KDC, Author at KDC Theatre - Central London based amateur theatre group

Summer Season 2015 Audition Notices

Two dark and darkly funny plays of domestic terror and suburban morality!

First play up, from 23 to 27 June will be the amazing Moira Buffini’s deliciously twisted Dinner, the awkwardness of a tense and “civilised” dinner party pushed to about as far as it can go. Dinner will be directed by Chris Davis and assistant directed by Hayley Cameron. Read the full audition notice

The second play of the season, with a week’s gap between them, will run from 7 to 11 July, and will be the incendiary moral play without morals, The Arsonists, by Max Frisch, translated by Alistair Beaton, and directed by Andy Marchant. Read the full audition notice

Audition nights are Tuesday 5 and Thursday 7 May, with callbacks on the 9 at Cleanbreak Studios, Patshull Road, Kentish Town. Both initial audition nights are free to attend, with no registration required and no preparation needed. The callbacks are invitation only, and we will let you know if we want to see more of you by Friday evening.

Summer Season 2015 Auditions

There have been a few delays in being able to officially provide you with the titles of our Summer Season at the Lion and Unicorn. The delays are unfortunately still ongoing, due to both the tight turnaround from our Spring Season, certain unavailabilities, and a series of outstanding queries with various licensors.

I know this will be frustrating for you, as it is frustrating for us at KDC Theatre to not be able to confirm this information in a timely manner, but I can assure you of this:

Both myself, as one of the season’s directors, Chris (as the other) and his AD, Hayley, have been working to swiftly resolve the issue and have come up with several exciting titles which we have been actively pursuing. We have also worked hard to ensure that these titles have an equal and broad range of roles for both male and female players of all ages. The plan from both of us was always that there would be nothing you as auditionees needed to prepare.

We intend to make an announcement later in the week regarding the Summer Season, so please keep your eyes peeled!

Andy Marchant
KDC Theatre Artistic Director

All In The Timing Trailer

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These Shining Lives Trailer

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All In The Timing Cast and Crew Biographies

Tickets are now available

Cast

Aoife Deane
Aoife has returned to drama (the on stage variety) after a 10 year hiatus.In real life she is a passionate weight loss dietitian/coach. However since being cast as Bernie in Sexual Perversity in Chicago she wonders is it her true calling in life to be a rough alpha male who hates bitches and sounds strangely like Mr T.

Charishma Nanwani
Charishma is thrilled to be cast in a KDC production. Having a life-long stammer and no drama experience, she never thought it would be possible to go into acting. So she is very grateful for this wonderful opportunity and cannot think of a better group of delightful strangers with whom to share the experience. Off the stage, Charishma is pursuing a career in law and policy.

Ciara Murray
Ciara is not Beyoncé so could you all please stop asking.

Franki Georgiou
Having been part of the group that took Keeping in Touch with Temptation to the Camden Fringe Festival in 2014; Franki is very excited to have joined a second play with KDC. She’s thrilled to be involved with dead Russians, a few monkeys, small time thieves and some serial daters. And that’s just the cast!

Frankie Wade
This is Frankie’s first ever theatre performance. He is absolutely loving being a part of KDC and cannot wait to perform All In The Timing.

Henry Williamson
Shockingly underprepared with a susceptibility to ornithology.

Katy Treble
This is Katy’s third performance with KDC. She is super excited to be playing both a monkey and Trotsky (amongst other delights). What more could a girl want? Apart from maybe some cheese. Brie preferably. Mmm cheese.

Kaustubh Vaidya
A Mechanical Engineer by profession with passion for acting. Originally from India with the experience of performing in amateur theatre groups back home. Associated with London based Indian theatre groups as well and looking forward to the new challenge of performing in English for the first time with KDC! Thrilled be a part of hilarious comedy in which it is ‘ALL IN THE TIMING’!

Kim Morrison
Age 7 Kim was cast as Mary in her school nativity play, in rehearsal five the so-called ‘director’ removed all her lines after she ‘took a risk’ and tried smothering the baby Jesus with the box of Myrr. Kim is not sure why she is continually cast as the psychotic girlfriend but thinks the repression of these early impulses may have been a contributing factor. She wants people to know she is just an average girl with an overactive imagination and a semi-automatic revolver.

Peter Cabrera
Peter began acting at school and followed on at University. Since moving to London in 2007, he has acted in and produced a number of plays, including producing Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You for KDC Theatre in 2012 and playing Napoleon in George Bernard Shaw’s The Man of Destiny at the Bridewell Theatre. In 2013, he played the Runner in The 17 Greatest Dates of Matthew Reading, an independently-produced feature film. Last year, he played Lord Goring in An Ideal Husband for KDC and Captain Valere in Tartuffe at the Courtyard Theatre for Nomadic Theatrical Productions, which he also produced.

Crew

Kat Wootton
Kat earns her rather scary reputation as a demanding, stern, and possibly slightly obsessive taskmaster; ask anyone who was in Hamlet (2013). She has been keeping actors under her thumb and on their toes for KDC since 2012. When not directing theatre, she makes short films, pops up as an actor in indie films (Alternative Dating, 17 Greatest Dates of Matthew Reading) and KDC plays (Casual Encounters, The Walls are Watching (2014)) and finds time for a day job in TV. She’s excited to be bringing the bizarre and hugely American world of David Ives to the KDC audience, and hopes that folks will be as delighted as they will be baffled.

Andy Marchant
Andy is a repeat offender at KDC Theatre, having written, directed and acted in numerous shows, most recently the KDC Halloween show The Walls Are Watching, and auditioning on behalf of the company as Bottom for the RSC. He is fond of of madcap plays such as All In The Timing, and feels he is now ready to supervise monkeys…

Fozia Khaliq
Fozia enjoys busying herself with creative endeavours – working across film, theatre and art. This is her fourth production with KDC and will certainly not be the last.

Asma Mani
Having acted and assistant directed with KDC on several occasions since 2012, Asma is looking forward to working out what a stage manager does. She understands it has something to do with props. And people. Asma is a David Ives enthusiast – she was so delighted by the wit and charm of his writing on first reading almost 18 months ago that she is still dating the person who introduced her to his plays.

The Butler Didn’t Do It Cast Biographies

Tickets now available

Miss Mingle – Abby Still
The Butler Didn’t Do It marks Abby’s second KDC production and she is thoroughly enjoying the whole KDC experience.
Having spent her teenage years in Cornwall as a regular am dram player and winner of the Best New Comer Award for the South West, she then went on to study Theatre and Performance at University. Having had a rest from the stage whilst focusing on her day job as a Production Director in corporate events, she is excited to be playing Miss Mingle for her second KDC show.

Dr Harrison/Simon Stevens – Qaisar Siddiqui
Qaisar is brand new to KDC, having turned down a starring role in the latest season of House of Cards, adding, quote, “I needed to star in something that was strictly clothing optional, and Kev – that’s what we call Kevin Spacey – was unwilling to accommodate.” When not bounding across the stage in a desperate bid to attract sympathy and Whatsapp addresses, Qaisar works for a social and economic justice organisation, eats avocadoes, rides the Jubilee line for fun, re-arranges red lego bricks, and spends 22 hours a day in the British Museum. Qaisar insists he is single by choice.

Georgia/Magda Humphreys – Hayley Cameron
Hayley is a recent UCL grad who probably spent more time doing plays and musicals at university than her degree. At UCL, Hayley appeared in shows such as How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Since graduating, she has appeared in The Kitchen Sink with Tower Theatre Company. She’s very excited to be appearing in her first show with KDC Theatre.

Professor Hudson/Roger Jones – Chris Stooke
Loved by young and old alike over a long career on the stage, Chris Stooke was last seen by KDC audiences in the chilling compendium piece, “What the Dickens”. A different side of Chris was more recently on show as Frank, the university lecturer, in “Educating Rita” at South London Theatre. “The Butler Didn’t Do It” gives Chris the chance to take on the role of another academic, the mysterious Professor Hudson.

Vicar/Sandy Johnson – Rebecca Berger
This is Rebecca’s first show with the KDC. After graduating at the University of Cape Town, she went on to study and act in Hong Kong and Los Angeles, until finally settling for cold, rainy London. Always a fan of Agatha Christie books and cocktails bars, she knew she just couldn’t let this opportunity slide….

Ex-Commissioner Herbert Potts/David Palmer – Ryan Yengo
This is Ryan’s first play with KDC and his first play outside school. Ryan currently studies Performing Arts at City of Westminster College where he is looking to become a better stage actor. Whenever Ryan isn’t learning lines he’s in his local booth sharpening his disc jockey skills a fun hobby he picked up a year ago.

Gloria Sampson (the actress)/Susan Wilson – Jessica Anderson
Jessica’s first acting experience was playing an abused child in a charity advert. Her return to a part which once again requires being slapped repeatedly has left her wondering what impression she tends to leave people with in auditions. This is her first production with KDC, and has greatly enjoyed watching Poirot as character research (though regrets the lack of a moustache to twiddle at dramatic moments).

Sister Augustine The Nun/Cheryl – Stephanie Okupniak-Vaughan
After intense study at the University of the Arts I regularly performed in Off Off Broad Street productions tackling challenging roles such as the mute, Kattrin, in Mother Courage. As my fame grew I broke under the media frenzy and spent four years travelling Essex. I supported myself by applying vagazzels to neon orange pseudo celebs and training sharks to sing. Playing Cheryl is my triumphant return to the stage after my brief hiatus. Being the lead is an expected honour and I’m thrilled to be on stage with my clothes on the whole time.

The Butler – Christopher O’Dea
Christopher O’Dea is in his second production for KDC with The Butler Didn’t Do It after performing in the 2013 Winter season’s production of Hamlet, bringing him that much closer to being a talentless nobody you’ve actually heard of. He studied English Literature with Drama and Theatre Studies at Aberystwyth University and tonight, he’ll be playing The Butler. He maintains his innocence.

Detective Morrison – Chris Davis
This is Chris’ first production with KDC and he is looking forward to being part of a fun ensemble. This is his first delve into the amateur dramatics world having directed and acted at University of Sussex in a number of productions including A Woman of No Importance, Educating Rita, Amadeus and his favourite role as Billy in The Goat where he got to kiss his father (not the real one!) on stage.

RSC Mechanicals Update

Some fantastic news! KDC Theatre have made it through to the second round of the RSC Mechanicals Auditions!

The Royal Shakespeare Company have taken actors from both groups to create an amalgamated set of Mechanicals, which means, unfortunately six of our members are no longer in the mix, but DOES mean that the remaining six can fly the flag for all of them in this fantastic opportunity.

So well done to our directors, Trina Hasthorpe and Kat Wootton, and congratulations to the 6 successful actors:

Rachel Nwokoro (Assistant Director on Hamlet)
Stephen Russell (Tony Blair in The War of the Waleses)
Valerie Antwi (The Bride in Blood Wedding)
Matt Tylianakis (El Fayoumi in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot)
Ava Pickett (Ophelia in Hamlet)
Melissa Bethune (representing the open nature of KDC as she is a brand new member!)

The next stage hits in May, this a a very exciting opportunity and we wish our team all the best!

Spring Season posters

Please download, print and display to support the KDC Spring Season:

These Shining Lives (pdf, 18Mb)
The Butler Didn’t Do It (pdf, 1.8Mb)
All In The Timing (pdf, 1.1Mb)

These Shining Lives Cast Biographies

Tickets now available

(in order of appearance)

Anna Marx – Catherine Wolfe Donohue
Anna is very excited to be in a KDC play after not doing anything for ages. In her spare time, she likes swimming and talking about herself in the third person. What she lacks in acting ability, she makes up for in punctuality and love of the semi-colon; to prepare for the part she watched three series of Dallas before realising the play is set in Illinois.

Darren Evans – Max ‘Goose’ Graves / Carlo / Dr Richard Winmore
Having studied with City Academy drama centre in 2010, this will be Darren’s third KDC production, completing the ‘Moore trilogy’, having starred in Blood Wedding directed by Kate Moore and, more recently, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot directed by Duncan Moore. Having performed a variety of roles over the years, this will be Darren’s first display of multiple roles within one production. He is looking forward to working with Kate again and performing with such a wonderful cast.

Mark Ewins – Oliver Albert Young (aka ‘The Twist’ or ‘Baby Face’) / Dr Leonard Rowntree / Radio announcer
Mark has performed with KDC since 2006, having had a variety of roles ranging from Shakespearian fools through to a terrified signal man. He is excited to be back at the Lion and Unicorn having previously performed in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at the Barons Court. Described as a collector of hobbies, Mark can be found eating and drinking to pay his rent whilst at night he retreats to the quiet life of community orchestras, swimming, ice skating and trout tickling (I made that one up). Enjoy the show!

Cathy Abbott – Frances O’Connell
Cathy is delighted to be returning to the stage after a break of over five years. She joined KDC in 2000 and has lost count of the number of productions she has been involved in. Previous roles include: Viola in Twelfth Night, Andromache in both Troilus and Cressida and The Trojan Women, Simon in Lord of the Flies, Pope Joan in Top Girls. She has also played both Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor in separate productions of The Crucible (several years apart!).
In real life she is a children’s wear designer, who loves ice cream and is addicted to Instagram. If you want to know what Cathy had for breakfast, she will be more than happy to show you @CathyCatLondon.

Julia Pagett – Charlotte Purcell
Julia is a recent graduate from Drama Studio London and is currently represented by Inspiration Management. Before attending drama school, she attained a degree in French Studies from the University of Warwick. Julia’s upbringing in Africa, North America, France and the UK has helped mould her into the actress she is today.

Sarah Hudson – Pearl Payne
Sarah is delighted to be acting with KDC again after an absence of six years; back in 2009 she played Elizabeth in Six Degrees of Separation. Since then, she’s moved to Brussels and back, and performed in productions on both sides of the Channel including The Threepenny Opera, Hello Dolly, All My Sons, A Chaste Maid in Cheapside and Autobahn.

James Barton-Steel – Tom Donohue
James graduated from Mountview Academy of Performing Arts and is grateful for his first play with KDC. He took a rather unorthodox route after graduation, acting his way through a full-time job before having a lightbulb moment and returning to the stage; better prepared he hopes. James has appeared in, amongst others: An Ideal Husband (Sir Robert Chiltern/Criterion), The Accrington Pals (Ralph/The Pleasance), The Way of the World (Mirabell/The Gatehouse) and Greek (Eddie/Warwick Arts Centre). James is at home playing very English rakes and cads, so a Chicago steel welder is right in his comfort zone!

William Baltyn – Rufus Reed
William is a regular KDC actor, having most recently appeared in Manger A Trois in Summer 2014. Prior to this he played Prince Charles in The War of the Waleses in London, Stratford and at the Edinburgh Fringe. Other roles have included Konstantin Levin in Anna Karenina and a surprising number of nameless parts such as Father, Interviewer, Priest, Narrator and Zookeeper. He is relieved to have a name.

David Doyle – Dr Walter Dalitsch
Since being cast as ‘sheep number three’ in his school nativity play (reviewers said his ‘Baa’ sent shivers down the spine), David has secretly suspected he would return to the stage. In his job as a journalist he has to pretend to be knowledgeable about a host of subjects, so he is hoping it will be a small step to pretending to have a medical degree as the honest Dr Dalitsch.

Lionel Laurent – Leonard Grossman
French-born Lionel is making a return to theatre and London after several years in the Parisian wilderness. As a teenager he was always at home acting in modern American classics like Glengarry Glen Ross and The Crucible, so he’s excited that his first appearance with KDC is as a Chicago lawyer – even if his accent’s a little rusty!

All In The Timing Cast List

Congratulations to the cast of All In The Timing, on between 31 March and 4 April at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre, Kentish Town:

Aoife Deane
Charishma Nanwani
Clara Rowe
Franki Georghiou
Frankie Wade
Katy Treble
Kaustubh Vaidya
Kim Morrison
Peter Cabrera
Henry Williams