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I spend far too much time at the computer working on amdram.co.uk. When I'm not there, I'm currently studying at the UEA hoping to get a Drama degree. And before you ask yes I am a mature student.
Tiebreak Theatre in Norwich, Norfolk will be shutting in April after the Arts Council of England withdraw its £100,000 a year support. The plan is to create a single youth company for the six counties in East Anglia. Not only did the group work with children, but it also provided creative outlets for local writers, actors, composers and musicians, in some cases providing short term employment for them. You can visit the Tiebreak website here.
It looks like the Broadway hit Spamalot is finally coming to the West End in October. It is rumoured that the first performance will be on October the 2nd at the Palace Theatre. The Show has won three 2005 Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Director and Best Featured Actress.
The Third-Age Players, Milton Keynes, are collaborating with MK Trading Standards Division to bring a series of dramas to elderly people portraying the dangers of doorstep scams. These sketches will be embedded within a comedy programme that includes the popular evocation of the New City experience, called 'Under Brickhill Wood' (see http://www.parrilay.co.uk for more information).
On the 26th of March Scotland's smoking ban in closed public places comes into effect. This is, of course, a good thing, but it looks like the Scottish Executive didn't really think it through. It appears that the legislation also bans herbal cigarettes which means that actors can't use those instead. On camera or on stage! Think about it, how many period plays do you know that rely on cigarettes to set the scene or create comedy moments? How authentic is a Noel Coward without cigarettes? What is an actor playing Winston Churchill going to do? And any television made in Scotland is equally affected. So for those of you planning to go the the EdinburghFringe, look to your scripts, and if you find a suitable alternative that doesn't include tobacco or "any other lit substance or mixture" in a receptacle for smoking, then please let me know.
As promised yesterday the winners of the Noah the Musical are now known. The writers of this excellent show decided to award two prizes, with both winners getting 6 performances of the musical rights free.
The Stage's top 100 list of influential people used to be headed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, but now there's a new boy in town. American David Ian is now the most influential person in British Theatre, but have you heard of him? He is Chairman of Live Nation the organisation responsible for both Guys and Dolls and The Producers in the West End. Cameron Macintosh is now in second place with Andrew Lloyd Webber third.
Millfield Theatre were really pleased with their new online theatre ticket booking system. They launched it with a big splash, including a piece in Time Out and sat back and waited for the bookings. But nothing happened. Then staff realised they had no Internet connection. Eventually they traced the problem. A squirrel had chewed through the data cable severing all Internet connections.