|
Hello,
and welcome to the Theatre Directors Scotland June newsletter! We all enjoyed the three days of summer we had and worked in our gardens but it seems that winter has returned to Scotland now. Not a problem, we are all still staying at home anyway.
We are happy to report Friends for the End of an Era, a scheme to connect directors and playwrights during the crisis with help from our pals at the Playwrights' Studio, continues to being creatives together for artistic-driven chats in lockdown.
Directing Distantly ran for 6 weekly sessions and you can keep an eye on our tweets for updates on the outcomes, to engage with our threads and polls on all things directing! If you have missed it, you can hear the first session here and the second session here. We will let you know about future links.
We still need a Treasurer! Our previously co-opted treasurer has had to step down so we need someone who can volunteer a couple of hours a week to give us a hand with finances. If that's you, please get in touch via email to directorsscotland@gmail.com and we will arrange a chat.
What we are doing to support you in this time:
Widening access
We want as many directors to access help as possible so we are extending perks to pending members, meaning if you sign up today we will not demand the full payment of membership but rather ask that you agree a payment plan with us. You will then become a pending member and enjoy membership benefits. We hope this means finances will not be a barrier for folk enjoying our services in these difficult times. Email us to request membership at directorsscotland@gmail.com
Lobbying
We are reaching out to the sector to urge the industry to employ directors when making responsive content over the next few months. We also ask them to include directors and assistant directors in their plans for projects once the restrictions have been lifted.
Mental health
We are facilitating a buddy system for our members during the crisis we call Direct Lines. This is a scheme to support each other mentally as well as sharing discoveries, practice and funny gifs.
Additionally, if anyone in our wider network is struggling and just needs to talk to someone in private, you can drop us a line to directorsscotland@gmail.com stating you would like to speak to a Mental Health First Aider and we will forward you to one of ours.
We hope these resources are useful to you and that they offer a bit of connection and creative influence in times of isolation. If there is anything else we can do for you please do ask (email or DMs).
GO SEE OUR UPCOMING WORK [ONLINE AND POST-LOCKDOWN]
There has been an outpour of great content online live streamed or pre recorded, all directed by fabulous talent, but we won't tell you about all of them. The entries below were submitted through our newsletter call out. Feel free to drop us a line if you want to be included in our July Newsletter.
Hide/Bound
A four-part reinterpretation of the Selkie myth, part of the RCS On The Verge festival.
Available until Friday 12th June
More information and links to watch here.
Directed by Jaïrus Obayomi
Arbery Podcasts
Short stories and plays, modern and old, moving, thought-provoking and more.
Ongoing
More information and links to listen here.
Directed by Martin Foreman
Taster Tuesdays
As part of Brief Palava’s monthly Taster Tuesdays, new writing radio play “Choice” (Working Title) written by Anna Carley.
Kath escaped. She ran away with her daughter Cassie and now they live on the edge of civilisation. They have survived with only each other for company for the last 18 years, until Stacy arrives. A pregnant young mum to be who has made the choice to leave society and raise her unborn baby in exile. But was the choice made by both Kath and Stacy for the good of their child, or was it for their own personal agenda. The play examines the relationship between mother and daughter and the moment where a child begins to realise they can make their own choices.
Cast: Marta da Silva, Anna Carley, Kelly Davie
June 30, 19:30 BST, online (link will be published on Facebook)
Directed by Tomaž Krajnc
OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT
Here are some opportunities and support:
Creative Lockdown Central Belters have a call out for creative to showcase their work through their social channels, offering support with content, promotion and connection opportunities. Get in touch via their social media or email.
Director sought for new musical Living in the Country. If interested, contact Alasdair Skinner directly via email.
Director sought for new play New Caliban. If interested, contact Matteo Francesconi directly via email.
TDS MEMBER OF THE MONTH
Alyson Woodhouse
Alyson is a blind, freelance director, dramaturg and Audio Description Consultant specialising in accessible theatre for blind and deaf audiences and performers. Much of her current work involves re-tellings of classics, as she has found there to be a gap in the market for such stories being adapted and performed by disabled artists. She is collaborating with writer Tim Barrow and producer Michelle Rolfe on a new, updated version of the Sherlock Holmes short story, The Adventure of the Red-Headed League, which places gender and disability centre-stage, and contains fully integrated Audio Description and BSL.
So far, they have received funding from Creative Scotland, and been artists on the NTS Starter Programme in order to conduct some Research and Development for this project, and their ultimate goal is to collaborate with mainstream theatres on a full-scale production, with potential for touring at a later date.
Besides directing classics with disability at its centre, Alyson enjoys working as a dramaturg on new writing, either by conducting read-throughs and Research and Development Sessions, or by reading scripts and providing written feedback. She has also recently led workshops about Accessible Theatre for companies including Birds of Paradise and Extant.
Thanks for reading - hope to see you at one of our online events soon!
Theatre Directors Scotland
|
