Pack
MARKETING
PILOT THEATRE
CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................................................... 3 Synopsis ....................................................................................................................... 4 Director’s Vision ............................................................................................................ 5 Meet the designer ......................................................................................................... 6 Cast Biographies ....................................................................................................... 7-8 Creative Biographies ................................................................................................9-10 Tour Dates ................................................................................................................... 11 Box Office Notes ........................................................................................................ 12 Sample Direct Mail ...................................................................................................... 13 Sample Press Release ........................................................................................... 14-15 Sample Schools Letter .......................................................................................... 16-17 Reviews ...................................................................................................................... 18 Contact the Pilots ....................................................................................................... 19
Photography by Karl Andre Photography
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Introduction
Research Images: Messages left at Juliet’s house in Verona.
Pilot Theatre in association with York Theatre Royal present
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare A Love story for the 21st Century Opens York Theatre Royal September 10 – 25 2010 Tours nationally to April 2011 Directed by Marcus Romer and Katie Posner Designed by Chloe Lamford Composed by Sandy Nuttgens These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume Award winning company Pilot Theatre, (Lord of the Flies, Looking for JJ), present their new vibrant production of Shakespeare’s timeless tale of star crossed lovers. A story of dangerous rivalries and secret loves here vividly brought to life in a fast moving and contemporary telling of this celebrated story. A community split by its differences, a young girl rebelling against her parents’ expectations, knife crime and gang violence, Romeo and Juliet is a story with striking relevance to today’s young audiences. With stunning visuals and cutting edge soundtrack, this production will inspire and enthuse audiences of all ages with its exuberance, poetry and thrilling action. This Marketing Pack provides a comprehensive guide to the production, with interviews, cast and creative details and selling points to help you promote Romeo & Juliet.
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Synopsis The Capulets and the Montagues, two noble families send a letter to Romeo - intending that the two in Verona, Italy, have been fighting. The Prince lovers be reunited in the Capulet vault. declares that their next public brawl will be punished by death. Juliet drinks the potion and everybody assumes that she is dead. Romeo hears this. Friar Lawrence’s Romeo - a Montague - is being cheered up by his letter fails to reach Romeo, so he has no reason to cousin Benvolio. Romeo is in love with a woman disbelieve the news. He rushes to Juliet’s tomb, named Rosaline, but she’s not interested. encounters Paris mourning there, kills him, finds Meanwhile, Paris is interested in Juliet and goes to Juliet and, in deep grief, drinks a vial of poison. her father to ask for her hand in marriage. Old Capulet says she is still too young. Romeo and Moments later, Juliet wakes to find Romeo dead and Benvolio are accidentally invited to a party at the kills herself due to grief. Once the families discover Capulet’s house. Benvolio convinces Romeo to go, what happened, they finally end their bitter feud. because Rosaline will be there. For a more detailed breakdown of each Act go to: At the party, Romeo notices a girl named Juliet. They http://youkissbythebook.wordpress.com/ instantly fall in love, but they do not realise that their 2010/06/10/synopsis/ families are mortal enemies until after the party. Romeo sneaks into Juliet’s orchard and proclaims his love for her. She says she loves him too and they decide to marry. The next day, Romeo and Juliet are married by Friar Lawrence; witnessed by Juliet’s Nurse. They plan to meet in Juliet’s room that night. Romeo visits his best friend Mercutio and his cousin Benvolio but his good mood is cut short when Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt, starts a row with Romeo, which soon turns into a duel with Mercutio. Romeo tries to stop the fight but it is too late: Tybalt kills Mercutio. Romeo, retaliates by killing Tybalt. Once Romeo realises the consequences of his actions, he hides at Friar Lawrence’s cell. Friar Lawrence informs Romeo that he has been banished from Verona and will be killed if he stays any longer. The Friar suggests Romeo spend the night with Juliet, then leave for Mantua in the morning. He tells Romeo that he will attempt to settle the Capulet and Montague dispute so Romeo can later return to a united family. Romeo takes his advice, spending one night with Juliet before fleeing Verona.
For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo
Juliet is heartbroken and her family think she is mourning for her cousin Tybalt. Her mother, unaware of Juliet's secret marriage, insists she should marry Paris in a few days. Juliet refuses. Juliet asks Friar Lawrence for advice, insisting she would rather die than marry Paris. The Friar gives Juliet a potion which will make her appear dead and tells her to take it the night before the wedding. He promises to
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Director’s Vision An exclusive interview with Marcus Romer
Pilot’s production of Romeo and Juliet is still in its preproduction phase. Rehearsals are some weeks in the future, there is no cast, no set, just ideas. We catch up with director Marcus Romer to find out what his thoughts are about this brand new production of one of the oldest and best known plays in the English language. Why is it relevant for young people to see Romeo and Juliet? We want to give young people a voice and this is essentially a story about young people: it’s a story about first love and about how love takes over your entire world and about the conflicts that surround all that. There’s that feeling, when things are happening for the first time, and it feels like no one else has gone through this before, and Romeo and Juliet tells the story of that time in your life. It’s also about rivalry and peer pressure, parents, gangs, groups and divisions - all these things that haven’t gone away. It’s still early days, but what do you imagine the show will look like? We’re working with Chloe Lamford on an innovative design which will be a new style for us and I’m very excited about it. We’re focusing on something very current, the online memorial sites that have sprung up recently both on Facebook and also on sites such as www.gonetoosoonorg where we remember loved ones who have died. We also wanted to look at the habit of laying flowers which has been part of our culture since Princess Diana’s death. Before that, it was something you saw more often in Europe or South America, but now, at every place where someone has died, there are public floral tributes. I have an idea that the audience, arriving at the theatre will see a bunch of flowers attached to the wall and there will be a small note on it which reads: ‘I love you - eternity’. When people come into the auditorium, they’ll see more floral tributes to a young person who has died. It’s where people have chosen to come, to this focal point in the community, to pay their respects. We want to capture that sense of laying of flowers at a school or the place where the dead person lived and how that has replaced the sense of the church being the focal point. In our case the stage is the empty space where something has happened and it is Mercutio’s memorial we are looking at. His is the first death, which triggers the others. You’re catching me at the very beginning of the process, but what we’re looking at is something beautiful, frail and stunning, which also has a resonance to our lives now.
Follow the company at www.youkissbythebook.com and on twitter through #kissbythebook
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Meet the Designer Chloe Lamford
When did you first realise was really geeky and into you wanted to work in miniatures and dolls theatre design? houses when I was a kid, so that really helped! Well, I had a bit of an unusual childhood as You have an impressive both my parents worked portfolio of work, which in dance, and we includes theatre, opera traveled a lot – I saw a and dance, but do you lot of theatre from a very have a favourite medium young age, and was to design for? always around performers, lighting I started off doing a designers, etc – I thought huge mixture of things – about being a dancer I think its good after right up until my A-levels, college to do that – I but decided that I used to work on a lot of wanted to make things film and music promos instead – and designing too, which I have found I plays – creating magic have really left behind. I little worlds from models, think that really it’s sitting in the dark between theatre and watching theatre come opera for me. Opera to life, imagining how completely stretches the things could look would imagination, and design be infinitely more muscles – there are rewarding than breaking bigger budgets and more my back and ruining my scope to do something feet! So I chose to make really adventurous – but theatre instead. Plus I it’s hard work! I think that
create something and bring back a suggestion. But mainly the process starts with lots of talking about the piece and daydreaming about what kind of ‘world’ the play needs. The first talks that I have with a director are the most exciting – when Chloe Lamford you talk about the play/ opera and throw around ideas – that’s my my home is with theatre, favourite part, and then I long term – I love go on a sort of research working on new writing, journey, finding inspiring with writers and unusual images, art installations, spaces. I am really keen films, photographs – on working in nontrying to map out my theatre spaces too. Yeah, ideas with research. theatre. I think. And a bit Obviously if the piece is of opera. in another time period, then that means a lot of Do you have a process research in addition to that you work through the more abstract, when beginning a new imaginative stuff. project, or does it change depending on This is your first time the piece? working with Pilot My process changes quite a lot – it’s totally different, for example with opera, than theatre – opera is all about quite in depth research and planning as the director and designer really create the whole production in the model box and pretty much plan every minute of the piece. Theatre is much freer than that, and decisions can be left much later on. It also depends on the director I work with, some directors love to be really involved in the design decisions, some want me to go away and
Theatre, how did you first here of the Company? I first heard of Pilot years ago when I first started designing – I heard about the amazing production of Lord of the Flies when I was working on a youth theatre version of the play. Then a few years ago, my partner was an actor in Sing Your Heart out for the Lads and I got to know Pilot more properly!
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Cast Biographies Louisa Eyo Nurse
Theatre credits include: Macbeth, Feelgood Theatre Company; Yellow Doctress, Beauty & the Beast, and How High Is Up? West Yorkshire Playhouse; The Lion and the Jewel, Barbican Theatre Pit; The Man Who Was Buried Alive by His Mother, Contact Theatre; Trojan Woman and Yerma, Chipping Norton Theatre & Tour; Bad Hand, Birmingham Rep; Sense of Belonging, Arcola Theatre & Green Room; The Snow Queen, Bolton Octagon; Toad of Toad Hall and A Christmas Carol, New Victoria Stoke; A Christmas Carol, The Lawrence Batley Theatre; Ripples, M6 Theatre; Zumbie, Black Theatre Cooperative; Trouble Under Foot, Northern Stage; Search For Odysseus, Made in Wales Theatre Company; Grapes of Wrath, 7.84 Theatre Company; Desert Story, TAG Theatre Company; Gingerbread Man, Sheffield Crucible; Motherland and Wicked Women, Oval House Theatre, & RNT Cottlesloe.
Richard JamesNeale
Bryn Holding Benvolio Bryn graduated from LIPA in 2008. Since then, his theatre credits include: The Mystery of Jack and the Clones of Chaos, Pilot Theatre Company; The Severn ages of Poetry, Royal Shakespeare Company; Echoes, Liverpool Everyman; Les Miserables le Panto, UK Tour – Oddsocks Productions; Language of the Skies, Wigan Literary Festival; Little Hope, Adventures of Pinocchio and The Tempest, The Point Theatre, Eastleigh. Bryn was nominted for the Spotlight award in 2008 and is delighted to be returning to Pilot Theatre for this production of Romeo and Juliet.
Chris Lindon Mercutio/Paris
Richard graduated from Theatre credits include: Visiting Mountview Academy of Theatre Grandad, Tutti Fruitti/York in 2006 with first class honours. Theatre Royal; The Snow He was nominated for the 2006 Queen, West Yorkshire Spotlight Prize and was a commended finalist in Playhouse; The Emperor’s New Clothes, the 2006 BBC Carlton Hobbs Competition. Channel Theatre Co.; Stormbringer, Avanti Display; The Garden in Winter & King of the Theatre credits include: Othello, Frantic Castle, M6 Theatre Co.; Peter Pan, Proteus Assembly; Pygmalion, Old Vic; A Midsummer Theatre Company; Once Upon A Time in Wigan, Night’s Dream and The Tempest, UK & Urban Expansions Theatre Co; Scorcher, Action International tour; A Midsummer Night’s Dream Transport Theatre Co. and Comedy Of Errors, Ludlow Castle; Thickness Of Skin, Chelsea Theatre; The TV & Film credits include: Star Struck, BBC/ Threepenny Opera, Lyric Hammersmith; Murder North West Vision; Heartbeat, Yorkshire In The Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral & Television; Ideal, BBC/Babycow Productions; Westminster Cathedral. No-one forgets a Bad Teacher, Two Bob Films. Richard also took part in the 24 Hour Plays: Red Bull Sessions at The Tabard Theatre.
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Mary Rose Lady Capulet Theatre includes: Dracula, Proteus Theatre Company; The Seagull, Royal Court and Broadway; Bullet Shaped Heart, Greenwich Theatre; Kane, Theatre 503 – Reading; Beauty & the Beast and The Wedding Present, Proteus Theatre Company; Thin Toes, Hampstead Theatre – Start Night; The Cut, The Old Vic/St Mungo’s; Macbeth, New Wolsey, Ipswich; A Place at the Table, Pleasance; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Salisbury Playhouse; Fortune’s Fool, Chichester Festival Theatre; and Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Watermill Theatre.
William Travis Capulet Theatre credits include: Quixotry – JB Shorts, Real Life Theatre; The Owl and the Pussycat, Fools Gold Theatre; Stapleton in The Hound of the Baskervilles, Found Theatre; Chauvelin in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Fools Gold Theatre; The Lie, King’s Head Theatre; Of Mice and Men, Midsommer Actors. William can be seen this autumn as Mr. Squires in This Is England 1986, Warp Films. Other credits include: Doctors, BBC; Coronation Street, ITV; Christmas at the Riviera, Carnival Films; Casualty, BBC; Shameless, Red Productions; Torchwood, BBC; Sorted, BBC; Dalziel and Pascoe, BBC; The Street, Red Productions; Holby City, BBC; No Angels, World Prods; Between The Sheets, Rollem Prods.
Rachel Spicer Juliet Rachel is thrilled to be working on Pilot Theatre Company’s production of Romeo & Juliet and to be a part of its wonderful cast. For someone who’s just graduated from drama school, it’s a dream job and role. Since graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art this past July, Rachel has played the lead role in two short films and worked on a yogurt commercial. Prior to drama school, Rachel was very active in her local theatre community and juggled finishing school with a handful of parts in television and made for TV movies. Rachel thinks of herself as a level-headed girl, but thoroughly delights in the drama of falling in love and dying every night for the duration of the run (and sometimes twice a day with matinees).
Oliver Wilson Romeo Oliver graduated from East 15 in 2008. His theatre work includes: To Kill A Mocking Bird at Theatr Clwyd and on tour; All’s Well That Ends Well at the National Theatre, The RSC Poetry Festival at Stratford and London, Much Ado About Nothing for Derby Live and This Child for Pilot Theatre Company at the Albany Empire and Theatre Royal York. Roles during training include: Bergman in Redevelopment; Ned Ludd in The Machine Breakers; Loveless in The Relapse. Oliver has also taken part in an RSC workshop on Henry V and has appeared in a drink-driving advert.
He played the regular role of Dick Lampard in Where The Heart Is for 6 years.
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Creative Biographies
Marcus Romer Co-Director Marcus is the Artistic Director of Pilot Theatre, his production of Lord of the Flies has received a TMA award nomination and won a Manchester Evening News award. His co-production of Jonathan Harvey’s Beautiful Thing with the Octagon Theatre, Bolton won two M.E.N. Awards in 2005. He has directed Looking for JJ, by Anne Cassidy, which won the TMA award for best production for young people 2008 as well as Sing yer heart out for the lads by Roy Williams, Road,TheBeautyQueenof Leenane, Bloodtide, ASL, Look back in Anger and Kiss of the Spiderwoman. In March 2010 Marcus was invited to direct WC School for Atina Theatre in Argentina, a show which later transferred to York Theatre Royal. Marcus attended the TED conference in California in 2007 and on his return created the Shift Happens conferences that have run for the past three years at York Theatre Royal. He has also been invited to attend the 2011 TED conference . Marcus is a published playwright. He adapted and directed Rumble Fish, Bloodtide, Looking for JJ and Fungus the Bogeyman. He is currently adapting the screenplay The Knife That Killed Me for Green Screen productions.
Katie Posner Co-Director Katie is the Associate Director of Pilot Theatre. This year she has directed ‘A State of Innocence’ and ‘Between this Breath and You’ from The Fever Chart by Naomi Wallace, Jack and the Mystery of the Clones of Chaos by Richard Hurford, Just by Ali Smith, and most recently she has codirected The Wind in the Willows, a new adaptation by Mike Kenny for York Theatre Royal. Prior to this she worked with Pilot on their showsFungustheBogeymanand Lord of the Flies as Tour and Staff Director. Before joining Pilot Katie directed a variety of shows. The Bang Gang by Lee Mattinson for Northumberland Theatre Company. My Funny Valentine for Live Theatre. The Government Inspector Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations, Gizmo, Fantastic Mr Fox all for JAM Theatre as well as The BFG for Aylesbury Theatre’s Roald Dahl Festival. She is an experienced actress, practitioner and educator having course led Drama and Theatre Studies A-Level and National Diploma Acting. She has also collaboratively written two BTEC study guides which are used nationally by schools and colleges.
Chloe Lamford Designer Chloe Lamford trained in Theatre Design at Wimbledon School of Art. She won Best Design at the 2007 TMA awards for her design for Small Miracle by Neil D’Souza. Chloe’s designs for theatre include: Ghost Story (Sky Arts) written and directed by Mark Ravenhill, My Romantic History (Sheffield Crucible and The Bush Theatre), Joseph K. and The Kreutzer Sonata (Gate Theatre), Songs From A Hotel Bedroom (Linbury Studio ROH and Tour), Sus (Young Vic), It Felt Empty... (CleanBreak, installation/ Arcola’s Studio K), Everything Must Go! (Soho Theatre), This Wide Night (Soho Theatre), The Mother Ship, How To Tell The Monsters From The Misfits (Birmingham Rep), Blithe Spirit (Watermill Theatre), The Snow Queen (Sherman Theatre, Cardiff); Antigone at Hell’s Mouth (Kneehigh Theatre/ NYT); Silence, (NYT); Lola (Trestle Theatre); Small Miracle (Tricycle Theatre and Mercury Theatre). Her designs for opera include: The Magic Flute (ETO), War and Peace (Scottish Opera and RSAMD), The Cunning Little Vixen (RCM), La Calisto (Early Opera Company) Chloe has also designed various music videos, as well as The Full Monteverdi, an opera feature film by Polyphonic Films and various short films.
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Richard Howell Lighting Designer Richard’s recent productions include: Single Spies, Heroes (Watermill Theatre); The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Arts Ed); Ghost Office (NYT); Tattoo & Colors (Tristan Bates); I was A Beautiful Day (Tron Theatre); Wild Horses, Peter and Vandy (Theatre 503); The Magic Flute (Royal College of Music); Sleeping Beauty (Swindon); Opera Scenes (Guildhall School of Music and Drama); Wolves at the Window (Brits Off Broadway, New York) and the forthcoming Les Parents Terribles (Donmar Warehouse season at the Trafalgar Studios). Other theatre credits include: This Much is True, Mimi and the Stalker, Natural Selection, I am a Superhero (Theatre 503); Angry Young Man (Trafalgar 2); The Car Cemetery (Gate); The Shawl, The Savage, The Collector, The Four Seasons, Anatol (Arcola); Sense, Plasticine (Southwark); Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing (Ripley Castle). Richard re-lit the UK tour of Zorro! the musical and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Merchant of Venice on UK and international tour for Edward Hall’s Propeller company.
Sandy Nuttgens Composer Sandy has written numerous scores for award winning TV dramas and documentaries. Commissions have included: BBC2’s Terry Jones Barbarians and Ch4’s The Queen in 3D both of which won RTS award’s for Best Music Score, The Blue Tower which won Best Feature Film at Raindance, CITV’s top rated My Parents Are Aliens, C4’s The Rise and Fall of Tony Blair, The Execution of Gary Glitter, Edward VII Prince of Pleasure, Bare Knuckle Boxer, Victorias Men, Who Killed Thomas Becket and Agincourt. Past work with Pilot includes IIFA Awards, Lord of The Flies, Bloodtide, Road and Rumblefish. Other work includes writing specially commissioned new music for Walk The Plank/ Tate Liverpool for their Art On The Waterfront events. Website: www.nuttgens.com.
Philip D’Orleans Fight Director Philip is a member of the Equity Register of Fight Directors, and of the teaching and examining staff of the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat. He has worked throughout Europe and America, alongside his regular teaching commitments for RADA, Drama Studio London and other drama schools and universities. Amongst other venues, his fights have been performed at the Royal Opera House, the Coliseum (for English National Opera), the Theatre Royal Haymarket and they have toured the United States, Europe and the Caribbean. Recent projects include: Ariodante (Oviedo, Spain); Julius Caesar (RSC, Stratford) and Carrie’s War (Apollo Theatre). Future projects include: Henry IV pts 1 & 2 (Shakespeare’s Globe).
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TOUR DATES 2010/2011 Autumn 2010 York Theatre Royal – Fri 10 – Sat 25 Sep Yeovil, Octagon Theatre – Tue 28 Sep – Sat 2 Oct Stirling, Macroberts – Tue 5 – Sat 9 Oct
by William Shakespeare
Pilot Theatre and York Theatre Royal present
Jersey Opera House – Tue 12 – Sat 16 Oct Winchester, Theatre Royal – Tue 19 to Sat 23 Oct Muselburgh, Brunton Theatre - Wed 26 – Fri 29 Oct Poole, Lighthouse – Tue 2 – Sat 6 Nov Oxford Playhouse – Tue 9 – Sat 13 Nov Aberystwyth, Arts Centre – Tue 16 – Sat 20 Nov Swansea, Taliesin Theatre – Tue 23 – Sat 27 Nov
Spring 2011 London, Unicorn Theatre – Wed 2 – Sat 12 Feb Shrewsbury, Theatre Severn – Tue 15 – Sat 19 Feb Leicester, Curve Theatre – Tue 1 – Sat 12 Mar Nottingham, Lakeside – Tue 22 – Sat 26 Mar Newbury, Corn Exchange – Mon 28 – Thur 31 Mar Buxton Opera House – Tue 5 – Sat 9 Apr
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Box Office Notes Title: Producers: Writer: Directors: Ass. Director: Designer: Lighting: Composer: Dramaturge: Fight Director: Cast:
Romeo & Juliet Pilot Theatre & York Theatre Royal William Shakespeare Marcus Romer & Katie Posner Tom Bellerby Chloe Lamford Richard Howell Sandy Nuttgens Juliet Forster Philip D’Orleans Louisa Eyo Bryn Holding Richard James-Neale Chris Lindon Mary Rose Rachel Spicer William Travis Oliver Wilson
Running Time: 1hr first act 20min interval 1hr second act = 2hr 20mins Selling Point:
Fast paced action with detailed fight scenes New musical score, composed for the show Cast of young enthusiastic actors, creating a modern love story for the 21st Century Over 6000 silk flowers make up the set Pilot Theatre’s reputation for producing exciting and accessible work for younger audiences Set and costume design by TMA award-winner Chloe Lamford Strong educational resources available to accompany the show Rachel Spicer’s professional debut
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Sample Direct Mail
Dear friend,
These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume… Pilot Theatre company and York Theatre Royal have come together once more to create an exciting coproduction of Romeo and Juliet. This celebrated story of dangerous rivalries and secret loves will be brought to life in a fast moving and contemporary telling of the tale, with stunning visuals and cutting edge soundtrack especially commissioned for the show. Designer Chloe Lamford (winner of Best Set Design at the 2007 TMA Awards) has created a contemporary set for our 21st Century love story to take place, filled with over 600 bunches of flowers. Romeo will be played by Oliver Wilson, who returns to Pilot having gained rave reviews in This Child in 2008. Rachel Spicer will be making her professional debut as Juliet, after graduating from RADA this summer. Follow the entire process of this production from first design concepts to meeting the backstage crew and cast at our dedicated website www.youkissbythebook.com Romeo and Juliet will premiere at York Theatre Royal from 10 to 25 Sept. To be the first to see this production, give the Box Office a call on 01904 623568 or book securely online at www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk. Tickets are £10 - £20, £7 Students & u25s. Hope to see you there!
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Sample Press Release Date: ******* Issue No: 1 Immediate Release
A Love Story for the 21st Century Romeo & Juliet These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume York based company Pilot Theatre are back on the road in 2011 with their brand new adaptation of Romeo & Juliet. A co-production with York Theatre Royal the show will arrive at [enter venue and dates]. Known for creating work that engages younger audiences, Pilot Theatre’s version of Shakespeare’s classic love story will be a vibrant production with stunning visuals and a cutting edge soundtrack especially commissioned for the show. This celebrated story of dangerous rivalries and secret loves will be brought to life in a fast moving and contemporary telling of the tale which will enthuse audiences with its exuberance, poetry and thrilling action. “As a company dedicated to reinterpreting classic work for young people, Pilot can be depended upon to apply a fresh perspective.” The Guardian With a contemporary set filled with over 3000 flowers, designer Chloe Lamford (winner of Best Set Design at the 2007 TMA Awards) has created a world for our 21st century love story to take place. Oliver Wilson, who returns to Pilot having performed in This Child in 2008, will play the role of Romeo. His Juliet is Rachel Spicer, a recent graduate from RADA. As with all Pilot Theatre shows there are lots of opportunities to get involved with the production from a range of online networks, including its own website www.youkissbythebook.com where we have been tracking the whole process of creating a new piece of work. You can see the first design concepts, meet the designers, backstage crew and cast. Join in the debate on twitter too by
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following #kissbythebook and get to know both directors Marcus Romer and Katie Posner through their personal blogs on posterous.com. To book your tickets [insert booking options] Ends Editor’s Notes: Cast: Rachel Spicer Juliet Oliver Wilson Romeo Chris Lindon Mercutio Richard James-Neale Tybalt/Friar Lawrence Bryn Holding Benvolio Mary Rose Lady Capulet William Travis Capulet Louisa Eyo Nurse/Prince Creatives: Directors Dramaturg Designer Lighting Designer Composer
Marcus Romer Katie Posner Juliet Forster Chloe Lamford Richard Howell Sandy Nuttgens
Tour Dates: York Theatre Royal – Fri 10 – Sat 25 Sep Yeovil, Octagon Theatre – Tue 28 Sep – Sat 2 Oct Stirling, Mac Roberts – Tue 5 – Sat 9 Oct Jersey Opera House – Tue 12 – Sat 16 Oct Winchester, Theatre Royal – Tue 19 to Sat 23 Oct Mussellburgh, Brunton Theatre - Tue 28 – Sat 30 Oct Poole, Lighthouse – Tue 2 – Sat 6 Nov Oxford Playhouse – Tue 9 – Sat 13 Nov Aberystwyth, Arts Centre – Tue 16 – Sat 20 Nov Swansea, Tallesin Theatre – Tue 23 – Sat 27 Nov London, Unicorn Theatre – Tue 1 – Sat 12 Feb Shrewsbury, Theatre Severn – Tue 15 – Sat 19 Feb Leicester, Curve Theatre – Tue 1 – Sat 12 Mar Theatre Royal Wakefield - Tue 15 - Sat 19 Mar Nottingham, Lakeside – Tue 22 – Sat 26 Mar Newbury, Corn Exchange - Mon 28 - Thu 31 Mar Buxton Opera House – Tue 5 – Sat 9 Apr Contact: Rebecca Storey Press and Media Manager Pilot Theatre Rebecca@pilot-theatre.com 07843393962 Office: 01904 635755
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Sample Schools Letter Pilot Theatre in association with York Theatre Royal present
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare A Love story for the 21st Century youkissbythebook.com Opens Tours nationally until April 2011 Directed by Marcus Romer and Katie Posner Designed by Chloe Lamford Composed by Sandy Nuttgens These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume Award winning company Pilot Theatre, (Lord of the Flies, Looking for JJ), present their new vibrant production of Shakespeare’s timeless tale of star crossed lovers. A story of dangerous rivalries and secret loves here vividly brought to life in a fast moving and contemporary telling of this celebrated story. A community split by its differences, a young girl rebelling against her parents’ expectations, knife crime and gang violence, Romeo and Juliet is a story with striking relevance to today’s young audiences. With stunning visuals and cutting edge soundtrack, this production will inspire and enthuse audiences of all ages with its exuberance, poetry and thrilling action. Tickets:
Box Office
Book online School groups £ Pilot Theatre offer lots of opportunities to be involved with the production from a range of online educational resources to practical workshops for both teachers and students as well as talks at the theatre. Further information and how to book for these is on the next sheet. We look forward to hearing from you.
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Activities for Teachers and Students To book any workshop below please mail education@pilot-theatre.com or phone the Pilot Office on 01904 635755 Teachers’ Workshop - July 15th 2010 10.00am – 3.30pm
An active day-long course designed to provide teachers with the necessary skills and confidence to deliver effective practical approaches to teaching Romeo and Juliet KS3 - 5. Using practical exercises based on rehearsal room practice, we will explore plot, characters, themes and text. Led by York Theatre Royal’s Associate Director Juliet Forster. Cost to cover Refreshments and lunch: £20 Schools Workshops Rehearsal days (Drama and Theatre Studies GCSE and A Level) A choice of 2 practical, rehearsal based approaches to Romeo and Juliet •
A full day giving students the opportunity to experience working as a group of actors with a Pilot Director focusing on key scenes to explore a range of characters and themes and culminating in a presentation of their work at the end of the day.
•
Romeo and Juliet as a text for devising – using the play and the students’ response to the themes and characters as a starting point for devising the students own pieces.
Understanding Romeo and Juliet (Key Stages 3/4/5) English and Drama •
A practical and dramatic approach, using techniques which allow for a close exploration of text and language and/or characters and key themes and issues.
Costs: Half day
£175
Full day £ 250
Up to 32 places per workshop
Post show talks with the Company will also be held; please contact the venue you are attending for dates/times. Online
youkissbythebook.com
pilot-theatre.com
Our online educational resources will chart the progress of the production from ideas to performance with photos, video and audio clips including rehearsal footage and interviews with the creative team. Worksheets to print off and use in the classroom will link Pilot’s Romeo and Juliet to curriculum teaching and learning in English, Drama and Vocational Performing Arts subjects from Key Stage 2 to post 16.
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Reviews “Youth centred stories, vigorously and powerfully played.” The Stage “Much like Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film version, this is an ultramodern Romeo & Juliet, but theatrical rather than cinematic. Out go Pilot’s trademark multi-media flourishes; in comes traditional, flesh-and-blood, physical theatre strengths, allied to Sandy Nuttgens’s always appropriate music.” York Press “This is a stylish take on Shakespeare’s ever-popular tragedy. Pilot Theatre’s reputation for productions easy on-the-eye has been well-earned and they don’t disappoint with Romeo and Juliet.” Yorkshire Post “The interpretation has stuck very cleverly to the original text. Rather than refer to past interpretations they have acted purely under ‘sola scriptura’ and demonstrated how surprisingly modern the text is. With clever body language and deliverance the cast have given the text a raw and open interpretation.” Live & Love York “As a company dedicated to reinterpreting classic work for young people, Pilot can be depended upon to apply a fresh perspective.” The Guardian “This is one of the most powerful and thought-provoking performances of Romeo & Juliet I have ever seen - and certainly not one to be missed” “A feast for the senses” Jersey Evening Post
PILOT THEATRE
Contact the Pilots Press & Media Manager Rebecca Storey email: rebecca@pilot-theatre.com office: 01904 635755 mobile: 07843393962
Administrator Sarah Seddon email: sarah@pilot-theatre.com office: 01904 635755
Producer and for Education Enquiries Amanda Smith email: education@pilot-theatre.com office: 01904 635755