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Happy February,
The shortest month of the year, that can so often feel like the longest! We are hoping to be able to bring you a few things to add to your calendar and make those wet, cold days and nights pass a little quicker.
So far in 2022 we've held open space check ins and launched some new members only events that we plan to make regular fixtures in the TDS programme. We've been joined in conversation by Matt Lenton of Vanishing Point and Nick Bone of Magnetic North for Directorial, hosted by current chair Kolbrun Bjort Sigfusdottir and our first edition of 'The Seat' was in Zinnie Harris' The Scent of Roses rehearsal room at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh on 4th of February, we have more in the works and we will be emailing members with these opportunities as they arise.
UPCOMING EVENTS
TDS Fridays
TDS Fridays will continue to take place, weekly, always at 1:15-2pm so you can join on your lunch break. Some will be open to all on our mailing list whilst others will be members only, so if you've not committed to being a member yet, now is a great time to do it!
Coming up in February and March we have:
Open space - monthly check ins with a theme hosted by one of the TDS committee
Directorial (members only) - An interview with an Artistic Director about their influences and practice
The Seat - a chance to spend a day in rehearsals with a professional company
Introducing - a monthly spotlight on an emerging company or director, brought to you in partnership with Framework Theatre.
Framework Theatre are an organisation focused on supporting and developing early-career theatre makers who live and work in Scotland. We aim to create new work championing underrepresented new voices and developing new routes into the sector.
Friday 18th Feb - Directorial with Jemima Levick (members only)
Friday 25th Feb - Introducing... Framework Theatre (open to all)
Friday 4th March - Directorial with Caitlin Skinner (members only)
Friday 11th March - New event to be announced soon!
Friday 18th March - Directorial with Lu Kemp (members only)
Friday 25th March- Introducing... TBC (open to all)
AGM
The TDS AGM will be held on Tuesday 22nd February on google meet at 7:30pm, it would be great to see as many of you as possible along, to vote on the proposed changes in the organisation including:
- New Constitution
- Our Chair and Vice-Chair have been in post for 3 years and will step down
- New Committee members will be nominated and elected
- New membership fees
- Summary of 2022 plans/benefits for members
There will also be an opportunity for members to discuss what you would like from TDS as a member.
The link will be sent to members ahead of the meeting, so keep your eye on your inbox!
We're looking for new members of the Committee
To take up posts from March 2022, we currently have the following positions available:
Chair
Deputy-Chair
Comms Officer
Treasurer
General Committee Members
We welcome interest from any of our members to nominate themselves or someone else to post. Please confirm your wish to stand as a member of the Management Committee, by emailing us no later than Tuesday 15th February 2022 .
Shows
Stand By
Cast: Nalini Chetty, Andy Clark, Adam McNamara, Laurie Scott
Written by Adam McNamara
Directed by Joe Douglas & Jo Rush
Set and Costume Design by Natasha Jenkins
Lighting Design by Kate Bonney
Sound Design by Kevin Murray
Four Police Officers sit in a riot van. Called out to a domestic dispute, which may turn violent, they are on stand by; waiting to enter a flat where a man is wielding a samurai sword. We wait with them, experiencing the relationships, forged through the stress of the job and the turmoil of being caught between following orders and protecting themselves.
Written by a former Police Officer, Stand By shows the modern-day Police Service laid bare.
A unique performance, audiences are asked to wear single-earpiece headphones, as Police Officers do, to tell this urgent story in a multi-sensory way
Notes: 16 + | Contains Strong Language
Touring Scotland March - April 2022, venues include:
The Beacon, Greenock (11th & 12th March) https://www.beaconartscentre.co.uk/events/stand-by
Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh (21st - 23rd March) https://assemblyfestival.com/roxy/whats-on/stand-by
Eden Court, Inverness (31st March) https://eden-court.co.uk/event/stand-by
The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen (7th & 8th April) https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/whats-on/stand-by/https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/whats-on/stand-by/
OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT
Here are this month's opportunities, support and information:
ThinkBIGGER! and ScreenSkills.
Have launched an exciting new training programme, which may be of interest to our members who also work (or hope to work) in TV, the scheme provides new and new(ish) entrants to the TV industry with a 3-month trainee placement at a leading Children’s TV Production Company. Roles on offer include: trainee researcher, trainee production co-ordinator and trainee edit assistant.
The application form is now live on our website here. https://bit.ly/3s7fl4Q
Deadline: Monday 28th February at 12pm.
The Seven Ravens R&D Residency with Tragic Carpet
Tragic Carpet is delighted to announce its residency at St Margarets House, Edinburgh. The residency is supported by the lovely people at Edinburgh Palette and runs from 1st to the 31st March 2022. Each week they will be exploring different aspects of the show such as The Narrative, The Music and Sound, The Shadow Puppetry, The Table Top Puppetry, The Coding of The Keeper (our mini robo-puppet) and The Flexible, tour friendly Setting and Tech setup.
They will host open coffee drop-ins at 11am on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There will also be some sharing events and details of these will emerge as work progresses and also hope to invite artists and colleagues who are interested in the work to drop by when they can, contact on https://tragiccarpet.com/contact/
Tron Build
Have a programme of development activities for theatre professionals starting this week, with events currently scheduled until end of March. Find out more on:
https://www.tron.co.uk/whats-on#tab_build/
Creative Scotland Covid Cancellation Fund
Closing date: 28 February 2022
The fund offers a one-off award to those who are most deeply impacted and disadvantaged by the cancellation of activity because of the current emergency situation. This can include the cancellation or deferral of performances, exhibitions and shows from which freelancers would have received income. This fund will not replace income lost through cancellation but will provide a contribution to partially offset its adverse impact.
For more information: creativescotland.com/funding/funding-programmes/covid-cancellation-fund
Create Inclusion Fund
This fund seeks to increase the diversity of people in the arts & creative industries by enabling progress, creative and professional development and supporting professional and creative risks.
Applications close: Wednesday 16th February 2022 at 12noon
For full details on this fund, visit: https://www.creativescotland.com/funding/funding-programmes/targeted-funding/createinclusion
Waypoint-1
Welcome to Waypoint-1, a Scotland-wide project supporting Early Career Performance Makers (ECPMs)*. Its purpose is to deliver one-on-one mentorship programmes, lasting up to a year. These programmes can cover everything from developing a creative vision, to producing a business plan, to help with making a one-off application.
Project director, Al Seed, will be supported in his delivery of activities by core staff from partners Dundee Rep Theatre and Scottish Dance Theatre, an advisory panel, and a team of guest specialists from across Scotland.
*Early Career is a flexible term – to include recent graduates and those who have produced only a limited amount of work; but also, for example, experienced makers who are moving into a new field.
For further information, please contact alseed@waypoint-1.net (Al Seed), or visit https://www.waypoint-1.net/
TDS - Become a Member
Join us: If you have been wondering about joining TDS as a member then please get in touch and we will send you out details. Free membership is extended until after the AGM because we know there are still many struggling just now. If you feel you can pay your membership fee at the moment however, we would appreciate it, but we don't want anyone to miss out on membership because of their finances in these tough times. Email us to request membership at directorsscotland@gmail.com
Rehearsal Spaces - Edinburgh
EPAD Spaces (part of Edinburgh Performing Arts Development) is a great source of information about reasonably priced or free rehearsal space available in Edinburgh. EPAD is support programme for professional independent performing arts companies and artists based in Edinburgh.
Rehearsal Spaces - Glasgow
Acting Coach Scotland offers 4 affordable spaces for hire within their studios, a five minute walk from Govan subway. Contact hello@actingcoachscotland.co.uk for more information.
If anyone knows more rehearsal spaces that would be useful for our members to know about, please let us know.
TDS MEMBER OF THE MONTH
Joe Douglas is a freelance director, writer and dramaturg based in Ayrshire. Pre-pandemic, he was Artistic Director of Live Theatre in Newcastle, which is the only New Writing theatre in England outside of London. The enforced shutdown prompted a return to Scotland, for personal and family reasons. He has the greatest respect for anyone running a theatre through the pandemic!
Joe was Associate Artistic Director at Dundee Rep (2016-17) where he directed The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui, Death of a Salesman, George’s Marvellous Medicine, Spoiling and The BFG. His production of The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil has been remounted for touring twice, most recently by NTS. He regularly collaborates with the comedian-activist Mark Thomas and directs for A Play, a Pie and a Pint. Other directing and co-directing credits include Super Special Disability Roadshow (Birds of Paradise), Stand By (Scottish Theatre Producers), Arabian Nights (Lyceum Theatre), Dr Stirlingshire’s Discovery (Lung Ha/Grid Iron), Letters Home (Grid Iron), Bloody Trams (Traverse). His work has won three CATS awards and four Fringe Firsts. Joe is a member of Stage Directors UK, on the committee for Theatre Directors Scotland and has sadly cut his hair since this ridiculous picture was taken…
Thanks for reading - hope to see you at one of our online events soon!
Theatre Directors Scotland
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