
PRESS RELEASE
Friday 19th October 2012
Michael Grandage CBE, will open this year’s TheatreCraft event by giving a welcome speech at 9am on Friday 30th November 2012, at the Royal Opera House.
TheatreCraft, which is now in its 7th year, is the essential free event for anyone aged 17 to 25 looking for a non-performance career in theatre. Participants can explore topics including producing, stage management, wig-making, lighting, marketing, theatre journalism, sound, directing, costume design, playwriting and designing.
The event on Friday 30th November at the Royal Opera House will welcome more than1,000 young people from across the UK and runs from 9am – 3.30pm. Participants will have the chance to take part in a choice of over 60 workshops delivered by skilled theatre professionals from, meet more than 40 exhibitors in the bustling marketplace and visit the ‘Ask the Experts’ zone which offers one-to-one advice sessions with industry experts.
TheatreCraft is the only place to be for a fun and unique glimpse into the ‘behind the scenes’ world of theatre.
Commenting on this year’s event Michael Grandage said:
“The wealth of talent behind every theatre production is staggering. There are far more jobs than people ever appreciate in the theatre industry, all working diligently behind the scenes to make it happen. Every department is crucial from directing to wig making, sound design to marketing, stage management to casting, the list goes on. TheatreCraft is the unmissable event that every young person interested in exploring a career in the theatre should attend. It will equip them with the necessary information to make educated career choices and ensures that theatre in this country continues to have a robust future under the next generation of rising talent.”
Organisers are thrilled that the award-winning theatre director and producer is showing his support and taking time out of his busy schedule in the same week which his Michael Grandage Season kicks off, with Privates on Parade previewing at the Noel Coward Theatre from 1st December.
TheatreCraft is organised by Creative and Cultural Skills, Mousetrap Theatre Projects, the Royal Opera House, Society of London Theatre and Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust.
It is sponsored by PLASA, White Light and Autograph and its media partners are A Younger Theatre, Lighting & Sound International and The Stage.
For more information and all the latest news about TheatreCraft visit www.theatrecraft.org or Twitter @TheatreCraft
LISTINGS
Event: TheatreCraft
Date: Friday 30 November 2012
Time: 9.00am – 3.30pm; Michael Grandage will open the event at 9am.
Venue: Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, WC2E 9DD
Delegates can attend for free registering at www.theatrecraft.org
-ENDS-
Press Contact Anoushka Warden anoushka@masterclass.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
- A selection of images of previous TheatreCraft events available on request.
- TheatreCraft takes place on Friday 30 November 2012 at the Royal Opera House 9am – 3.30pm.
- TheatreCraft is free to 17 – 25 year olds and offers a busy Marketplace of exhibiting theatres, training providers, education institutions and careers advisors. Up to 60 accompanying workshops, talks, panel discussions and one-to-one sessions led by industry practitioners are on offer to all attendees.
About Michael Grandage
Michael Grandage is Artistic Director of the Michael Grandage Company in London. He was Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse (2002–2012) and Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres (2000–05). He is the recipient of Tony, Drama Desk, Olivier, Evening Standard, Critics’ Circle and South Bank Awards. He has been awarded Honorary Doctorates by both SheffieldUniversity and SheffieldHallamUniversity and is President of Central School of Speech and Drama. He was appointed CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2011. Later this month, his book A Decade At The Donmar, is published by Constable & Robins.
His work for the Donmar Warehouse included Richard II, Luise Miller, King Lear, Red (also New York, Tony and Drama Desk Awards Best Director), Jude Law in Hamlet (also Elsinore and New York), Ivanov (Evening Standard and Critics Circle Award Best Director), Madame de Sade, Twelfth Night, The Chalk Garden (Evening Standard and Critics Circle Awards Best Director), Don Juan in Soho, Frost/Nixon (also Gielgud, New York, USA tour, Tony Nomination Award for Best Director), Othello (Evening Standard and Critic’s Circle Awards for Best Director), The Wild Duck (Critic’s Circle Award Best Director), Guys and Dolls (Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production), Grand Hotel (Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and Evening Standard Award Best Director), The Cut, After Miss Julie, Caligula (Olivier Award Best Director), Merrily We Roll Along (Evening Standard Award Best Director), Passion Play (Evening Standard Award and Critics Circle Award for Best Director). For Sheffield Theatres he directed many productions including Don Carlos (Evening Standard Award Best Director). The Michael Grandage Company’s inaugural season of five plays will open at the Noel Coward Theatre this December.
About the Sponsors
- PLASA, the lead international membership body for individuals and companies that supply technologies and services to the event, entertainment and installation industries.
- White Light, suppliers of lighting to the entertainment industry.
- Autograph, Europe’s leading theatre sound design and rental,sales and installation company.
About the Media Partners
About the TheatreCraft Partners 2012
Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust
Masterclass is a small charity that has a big impact on young people’s lives with a unique offering of free masterclasses with leading theatre professionals, careers advice sessions, apprenticeships and performance experiences. We are committed to using theatre and the beautiful Theatre Royal Haymarket to inspire and empower young people – the talent of the future. To date over 60,000 14 – 30 year olds have benefited from our programme.
TheatreCraft was established by Masterclass in 2003 as a way of highlighting training and career opportunities for young people interested in working behind the scenes in the theatre and performance industries. www.masterclass.org.uk
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is the home of three world-class performing companies – The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera and The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.
The Royal Opera House is passionate about inspiring people to choose careers in the arts sector, particularly in the backstage areas that they may not have previously considered. We promote a variety of routes into working in the arts, through employment opportunities, apprenticeships and work experience placements.
Our Education programme also explores new ways for people to connect with ballet, opera and music through a range of dynamic projects, enabling people to discover and develop their talents, creative skills and passions, whatever their background or level of experience.
www.roh.org.uk
Mousetrap Theatre Projects
Mousetrap Theatre Projects is a theatre education charity committed to enabling young people with limited resources, access or support to engage with the best of London theatre. Since 1997, we’ve enabled close to 1,000,000 young people to see outstanding theatre, mostly in the West End, with best seats at £5 – £10. Most theatre visits are supported by one of our 18 education programmes delivered by a range of professional theatre practitioners – from musical theatre composition to the ‘business of theatre’ to sound and lighting design to critical reviewing. At the heart of our work is the desire to open doors to young people who might otherwise consider London’s rich cultural heritage closed to them. www.mousetrap.org.uk
Society of London Theatre
The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) is the association which represents the producers, theatre owners and managers of the 52 major commercial and grant-aided theatres in central London. The organisation exists in order to promote theatregoing, develop audiences, and to serve, protect and promote the interests of those engaged in theatre across London, through activities including The Olivier Awards with MasterCard, TKTS ticket booth, the Official London Theatre guide, Theatre Tokens, West End LIVE and the promotions Kids Week and Get Into London Theatre. The Society is keen to inspire future generations to engage and follow careers within the theatre industry www.solt.co.uk / http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk
Creative & Cultural Skills
Creative & Cultural Skills is the sector skills council for the UK’s creative and cultural industries, including craft, cultural heritage, design, literature, music, performing arts and visual arts. Founded in 2004, we were granted a new licence from Government to operate in January 2010. Our goal is to enable the creative and cultural industries to reach their economic potential through relevant skills and training. We deliver through the NationalSkillsAcademy for Creative & Cultural, a network of 20 Founder Colleges and over 200 employers working in partnership. For further information, please visit www.ccskills.org.uk