Our recording days early this month went off without (much-of) a hitch and our wonderful casts got to meet for the first time, lay down their “sick vocals”, and retreat back into the depths of lockdown. Completely by chance our recording days fell on the 2-week thread-the-needle period between lockdowns, but we’re very grateful to have gathered however briefly to make something tangible. Our production teams for Seeds and The Mistress of the Inn are now busy editing, we’ll have something shiny to present to you real soon. Here are a few photos to whet your appetite!
Category: News
KDC’s New Writing Group is here!
Always wanted to write but never knew where to start? Folder full of plays in progress but stuck on how to finish them? Feeling like your work doesn’t get picked to be staged? Looking for a supportive group of other writers to motivate you?
KDC Theatre’s New Writing Group aims to do all of that, and more. Consisting of 5 monthly working sessions, the programme focuses on 4 things:
- Develop existing work further
- Inspire new writing through exercises and briefs (sometimes with actors!)
- Teach writing techniques and dramaturgy
- Provide a support network of other writers
Applications are now open
The New Writing Group is an online programme so writers from across the world can join. The sessions will be supported by a closed Facebook group where writers can talk to each other, KDC Theatre will set small challenges and share news, and discuss the previous and next sessions.
The season culminates in a rehearsed readings night, where each writer will be able to showcase a piece of their own choosing.
The New Writing Group will meet on Saturdays at 7-9pm GMT (London time) on the following dates:
23 January 2021
20 February 2021
20 March 2021
24 April 2021
22 May 2021
26 June 2021 (rehearsed readings night)
The New Writing Group is open to 10 writers via a short application process. Please go HERE for more information and the application form.
Taster session
Not sure yet if you want to join the full programme? KDC Theatre will run an open taster session on 12 December 2020 that will touch on some of the topics that will be part of the programme’s workshops.
The taster session is open to all and just requires a sign-up so we know where to send the login details to. Please go HERE for all the information and to sign up.
Date: 12 December
Time: 7-9pm GMT (London, UK time)
Location: Zoom (link will be shared after sign-up)
This is a free session.
Looking for a way to beat the winter blues?
Find out the top reasons to sign up for KDC’s Building Blocks: Devising & Improvisation, and get your spot at the 20 October Taster Session.
Building Blocks 1: Devising & Improvisation is an 8-week course introducing key concepts and tools, such as improvising, creating character, working with and developing source material to produce scenes.
We are holding a Taster Session, Tuesday 20 October 6.30 – 8.30 pm online, and have a limited number of places available.
Sign up now to get your spot at the Taster Session.
View the full details here.
The course will run every Tuesday from 27 October to 15 December with a showcase in the new year.
KDC is kicking off its new course!
Building Blocks 1: Devising & Improvisation is an 8-week course introducing key concepts and tools.
Building Blocks 1: Devising & Improvisation is an 8-week course introducing key concepts and tools, such as improvising, creating character, working with and developing source material to produce scenes.
The course will run every Tuesday from 27 October to 15 December with a showcase in the new year.
To register for the taster session on 6.30 – 8.30 pm, Tuesday 20 October or for the full Building Blocks Course, fill out this form.
The Audition Notices are Up
Ahead of next week’s auditions for the KDC Autumn Season, we’re pleased to share the Audition Notices, hot off the press and ready for your reading pleasure.
Hot off the press!
Ahead of next week’s auditions for the KDC Autumn Season, we’re pleased to share the Audition Notices, hot off the press and ready for your reading pleasure.
SEEDS
BY DONNA HOKE, DIRECTED BY SARAH BEEBE
Click here to read the Seeds Audition Notice
Mirandolina
BY CARLO GOLDONI, DIRECTED BY IACOPO FARUSI & LETICIA TEXIDOR
Click here to read the Mirandolina Audition Notice
Where do I sign up?
All the dates and registration links are below. If you’ve got any questions, come along to the interactive Season Launch and put this season’s directors on the hot seat. We’ll be sharing a bit more about our concept season and you’ll get a taste of what being involved in the season will be like. (Yes that means games as well as chat – so put a nice shirt on, grab a drink and be ready!)
Season Launch
MONDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2020 FROM 19:00-20:15
Audition Dates
TUESDAY, 6 OCTOBER FROM 18:45-21:00
WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER FROM 18:45-21:00
Register for the online Autumn Season Launch
Sign up for auditions here
KDC Autumn 2020 Season Launch
You are invited!
This year our Season Launch and our Auditions for the Autumn Season are going online. We have two fabulous productions for you to get involved in. ‘But how CAN you make theatre in this restricted world of ours?’ I hear you ask. Well, come along to the season launch and we’ll tell you.
Prepare to forget we’re not all together in a pub as KDC gets up close and personal (online). As well as answering your usual questions – “What’s the show and what is my part?”- we’ll be testing the limits of socially distanced socialising. [Read: cameras on and be ready for anything.]
What’s on the agenda?
– Breakout room silliness.
– Hear from the directors of our Autumn Season shows
– Ask them as many questions as you like.
Season Launch timings: MONDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2020 FROM 19:00-20:15
Register to come along to the online Autumn Season Launch
Want to book in for the auditions as well? Here’s the info you’ll need.
Audition Dates
TUESDAY, 6 OCTOBER FROM 18:45-21:00
WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER FROM 18:45-21:00
Callout for directors or scripts
KDC does audio!
In the coming season we would like to explore radio plays, and the magic that can be made once you close your eyes. Join us in creating aural wonderlands from talented voice actors and inventive sound effects.
We are looking for…
Writers
We want to hear from writers who have a script that they would like produced, you don’t have to have a production team organised, bring us an appropriate script and we can find you a director.
Directors
We also are looking for directors who want to direct an audio-only play, bring us your ideas and/or a script that you would want to produce. (for example, the BBC have a list of available scripts). We would also like to involve live foley sound to support the atmosphere you create, so, be ambitious! This is your chance to travel to impossible locations or present un-theatre-friendly genres.
We’re looking for something around about an hour in length, that requires no more than 5 actors. (though shorter could also work and be doubled with something else). We see the play being rehearsed through October, mostly remotely, eventually getting together in November (in an appropriately virus-careful way) in a theatre space to record/stream the performance. We will provide the equipment & technical support to do the recording.
The turnaround is going to be tight! Get in touch with your ideas by 27 August, we wanna get started as soon as we can!
Directing pitches now open
As we say goodbye to a thoroughly successful but also pretty unusual summer season, it’s time to look forward to Autumn. We’re now opening our pitch process for new shows for Autumn and beyond, apply here. More about that later, but first a quick update on the current status of KDC.
What happened to Spring??
The current health situation has of course affected us. Rehearsals were almost complete for our Spring shows Pomona and Rules For Living before we had to postpone their performances. These were lining up to be amazing shows and our intention very much is still to perform them as soon as we can! While we desperately want to show-off these ‘on-hold’ performances, it is not yet possible, so we’re going to keep those until we can perform them as they were intended.
What we did instead
Our new writing / devising project Snatch & Merkin moved to rehearsing online and released as a web series, and summer season’s Writing on the Wall transferred entirely to the world of Zoom, last week performing a live streamed show to great success earlier this month.
The future
As a theatre group banned from theatres… we got new licence to try different things. Restriction breeds creativity! We’d like to keep this going so we’re now opening pitches for autumn season. Given the current climate this will be an unusually open pitch process, we’d like to hear your ideas. We have a large and enthusiastic actor community, as well as directors and technical people on hand to support your vision.
It is likely that physical distancing restrictions will remain in-place for the remainder of the year to some extent, however we are also expecting them to be partially lifted so it is possible that we will be able to so some physical rehearsing and performance late in the year. Here are some examples of the sort of thing you might want to propose:
1. Radio play
Either a long full-length single audio production, or multiple shorter pieces to be released as a series. Think the Big Finish Doctor Who serials, or Radio 4 play like Neverwhere. We would imagine this would be initially rehearsed remotely, hopefully being able to gather in a venue to record the audio in late autumn. We can help with equipment, sound expertise, foley & mixing the show, what we really need is a enthused piece of writing or adaptation that we can record.
2. Storytelling
Holding an audience’s attention, narrating directly to them is one of the oldest forms of performance, and one we see less often now. What will you bring? A tale of fairies and castles with a strong moral core? A dark campfire horror of shock and gore? Paint your world with words. When we return to theatres it will probably require distancing of the audience and between the cast, so a set of stories told by lone actors would fit well.
3. Monologues / Small casts
A series of monologues or a play that has a very small cast that can be kept distant would also likely be possible. New writing is always appreciated, and existing pieces are also welcome, subject to us being able to acquire rights.
Over to you
We’re really looking forward to hearing your ideas, and we can also help develop your concept if it is not yet fully-formed. Get your pitch in here
Notice of the KDC AGM 2020
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an Annual General Meeting of KDC Theatre will be held online on Zoom at 7pm on Monday 27 July 2020 to transact the following business.
AGENDA
- Reports and accounts
To receive and consider the draft and partial accounts for the year ending 31 July 2020 and the reports of the charity trustees.
- Member proposed resolutions
Details any proposed resolutions will be made available. Proposed resolutions should be sent to the Chair by 9am on Saturday 25 July. If applicable, a revised agenda will be issued prior to the AGM.
NB. Proposed resolutions may be submitted by full members of KDC. Information about full membership is available from the KDC website (click here).
- Appointment of charity trustees
Nominations are required for the following officers: Chair, Artistic Director, Treasurer.
Nominations for all trustees, including non-officers, must be received by 9am on Saturday 25 July.
NB Details of how to make a nomination are available from the KDC website (click here).
- Appointment of non-trustees to specified roles to assist in the running of the charity
Nominations of non-trustees to specified roles to assist in the running of the charity must be received by 9am on Saturday 25 July.
NB Details of how to make a nomination are available from the KDC website (click here).
- Any other business
To deal with any matters raised at the meeting.
On behalf of the Board of charity trustees,
Sarah Dobson
Chair of Trustees
KDC Theatre
The 2020 Online AGM was announced to our members by email on 9 July 2020.
How to Attend the Online AGM
To attend the meeting, register via this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqdeyurj4rG9GwK-yV9vl-EaYfWTkY2rRq
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
It’s almost time… KDC in your living room
Live shows of Writing on the Wall on 9, 10 and 11 July
Live shows of Writing on the Wall on 9, 10 and 11 July
This week, we’re beaming live theatre straight to your living room.
Writing On The Wall is a compilation of short plays – 5 directors,12 actors and 14 fantastic scripts, performed at 7 pm this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Join us for a one time performance. As it’s a real-time event, each show will be available to watch at the time of the performance only (somewhat like in-person theatre, if your memory stretches that far back…).
Get your ticket for the show here
