Can you help support Stage2's Mentor Scheme?

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The Big Give  Part 2: “THE CHALLENGE”                                                                                                  As you may know Stage2 are raising awareness & funds for our Mentor Scheme via The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge.   Stage2’s Mentor Scheme was set up 8 years ago to enable us to welcome new members and nurture current members. Our excellent work in this field has been acknowledged by theMentoring and Befriending Foundation, who awarded us their Approved Provider Standard - and are currently still the only youth theatre in the UK with this status!   This Scheme (including all related overheads and subsidies) costs Stage2 in excess of£11,000 per year and we have been extremely lucky to have been supported by Four Acre Trustfor the past 4 years, but this funding has come to an end, hence we are searching elsewhere.     In the first stage of this process Stage2 had generous pledges amounting to £3,800. This is matched by The Cabinet Office, so we get a potential maximum of £7.600.   The final stage is THE CHALLENGE. Stage2 needs to raise as much money as we can to match all our pledges. If we raise the full amount of £7,600 we could get £15,200 for Stage2’s Mentor Scheme - we don’t want to miss this opportunity. Can you help by either donating or passing onto others?     Anyone who hasn’t already pledged can donate anything from £1 upwards via our page on the Big Give Website:  thebiggive.org.uk/charity/view/4162/stage2 All you need to do is click on “Donate Now” on the right hand side and follow the on-screen instructions. Stage2 will be collecting donations at the Sharings (14th December). If all of this sounds too complicated then just donate via one of our collection tins which will be at our events. Online Donations will open on Thursday 5th December at 10am and will run until Wednesday 18th December at 5pm.   We are extremely grateful to everyone who has already pledged; anyone who donates in December or anyone who generally raises the awareness about this fundraising effort  Thank you!    “I thank Stage2 for welcoming me into a lovely, exciting theatre company.”    “Stage2 has really helped make a positive change to her social skills  and school studies.” “Stage2 is an important part of his weekly routine giving stabillity and helping  him cope with life changes.” “I really admire all the tutors at Stage2 because you all give me the drive to improve.” “I have met so many lovely people at Stage2 I will always recommendyou to other parents and children.”   “Thank you so much for your continued help, to enable our son to continue with his full involvment and commitment to Stage2.”   “Help with my confidence will be particularly useful at this time as I am doing a lot of job interviews, something that without Stage2 I wouldn’t have been able to do.”   “Stage2 has made a great difference to my life and who I am as a person and I am proud to be a member of such a wonderful company.” “If you mention Stage2 in front of me, my face will say it all.”

Stage2’s Committees – Autumn Term 2013

This term has been an incredibly exciting term for members of Stage2’s Marketing and Fundraising committees.

Stage2’s Marketing Committee is always very interesting and exciting, and provides its members with a wealth of experience through helping to promote the company to the rest of the world!

The committee meets twice a term, and this term focused on the Promotional Mix.  This meant that members as young as 11 were taking part in training on degree level marketing!  As well as being provided with hand-outs and talking about the theory side, we also got the chance to explore the concepts through looking at popular television adverts and working in groups to come up with an advertising plan for a hypothetical unlimited budget!

As well as the training members have had the chance to complete a huge variety of tasks.  Members have been involved in everything from making an advertising display to writing press releases and researching potential advertising avenues.

After a great term, the whole committee is very excited to be able to put their newfound training to work by spreading the word about the company and A Chorus of Disapproval on the company’s distribution day on Saturday 21^st December!

“Through the Marketing Committee I have learned so much about how I can help Stage2 through marketing as well as how I can market myself in interviews and things like that.  Every term we learn something different and interesting.” – Jake Hotchin, Marketing Committee Member

As usual, Stage2’s Fundraising Committee has also been hard at work looking at how to raise money for the company, which is incredibly important for Stage2 to continue to be able to offer all the options it does. This committee is much smaller than the Marketing Committee and is more ‘academically’ focused because it involves tasks such as writing high standard applications and compiling budgets.  But don’t let that put you off!  The Fundraising Committee is a fantastic way to get involved in Stage2 and gain invaluable work and life experience.  All members are fully supported through their time on the committee with a number of tasks suitable for all levels of confidence.

This term has seen all the usual types of tasks, which have varied from designing invitations to invite past, current and potentially future funders to the LAMDA evening and production, all the way up to starting our own complete fundraising projects.

As well as completing tasks, this term the committee has received excellent and professional training in two different sessions.  The first session included an overview of reading and understanding budgets which was really useful for old and new members alike.  The second training session was held by Ellen Jurczack, an ex-member who is now a professional fundraiser who started out in the Stage2 Fundraising Committee.  This session was based on fundraising schemes involving alumni and was incredibly interesting!  Not only did we learn about how to run and participate in one of these schemes we also learned how to improve basic skills such as confidence and talking to strangers.  Because this training session was such a great opportunity, company members outside of the committee were invited to come and experience it, an offer which many members eagerly took up.

“This is my first term on the Fundraising Committee and I have learned so much already!  I put off joining the committee because I wasn’t sure if I was suited to it, but have found everything we have looked at this term really interesting and was offered help with all my tasks, although in the end I didn’t even really need any!” – Wallis Allen, Fundraising Committee Member

You don’t need any experience to join the committee (most new members have none at all) as you will be taught everything you need to know.  Both committees are available to join in the Spring term to anyone who is interested and willing to commit!

“As a Stage2 member who is on both of the Committees, I feel like I am really part of something exciting.  Every time I leave a committee meeting I am incredibly excited to be part of such a fantastic company, telling people all about Stage2 is only difficult in that I could go on for hours!  I have been able to be part of a huge range of different tasks with Stage2 that have complimented my work at University and made me feel both much more confident and much prouder!” – Andrew Brown, Member of the Fundraising and Marketing Committees

HAVE YOU GOT YOUR SHARINGS TICKETS?

General Drama
This week in General Drama we decided to follow up this term's fantastic LAMDA Evening by having a session focussed on LAMDA, especially Stage2 LAMDA exams. After opening with a discussion about Tuesday's performances and what LAMDA is, we talked through the LAMDA file, with exercises inspired by different things- for example, to reflect contrast charts we tried to develop different performance styles, and for actioning the text we would do the same lines but with different intentions. This really familiarised our group with what it's like to do LAMDA, and we're hoping that a lot of them take an exam next term!

Technical Theatre
This week we ventured into the world of Costume Design. We started off by covering the basics of costume design and practicality before we branched off into smaller groups and began to create our own unique characters and costumes to fit. We had to be detailed on down to every element of the costume, the fabric and the colour. After presenting our ideas to each other we were challenged to recreate our costume designs using paper and cardboard. It was a mean feat indeed as we had a variety of character/costume designs ranging from time travelling beach goers to half human half cyborg cowboys and everything in-between! However every group succeeded fantastically in recreating their designs in cardboard. And you can see some of the designs made in our Technical Theatre Exhibition at the Stage2 Sharings on December 14th.

Stage1
'This week in Stage1 we let our crafty sides out, Christmas themed too! We made hats, personalised snow flakes, a group snow man (which might make an appearance in the Sharings) and our own mini snowmen. We also begun blocking and discussing the Sharings, and don't want to give too much away, but we are all looking forward to a great evening on the 14th!

Musical Theatre
This week in musical theatre, we had a discussion about the modern theatre industry and the causes for amount of theatre goers decreasing. We then learned some songs from popular musicals (including 'You can't stop the beat', 'Revolting Children' and 'One Short Day'). We then put our Sharings into an order and ran through what we're going to perform.

Workshops

General Drama
Last week we had a huge session about the History of Theatre up to the 20th Century. After opening with a session about files and systems of organisation, we went to the main event. Based around a handout that separated the history into Greek, Medieval, Commedia dell'arte, Shakespearean & Jacobean, Restoration and Victorian, we went through section by section, doing a related activity after each - from exercises in group communication to reflect the work of Greek choruses to Medieval-style morality plays. We even managed to incorporate some well loved drama games, such as 'chaise longue' (The Restoration's version of park bench) to a melodrama edition of the freeze game. Through this we learned through both discussion of the handout and practice.

Musical Theatre
We learned Disney songs from 4 classic Disney films; Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and High School Musical. After the learning the songs, we staged them in different ways and had a brilliant time performing. Finally, we looked through all the songs we've learned so far and decided what we'd like to put in the sharings. We're all very excited!

Technical Theatre 
This week technical freelancer Sebastian Barnes introduced us to the world of Health as Safety. The base principal that ran throughout the session was that ‘regulations exist and are designed to protect workers safety’. This session not only applied to theatre but every asset of society. We learnt how to break down the mumbo jumbo of official documents to understand certain regulations. We covered some quite preposterous safety proposals like A council wanting to cover lamp posts in protective foam to stop people on their phones whilst walking; from walking in into them! We left this session having a much deeper understanding of safety regulations, how to identify and prevent hazards and how all of this relates to theatre and the many tools we use to create and facilitate performances.

Stage1
This week in Stage2 we have learnt how to waltz! A new skill Chloe has gained since starting at Birmingham School of Acting. The majority of Stage1 managed to pick it up fairly quickly and all looked very impressive when doing it as a whole group. We also begun to discuss what we would like to do in our end of term Sharings and started devising pieces for that. But this is all TOP SECRET and hope any parent, carers, family or friends can make it to the Sharings on the 14th to have the suspense revealed! Among all this we still managed to play several of the games Stage1 know and love and followed an important rule in Stage1: to have fun! “I think today has been really good because I’ve learnt how to ballroom dance and am now an expert at it.” – Zaraé Knox, Stage1 member.

Alexander Earle
Trainee Tutor
Social Networking and Auditions

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The Big Give 

Part 2: “THE CHALLENGE”

                                                                                                

As you may know Stage2 are raising awareness & funds for our
Mentor Scheme via The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge.

Stage2’s Mentor Scheme was set up 8 years ago to enable us to welcome new members and nurture current members. Our excellent work in this field has been acknowledged by the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation, who awarded us their Approved Provider Standard - and we were the first (and are currently still the only) youth theatre in the UK with this status!

This Scheme (including all related overheads and subsidies) costs Stage2 in excess of £11,000 per year and we have been extremely lucky to have been supported by Four Acre Trust for the past 4 years, but this funding has come to an end, hence we are searching elsewhere.

In the first stage of this process Stage2 had generous pledges amounting to £3,800. This is matched by The Cabinet Office, so we get a potential maximum of £7.600. The final stage is THE CHALLENGE. Stage2 needs to raise as much money as we can to match all our pledges. If we raise the full amount of £7,600 we could get £15,200 for Stage2’s Mentor Scheme and we don’t want to miss this amazing opportunity. Can you help by either donating or passing the message onto others?

Anyone who hasn’t already pledged can donate anything from £1 upwards via our page on the Big Give Website:  thebiggive.org.uk/charity/view/4162/stage2 All you need to do is click on “Donate Now” on the right hand side and follow the on-screen instructions. Stage2 will also be collecting online donations at this term’s Sharings (14th December). If all of this sounds too complicated then just donate via one of our collection tins which will be at our events. . Online Donations will open on Thursday 5th December at 10am and will run until Wednesday 18th December at 5pm. If you find you can’t donate on a certain day then please try the following day as close to 10am as possible.  We are extremely grateful to everyone who has already pledged; anyone who donates in December or anyone who generally raises the awareness about this fundraising effort – Thank you!

STOP PRESS

Stage2 Spring Term

Claire Dowie’s Why is John Lennon Wearing a Skirt?

The Crescent Theatre Thu 17^th – Sat 19^th April 2014  (Easter Holidays!)

We are delighted to announce a hugely exciting project - happening next Spring (2014) when we will be presenting a brand new adaptation of a full play version of Claire Dowie’s Why is John Lennon Wearing a Skirt? We will be rehearsing and performing our show at exactly the same time as Claire herself tours with a new version of the original monologue  - even more fantastic is that it is the 25^th anniversary of both Stage2 and the script!

To complement the workshop in technique that Claire herself and Colin Watkeys (Producer and Director) took for us this term, they will be returning to take another session directly on the themes of Why is John Lennon Wearing a Skirt? giving members  a unique insight into the piece.

WIJLWAS? is going to be a huge show with a massive set taking over both balconies of the Crescent Main House and with actors spilling out into the auditorium. There will also be a live band playing Beatles songs throughout to add to the spectacle. Last time we did this piece we had an enormous cast and it was outstandingly acclaimed by public and press;

‘What an inspired idea to transform Claire Dowie’s riotous monologue into a comic play

with a cast of one hundred. It’s hard to imagine it would be possible,

until you see how confident and daring the brilliant Stage2 can be.’

The Birmingham Post 2004

We therefore want to have as many people in this production as possible so our show is even better than last time! We need to make the most of such an exciting opportunity.

We can do this in 3 ways

1)    Current company members – everyone in Stage2 should try to be in this show. It will not only be a brilliant and a fun experience, it will be very useful for exams and school work as Claire is a set writer on many syllabuses and a wider reading recommendation on others.

If committed people are interested in Alex Butler’s Skills Workshop in the afternoon, they should be in the chorus in the mornings.

2)    New members – we have a great opportunity to recruit more people for this show and to fill the gaps we will leave in other workshops. Please spread the word to as many people as possible – your contacts, your families’ contacts, people at your school, people in your neighbourhood…..

3)    Ex-members – letting really good and positive ex-members know so they can come back and take part – or pass on the news to their friends if they are still too busy themselves!

Remember we still have more opportunities than any other youth theatre. Next Term;

• Stage1
• General Drama
• Playwriting, Poetry and the Spoken Word
• Marketing Committee
• Fundraising Committee
• Technical Team
• + loads of miscellaneous outings, trips and workshops including

A talk from a BBC Lighting Designer
A session with an Arts Manager in the range of jobs available in the Arts
A Q & A session with Drama School Students
BDTG FAME Festival solo and duo entries…as well as the afore mentioned workshop with Claire Dowie and Colin Watkeys

It is obviously brilliant if people join and stay, but if the other students on your GCSE or A Level Drama courses want to join just for the WIJLWAS? project, then that is fine too.

For further information about the project or how to book please

visit our website: www.stage2.org,

 email us on info@stage2.org 

or phone us on 07961 018841

Technical Workshop

The Autumn Term Technical Workshop has been a jam packed, non-stop roller-coaster of learning, discovery and experimentation in the world of technical theatre. Each week we have tackled a specific area/role in technical theatre. So far we covered Sound Design, Production Management, Stage Management, Set Design, Lighting Practical, Lighting Design and How to apply all of the above to Stage2 shows. (See the gallery bellow for some pics from the workshop). We have learnt invaluable tips and tricks from a plethora of industry professionals who have worked on shows of all shapes and sizes.  Many of the workshop members have already caught the ‘technical bug’ and are eager to be members on the technical team for next terms spectacular show; Why is John Lennon Wearing A Skirt? by Stage2 patron Claire Dowie.

LAMDA Showcase and Certificates Presentation Evening

If you are even half thinking about joining Stage2 (or Stage1) any time in the future we would like to offer you, your friends and family free tickets to our Showcase Evening at The Crescent Theatre, Brindleyplace, Birmingham B16 8AE at 7.30pm on Tuesday 26th November. This will give you the chance to see some of our members perform short LAMDA Exam pieces in Acting as well as watch our Awards Presentation for Attendance, Attitude, Achievement and Long Service. 

It will provide a real insight into our standards, our ethos, our kids, our staff and our performance space! Just phone Lucy on 07961 018841 or email info@stage2.org for further info and to book your free tickets.

November Update

End of Butlins - ten minutes later they were all asleep.... Welcome to our November Update We have just returned from a jam-packed week in Butlins - we can safely say all kids took full advantage of all activities and every waking hour the trip provided! Stage2LAMDAEvening  andCertificates Presentation Tuesday 26th November Crescent Main House £5 in advance £7 on the door 'Stage2's answer to 50 Years at the National Theatre!' See excerpts from over 20 plays performed for you in a range of styles, from a range of performers! Grade 1 to Gold Medal, 9 year olds to Drama School Candidates, this evening is a real feast. We will also be presenting our Certificates for Attendance, Attitude, Achievement and Long Service from last term. Please come along to support and congratulate our members. Facebook Twitter Website Blogspot Towerblock TrioPhoto & Stage2Portfolio Sale, Questions and Queries Evening. Saturday 16th November 5.30-6.30pm Studios Millennium Point Look through and order photos of our last show. (We are also launching a Portfolio Sale -  you can order copies of the Portfolio Pages of the  last 3 years of shows!) If you have any Questions about Stage2past present or future this is a great evening for you to come and get all the answers. This evening is especially advised for anyone taking part in this term's production. Next Term Discount booking forSpring 2014 has now ended places are now £140 (£100 for siblings) the options for next term include a fantastic production of Why is John Lennon Wearing a Skirt? by Stage2's Patron Claire Dowie. For more information and to book go to our Website A Chorus of Disapproval By Alan Ayckbourn  Just a reminder that tickets are on sale now! As it is in the Studio Theatre tickets are limited but unallocated. You can start getting them now and get the rest of your party's tickets later and you can still sit together. Please spread the word (leaflets and posters). Watch  an Amdram Theatre Company as they attempt to stage The Beggars Opera - a great show for thespians, this is a hilarious play suitable for all the family. BOOK TICKETS HERE OR on a Saturday from Lucy in our Marketplace Thank you so much to everyone who donated to the 1st stage of the Big Give Campaign you will all receive an email with the next steps and the progress of theMentor project. Copyright © 2013 Stage2 Youth Theatre, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email after signing up at a Stage2 session or production or online. Our mailing address is: Stage2 Youth Theatre 12 Valentine Road Kings Heath Birmingham, West Midlands B14 6DL United Kingdom Add us to your address book

A Chorus of Disapproval: Update!

Time has flown by over the past few months. The new school year has began, the nights draw in, Christmas will soon be upon us and at Stage2 we find ourselves over half way through what has been another fantastic term.

The rehearsal process for this terms show, A Chours of Disapproval, has been well underway since the end of September. We have now fully blocked the whole show! Director, Liz Light, has given the show a skeleton by directing in all basic moves and voice work. This has given the cast a chance to build on her direction before we plunge into polishing and add the flesh to our skeleton by perfecting the play.


But let’s hear from the people involved!


Assistant Director, Sarah Middlemiss says:
"Aykboure is an exceptional playwright and A Chorus of Dissaproval is beautiful. We have been working hard on characters that make us laugh, characters that make us cry and all the characters between!"

Cast member, Andrew Brown’s thoughts on A Chours of Disapproval:
"I've thoroughly enjoyed rehearsals for A Chorus of Disapproval this term. The play is really rich in so many ways - the characters, relationships, style and mood throughout are fantastically varied. It's been great to see all these different elements come together in to one wonderful production!"

A Chours of Disapproval Promises to be ‘A serious comic masterpiece: brilliantly constriucted, ruthlessly observant, hilarious and hard as nails.’ 

The Show runs from Wednesday 8^th January – Saturday 11^th January 7.45pm (Including a Saturday Matinee 2pm) at The Crescent Studio Theatre, Brindley Place, Birmingham.

Tickets available here

 All Stage2 members were given the chance to be part of this terms show as Stage2 always promises! If you would like to be part of the next Stage2 production (Why Is John Lennon Wearing A Skirt? By critically acclaimed playwright and Stage2 Patron, Claire Dowie) or know someone who would then why not visit our website for more information on how to book – www.stage2.org .

Can you help Stage2 help others?

The Big Give  Christmas Challenge Stage2 have been given a special opportunity to raise awareness and funds for our Mentor Scheme via The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge. The Big Give is an organisation who put chosen charities in touch with funders and sponsors. Stage2 has been sponsored for this Christmas Challenge by The Cabinet Office who will match fund any donations Stage2 receive! As you may know Stage2’s Mentor Scheme was set up 10 years ago to enable us to officially welcome new members and nurture current members. Our excellent work in this field has been acknowledged by the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation, who awarded us their Approved Provider Standard - and we were the first (and are currently still the only) youth theatre in the UK with this award! All of our Mentors receive specialist training and are fully supported by all staff. They are each hugely committed to their roles, in particular making sure that all members get the very best experience out of Stage2. We run a Buddy Programme to fully integrate new members in to all the Stage2 activities. They even organise fun social events for everyone in the company to attend, including discos, parties, Summer Fêtes and quiz nights! Our Mentor Scheme (including all related overheads and subsidies) costs Stage2 in excess of £11,000 per year and we have been extremely lucky to have been supported by Four Acre Trust for the past 4 years, but this funding has come to an end, hence we are searching elsewhere. We are looking for your support to promote this opportunity to all your contacts, but also if any of you are in a position to help us financially - please do so by donating via this link:  http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/pledge/stage2 There are 2 times to donate: ·      One is between now and October 25th where you will pledge to give at least £100 which will be QUADRUPLED (x 4 ie at least £400)! ·      The other is when our Sponsorship Campaign runs for the 12 days of Christmas (we will remind you of this later) where every donation (no matter how small) counts, as every £1 you donate will be doubled and will make a real difference to our team of Mentors, our existing members, and countless new recruits! Thank you