Room 101 opens its doors for an afternoon...

This afternoon the cast and crew of 1984 opened the doors of The Rake to allow friends of Northern Broadsides and The Dukes to see how the production is coming along. The set is looking fantastic and the cast and directors look very confident!

Take a look for yourself!...

1984 will be running at The Dukes from Thursday 16 September - Saturday 9 October



Tickets are available from The Dukes box office on 01524 589500 and more details can be found at http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/.

Life's a beach at The Dukes!

Yesterday we headed out to the beach in Morecambe to take some publicity shots for Quicksand, our spring co-production with Theatre by the Lake, and were lucky enough to be shooting in front of a breathtaking sunset.

While we were there, we also found the time to shoot the image for our Spring Season brochure cover!



More images to come soon...!

Quicksand will play at The Dukes from Friday 28 January - Saturday 12 February and tells the story of a forbidden love on Morecambe Bay.

1984 Rehearsals are underway!

Monday saw the arrival of Northern Broadsides and our 1984 cast at The Dukes! A full read through on Tuesday left everyone very excited to see the final production.

Carolyn Tomkinson - Katherine





Chris Garner- O'Brien, Andrew Price - Syme






Nick Haverson - Winston






The first morning.






Conrad Nelson- The Director

1984 will be running at The Dukes from Thursday 16 September - Saturday 9 October



Tickets are available from The Dukes box office on 01524 589500 and more details can be found at http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/.

Galileo – From Stage to Screen

Earlier this year members of Dukes Youth Theatre and students from Ripley High School and Lancaster University presented a knock out production of ‘Galileo’ written by local professor, Bob Jones.

The Institute of Physics were very impressed with the production and commissioned the Creative Learning Department to re-make the production as an educational film.

So, again our intrepid young actors donned costumes and hair pieces and descended on various locations around the city to shoot their filmic interpretation of the life and work of Galileo Galilee.

The film is now in post production and will be released to Secondary School Science and History departments in October 2010.









For more information about the project or to receive a copy of the film please contact Guy Christiansen, Creative learning Director on 01524 598516

Hunter and Hunted on the iPhone

Members of DT3 are embarking on an exciting new project putting Lancaster well and truly on the digital map. As part of Blaze young producers are creating an iPhone game to play round the streets of our city.

Try out the Hunter and Hunted game at The Dukes on Thursday 26th August & Friday 27th August from 1pm - 7pm. To book a slot to play the game around Lancaster, contact The Dukes box office on 01524 596500. More info here.

Jack, one of our young producers, has written a blog entry about his experiences of starting work on Hunter & Hunted...

Game designing- a tricky business!

Hello!

Now when I was told we were gonna design a game for the iphone to put Lancaster on the map, I thought it would be a tough job, with so many options open to us thanks to the range of features on the iphone coupled with my shamefull level of technical ability I knew we needed outside help. This came from two game designers from mobilepie and slingshot games who were able to shape my ludite level ramblings into something fast approaching an idea! This idea then split into three ideas, which have now been mixed and distilled into one great idea, an idea that I will tell you more about when I have learnt the techspeak to articulate it. What I do know is it will be exciting, new, thrilling and put Lancaster on the map for a whole new set of reasons. I’m also certain the final product will be something for blaze to be proud of, and people of Lancaster too!

Cheers, J

Peter Pan's Tinker Bell guest judges the Fairy Cake Challenge in Bowness, Cumbria

Yesterday our resident fairy, Tinker Bell (Erin Whalley) was a guest judge at the Lindeth Howe Fairy Cake Competition! Check out some of the
fabulous photos below!

That Thing Rehearsals

Our youngsters at DT3 have been rehearsing hard for 'That Thing'- a showcase of new writing and acting talent every Monday night. Here are some photos so you can see for yourself!

Shelby O'Neill as Amy.

Put your hands up!

Joey Stanford as Doug

Hands Up!

Doug and Max robbing the bank.

That Thing performs in The Gallery every Monday night at 7.30pm until August 23rd. The event is free or pay what you can. See the blog post below for more details. (Think Dukes Chill Out Tuesdays but with acting rather than music!)

We hope to see you there!

http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/theatre/that-thing

That Thing at The Dukes

Monday 12th July will see a presentation of new work by young people from the Senior Youth Theatre – also known as That Thing at the Dukes.

After the success of February’s “It Snows”, the Dukes Senior Youth Theatre were given a new concept, the general idea being that of new work by young writers. Members were asked to brainstorm ideas and if they so wished, to write a piece of work that could potentially be developed. We knew that there were several promising writers in the company and wished to encourage new work – who knows, we may have a 21st Century Shakespeare on our hands...

The first piece to be brought forward was ‘Small Ads’ by Jack Hathaway. Inspired by political events of the time, Jack’s piece focuses around the everyday lives of the unemployed, in this case three kooky individuals sharing a squat called Sparky, Julie and the drug addicted Danny. After an initial reading, fellow youth theatre members gave constructive criticism and comments on how it funny it was. and so the writer went away to improve his piece, adding bits and pieces with regard to any updates in the political climate. Nick Clegg, Osborne and Cameron... no politician is safe when Hathaway’s around.
Jack went away and amended his play, and the finished product can be described as 'The Thick of It' meets 'Skins' which will entertain both adults and young people.

Another youth theatre member, Rosa Cooper Davies, during her time off from her Lost Boy rehearsals for Peter Pan, wrote her own piece exploring serendipity with a sprinkle of existentialism. Or, to you and me, a story of two strangers- newly unemployed Jack, and free spirited Grace- meeting on a park bench and discussing life paths. Think 'Coffee and Cigarettes' meets '500 Days of Summer'.

Rehearsals have taken place at every Youth Theatre meeting on Mondays, and often we have been split off into two groups: Team Bench (Rosa’s play) and Team Small Ads (Jack). Our overseer, Louie, who directed ‘It Snows’ and last year’s ‘The Things She Sees’, which toured to the National Theatre in London, has supervised the group sessions over the past few months, with a definite “hands-off” approach, that she has faithfully abided to. Honest.

Two Project Managers were assigned the task of ensuring the night goes ahead smoothly and booking music for the night, which will be provided by Lucas Button and Katy Pickles. The vibe that we’ve tried to go for is a relaxed gathering that can show off the raw talent of our budding writers and actors.



That Thing will start on the 12 July, at 7:30pm and continue every Monday night until August 23rd. The event is free and is similar to The Dukes Chill Out Tuesdays but with acting rather than music! Think about it – you might even be witness to the debut of future Oscar winning screenwriters, and you can say that you were there!

Written by Anna Sainsbury, Young Theatre Maker, The Dukes

Peter Pan is here!!

Our production of Peter Pan in Williamson park kicks off tonight and tomorrow to two sold out previews! Last night a successful dress rehearsal impressed staff and gave everyone high hopes for an extremely sucessful run.



Below are some sneak peak shots from last night to give you a taster of what's in store!

Peter Pan is running in Williamson Park every evening, Monday- Saturday, at 7.15pm until Saturday 7 August.

Tickets are available from The Dukes box office on 01524 589500 and more details can be found at http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/.

BBC Radio Lancashire comes to Williamson Park.

Yesterday, Williamson Park was not only taken over by production teams and actors, but also by the team of BBC Radio Lancashire!

Each year the radio station relocate to Williamson Park and have an afternoon of live broadcast, speaking to lots of people involved with the theatre in the park.

Amy Leach, Our Peter Pan Director

Mark Melville, Our Peter Pan Composer

One of our Youth Theatre playing Tinkerbell!

Guy Christiansen, Creative Learning Director with Lucas Button, one of our Youth Theatre playing Michael.

Joe Sumsion, The Dukes Director.

You can listen to all the action and interviews on BBC Listen Again until July 5th 2010 here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p008gl0m/John_Gillmore_28_06_2010/

Peter Pan in Williamson Park is almost upon us! Previews start this Friday 2 July.

Peter Pan will be running in Williamson Park from Friday 2 July until Saturday 7 August.

Tickets are available from The Dukes box office on 01524 589500 and more details can be found at http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/.

Peter Pan: Meeting the Lost Boys

While The Dukes has been innundated with lovely professional actors over the past few weeks, we have also had the pleasure of meeting 9 fresh young actors who will be playing our lost boys. Aged between 15 and 20, some have come through The Dukes Youth Theatre and others have come through the open auditions held in April and May this year. We eventually whittled down the auditionees to nine very talented young actors. Each will play 2 nights a week in their role of either Tootles, Michael or Tinkerbell.

The Lost Boys with the rest of the Peter Pan cast.

We wanted to know more about our lost boys so we asked them a bit about themselves and their role... read on to found out about our nine young thespians!

Peter Pan will be running in Williamson Park from Friday 2 July until Saturday 7 August.

Tickets are available from The Dukes box office on 01524 589500 and more details can be found at http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/.

Peter Pan: Meet... Tootles!

First up is Tootles who will be played each week by Noah Richmond, Harry Jamson and Rosa Cooper-Davies.


So guys, have you been involved in projects at The Dukes before?

Harry: Yes, I have been involved in Dukes Youth Theatre since a young age, most recently in Macbeth.

Rosa: Yes! I’ve been a member of the Dukes Senior Youth Theatre since January 2009 and been involved with all the projects with them including “The Things She Sees” and “It Snows”. I was also involved in the play “One Small Stone…”


What drew you to the opportunity of being part of the young company?

Rosa: It looked like a lot of fun! But at the same time, a good challenge and give me some good experience to *boast about* refer to when acting in other projects.


What challenges does this project pose for you?


Harry: Working with a professional cast, and the long rehearsals will be challenging.

Rosa: Fast costume changes and getting in the scenes before the audience arrive.


What's the most exciting thing about playing your role?

Harry: The most exciting thing is working with a professional cast!

Rosa: Working with such a lovely cast, at the same time as being in the beautiful surrounds of the park. We also play a shadow and a mermaid which are all exciting because we get to wear lots of cool costumes.


What discoveries were made about your character through rehearsal that perhaps weren’t explicit in the script?

Harry: He’s quite friendly with Slightly, but almost afraid of Nibs. He is supposed to act mischievously.

Rosa: Tootles is Slightly’s best friend :)


What kind of games and exercises have you been playing during rehearsals?

Rosa: All kinds! Lots of stuff where we get to play around with our characters. This is particularly interesting because as non-speaking characters you find new ways to express the characters’ thoughts and emotions.

Harry: We have been using the dances and name game, but also a variation of ‘Granny’s footsteps’.


What have you particularly enjoyed about the Peter Pan process so far?

Harry: Probably being in the park!

Rosa: Definetly working in the park.


Is there anything that you have found particularly difficult?

Rosa: Remembering everyone’s names!


What tips would you give to other emerging performers?

Harry: Be prepared to wait; Act confidently, if you do you are more believable; Have fun, it looks better if you do.

Rosa: Get involved with the youth theatre at DT3; Try out EVERYTHING; Don’t be picky. Any role is a good role, if you make it one.

Peter Pan will be running in Williamson Park from Friday 2 July until Saturday 7 August.

Tickets are available from The Dukes box office on 01524 589500 and more details can be found at http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/.

Peter Pan: Meet... Tinkerbell!

Next we have Tinkerbell who is played by Erin Whalley, Sadie McLoughlin and Paige Thornton!


Have any of you been involved in projects at The Dukes before?

Erin: Yes, I go to the Youth Theatre, so do projects there and other ones during the holidays.

Paige & Sadie: Nope


What made you choose to audition for the role?

Erin: I heard about it through DT3 and wanting to perform and enjoying being in the park made me want to do it.

Paige: A close friend told me about it.

Sadie: I was doing my work experience at The Dukes, and they told me about it and said I should audition, which made me want to do it!



What challenges does this project pose for you?

Sadie: Getting myself organised!

Erin: Scheduling and balancing home life and rehearsals.

Paige: Listening skills and not getting easily distracted.


You're all playing Tinkerbell- what is the most exciting thing about this role for you?

Paige: It’s very exciting because I can relate to her as she is energetic, moody and fast.

Sadie: It’s very exciting being really girly, and moody! It’s good fun and I’m excited for the costumes.

Erin: It’s very well known, so I’m excited about making it my own.


What discoveries were made about your character through rehearsal that perhaps weren’t explicit in the script?

Paige: She is sulky but cares dearly for Peter.

Erin: The cheekyness has come through.


What kind of games and exercises have you been playing during rehearsals?

Paige: We have played a game called ‘yes lets’, a tig like game and we did a Lost Boys dance!

Erin: Teamwork (cat and mouse) and working without vocal communication.


What have you particularly enjoyed about the Peter Pan process so far?

Sadie: Meeting the professionals!

Erin: Working with the adult cast and rehearsing in the park.

Paige: I’ve loved rehearsing the first scenes with the professionals.


And conversely, is there anything that you have found particularly difficult?

All 3: Nothing so far!


What tips would you give to other emerging performers?

Erin: Expect to sacrifice other clubs/things and see all of the fun elements all of the time.

Paige: Take advice and constructive criticism; Listen to the director at all times; Have fun but be sensible.

Peter Pan will be running in Williamson Park from Friday 2 July until Saturday 7 August.

Tickets are available from The Dukes box office on 01524 589500 and more details can be found at http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/.

Peter Pan: Meet... Michael!

Finally out of our lost boys we have Michael, played by Vincent MacDonald, Lucas Button and Paul Munro.

Have you been involved in projects at The Dukes before, and if so, what?

Vincent: I have been involved in many youth theatre productions at The Dukes that are held in DT3.

Paul: Yes, for a year. I was in Macbeth.

Lucas: Yes – I have been a member of DT3 for many years and in various performances including Can’t Pay Won’t Pay, Macbeth and Spring Awakening. I was also in ‘A Christmas Carol’ with The Dukes Theatre (I was one of the Tiny Tims!).


How did you you hear about the show and what made you want to act in it?

Vincent: A letter was handed out at Youth Theatre and I thought that it would be really good to get involved.

Lucas: I love acting and really enjoy working with a professional team. I want to be an actor and so if there is a good opportunity I will be up for it. Being with the Dukes Promenade season is a dream come true.

Paul: I started acting in Cyprus, so I wanted to keep it going when I moved to Lancaster.


What challenges does this project pose for you?

Vincent: This is a big commitment and a lot of time needs to be put into this production.

Lucas: Properly getting used to the harsh rehearsal performance schedule and trying to fit my school work in around rehearsals. Having enough energy for a whole day of school and late rehearsals.

Paul: Not speaking too much!


You're all playing Michael- what is the most exciting thing about this role for you?

Lucas: Michael looks up to his brother and sister almost as mother and father and it is nice to play a role that is younger than I actually am because you can explore childhood games and adventures. Its really fun to play all the lovely games with the other actors!

Vincent: The most exciting things is just being able to perform in such a big production like this.

Paul: I get to be rolled down a hill in a pram!


What discoveries were made about your character through rehearsal that perhaps weren’t explicit in the script?

Paul: Even though I follow John around, I always agree with Wendy in our sibling talks.

Lucas: I have found that Michael looks up to Wendy and John as almost a mother and father. Like role models.


What kind of games and exercises have you been playing during rehearsals?

Vincent: We have been doing a dance which is in the performance but it is being used as an exercise at the moment.

Paul: Zip, zap, zop. Role play and stuff like that.

Lucas: We have been doing trust exercises and also getting used to the movement of our bodies and creating new ways of moving.


What have you particularly enjoyed about the Peter Pan process so far?

Vincent: I have particularly enjoyed being pushed about in a pram and doing my pre-show act which is trampolining. But I have really enjoyed doing the whole show it is a great experience.

Paul: Scene one was really fun!

Lucas: Probably the rehearsals because they are so fun but at the same time I am learning so much about how much people rely on you to do your best, to take notes so you don’t forget anything and to help the other actors if they need it.


And conversely, is there anything that you have found particularly difficult?

Paul: Not having lines!

Vincent: Not really but sometimes it is a bit hard to keep up.

Lucas: I think that what has been a challenge is the long days when we have rehearsals and getting up for school in the morning after later rehearsals! - but nothing that is really to do with 'the play' like script learning or the rehearsing itself.


What tips would you give to other emerging performers?

Paul: Wear warm clothes for outside work; Concentrate; Let yourself go.

Lucas: The first one would definitely be to have confidence in what you want to do because if you are scared of what people might think of you then you wont perform to your best. The second one would be to audition for lots of things because even if you don’t get the part you wanted it’s the actual experience that counts and the more practice you have of auditions the more confident you start to feel. Last tip would be enjoy what you are doing because there is nothing worse than committing to something and then regretting it or not enjoying it.

Peter Pan will be running in Williamson Park from Friday 2 July until Saturday 7 August.

Tickets are available from The Dukes box office on 01524 589500 and more details can be found at http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/.

The Lost Boys in Rehearsals.

Now you've met the Lost Boys, take a look at them in action in rehearsals up at Williamson Park.

Peter Pan will be running in Williamson Park from Friday 2 July until Saturday 7 August.

Tickets are available from The Dukes box office on 01524 589500 and more details can be found at http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/.