Notes Newsletter Spring 2019

Spring 2019

NOTES

NEWSLETTER Fundraising Gala 2018

Welcome Happy New Year!

I am delighted to welcome you to your latest edition of Notes Newsletter. From the soup kitchens of Chicken Soup to the dressing rooms of Kiss Me, Kate, I’m sure you will agree that 2018 was an incredible year. Here’s to the next 12 months and all the amazing productions that will grace our stages in 2019.

Over the next few months, I’m looking forward to Rutherford and Son directed by Caroline Steinbeis (Love & Information) on the Crucible stage this February. This will be followed by debbie tucker green’s hang in the Studio, and I am very excited to see director Taio Lawson’s vision come to life. Taio has been with us for the past 18 months as part of the Regional Theatre Young Director’s Scheme, and on page 7 we speak to him about his experience at Sheffield Theatres.

The Great British Take Off

March sees the world première of Standing at the Sky’s Edge, a new musical inspired by our city and set to the sounds of one of its greatest artists, Richard Hawley. I am very excited to start rehearsals for this one shortly.

In the Lyceum, we are pleased to present Northern Ballet’s new production Victoria and Green Day’s explosive rock musical American Idiot. April will see the arrival of the marvellous comedy Calendar Girls the Musical after it took London’s West End by storm. We will be talking to some of the show’s leading ladies on pages 4 and 5.

Thank you for your continued support as a member of Sheffield Theatres. I look forward to seeing you at the Theatres very soon.

Robert Hastie, Artistic Director

Bookings and membership 0114 249 6000 sheffieldtheatres.co.uk Sheffield Theatres Trust is a Registered Charity no. 257318

Crucible Insights Sheffield Stories on a Sheffield Stage

Behind the scenes: Taio Lawson

MEMBERS MEET THE CAST We have some dates for your diaries. Don’t miss these upcoming Meet the Cast events. They’re an opportunity for members to meet the cast and creatives of some of our biggest shows and to gain a unique insight into the makings of a production.

Please join us for tea, coffee and cake and find out more about what goes on behind the scenes at Sheffield Theatres.

RUTHERFORD AND SON Sat 16 Feb 10.30am – 12.00pm

LIFE OF PI Sat 13 July 10.30am – 12.00pm

Meet the Cast events help us to raise money to support our vital charitable work at Sheffield Theatres.

There is a minimum donation of £10.00 for each event.

You can book directly with our Box Office on 0114 249 6000 or online at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk by logging in to your Centre Stage account.

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

hang Wed 20 Feb – Sat 9 Mar

STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE Thu 14 Mar – Sat 6 Apr

MAKING ROOM TAKEOVER: ON SALE NOW

Tue 19 - Sat 23 Mar Making Room are preparing for the next Studio Takeover, to take place on 3 and 4 April. Local Artists are applying to scratch their work in our studio theatre and we will also be offering some exciting workshops with professional artists throughout the two day festival.

FUNDRAISING GALA 2018

On Thursday 8 November 2018, we welcomed over 130 guests to our annual Fundraising Gala.

The Gala raised an incredible £53,000 towards our learning and community engagement programmes – helping us to ignite imaginations and bring the magic of live performance to everyone in our city.

Fundraising events help us to raise vital funds to support our growing programme of work to connect with our city’s communities, inspire children and young people, and nurture homegrown talent. Supported projects include Storyframe, which supports local school classes to work with a professional theatre practitioner, and our much-loved dementia friendly tea dances, which bring the joy of music and dance to people living with dementia.

This year, the Gala took place on the Crucible stage under the iconic twinkle light sky. The space was transformed by local designer Benjamin Thapa, who worked with our in-house team to

CELEBRATE WITH US ON THURSDAY 28TH MARCH

create a beautiful spectacle filled with colour, flair and a stunning light installation.

Crucible Corner Head Chef Natalie Bailey used local, seasonal ingredients to create a sumptuous three course dinner. This was followed by an auction of unique prizes and money-can’t buy theatrical experiences, hosted by Robert Hastie.

Prizes included a day on set shadowing director Jonathan Butterell as he adapts Everybody’s Talking About Jamie for the big screen, and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have dinner with Sir Ian McKellen.

Guests were treated to pop-up performances from the Kiss Me, Kate company and a heartwrenching rendition of He’s My Boy from Everybody’s Talking About Jamie alumni, Josie Walker.

We’re holding a special post show party after a performance of Standing at the Sky’s Edge to raise funds to support our work with children and young people.

Each year, our work with Sheffield’s schools sees thousands of children visit the theatre, many for the very first time.

Last year, projects like Storyframe and Shakespeare Begins gave over 200 children from across the city region the opportunity to perform on the Crucible stage – building confidence, unlocking imaginations, and creating magical memories.

As a registered charity, we need your support. Book now from £75.00 (includes a ticket to the performance).

THE GREAT BRITISH TAKE OFF Over a cuppa with the cast of Calendar Girls the Musical we discover that Ruth Madoc is ‘perky,’ Fern Britton’s intuition sometimes malfunctions and that Gary Barlow and Tim Firth are to musical comedy what Mary Berry is to baking…

Thrilled to be one of the girls, presenter and best-selling novelist Fern Britton cheerfully admits that she almost missed out, initially telling her agent that on instinct it wasn’t for her.

“And then came the call saying that Gary Barlow would like to have a cup of coffee and a chat with me!” she exclaims, eyes bright and smile wide. “Suddenly I found myself in a room reading the script with Gary, Tim Firth [writer], the producers and the casting director. And boy am I glad that they persisted!” she laughs.

“Some people don’t like musicals because of all the bursting into song, but with this you hardly know that a song has started until it’s halfway through. You are totally pulled along by your earholes and the songs really advance the story. Tim Firth is a God! He wrote the play, the movie and the musical and he’s like a Yorkshire Stephen Sondheim with the lyrics. As for Gary, he has written some incredible songs,” she enthuses.

But if Fern had reservations, you could say that Rebecca Storm was born to play the role of Chris. Literally: the West End leading lady with a career spanning four decades was born and raised just a few miles from where the real Calendar Girls is set.

Based on the true story, Tim Firth’s film and his subsequent award-winning play, Calendar Girls is a reworking of the critically acclaimed The Girls, which played to packed houses in the West End last year.

Loose Women’s Denise Welch stirs her

tea and ponders on why the story, in various incarnations, has endured.

“It is about friendship and community and I think we all relate to that. Celia, my character, has been off as an air hostess and has always been looking for something more. When she comes back she realises that it was already there. As we get older we all realise that,” she says thoughtfully.

One of Scotland’s best-known comedy actors, Karen Dunbar (playing Cora), adds her voice to the melee. “I think people will go away thinking about the value and the shortness of life,” she says, pausing to allow Anna-Jane Casey (Annie) to jump in.

“And that positivity can come from awful situations and swing people into action,” interjects the doyenne of musicals including Billy Elliot and Stepping Out. “The power and innovation of women is amazing,” says Karen, to a general burble of agreement.

It is a show that attracts a hugely diverse audience, for sure. “This is an incredibly human story,” Fern elucidates. “Life is all about loss, love, making a mess, making mistakes, clearing it up and atoning. It is a terribly hackneyed phrase, but our show is life affirming.”

“And it is a different proposition when you have music to the extent that we have,” says the fabulously glamorous Ruth Madoc who, as an experienced musical theatre actress, knows a thing or two about the genre. “The music expands the subject far bigger than the play ever was.”

“We’ll have great big pineapples or whatever in front of us, so the audience won’t see much,” Ruth waves any concerns aside. “Besides,” she says, a naughty glint in her eye, “at 75 you don’t care!”

Noisily chorusing that Ruth Madoc has the most fabulous boobs of them all, Anna-Jane cuts across the good-natured rabble-rousing: “It’s more of a celebration of how different everyone is.”

“As you get older you get back to who you really are and the nakedness is part of that,” offers Sara.

But the show has even more to offer. Having already raised huge amounts of money through merchandise and bucket collections at each performance, the charity Bloodwise will continue to benefit from the production – a fact of which the ladies are extremely proud.

“These women did something spectacular,” marvels Rebecca, recalling how twenty years ago members of a small Yorkshire Women’s Institute produced a nude calendar that captured global attention and that, to date, they have raised in excess of £5 million for research.

Quite something when you consider that they intended only to raise enough to buy a sofa for a hospital waiting room.

What they are adamant about, however, is that this is a show that should not be missed.

“It’s universally appealing,” says Karen; “and a tribute to friendship,” Sara finishes.

“For those who say that they don’t like musicals, just BOOK! I promise that there are no jazz hands,” declares Anna-Jane.

Are they worried about disrobing on stage – does the ‘Great British Take Off’ hold any fear?

“My hope is that people leave the theatre with massive smiles on their faces,” says Denise.

“We’re not prancing around like we’re in Hair!” laughs Rebecca. “And it’s done with so much comedy.”

I don’t doubt they will. ©Vicky Edwards 2018

Calendar Girls is at the Lyceum in Sheffield from Tuesday 2 – Saturday 13 April 2019. Tickets are on sale now in person, over the phone or online at www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/whatson/calendar-girls-the-musical

Sheffield Stories on a Sheffield Stage

CRUCIBLE INSIGHTS

Over the years we have seen Sheffield Theatres play host to many outstanding productions. Different directors brought different visions to plays, musicals and stories both new and old.

But the common denominator in all of this is Sheffield. The people, the place, the stories.

In March, the history of Sheffield’s Park Hill estate will be told through song on the Crucible stage. Standing At The Sky’s Edge, a musical that takes its name from a Mercury Prize nominated album released by Richard Hawley in 2012, will be comprised of old and new compositions interwoven with tales of Park Hill residents covering 50 years. The production will be directed by Robert Hastie. We caught up with him to ask, ‘Why Standing at the Sky’s Edge’ and ‘Why Now’?

faces our theatre across the valley, and demands to have its story told on our stage.”

A Sheffield icon like Park Hill calls for an equally iconic Sheffield artist, and Richard Hawley’s beautiful music hums with the sound of the city. Teaming up with Chris Bush, the Sheffield writer whose work has delighted audiences in the Crucible and the Studio, and locally born designer Ben Stones who brought the worlds of Kes, Julius Caesar and Frost/Nixon to life, we are passionate about making Standing at the Sky’s Edge a fitting tribute to the people that make this city what it is.

He told us, “Theatre can take you anywhere, and at Sheffield Theatres we pride ourselves on telling stories from all over the world. But it’s just as vital that we tell the stories of lives lived closer to home, and explore our own city’s history.

Standing At The Sky’s Edge will put three generations of Sheffielders in the spotlight, and look at the hopes and loves, the fears and losses behind the concrete facade of Park Hill. This huge landmark, which shares so much of its architectural DNA with the Crucible,

Standing At The Sky’s Edge (Thu 14 March – Sat 6 April).

Tickets are available now, to book call 0114 249 6000 or visit sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

TAIO LAWSON (Director of hang) Behind the scenes:

Taio Lawson joined Sheffield Theatres as a Regional Theatre Young Director in August 2017.

As he approaches the end of his time in Sheffield, we asked Taio about his placement and what he is currently working on.

What is the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme (RTYDS)?

The RTYDS is a scheme that allows directors with a proven record of commitment to a future as a director and with clear experience to continue/finish their training and preparation for the next stages of their careers. This is with specific focus on the relationship between artists and institutions, future artistic leaders, and diversifying the artistic leaders of the future.

Is there a particular project you have been working on?

Yes, I am preparing to direct hang by debbie tucker green in the studio, which will open in February. I am also developing a new play, and planning for my next step after my position here comes to an end.

Can you tell us a little about your experience as a Resident Assistant Director at Sheffield Theatres?

It has been a great way to bring my time as an Assistant Director to a close. It is rare you get to work on such scale as an emerging director, unless you are working on top end projects, so that has been great.

Being around the building has given me an

insight into the business side of running a juggernaut institution such as this.

Hopefully it will stand me in good stead if ever I get the opportunity to run an arts space in the future; one of the aims of RTYDS is giving directors the opportunity to gain the tools of arts leadership.

Can you tell us about your day to day role here at Sheffield Theatres?

My day to day shifts dependant on the project at hand. At the moment my day to day is trying to stay connected to all the different departments that are involved in getting hang to the stage, as well as the departments that are supporting the production in other ways, such as outreach. I am currently out of the building as much as I am in it – casting, speaking to creative collaborators, seeing and gathering relevant stimulus. Previously, my day to day would involve researching before going into rehearsals, preparing for rehearsals, briefing creatives and stage management, but importantly trying to support the lead director in areas that they need another brain/set of hands on.

Hang (21 Feb – 9 Mar). Tickets are available now, to book call 0114 249 6000 or visit sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! (Tue 23 – Sat 27 April)

All aboard for the long-awaited return of Rough Crossing, from Academy, Tony and Olivier award-winning writer Tom Stoppard, directed by acclaimed director Rachel Kavanaugh.

from his Palladium and Broadway triumphs (Hello, Dolly!, Half a Sixpence). They are joined by WestEnd star Issy van Randwyck (Fascinating Aïda), comedy TV favourite Matthew Cottle (Game On, The Windsors), Holby City’s Rob Ostlere (Arthur Digby) and Simon Dutton, TV’s Simon Templar ( The Saint).

The star cast is led by John Partridge, winner of this year’s Celebrity Masterchef, well known to TV audiences as EastEnders’ charismatic Christian Clarke, and one of West End theatre’s most prolific leading men (A Chorus Line, Chicago, and La Cage Aux Folles). Starring alongside John is Olivier-award nominee Charlie Stemp, fresh

Two famous playwrights, one jealous composer, an unorthodox waiter, and a mistimed lifeboat drill... let the sharp Atlantic winds turn to gales of hysterical laughter as our colourful characters become tantalisingly tangled in a Stoppardian string of absurd events, as they feverishly try to rehearse a show whilst en route to New York.

ON SALE NOW! JINX MONSOON NEWS You may have been interested in the previously cancelled performance of Jinx Monsoon and Major Scales: The Ginger Snapped, we’re very excited to let you know that Jinx Monsoon will be coming to the Crucible on Tuesday 4 June.

Following a sell-out tour Ru Paul’s Drag Race favourite Jinx Monsoon and lyrical genius Major Scales showcase music from their new album... however Jinx worries that her best years are behind her.

In order to voice a breakdown of diva proportions Major must act as both pianist and therapist to the Manic Miss Monsoon. Music and mental health collide in this witty biting look at the dark side of Drag fame.