre to explore the technical and craft skills needed to produce theatre. And our first Arts Award groups achieved Bronze and Silver Awards. highlights of our work with schools included dramatic Science, a collaborative project supported by the Primary Science teaching trust, to research new methods of teaching science using drama. Working with Staffordshire County Council entrust, oxford Brookes university and teachers from schools in Staffordshire and Coventry, the project assesses the impact on children’s learning of creative approaches to science studies. the interactive Wobbly Words encouraged an engagement with and excitement for rhythm and language, working with young children in nine nurseries and 11 primary schools in Stoke-on-trent and newcastle-under-lyme.

As a member of the royal Shakespeare Company’s learning and Performance network, we continued our work with teachers and pupils to develop the way Shakespeare is taught in schools, helping to transform children’s first experiences of his work. each year, the education team produce an installative theatre piece allowing pre-school children to enter the world of a story. inspired by our main-house Christmas production and supported by the Backstage trust, Tale Trail to The Borrowers involved more than 500 youngsters.

NationalTheatre

connections

Tale Trail to The Borrowers was an immersive piece of theatre for pre-schoolers and their carers

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9,218 74 5

People participated in our Education and community programmes.

Education and community projects

New Vic Borderlines worked with communities in crisis in ďŹ ve countries

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MAKinG A differenCe new Vic Borderlines new Vic Borderlines is the award-winning initiative using theatre in social contexts. it worked regionally, nationally and internationally, with individuals, groups and communities facing challenges, and with a wide range of agencies and front-line professionals.

Borderlines’ work links directly to the priorities of partners, including central and local government, statutory agencies, and third-sector organisations. examples during the year included training conferences focusing on food poverty, female genital mutilation, health and social care, and alcohol abuse. Partners included Staffordshire County, newcastleunder-lyme Borough and Stoke-on-trent City councils, Police and Crime Commissioners, the YMCA, and many more.

Partnerships with universities in the uK and overseas continued to be important. Most notably, new Vic Borderlines became a founding partner of Keele university’s Community Animation and Social Innovation Centre (CASiC), which will use the jointly-developed methodology of ‘Cultural Animation’ to pursue research, community engagement and knowledge co-creation.

CASiC has already undertaken research, supported by the Arts & humanities research Council: working with leicester university and the national Council for Voluntary organisations, Untold Stories of Volunteering was created, a community documentary-drama sharing volunteers’ stories and presented to audiences of academics, civil servants and policy-makers.

Working within community settings in the uK, Canada, Japan, Greece and Poland, other CASiC projects have focused on such diverse areas as energy poverty, sustainability, ageing, violence, exclusion, food poverty, and communities in crisis.

As part of our Adult & Community Learning programme, we regularly work with Strathcross, a theatre company for adults with learning difficulties.

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41,297 12 1st People saw our shows on tour

Towns and cities were visited by our shows

Around the World in Eighty Days was our first collaboration with Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre

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rAiSinG StAffordShire’S Profile Playing away Not only did record number of people see New Vic shows touring to other towns and cities, they also won national recognition and awards. Demonstrating that Staffordshire is a place where quality and excellence thrive. theatre made by the new Vic here in newcastle-under-lyme was seen by thousands of people around the country. After runs at the new Vic, our productions of An August Bank Holiday Lark (with northern Broadsides) and Around the World in Eighty Days (with Manchester royal exchange) travelled to 12 other towns and cities, being seen by more than 40,000 people. not only that, they were nominated for prestigious theatre awards.

Written by Staffordshire-based playwright deborah McAndrew, An August Bank Holiday Lark was co-produced with our long-time collaborators, northern Broadsides. the story of a Pennine community ripped apart by the onset of the first World War, it toured to York, halifax, oxford, Watford, Cheltenham, and other towns. it won prestigious awards for Best New Play at both the UK Theatre Awards and Manchester Theatre Awards. in the first ever collaboration between the new Vic theatre and that other theatre-in-theround, Manchester’s royal exchange, Around the World in Eighty Days played for two weeks here in Staffordshire before racing off to Manchester for a six week run.

“Theresa Heskins’ wonderfully inventive style made Around the World in Eighty Days a show that entertained and inspired our audiences, new and regular alike.”

Sarah Frankcom, Artistic Director, Royal Exchange Theatre

directed by Artistic director, theresa heskins, the fast-paced production featured more than 100 characters, six trains, six boats, four fights, two dances, one storm, a circus and an elephant. it was nominated as Best Production for Children and Young People in the UK Theatre Awards and Best Production in the Manchester Theatre Awards.

HHHH “A riotous romp with a heart” The Times

HHHHH “magnificently preposterous romp” The Independent

HHHHH “sheer joy from start to finish” The Stage

Around the World in Eighty Days played to sell-out houses in North Staffordshire and Manchester.

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No. 1

The New Vic was voted Most Welcoming Theatre in the West Midlands

150,000 More than 150,000 people visited the New Vic last year

98%

Of our audience rated our Customer Care Very Good or Good

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A CulturAl Centre for our reGion everyone welcome our iconic and much-loved building got a major makeover in August. Supported by investment from Arts Council england, local authorities, bet365 foundation, Garfield Weston foundation, newcastle Players, and hundreds of individuals, the new Vic was transformed ready for its 30th birthday in 2016. our unique theatre-in-the-round was the first of its kind in europe. When the doors opened in 1986, it won prestigious awards for design and architectural quality. Since then, it’s provided memorable times for more than four million visitors - that’s a lot of wear and tear. And in 30 years new technologies, enhanced environmental standards, and new legislation are making new and different demands on the building.

We asked audience members what kinds of changes they’d like to see and made our plans accordingly, with new carpets and furniture, creating informal seating areas, making more space for audiences pre-show and improving access for those with limited mobility. other upgrades saw the building become more sustainable and environmentally friendly with new roof insulation, energy-efficient lighting, a digital heating system, and better double-glazing. one thing that didn’t change was the new Vic welcome and we were pleased to see this recognised as we are now officially the West Midlands’ Most Welcoming theatre, with our catering, front-of-house and box office staff attending a prestigious ceremony at london’s Guildhall to receive our award. our visitors say it better than we can though…

“Looking great - can't wait for my next visit!”

Sarah horne “Such a treasure on our doorstep” Maggie hollinshead “Absolutely love the new look. Popped in for a coffee yesterday and so glad that the character of the building remains but with a fresh new feel.” deb Bond

WINNER - WEST MIDLANDS

Our refurbishment work was supported by Arts Council England, local authorities, bet 365 Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Newcastle Players and hundreds of individuals. Thank you to them all.

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263 ÂŁ205k 1000 + Regularly-giving Patrons

Raised from individuals and trusts

People donated to our 30th Anniversary appeal

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CreAtiVe eConoMY A local charity with national reach the new Vic is an entrepreneurial charity and it is vital that we raise funds to ensure we can continue to make international-class theatre, deliver our life-changing education and community work, and maintain and improve our iconic and much-loved building.

We aim to raise £300,000 by the time we celebrate our 30th Anniversary in Autumn 2016. thanks to the support of individual donors, businesses, trusts and foundations and other organisations we have been successful in raising more than £150,000 so far. these donations in turn helped us to attract a further £50,000 of Arts Council england grant funding, directly targeted to support us in developing our artistic programme for the future. our ambitions across all of our work rely on our ability to develop new income streams and new funding partnerships and we have set ambitious targets for the growth of our fundraising income over the coming three years. We believe the new Vic is uniquely placed to make a demonstrable difference to the cultural, social and economic life of our region and to the individuals we engage. our partners, patrons, sponsors and donors are helping us achieve this. our thanks to:

TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS: Newcastle Players

OUR SPONSORS:

OUR BUSINESS FRIENDS:

Newcastle-UNder-lyme school

ANNIVERSARY PATRONS: Rita Bailey Janet Bennett Michael Birch I Birkin David Briggs Shelley Brooker Tricia and Chris Budd J Clarke Colin Eastwood Mark and Carol Eastwood Jenny Fieldhouse Jean Foden John and Sheila Freeman Angela Glendenning Martin Goodall Patricia Hancock Martin Harrison

Pam and John Hindley Susan Holland Jean Hollings Ifor Jones and Esther Morris-Jones Marilyn Jones J Lamont Allan and Eleanor Lewington Mr & Mrs Lilly Lucinda Mandley Susan Marsh Anthony Martin Wendy McKie Margaret Michell Jane Morris Kathy and Paul Niblett John and Kathy Norman

Kath and Walter Partington Mitilda Pazio D Pedlar Philip Potts Robin Powell Diana Richardson Judith and Jason Rowley Cheryl Salt Ann Smiles Mr Spilsbury Mr and Mrs Tallentire Mr John Turner Ms Sheila Wilson Mr Warren Winfield

Our Youth Theatre production of Crazy, Sexy, Cool Girls’ Fan Club was made possible by our fundraising success.

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6% 29% ÂŁ190k Increase in turnover

Increase in earned and fund-raised income over ďŹ ve years

The value to the New Vic of volunteer hours

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our nuMBerS Part of the Creative economy With a turnover of £3.4 million, we played an important part in our regional creative economy, a role that is increasing year-on-year. investment from Arts Council england and our local authority partners remained vital, but over the past five years we have grown our own earned and fundraised income by 29%.

More than 75 local people were employed during the year – in our creative workshops, in technical departments, community and education teams, hospitality and customer services, and all our behind-the-scenes activity. in addition we employed 156 artists, from actors and musicians, to fight directors and designers.

As a charity, volunteers played an essential role in our work. their contribution during the year amounted to 12,068 hours, estimated to be worth £190,000 to us.* All of this, along with the 150,000 visitors we attracted during the year, adds up to a local economic impact of £12.5 million. * based on the 2014 average hourly wage for the West Midlands

WHERE OUR INCOME CAME FROM 42% Ticket Sales

6% Education and Community 4% Other Sales 4% Fundraising

WHERE OUR MONEY WAS SPENT 7% Theatre Operations 9% Box Office and 14% Education Customer Service and Community 7% Marketing & Communications 7% Support Costs

44% Public funding 56% Productions and Performances

Restaurant and bars were just one of the things that helped us increase earned and fundraised income by 29%

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20 June – 5 July Around the World in Eighty Days

by Jules Verne, adapted by Laura Eason directed by Theresa Heskins

19 September – 4 October Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen adapted by Richard Eyre directed by Abbey Wright

31 May – 14 June Inherit the Wind

by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E Lee directed by Peter Leslie Wild 14 – 28 February Bell, Book and Candle

by John Van Druten directed by Gwenda Hughes

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25 March – 12 April Hobson’s Choice

by Harold Brighouse directed by David Thacker (co-produced with Octagon Theatre, Bolton and Coliseum Theatre, Oldham)

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6 – 28 March Dracula

by Bram Stoker, adapted and directed by Theresa Heskins

11 – 26 July A History of Falling Things

by James Graham directed by Emma Lucia

2 – 24 May I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire!

by Bob Eaton directed by Conrad Nelson

22 November – 31 January The Borrowers

by Mary Norton, adapted & directed by Theresa Heskins

Our main house productions in 2014/15

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THE yEAR AT A GLANCE NEW VIC PRODUCTIONS 25 March – 12 April Hobson’s Choice by Harold Brighouse (co-produced with Octagon Theatre, Bolton and Coliseum Theatre, Oldham) 2 – 24 May I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire! by Bob Eaton 31 May – 14 June Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E Lee Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne, adapted by Laura Eason (co-produced with 20 June – 5 July Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester) A History of Falling Things by James Graham 11 – 26 July 19 Sept – 4 oct Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Richard Eyre 22 nov – 31 Jan The Borrowers by Mary Norton, adapted by Theresa Heskins 13 – 27 dec Tale Trail to The Borrowers, New Vic Education 14 – 28 feb Bell, Book and Candle by John Van Druten 6 – 28 March Dracula by Bram Stoker, adapted by Theresa Heskins

VISITING PRODUCTIONS 15 – 19 April 23 – 26 April 18 – 30 Aug 3 – 13 Sept 7 – 25 oct 28 oct – 1 nov 4 – 15 nov 1 – 13 dec

Entertaining Mr Sloane by Joe Orton, London Classic Theatre Teechers by John Godber, John Godber Co & Theatre Royal Wakefield Eric & Cleopatra, David Graham Productions Ugly Duck by Deborah McAndrew, Claybody Theatre Roundelay by Alan Ayckbourn, Stephen Joseph Theatre On the Piste by John Godber, John Godber Co & Theatre Royal Wakefield She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, Northern Broadsides Eric’s Christmas Party, David Graham Productions

SOME EDUCATION AND COMMUNITy PROJECTS Drama Club youth Theatre Ages & Stages Curriculum Workshops

year-round drama sessions Weekly, term-time sessions with five age groups Arts and Humanities Research Council project Using drama to teach across the curriculum in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent schools.

INSET Regular professional development sessions for teachers.

Adult & Community Learning year-round sessions for vulnerable adults.

Family Fun Immersive storytelling for pre-schoolers and their families.

Musical Works Intensive workshops for children interested in musical theatre.

Play in a Week young people take a play from page to stage in one week.

The Borrowers Summer School Intensive summer school for young people.

Prince’s Trust Helping young people gain skills for employment.

Stafford Prison Supporting inmates in gaining formal qualifications.

National Theatre Connections Performances as part of a national festival of new writing for young people.

Royal Shakespeare Company Work as part of the RSC’s Learning and Performance Network. young People’s Theatre Company A company for young people who have come through community projects.

Strathcross Theatre group for adults with learning difficulties.

Arts & Humanities Research Council Working with Keele University and other international academic partners co-designing and co-producing research with communities locally, nationally and internationally.

Model Citizens Investigating the meaning of citizenship with older people.

Next Chapter Exploring possible futures with refugees.

Chapter Two Finding positive futures with past offenders.

Conferences Conferences for front-line professionals using commissioned documentary drama to explore issues such as female genital mutilation, alcohol abuse, food poverty, health and social care. yizkor A documentary drama using the testimonies of young people caught up in the Holocaust, touring to schools and community venues.

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Photos credits: Cover, pp 2, 4, 10, 12, 20, 24 - Andrew Billington; p 6 - Nobby Clark; p 14 - Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery; p 16 - Simon Annand; p 18 - Susan Moffat; p12, 22 - Joel Chester-Fildes; p22 - Ian Tilton

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Scope Face 2 Face A documentary drama made with parents of children with life-limiting conditions.

ERASMUS EU-funded student placements in partnership with Warsaw University.

International communities in crisis Using the techniques of cultural animation to work with communities in Japan, Greece and Canada.

Helping create ethical leaders of the future with Keele University The Art of Management International MBA students.

APPETITE The Big Feast:

A three-day festival of art in public spaces brought 15,000 people into Stoke-on-Trent city centre for work by Periplum, NoFit State Circus, Oxford Contemporary Music, Southpaw Dance Company, German Wheel, Tangled Feet, Corey Baker Dance, Folk in a Box, Hunt & Darton, The Poetry Take Away, and much more!

The Hub Programme:A wide variety of arts in public spaces across the region, led by our Community Hubs, featured 16 decorated street pianos across the Potteries for anyone to Play Me, I’m Yours, UpSwing Aerial performing at an ampitheatre hidden in Bentilee, Walk the Plank with an alternate Bonfire Night in Hanley Park, The Meir Christmas Tree caused a conversation about art across the city, whilst Grain and Mark Power brought a wonderful outdoor photography exhibition featuring local portraits to town. The Grand Cross Fayre witnessed many contemporary musicians performing at Hanford Park, Stoke South Carnival added additional performances to their fab family day out!

Community Hubs: A big thanks to all our community hubs including Jubilee Burslem, Strathcross, Brighter Futures, Bentilee Community Partnership, UHNM Charity, Second Look Stoke, Stoke South Carnival, Hanford Residents Association, Meir Christmas Events Board, Whitfield Valley / Chell Heath, Friends of Hanley Park and the City Centre Partnership.

OUR 2014/15 NUMBERS AT A GLANCE Professional productions (at the New Vic) Number of productions Number of performances Artist days Ticketed attendances School-age children attending Education & Community People participating young people under 20 participating Number of participatory sessions Economic Turnover Economic impact Fundraising

19 309 5,123 117,332 31,729 10,215 11,000 732 £3.4 million £12.5 million* 55% increase

What our audiences think We asked our audiences to rate us. These are our scores for ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’ Entertainment: 97% Quality: 99% Value: 97% Customer Care: 98% Our supporters, sponsors and Business Friends Supporters: bet365 Foundation.

Sponsors: Gladman, Knights LLP, M&M Group, Keele University, KMF, Fifteen Digital Business Friends: Baker Tilley, Barringtons Ltd, Castlefield, Dains Accountants, The Dudson Group, Keele University Science Park, Newcastle-under-Lyme College, Newcastle-under-Lyme School, Richard Jacobs Pension & Trustee Services Ltd, Wardell Armstrong.

* based on an economic model developed by Professor Dominic Shellard of Sheffield University

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£12.5 million 31,729 150,000 Million impact on the local economy

Children saw our shows

Visits to the building

STOKE-ON-TRENT AND NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE THEATRE TRUST LIMITED Bryan Carnes MBE (Chair) Colin Barcroft Rosy Crehan Ann Fisher Cllr Terence Follows Michael Holt Dr Iona Jones Chris Lewis Cllr Ian Parry John Sambrook Cllr Elizabeth Shenton Jonathan Shepherd Sara Williams NEW VIC THEATRE PROJECTS LTD Paul Powner (Chair) Albert Cooper Chris Lewis Howard Wraight VICTORIA THEATRE (NEW THEATRE) LTD Albert Cooper (Chair) Bryan Carnes MBE Patricia Callaghan Gillian Laver John Sambrook Terry Walsh

The New Vic gratefully acknowledges the following for their generous support:

The New Vic Theatre operates thanks to a unique partnership between Arts Council England, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Registered Charity Number: 253242 Company Registration Number: 911924 Registered Office: New Vic Theatre, Etruria Road, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 0JG Tel: 01782 717954 www.newvictheatre.org.uk Front cover: Dracula was one of The Observer’s Top Ten theatre productions for 2015