Cast announcement for A Midsummer Night's Dream

The full cast for this year's Stafford Festival Shakespeare production can be viewed on the features page of our blog, www.staffordgatehouse.blogspot.co.uk!

Stafford Festival Shakespeare open auditions

We are holding a second round of open dance auditions on Sunday 26th May. If you are a local performer age 16+ then come along for registration at 9.30am at the Gatehouse Theatre. We are looking for performers to play fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream and no experience is necessary, but all performers must be available for all rehearsals and performances.

You do not need to prepare anything in advance and sensible, comfortable clothing is recommended along with a drink and a snack. 

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of one of Europe's largest open air Shakespeare festivals and the successful performers will be lead by an award winning creative team, including Choreographer Francesca Jaynes who has worked with Tim Burton and Steven Spielberg! 

If you have any queries please call the theatre on 01785 253 595.

Competition!

We are giving one lucky winner two tickets to see Buddy Holly: A Legend Reborn on May 31st!

To enter simply email ehogan@staffordbc.gov.uk with the answer to the following question:

What was the name of Buddy Holly's famous band?

a) The Crickets

b) The Insects

c) The Beatles

All entries must be received by Monday May 20th. Winner will be contacted by email on Tuesday 21st May.

Job vacancy

We are looking for 5 casual catering assistants. All applications must be received by 24th May 2013, with interviews to be held week commencing 10th June 2013. For full details of this opportunity please visit the Stafford Borough Council website www.staffordbc.gov.uk and select jobs and careers.

Job vacancy

We are looking for 6 casual theatre technicians. All applications must be received by 16th May 2013, with interviews on 24th May 2013. For full details of this opportunity please visit the Stafford Borough Council Website www.staffordbc.gov.uk and select jobs and careers.

Summer School Reminder

Open auditions for this years Summer School production of Whistle Down The Wind are just over 4 weeks away! For the first time children up to the age of 21 can audition too. The auditions take place on Sunday 19th May at the theatre. Full details and audition packs are available on our Get Involved page.

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre on your mobile!

We are now on the Big Local App, your source for all local news and information and entertainment listings! You can find us in the theatre section and the app is available from the App Store and Android Market. You can browse our shows and book tickets all from your mobile!

To find out more you can visit http://stafford.biglocalapp.com/

Stafford Festival Shakespeare Auditions

The producers of A Midsummer Night's Dream are on the hunt for local dancers to audition as fairies!

Successful candidates will be given the opportunity to star alongside professional and talented actors. Previous performers have included Matthew Kelly, Julie-Kate Olivier, Sally Lindsay, Rupert Hill and Eric Potts.

They will also be directed by a high profile creative team, which will include returning Choreographer Francesca Jaynes. Francesca's recent film credits include choreographer for King of Soho and Great Expectations. She also devised the choreographic sequences for the Oompa Loompas in Tim Burton's Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, as well as working on Sweeney Todd and Alice in Wonderland. She worked with Steven Spielberg devising movement sequences for Jude Law and the robots in his film A.I Artificial Intelligence.

Stafford Festival Shakespeare Producers are looking for talented dancers aged 16+. Auditions will take place on Sunday 12 May 2013 and anyone wishing to take part must be available for the duration of the rehearsal period and all performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Those wishing to audition should report to Stafford Gatehouse Theatre on Sunday 12 May 2013 at 9.30am for registration. There is no need to prepare anything in advance. We recommend those auditioning wear comfortable clothes and shoes and bring something to drink.

The performers will be split into groups and will audition with the members of the creative team for approximately 30 minutes. During the audition candidates will be taught a short piece, which they then may be asked to perform back to the group.

Following this the groups may be given a short extract to read or a song to sing. There may be call-backs later in the day for some of the auditioning dancers so the show's producers are asking those auditioning to be available throughout the day.

For any further information on the auditions please contact Derrick Gask at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre on 0101785 253595.

 PAM AYRES: 24/3/13

 Pam Ayres has arrived and we are all set for her performance. Thank you to everybody braving the snow to join us this evening!

New competition!

We have launced a new competition for creative young writers! Children up to the age of 16 can submit their own fairy story inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream for a chance to win some fantastic prizes.

The first prize winner will receive a Family Ticket to A Midsummer Night's Dream at Stafford Castle, a backstage tour, meeting the cast and crew of Stafford Festival Shakespeare, their story will be printed in the souvenir programme and they will also receive a book voucher courtesy of Waterstones Stafford! Two lucky runners up will each win a family ticket to the show.

The three winners will also have their stories displayed at Stafford Castle for the duration of the production as well as having their stories published on the Stafford Festival Shakespeare website.

Derrick Gask, Producer of the show commented: "A Midsummer Night's Dream is such a wonderful story filled with fairies and fantasy so it's a great chance for youngsters to get creative and write their own magical stories. We can't wait to read them!"

To enter the competition children up to the age of 16 can either email their story to ehogan@staffordbc.gov.uk or by post to Emma Hogan, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Eastgate Street, Stafford, ST16 2LT. All entries must be received by May 31st and must include the entrant's full name and age, as well as a parent or guardian's name, address and contact details. The story should be no longer than 500 words. Family tickets may be used subject to availability (some exclusions will apply) on performances between 27th June and 13th July.

The Stafford Festival Shakespeare secret is out!

We can exclusively reveal that Peter Rowe will be returning to direct A Midsummer Night's Dream and Eric Potts is the first confirmed actor!

Peter has been able to discuss early ideas for the show, revealing a late Victorian setting, listing Victorian style brass bands and Gilbert and Sullivan as key influences.

On reflecting on the hugely successful 2012 SFS production of Romeo and Juliet Peter commented: "We had a really good company and I was very proud of the show. He added "A Midsummer Night's Dream is a very special play and it's not for nothing that it's the favourite outdoor Shakespeare"

Eric Potts will be taking on the role of Bottom, following his critically acclaimed performance as Dromio of Syracuse in the 2011 production Comedy of Errors. Peter added: "There couldn't be a more perfect part for Eric. We're going to have a lot of fun!"

Eric concluded: "The way Peter has directed the Shakespeare Festival over the last few years has made it very accessible.The audience are going to get a real fun evening they'll enjoy!"

SHOW CANCELLATION

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre starts blogging!

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre now has it's very own blog, filled with photos, interviews, reviews, exclusive features and much more! Check it out on www.staffordgatehouse.blogspot.co.uk

Don't forget we are on Twitter @staff_gatehouse and also have dedicated Facebook pages for The Gatehouse Theatre, The MET Studio and Stafford Festival Shakespeare!