Oxford Playhouse Student Slot TT27
The Oxford Playhouse welcomes student theatre every term to perform on its main stage, offering unparalleled technical capacity, alongside support from staff at The Oxford Playhouse itself.
A whole range of texts make fantastic pitches for Oxford Playhouse - from Renaissance drama to Broadway musicals, classics of contemporary theatre to hidden gems. We don’t have a preference for any particular form, style or genre (even if other students tell you we do…!), though are unlikely to programme original writing or Shakespeare.
As aid whilst brainstorming potential pitches, here’s three theatrical quotes to get you thinking and discover a title you’re passionate about:
· ‘Our court shall be a little academe, / Still and contemplative in living art.’ (Love Labour’s Lost by William Shakespeare)
The most successful Trinity Term productions are alert to the context of a summer exam season – are you emotionally transporting us to another world or diving into the stresses of student life? More practically, can your chosen title be rehearsed sensibly around revision, exams and other commitments? Does your budget consider that audience numbers are usually lower in summer?
· ‘This play should not be well behaved’ (Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again by Alice Birch)’
How does women’s writing for theatre conform with or push against theatrical precedents? Here’s a chance to celebrate the range of classic and contemporary plays by women, which have historically been underrepresented in student bids.
· ‘I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage.’ (The Empty Space by Peter Brook)
The Playhouse may be the largest stage used by students in Oxford, but remains an intimate space where less is sometimes more. Within the constraints of your budget, what are the essential parts of your vision? For instance, embracing a black box design aesthetic to make budget available for professional voice and movement coaching.
Our programming decisions usually come down to the following:
A clear and cohesive artistic vision, from artistic intention through to marketing.
An authentic consideration of the audience – both their experience in watching the play and how to entice them into buying a ticket in sufficient numbers.
A clear drive to stage this text in the present moment: Why this play? Why now?
A competent understanding of the production process, alongside a willingness to collaborate and learn.
But overall…
Range of offer is key. This academic year, student productions at the Playhouse include The Seagull, Iphigenia at Aulis and the musical City of Angels. Pitch us titles that are different to these, not the same!
What is the Performance Slot for TT27?
We don’t yet know the exact week the production will fall in, as the received programme hasn’t yet been set. It will likely be week 3, but may be weeks 2 or 4.
How to Apply
Full info and application forms are at www.oxfordstudenttheatre.org/venue-bids
We strongly suggest contacting the University Drama Officer to discuss your application well before the deadline – this is to ensure your selected title doesn’t clash with the venue’s upcoming programme and to support your application.
To submit a bid please fill in the above application form which includes more guidance and information about the slot. Note that no more information is required other than answering the included questions and attaching a provisional budget. Please use the budget template attached above, filling in the ‘Projected’ tab of the template.
Please email your completed application form to Noah Wild, the University Drama Officer, at drama.officer@admin.ox.ac.uk and Katy Snelling, Director of Programming at Oxford Playhouse, at katy.snelling@oxfordplayhouse.com
Deadline: 9am Monday 9th November (5th Week)
Interviews will follow in the w/c 23rd November
For any questions, please contact the University Drama Officer on drama.officer@admin.ox.ac.uk