The other positions were hugely contested. The members heard a one minute speech from each candidate, and then had an opportunity to ask questions. A vote was taken to elect two Costume Managers, since the job is too big for one person to do alone. The results were:

 President: Matt Leventhall

Secretary: Nick Medhurst

Treasurer: Oliver Margolis

Theatre Manager: Andy McNamee

Publicity: Lucy Butler

Productions Co-ordinator: Jonny Steer

Costume Managers: Laura Free and Lauren Knight

Workshop Managers: Katie Blumenblatt and Vicky Auckland

House Manager: Will Vickers

External Events / Socials Co-ordinator: Lee Denny

Edinburgh Co-ordinator: Anthony Lau

Technical Director: Phil Geller

Business Manager: Anna Sherriff

Huge Congratulations to all who got elected, and thanks to all who ran. It was highly competetive. The hand-over will take place over the course of the coming weeks, and the new Committee will take over from the current Committee in the last week of term.

Last two nights of the Crucible coming up, if you’ve not seen it yet, come down and watch it. And then a big after-party at the top of Derby Road on Saturday night. Look for the balcony with people on it just below the Ropewalk.

This year, the theatre is taking not one, but TWO shows to the Fringe so now there are even more opportunities than ever before for you to get involved. Both pieces are to be helmed by New Theatre veteran directors Cal Lewis and Anthony Lau. The pieces are as follows:

‘Crossing the Rubicon’
Written and Directed by Cal Lewis

Cast: 8 (5m/3f)
Venue: C Soco
Play run: 13th-25th August, 2008

An original piece that centres around contemporary social issues. ‘Crossing the Rubicon’ serves as a commentary on life in modern-day London, the trials and tribulations one faces, and the inevitable consequences of actions.

The play tells the story of Jack and his sister Lizzie, two relatively ‘normal’ adolescents, who hope for ‘good’ grades which lead to ‘good’ jobs. The attractive and playful Lizzie, is courted by Rufus, a local youth with a criminal background and a less than encouraging future. Feeling the duty to protect his sister and his family name, Jack is forced to defend his sister, bringing him into a world completely different from his own. This new, crooked environment tests the limits of Jack’s mental endurance, facing an inner battle of whether to return to the straight and narrow of his previous life, or go through with the new demands placed on him by his criminal superiors.

An ensemble, devised piece being led by artistic director Simon Thompson (see award-winning ‘Slippery Soapbox’) and produced by NT Treasurer Jackie Lee.

The Die Is Cast…

AUDITIONS:
Thursday 1st May, Portland Building West Concourse Lounge, 3-4pm; New Theatre Foyer, 4-5pm
Friday 2nd May, Portland Building West Concourse Lounge, 3-5pm

For more info or to book an audition slot, call:
Jackie Lee: 07961 771 557

‘Cross Stitching’
Written and Directed by Anthony Lau

Cast: 3 (2m/1f)
Venue: C Soco
Play run: 13th-25th August, 2008

From the production team that brought you ‘After Miss Julie’, comes a new modern day love story embedded with twists and turns rendering it closer to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde than Romeo and Juliet.

Richard and Thomas’ burgeoning romance is limited only by their feelings of inadequacy and embarrassment as their affection in everyday situations and scenarios garner the unwanted disgust of a predominantly heterosexual society. In this surrealist piece, the consequence of such unwanted attention is Richard’s decision to have a gender-reassignment operation and thus the introduction of his post-operational alter ego, Gail. Non-linear and surrealist in style, ‘Cross-Stitching’ is an offer of new writing which has gone through the rigours of the Donmar Warehouse, whilst serving up something genuinely fresh and original in its analysis of contemporary social acceptance and perception.

AUDITIONS:
Wednesday 30th April, Portland Building D138, 2-4pm
Thursday 1st May, Portland Building East Concourse Lounge, 4-7pm

For more info, call:
Anthony: 07740 979 604
or
Sam: 07920 101 404

I cannot urge you enough to audition. You will never again have such an easy opportunity to perform in such a vibrant atmosphere as that which is uniquely presented by the Fringe. The talented people you will perform alongside and meet in Edinburgh will become part of your extended family. You will rub shoulders with producers, promoters, journalists, festival directors and other media types. In fact, the Fringe is a prime location for agents to snap up emerging talent. Many celebrities began their successful careers through the Festival: from Flight of the Conchords to Stephen Fry; Rachel Weisz to Emma Thompson. If a career in the arts (particularly theatre) is an ambition of yours, then Edinburgh will certainly give you a steady grounding in experience of the industry.

Finally, and most importantly, it promises to be the most fun summer of your life. Fact.

That’s enough from me, but keep your eyes peeled for auditions coming up. Sign-up sheets will be in the New Theatre foyer this week.

Get involved.

Tom
(NT Edinburgh Co-ordinator)

Click here to visit the Committee Hustings page. 

If you’re not thinking of standing, please come along anyway and cast your vote. It’s vital that you vet these people properly, since they’ll be in charge next year. This is your chance to make sure you get the right people for the job.

After the Hustings, the new Committee will meet with the current Committee and the hand-over process will begin. The new Committee will take over in the last week of term.

• Directors’ Guild Award for Best Director: Guy Unsworth
• Spotlight Award for Best Actress: Anna Wheatley
• Judges Award for Acting: Lizzie Bourne
• Best Sound Design: Nick Breen
• Best Set Design: Guy Unsworth & Crew

This is a fantastic achievement. The NSDF is a Festival that celebrates the best Student theatre in the country. Just getting selected is an enormous complement to any Company. But to win these awards is staggering. And what’s more, practically every facet of theatre is represented in the categories above. On behalf of the New Theatre Committee, and all the Members, I’d like to offer hearty congratulations and much respect to the cast and crew of Proof, who did us all extremelly proud at the Festival.

For more about this year’s NSDF please visit newtheatre.org.uk/nsdf, and visit the Photo Gallery to look at the photos.

Proof was originally supported by KPMG and received a generous grant from the University of Nottingham to attend NSDF.

Sam Turnbull resigned from his position of External Events Co-Ordinator on Wednesday, which meant that his shoes had to be filled pretty quickly, and so we held our mini-hustings to fill this position on Friday, and Simon Thompson ran for the position and won it! Congratulations Simon, we look forward to seeing all the new and exciting stuff you’re going to bring to the New Theatre table. The Committee would like to thank Sam for all his work and wish him the best of luck for the future.

Immediately following this was the Edinburgh ‘08 Proposals meeting, and the Committee once again pulled out all the stops and made the decision to send up not one, but TWO productions to Edinburgh this year in the last two weeks of August. Anthony Lau will be directing a piece of new writing and Cal Lewis will be directing a structured-devised piece, based around another piece of new writing. Plenty of opportunities to get involved here, from acting to working on the production teams, so if you’re interested get in contact with either of the directors, with Jackie Lee (for Cal’s production) or with our Social & Edinburgh Sec Tom Warren. Edinburgh auditions will be held very soon, so keep your eye out for that.

In other news ‘The Cranberry Chamber’, Student Improv Nottingham’s first production, finishes TONIGHT, so if you haven’t been to see it yet get on down to New Theatre! New writing combined with improvisation? We like.

In other NSDF related news, the Arts Council reversed its decision to cut the Festival’s funding after rethinking its ludicrous position. It was a direct response to the weight of public support for NSDF, especially in the light of the petition, so thanks to all who signed - power to the people.

To download the Audition Pack, click the Word Document: