Podcasts about octagon theatre bolton

In this week's episode, Lauren and Rina sit down with the accomplished theatrical duo David Thacker and Margot Leicester to discuss their experiences as parents of their youngest adult daughter, Elizabeth, who is autistic and has learning difficulties. In this warm and inspiring conversation, David and Margot reflect on their journey raising a disabled child and adult, offering heartfelt wisdom on what truly matters most.Content WarningsDiagnosis Guest BiographiesMargot was brought up in Middleton, Manchester with her younger brother. As a child, Margot always knew she wanted to be an actress and spent most of her time at the University of Leicester, where she studied English, acting in student productions. Spotted at the National Student Drama Festival in Exeter, she was invited to join the Exeter Northcott Theatre and has acted ever since, playing in regional theatres throughout the UK, at the National theatre, in several London theatres, in the West End, and on Broadway. Margot has appeared regularly on television. David was born in Higham Ferrers Northamptonshire and at six months his family moved to nearby Rushden where he was brought up with his two older sisters and his younger brother. He went to the University of York to study English and stayed to study for an MA in Shakespeare. He discovered his love for directing with the University Drama Society and directed several plays there. His first job was as an Assistant Stage Manager at York Theatre Royal, and he has worked in theatre and television since. He has been artistic director of three theatres, the Young Vic, Duke's Playhouse Lancaster, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Director-in-Residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has directed over 150 productions throughout the UK and internationally. David has also directed extensively for BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and WGBH Boston (USA). He continues to work as a freelancer and combines this with his role as Professor of Theatre and Film at University of Bolton. Margot and David met in 1982 when David was Artistic Director of Duke's Playhouse Lancaster and Margot acted there. They fell in love and have been together since, often working together across theatre, film and television.In a voluntary capacity, Margot is a trustee of Haringey Shed inclusive youth theatres and David was a governor of a primary and comprehensive school in Muswell Hill. They have four children and four grandchildren and live in Crouch End, London.Useful resources:Home - icandanceHaringey Shed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 60: Jason PatelJason Patel is a rising artist who stars alongside Ben Hardy (Bohemian Rhapsody) in ‘UNICORNS' a Feature Film which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival 2023, BFI London Film Festival 2023 & Palm Springs Film Festival 2024 directed by Sally El Hosaini & James Krishna Floyd produced by Philip Herd's Chromatic Aberration, Maven Screen Media and River Road Entertainment. The project is executively produced by Stephen Daldry. The film received universally positive reviews including best of fest at Palm Springs and placed Patel on several best performers lists. Patel performs his own music in the film (a track from his EP) and also has a sync placement for his single One Last Dance.TV & Film Credits: Love Will, The Break (BBC), The B@it (Channel 4), UNICORNS (Feature Film) Theatre credits include: The Famous Four and a Half Go Wild in Thetford Forest (Eastern Angles); Peter Pan (The Dukes, Lancaster & Octagon Theatre Bolton) and Benny and the Greycats (Maya Productions/Arcola Theatre). The Jungle Book (Oldham Coliseum) Guerrilla Gardening (Blahs Theatre), The Jungle Book (Dukes, Lancaster), Too Much World At Once (Box of Tricks/SJT Theatre)Jason is represented by Denton Brierley, Gersh & Untitled Entertainment#HYGYSTPOD #haveyougotyoursh*ttogether #HYGYST #caitlinoryan #Jasonpatel #outlander #mowgli #junglebookHave You Got Your Sh*t Together? with Caitlin O'Ryan, is a podcast that celebrates not having your sh*t together! In each episode, Caitlin interviews guests who seemingly “have their sh*t together” - be that in life/love/work/hobbies. Throughout the conversation, the questions unveil whether they actually do, or whether the whole concept is a lie! With a mix of guests from various backgrounds, the podcast is sure to be relatable, honest, and an antidote to Instagram culture. Producer - Ant Hickman (www.ahickman.uk)Artwork - Tim Saunders (www.instagram.com/timsaunders.design)Photography - Patch Bell (www.patchstudio.uk)Music - Cassia - 'Slow' (www.wearecassia.com)Web: www.hygystpod.comInsta: www.instgram.com/hygystpodEmail: hygystpod@gmail.comRSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/644a8e8eadac0f0010542d86 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 41: Jason PatelJason Patel is a rising artist who stars alongside Ben Hardy (Bohemian Rhapsody) in ‘UNICORNS' a Feature Film which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival 2023, BFI London Film Festival 2023 & Palm Springs Film Festival 2024 directed by Sally El Hosaini & James Krishna Floyd produced by Philip Herd's Chromatic Aberration, Maven Screen Media and River Road Entertainment. The project is executively produced by Stephen Daldry. The film received universally positive reviews including best of fest at Palm Springs and placed Patel on several best performers lists. Patel performs his own music in the film (a track from his EP) and also has a sync placement for his single One Last Dance.TV & Film Credits: Love Will, The Break (BBC), The B@it (Channel 4), UNICORNS (Feature Film) Theatre credits include: The Famous Four and a Half Go Wild in Thetford Forest (Eastern Angles); Peter Pan (The Dukes, Lancaster & Octagon Theatre Bolton) and Benny and the Greycats (Maya Productions/Arcola Theatre). The Jungle Book (Oldham Coliseum) Guerrilla Gardening (Blahs Theatre), The Jungle Book (Dukes, Lancaster), Too Much World At Once (Box of Tricks/SJT Theatre)Jason is represented by Denton Brierley, Gersh & Untitled Entertainment#HYGYSTPOD #haveyougotyoursh*ttogether #HYGYST #caitlinoryan #Jasonpatel #outlander #mowgli #junglebookHave You Got Your Sh*t Together? with Caitlin O'Ryan, is a podcast that celebrates not having your sh*t together! In each episode, Caitlin interviews guests who seemingly “have their sh*t together” - be that in life/love/work/hobbies. Throughout the conversation, the questions unveil whether they actually do, or whether the whole concept is a lie! With a mix of guests from various backgrounds, the podcast is sure to be relatable, honest, and an antidote to Instagram culture. Producer - Ant Hickman (www.ahickman.uk)Artwork - Tim Saunders (www.instagram.com/timsaunders.design)Photography - Patch Bell (www.patchstudio.uk)Music - Cassia - 'Slow' (www.wearecassia.com)Web: www.hygystpod.comInsta: www.instgram.com/hygystpodEmail: hygystpod@gmail.comRSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/644a8e8eadac0f0010542d86 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beth Hyland (she/her) is a playwright and screenwriter splitting her time between Chicago and the West Coast. Her plays include Fires, Ohio, Seagulls, Killed a Man (Joking), All-One! The Dr. Bronner's Play, Clearing, Red Bowl at the Jeffs, and For Annie. She is the co-founder and playwright-in-residence of The Sound. Her work has been developed regionally in the US and the UK at Goodman Theatre's New Stages Festival, Steppenwolf LookOut, Octagon Theatre Bolton, Stephen Joseph Theatre, and Actors Theatre of Louisville; in New York at The Hearth and Dixon Place; and around Chicago with The Sound, Jackalope Theatre, First Floor Theater, The Story Theatre, Broken Nose Theatre, The Passage Theatre, and others. Beth is currently a first year MFA candidate in playwrighting at UC San Diego.

In which we talk about Doreen Cannon. One of the most important figures in the history of British Actor training. With very special guests Annie Tyson and John Bechizza. John BeschizzaJohn is the Lead Acting Tutor at Rada and teaches Acting Technique and Scene Study on the BA (Hons). RADA. He trained at The Drama Centre under co-founders Christopher Fettes, Yat Malmgren and the legendary Acting Tutor and first Head of Acting, Doreen Cannon – three of the most innovative and rigorous theatre practitioners and teachers of the 20th century. The challenges of training at the Drama Centre were immense; the rewards were life-changing. It was here that some of the greatest discoveries were made under the guidance of Doreen, who as Head of Acting at RADA in 1994 offered John the opportunity to teach Acting at RADA.The techniques he provides are simple, clear and specific and when fully engaged evoke a visceral gut, heart and head understanding of the acting process. He works for one goal: to guide the actor-trainee into transforming their raw, instinctive talent into real, dependable skill.John maintains a standard of excellence in his work, evident through the specificity and rigour of his teaching. Over 27 years, this has developed into a highly practical way of working that serves the ever-changing requirements and challenges of today's industry.Annie TysonANNIE TYSON Annie read Drama and Theatre Arts at Birmingham University before training at Drama Centre London where Doreen Cannon was amongst her teachers. She worked as an actor in regional theatre, in London and in TV and radio. Recent acting work has included work at the Octagon Theatre Bolton in Arthur Miller's The Last Yankee, the White Bear Theatre in An Honourable Man and the Park Theatre in Hell Yes, I'm Tough Enough.At Drama Centre London she was Course Director of the BA Honours Acting Course 2002-2010. Her public productions there included All's Well That Ends Well, Wild Oats, Mary Stuart, A Laughing Matter, Love's Labours Lost, Richard III, The Winter's Tale, The Second Mrs Tanqueray, Mother Courage.  She continued as an acting tutor and director there until Spring 2018  while also working at RADA. She directed Love For Love in the Vanbrugh theatre in 2013and Strange Orchestra in 2017. She directed Macbeth February 2020. She was part of the core team for the Royal Shakespeare Company's project Open Stages, running acting workshops for Dream 16 – A Play For the Nation. She has given masterclasses in Restoration Comedy at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama where she directed The Rivals in 2012. She has contributed to the book Approaches to Actor Training and her book for the Crowood Press, Successful Auditions will be published next spring. She is writing for the next series of Arden Performance Handbooks for Bloomsbury Methuen: Shakespeare and Stanislavsky. She regularly gives both classical and contemporary audition workshops for The Mono Box of which she is a Patronand is an Open Door mentor.    Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=EKHEKXBAZBQG6¤cy_code=GBP)

  This weeks Q&A is with Executive Director of HOME in Manchester Jon Gilchrist   Me & Jon will be discussing the difficulties of reopening a major venue over Covid, discussing in house producing, theatre marketing & questions from you. Jon is Executive Director of HOME, a multi-arts venue in Manchester which with 2 theatres, 5 cinemas and gallery spaces. HOME has a year-round international programme, and over 800,000 visits last year alone. It is one of few organisations in the UK to produce, commission and present visiting work across theatre, visual arts and film. Prior to this Jon worked as Executive Director of the Bush Theatre between 2014 and 2018. In this time he led on their major capital redevelopment, and helped expand the organisation’s reach as a centre of excellence for new writing. Before this he worked in marketing roles at theatres across the North West for ten years, including The Lowry in Salford, the Octagon Theatre Bolton, and the Dukes in Lancaster.

Episode 2 sees Joe interviewing Elizabeth Newman at Octagon Theatre Bolton about how she became Artistic Director aged 29 and you can have an insight into her rehearsal room.    

As it prepares to leave its building in the hands of developers for refurbishment, Bolton’s Octagon Theatre takes its audiences on the road, literally, for its seasonal musical Summer Holiday, based on the Cliff Richard film. The performance begins at the new Bolton Interchange bus station where the audience will meet before travelling by bus with the actors to the theatre, where the rest of the production takes place. A little over a week before opening, BTG editor David Chadderton spoke to two of the actor musicians, Barbara Hockaday and Greg Last, and Ben Occhipinti, who is co-directing with Octagon Artistic Director Elizabeth Newman. Summer Holiday will be performed at Bolton Travel Interchange and Octagon Theatre Bolton from Thursday 31 May to Saturday 23 June 2018.

Director Max Stafford-Clarke has revived for his theatre company Out of Joint Andrea Dunbar’s play Rita, Sue and Bob Too, which he directed originally while Artistic Director of the Royal Court in London in 1982, working closely with the 19-year-old playwright. BTG editor David Chadderton spoke to lead actors Taj Atwal (Rita), Gemma Dobson (Sue) and James Atherton (Bob) during the production's initial run at the Octagon Theatre Bolton about the play and the issues it raises, the politics of the council estate in the 1980s, Max Stafford-Clark's rehearsal methods, the unsexiness of a sex scene and a call for a Royal Court of the north. Rita, Sue and Bob Too is produced by Out of Joint, Royal Court Theatre and Octagon Theatre Bolton and co-directed by Max Stafford-Clark & Kate Wasserberg. It opened at Octagon Theatre Bolton on 6 September 2017 before moving on to Harrogate Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Playhouse, Warwick Arts Centre, Oxford Playhouse, Royal Theatre Northampton, Cast Doncaster, York Theatre Royal, Derby Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield and Theatr Clwyd in Mold, where it will end its run on 10 February 2018. (Production photo of Gemma Dobson, James Atherton and Taj Atwal by Richard Davenport)

A new revival by Derby Theatre and Octagon Theatre Bolton will mark the 60th anniversary of John Osborne’s ground-breaking work Look Back in Anger. BTG Midlands Editor Steve Orme speaks to director Sarah Brigham and actor Patrick Knowles, who will play the role of Jimmy Porter, about the new production. Look Back In Anger will be at Derby Theatre from 7 to 23 March and then at Octagon Theatre in Bolton from 7 to 30 April 2016.

In November 2014, David Thacker announced that he would step down as artistic director of the Octagon Theatre in Bolton at the end of his current tenure in July 2015 after six years at the venue. Four months later, the theatre announced that its associate director and head of new writing, Elizabeth Newman, will take over from him. We spoke to Elizabeth at the Octagon about her new appointment, her ideas for the future of the venue, her campaigning on theatre issues—including speaking in Parliament—and her training and background as a director. Elizabeth Newman takes over as artistic director of the Octagon from July 2015. Her production of Noël Coward’s Private Lives runs in the main house from 26 March to 18 April 2015. For more information about the Octagon, see octagonbolton.co.uk.

The Octagon Theatre in Bolton ends its year-long season with the first UK revival of the musical Love Story since it closed on the West End in 2010. Based on the novel by Erich Segal and the hit film, both from 1970, the show features a book by Stephen Clark and a score by Howard Goodall. The Octagon’s production is directed by Elizabeth Newman, the theatre’s associate director, with the principal couple both played by graduates of the BBC TV audition reality shows: Daniel Boys, who was in Any Dream Will Do in 2007, and Lauren Samuels, who was Over The Rainbow in 2010. In this episode, both actors and the director together with musical director Tarek Merchant speak about the show and a rehearsal process that is more usual for a play than for a musical, and also about life as a working performer after the glaring spotlight of the TV reality show. Love Story will run at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton from 19 June to 12 July 2014. (Love Story rehearsal photos by Ray Jefferson, Bolton Camera Club)