West & South West London Equity Branch June 2019 Newsletter Seven Dials Club, 42 Earlham Street, WC2H 9LA (opposite Donmar Warehouse) Next meeting: Wednesday 12th June 2019 at 7pm [Image: BAFTA/Guy Levy] We are very lucky to have BAFTA Award Winning script supervisor, Emma Thomas with us at our next branch meeting. Emma's career began as a clerk typist in the Elstree office of The Muppets, where she answered the fan mail of her boss, Kermit the Frog, before moving swiftly on to typing the transcripts for each of the shows. On Sunday 28th April 2019 Emma Thomas was recognised with a special award at the BAFTA Television Craft Awards for her services in script supervision. Emma has acted as script supervisor on some of the most beloved Television shows including Goodnight Sweetheart (1993-95), Birds of a Feather (1989-98), Benidorm (2007), Bad Education (2012), Luther (2010-11) and The Bill (2008). Emma has also worked on a raft of high-end International TV shows including The Bastard Executioner (2015), Tyrant (2016) and Guerrilla (2017). Most recently Emma was the script supervisor on Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle (2019) for BBC Four, a series of monologues that reveal the hopes, desires, achievements, shattered dreams and broken promises of a single fictionalised family over four generations. AUDITION DAYS WORKSHOPS EQUITY DROP-IN SESSIONS We have a fantastic audition day If you wish to apply for both sessions, On the 2nd Tuesday of every month coming up with theatre director please indicate which is your top choice (14.30-17.00) at the Actors Centre, Charlotte Peters. in case demand is high. Equity provides drop-in sessions which provide a safe and confidential space for Charlotte will be with us on 28th June. Both workshops will take place at Guild members to talk in. She has worked as an Associate Director House. £20 (£10 for first three registered on both the UK and international tours students/grad members). No appointment is necessary. 30-minute slots are available throughout the of Warhorse, and the UK and American Audition Technique for Theatre with session on a first-come basis. Just ask for tours of An Inspector Calls. She has Ruth O’Dowd, 10am-1pm, 21st June. Addam at reception. directed many shows at venues including the Park Theatre and This workshop will focus on audition Finborough. She is the Artistic Director technique for theatre and actors should PLAY READING come with a 90 second monologue of Brickdust along with our secretary prepared. The next reading will be on Friday 7th Larner Wallace-Taylor and has directed June at 1.30pm at Guild House. Larner in her brilliant show at the Audition Technique for Screen with Vaults. Carol Dudley - 2pm - 5pm, 28th June. The group will be reading Michael Frayn’s translation of Anton Chekhov’s The We have not one, but two upcoming This workshop will focus on audition Cherry Orchard. audition dates with casting director technique for screen and actors should Readings get heavily oversubscribed and Polly Hootkins in July. She will be come with a short 1-2-minute piece there are often limited places which are hosting two half day sessions for us on prepared. This can include duologues. offered on a first come, first serve basis. the 12th and the 19th July for us. To avoid disappointment, email Sarah If you are offered a place but can no To avoid disappointment, email Agha now on longer make it on the day of the reading, Ayvianna Snow on [email protected] please let the play reading team know so your place can be offered to another [email protected] and do Applications will be processed from 9th member. remember to send a link to either your June. Do remember to send a link to either your Spotlight or Mandy profile. Spotlight or Mandy profile. As always, you can email Freya, Jamie Please note, these opportunities are for and George at: Please note, these opportunities are for registered W&SW London branch [email protected] to RSVP, for registered W&SW London branch members only. more information or to suggest plays for members only. the branch to read at future readings. OPEN DOOR THE CORONET THEATRE IN BRIEF Thank you to any and all branch The Print Room in Notting Hill is Congratulations to any and all members who brought books along to reopening in its newly refurbished members who were nominated for – our April and May branch meeting to be building and will be adopting its or won! – at the TV BAFTAs last donated to Open Door. These books will original name too, The Coronet month. From the team that brought help minimise costs for their members Theatre. you The Bridge Theatre, plans for a when they receive their extensive drama new 600-seat theatre have been The Print Room won’t be completely school reading lists. revealed. Sir Nicholas Hytner and forgotten as their studio space will be Nick Starr will open their new venue This fantastic charity is still accepting keeping the name. in winter 2021 in London’s Kings donations. Have a look here for a Watch out for the theatre’s next Cross. Details of this year’s summer suggested reading list. cabaret will be released soon. Keep season which boasts a programme of not one but five UK or world an eye on your inbox and our social BACC FOR THE FUTURE CAMPAIGN premieres. media platforms and start brushing off your party tricks! The Rose The English Baccalaureate, or EBacc, LET’S GET MENTAL Theatre in Kingston is at risk of excludes creative, artistic and technical At the May branch meeting, closure following the planned subjects from counting in school league withdrawal of funding from the members kindly donated and raised a tables and is undermining creativity in local council. Thank you to our Chair schools. total of £47.91. It was agreed by the Su Gilroy and secretary Larner committee that this would be Wallace-Taylor for representing our Equity is strongly supporting the rounded up to £50 and so this will be branch and to committee members #BaccfortheFuture campaign and is passed on the head son on to the Ayvianna Snow and Lola May who encouraging members to contact their student organisers of the 2nd June MPs. You can find out more information Let’s Get Mental charity inter-drama represented the London AGM at the – and a template letter here. school football tournament. 2019 ARC in Belfast. Huge congratulations to Larner and Ayvianna, both of whom had their HUSTINGS motions passed. Star casting has been called into question once The Joint London Branches Hustings for the upcoming Committee Elections will take place again after it was revealed a well- on Thursday 6th June, the day after voting opens. The Hustings will be at Guild House. There will be two sessions, 11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm. This is your chance to see who you want to known celebrity will be replacing a vote for in the upcoming elections. Candidates will speak at one session or the other so why current cast member of a popular not come along to both? For more information on the event or access requirements, email Broadway transferred West End [email protected] musical for the summer. The London Palladium 2019 pantomime W&SW LONDON EQUITY BRANCH CONTACTS has been revealed. This year the panto will be Cinderella. OH NO IT On Twitter: @EquityWSWLondon On Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/133672460073/ ISN’T! It’s Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The cast will include Paul Chair: Su Gilroy [email protected] Tel: 0208 785 6479 O’Grady and Matt Baker. This Vice Chair: Jamie Newall month sees Sir Ian McKellan turn Secretary: Larner Wallace-Taylor, [email protected] 80-years-old. Have you seen his Treasurer: George Staines, [email protected] Public Relations Officer: Alexandra Donnachie, [email protected] celebratory show yet? Happy Speakers: Joan Blackham Birthday from the WSW London Workshops: Sarah Agha, [email protected] branch, Sir Ian! The UK is currently Auditions: Ayvianna Snow, [email protected] looking to cast a new Prime Minister Social media: Nicky Goldie if any of our members are Play Readings: Jamie Newall, Freya Dominic & George Weightman, wswplayreading@gmail. interested. This is a paid role. The com Rehearsed Readings: Lola May, [email protected] Edinburgh Fringe Festival Students/Young Members: Larner Wallace-Taylor programme will be available from Plus: Rhonda Bachmann, Andrea Black, Eddy Cottridge, Clive Greenwood, Malcolm Ward the 5th June 2019. LOOK OUT FOR… MIMI J BROOKS Branch member Mimi J Brooks (Mia Tizzano) is producing and directing The Accalia Arts Festival Monologue Night at the Brockley Jack Theatre on June 10th at 8pm. Come and hear new writing from all female writers, including Mimi herself, and watch performances from other WSW London Branch members John Craggs performing Bee in the Rain and Beatrice Mori, performing Looking Down. Tickets are available on the Brockley Jack Website. Mimi will also be performing in a comical musical extravaganza that looks at feminism today. Part of your Whole New World is an exciting cabaret which explores how to still love Disney and be a feminist in today’s society. Tickets for the event which will take place at Toulouse Lautrec at 7.30pm on Sunday 23rd June, are available here. PADDY GLYNN Paddy is performing in Victorian Women in Bed, at the Calder Bookshop theatre on The Cut, 30th May - 1st June at 7.30pm MIRANDA HEATH Branch member Miranda is understudying Zawe Ashton in the role of Emma in Betrayal at the Harold Pinter Theatre, the last in the Pinter and the Pinter plays.