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The Network Ensemble Sharing the Learning 27 October 2017 About SDTN

The Scottish Drama Training Network (SDTN) is a unique organisation dedicated to developing practice-based drama training in Scotland. A Scottish Funding Council initiative, SDTN is based at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow and is a network organisation of 19 further education colleges and higher education institutions who provide practical training in theatre, film, television and radio subjects. SDTN’s programme of work divides into four key areas:

Career Pathways Each year, we produce the SDTN Directory, to help prospective students choose the right course for them. We also have an online map and Course Finder with direct links to institutions’ websites. We are also working with theatre venues in Scotland to host career events where students can learn about the practical skills involved in the industry.

Industry Context SDTN works closely with the industry to create training events that allow students from our Network Institutions to put their training and learning into context. Workshops this year have involved: camera skills, theatre for children and young people and script development.

Staff Development and CPD It is essential that teaching staff in the performing and production arts continue to build on their skills, knowledge and connections within the industry. STDN facilitates staff development through CPD workshops, partnering with national organisations such as National Theatre of Scotland and the Federation of Scottish Theatre and hosting larger training and networking events such as the Technical Theatre Symposium.

Graduate Pathways In 2017 the Scottish Drama Training Network, in partnership with the Pleasance Theatre Trust, announced a new initiative to support Acting, Performance and Technical Theatre graduates from Scotland’s Colleges and Higher Education Institutions. The project is designed to give graduating students an industry standard training pathway that is an essential post-training bridge for performers and theatre technicians between education and beginning a career. Venue Information

This event will be held at PASS @ Edinburgh College at their Granton Campus.

Granton 350 West Granton Road Edinburgh EH5 1QE

There is a limited amount of parking on site, if you would like to park at Edinburgh College please email [email protected] with your car registration number no later than 5pm Wednesday 25 October. When you arrive through the main entrance, the visitors’ car park is on the second left, you will be emailed an access code to operate the barrier.

There will be a registration desk near the reception area, please register before attending lunch.

Lunch will be provided by hospitality students from Edinburgh College and will be served in the college restaurant on the first floor. You will then be guided by a member of staff from the restaurant to PASS theatre, SDTN will also host a networking reception in the restaurant after the event until 5pm. Programme

12pm - 12.45pm Registration Edinburgh College Reception 12.30pm - 1.15pm Lunch The Restaurant 1.15pm - 3.30pm Sharing Event PASS Studio Theatre

Welcome Jakki Jeffery Head of Faculty - Creative Industries, Edinburgh College

Introduction to The Network Ensemble Lucy Vaughan Director, SDTN

Video Presentation Jesse Paul Fair Access Manager, RCS

Sharing the Learning Briana Pegado, Facilitator with The Network Ensemble

Ensemble Panel Q&A 3.30pm - 4.15pm Feedback session PASS Studio Theatre

4.15pm - 5pm Networking reception The Restaurant

Graduate Ensemble 2017 The Network Graduate Ensemble Script Development

In February / March 2017 four script development workshops were held across Scotland at North East Scotland College, Queen Margaret University, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and University of the West of Scotland. Acting and Performance students from each of our Network Institutions came together to form a group of 20 students per workshop. The workshops informed director Mark Thomson’s writing of Snowflake.

Feedback from the workshops included:

“Today has been very helpful and encouraged me to look deeper than the surface, experiment and take more risks in improv and acting, Thank you!”

“I realised that even influential and impressive professional directors can still be excited by working with graduates.”

“I loved that Mark was so passionate about our ideas and our ideas gave him ideas.”

Pre-production, Auditions and Interviews

Auditions took place in April 2017 at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Over 80 students were invited to audition over four days. Institutions that participated were: Ayrshire College, City of Glasgow College, Dundee and Angus College, Edinburgh College, Edinburgh Napier University, Fife College, Glasgow Clyde College, Glasgow Kelvin College, New College Lanarkshire, North East Scotland College, Queen Margaret University, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, University of the West of Scotland and West College Scotland.

22 students were recalled to audition in Edinburgh. The recall audition was a group exercise carried out by Mark Thomson and Assistant Director Edward McGurn and included improvisation work as well as some script work.

The Technical Theatre Interviews took place in April / May 2017. After submitting an application, 16 students were interviewed, from the interviews five roles were awarded to the candidates: Deputy Stage Manager, Lighting Designer, Costume Designer, Set Designer and Costume Supervisor. The position of Sound Designer was funded by the Federation of Scottish Theatre and hosted by the Pleasance.

A competition was held across our Network of Institutions, to design the logo for the new production ensemble ‘The Network’. A graduate from University of the West of Scotland won the competition and the freelance contract to design the artwork for the Snowflake marketing campaign.

Rehearsals and Production

Snowflake by Mark Thomson went into rehearsal on 10 July 2017 at Edinburgh College. The production rehearsed for three weeks in rehearsal rooms before moving to the PASS Studio Theatre to run technical rehearsals and onto Pleasance Above for a dress rehearsal and previews.

Snowflake was performed for the full run of the Fringe: 25 shows over four weeks. Over 1000 people came to see the performances and Snowflake received four star reviews as well as being shortlisted for the Mental Health Fringe Award. The Ensemble also participated in several PR activities, including appearing on the Janice Forsyth show for BBC Radio Scotland. The Network Facts and Figures

25 Performances 1071 Tickets

9 Technical 3 Team 42 SDTN events Industry 4 guests Script development workshops 4 Star reviews 16 SDTN 20 Institutions days of 8 rehearsals Actors

1 Director 98 Students auditioned or 3 interviewed Industry mentors

Snowflake by Mark Thomson Cast Creative Team Shyvonne Ahmmad Jax Mark Thomson Director Russell Dudley Guy Alisa Kalyanova Production Designer Rachel Dunlay Sal Casey Dixon Costume Designer Heather Horsman Helen Taylor Buntain Sound Designer Michael Johnson Tom Murray Wilson Lighting Designer/Operator Jatinder Singh Randhawa Murtaza Edward McGurn Assistant Director Harvey Reid Peter Mirren Wilson Debs All other parts played by the Ensemble

Siobhan Redmond Voice of Mum

Production Team Lucy Vaughan Producer Heather Rose Associate Producer Abigail McMillan Production Manager Holly-Mae Fox Deputy Stage Manager Linnea From Costume Supervisor Laura Gregson Marketing Manager Magda Paduch PR Communications RCS Transitions 20/40 Rosie Orr Assistant Stage Manager Gillian Haggerty Assistant Stage Manager QMU Work Placement Denitsa Pashova Communications Assistant

With thanks to... Chris Duddy Lighting Design Mentor Philip Pinsky Sound Design Mentor Jean Sangster Head of Voice, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Samantha Hendrie Snowflake image and campaign design Briana Pegado Ensemble Evaluation

Gemma at Traverse Theatre, AV and Life Long Learning at RCS, Laura at Tron Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland, British Heart Foundation, Morag McMillan, Thom Hall, Riba Duncan, Malcolm Stephen, Robin Mitchell Photography, Federation of Scottish Theatre and Duncan Formosa. Partners Pleasance Futures In 2017 the Pleasance celebrated its 33rd season presenting work on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with over 250 shows in the programme. In 2015 the Trust launched Pleasance Futures, a development strand providing opportunities to develop artistic ideas, talents and skills both on and off stage. Each year the Pleasance commits around £130,000 into the Young Pleasance, the Charlie Hartill Special Reserve Fund, an associate programme, and a range of other projects and initiatives. Pleasance Futures is at the very heart of the Pleasance’s role as a charity, and is the engine that drives the Trust. Edinburgh College

The Scottish Drama Training Network would like to thank Edinburgh College staff and PASS (Performing Arts Studio Scotland) for hosting The Network rehearsals in July and for their support with this project.

Funding This year The Network received funding of £5,000 from the Charlie Harthill Award and £10,000 from the Robertson Trust. The Robertson Trust will continue to fund the project for a further two years. SDTN is funded by the Scottish Funding Council. Mark Thomson Writer and Director, Snowflake

Mark was Artistic Director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company from April 2003 till June 2016 during which time he has directed over twenty productions including world premieres of Donna Franceschild’s Takin’ Over the Asylum, D C Jackson’s The Marriage of Figaro, Jo Clifford’s Every One and adaptations of Goethe’s Faust parts one and two, Six Black Candles by Des Dillon, John Byrne’s Uncle Varick as well as his own plays: A Madman Sings to the Moon, Pinocchio, his adaptation of James Hogg’s The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner and, in 2011, Wondrous Flitting. In 2015 he directed The Caucasian Chalk Circle which won four CATS awards and earned him a nomination for Best Director at the UK Theatre Awards. His production of Waiting For Godot starring Brian Cox and Bill Paterson was also nominated for several categories including Best Director and won Best Production at the CATS.

Mark was Artistic Director of the Brunton Theatre Company from 1997 to 2002, directing 21 shows and winning a Herald Angel Award for his play A Madman Sings to the Moon, and a Scotsman Fringe First and a Herald Angel Award for his play Moving Objects.

Prior to that he was Assistant Director at the Theatre Royal Stratford East and the Royal Shakespeare Company and Associate Director at Nottingham Playhouse.

When not fretting over theatre Mark plays in his band The Bail Sheriffs and cycles in all weathers.

Join The Network for 2018 Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the Graduate Ensemble you must be the following:

- Over 18 by July 2018 - Graduating from an HND or degree course from one of our Network of Institutions in 2018 - Available from 9 July - 27 August 2018 for rehearsals and performances

Timeline

Phase 1 - Script and Production Development

SDTN will hold four script development workshops across Scotland, with the opportunity for 80 students to take part. These workshops are part of a creative process towards the development of a production and are suited to anyone who is interested in working with scripts and creating work. We will also hold technical information sessions for production and technical students interested in taking part.

Phase 2 - Auditions and Interviews

Auditions and interviews for the Graduate Ensemble will be held in March / April 2018. If you would like to apply for one of the performance, technical or design roles with the Graduate Ensemble, make sure to register your interest with your lecturer. SDTN will send information to your lecturer when the interview and audition dates have been confirmed. Please do not contact SDTN directly about the auditions and interviews. You should only apply to be part of the ensemble if you are available for the full seven week rehearsal / production period from Monday 9 July - Monday 27 August 2018.

Phase 3 - Rehearsals and Performances

Rehearsals for the production will take place at PASS Theatre at Edinburgh College in July. The production week will be from 29 July - 3 August and the show will run daily from 4 - 27 August 2017 at the Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh. Please note that there will be no payment for participation in this production, however, accommodation and and subsistence will be provided for the duration of the project. Scottish Drama Training Network c/o Royal Conservatoire of Scotland 100 Renfrew Street Glasgow G2 3DB

+44 (0)141 270 8349

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