Amateur of Life and Death

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This month’s episode focuses on Red Velvet, the 2012 play by Lolita Chakrabarti.

Laura has been speaking to actor Papa Anoh Yentumi about his role as the young Ira Aldridge in the upcoming Crescent Theatre Company production of the play.

We also learn more about the play and the actor who inspired it, the American Ira Aldridge, who was the first black actor in England to play Othello on the professional stage.

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Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre-maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. 

In this month’s episode, our Backstage Pass holder, John O’Neill, speaks with director Dewi Johnson, who’s recently been working in London’s West End theatres including as Associate Director on Simon Nye’s ‘The Crown Jewels’ at the Garrick Theatre, starring Al Murray and Mel Giedroyc, and as Assistant Director on Ben Elton’s stage production of ‘Upstart Crow’, starring David Mitchell. You’ll find Dewi’s resumé contains its fair share of comedy!

Dewi’s journey from teenage director, to Drama School student, to West End associate director, took him through the Crescent Theatre (Birmingham), along the way. Here, Dewi’s also had amateur experience over the last 11 years including as an actor, costume designer, set designer, and of course director, most recently directing the Crescent’s dazzling 2019 production of Jessica Swale’s semi-musical play ‘Nell Gwynn’, set during the heart of the Restoration period in England in the late sixteen-hundreds. Dewi’s expertise in and love of the Restoration era theatre is an absolute gift to his cast and crew, and so, of course, to his audiences too.

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This month we're focussing on two great American musicals of the 20th century.

We speak to actor, singer and dancer Jo Brookes about her role as Louise in the Crescent Theatre's production of Gypsy.

We also go backstage with Tinker's Farm Opera and speak to director and choreographer Emma Harley  to find out more about the history of society and its forthcoming production of Guys and Dolls, which Emma is directing.

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Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre-maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. 

This month’s episode focuses on the upcoming production of the play ‘Love From a Stranger’ by Agatha Christie and Frank Vosper, a “psychological thriller”, which the Crescent Theatre Birmingham are performing in April 2024 as part of the Crescent’s Centenary Season. 

Laura speaks to Andrew Crocker, the Production Assistant for the show, and a long-serving member of the Crescent Theatre.

Luke Plimmer is this month’s Backstage Pass holder and he’ll be talking to set designer Poppy Chalmers, who’ll explain more about creating 1930s Britain inside the black box venue that is the Ron Barber Studio space.

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This episode delves into the world of Willy Russell's modern classic, Educating Rita. We talk to actress Vicky Youster about her theatrical life, theatrical loves and the times when she's 'died' on stage. 

Vicky is playing Rita in the Crescent Theatre Birmingham's production of Educating Rita and she also tells us all about rehearsals, the challenges of taking on such an iconic role, and how to master the Liverpool accent.

Laura takes a delve into the Crescent Theatre's archives to find out more about previous productions of the show.

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Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre-maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. 

This episode focuses on the Crescent’s upcoming pair of productions, 'House' and 'Garden', both by Alan Ayckbourn. Luke Plimmer is borrowing our backstage pass this month to learn more. He’ll be talking to the Stage Manager for 'Garden', Suzie King, and to Jordan Starks-Browning, who is working on Props for both 'House' and 'Garden'. Our studio guest is Naomi Jacobs, who is the Production  Assistant on 'Garden'.  Naomi also tells us about her life and loves in amateur theatre.

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This episode we’re celebrating the past, exploring the present, and looking ahead to the future of amateur theatre.

Chairman of the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham, Kevin Middleton tells us about his theatrical life and theatrical loves, as well as  discussing the governance of an amateur theatre, and the role of the board. We also chat to one of the Crescent Theatre’s longest-standing members, set-builder and former stage manager, Phil Parsons, about his memories and experiences over more than 50 years with the company.

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Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. 

This episode focuses on the Crescent’s upcoming production of Othello.

Our backstage pass holder, John O'Neill, will be exploring the iconic Props department with the Production Assistants for Othello, Steve Davis and Jess Shannon.

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Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. 

This episode focuses on the work of a giant of modern British theatre, Harold Pinter. We will be talking to Graeme Braidwood, who is directing the Crescent Theatre Birmingham’s upcoming production of two one act Pinter plays, A Kind of Alaska and Ashes to Ashes, about his life and loves in theatre.

And we’ll be delving into the archives to find out a bit more about the Crescent Theatre’s history of producing Pinter’s work.

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Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage.

This episode focuses on the history of the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham, which is celebrating a big birthday this season. We’ve been talking to Clare Crosland, the Crescent’s Head of Archives, about the rewards and challenges of archiving a hundred years of amateur theatre history.  And we delve into the archives to find out a bit more about the history of the Crescent Theatre Company and about past productions of the two classic shows that open its centenary season this month; Blithe Spirit and Pride and Prejudice.