September 2nd, 2010
Kes opens tomorrow. At the moment we’re all rushing around getting everything polished and perfect for tomorrow night. We will have the final dress rehearsal in the afternoon and ready for curtain up for the evening. The show runs until 25 September so make sure you catch it before it closes.
The Coliseum is holding the annual open auditions for the pantomime chorus again this month. We are looking for females aged between eight and fifteen years old that have an interest in performance and dancing.
We need to recruit two teams of eight who will perform in Sleeping Beauty which opens on Saturday 20 November. These teams will work with the company right from the beginning of the rehearsal period which starts on 25 October.
The auditions are very relaxed and lots of fun. If you come along you will be working with me and Choreographer Beverly Edmonds. You will perform a dance combination involving lots of different styles like jazz, ballet and tap, then you will sing us a song so that we get an idea of strength and quality of your voice. Finally we ask you to tell us a joke – a simple and effective way for us to judge your acting skills and, of course, make us laugh.
If you are successful you will work with the backstage crew, actors, designer, Beverly and myself to help put together another successful pantomime. Anyone who has seen a pantomime at the Coliseum before will be aware of just how high the standards are for this large scale production – full of intricate costumes, stunning sets and excellent performances from the cast.
Auditions take place on Sunday 19 September at the Coliseum. If you are interested (or know someone who is) then contact Anne Louise on 0161 624 1731 to reserve a place. The auditions are held in height order so please have your details ready with you call.
Another great opportunity for young people aged 15 – 18 years (including males) is to become a Young Reporter. People interested can volunteer to provide dynamic reviews on events across Oldham. No experience necessary, all you need is enthusiasm to create unique, engaging and thought-provoking questions. It will give you the chance to attend some exciting events across the borough and find out what people really think – reporting back on everything that you discover.
The Young Reporters project is working in association with The Festival which is based at the theatre. If you are interested in getting involved the Coliseum are holding a taster session on Wednesday 15 September, 5:00pm – 7:00pm. Please contact Carly on 0161 785 7008 or email at carlyhenderson@coliseum.org.uk to find out more.
Alternatively, if you are an organisation hosting an event and would like it covered by a Young Reporter then get in touch to book. It’s an interesting and innovative way of gathering feedback from participants and audience members.
August 31st, 2010
WARDROBE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT
We require a Wardrobe Maintenance Assistant to work on our production of Kes until Saturday 25 September 2010.
You will be responsible for all laundry and maintenance of costumes and also costume setting before each performance.
This post is 24 hours a week, Tuesday to Saturday. Experience preferred.
Send contact details and CV to bridgetbartley@coliseum.org.uk with WARDROBE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT in the subject line.
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WARDROBE ASSISTANT
We require an experienced Wardrobe Assistant to work in our busy wardrobe department constructing costumes for Panto.
This post is 39 hours a week, working Monday to Friday. We are offering an 8 week contract between 27/09/2010 and 19/11/2010 including panto tech week.
Send contact details and CV to bridgetbartley@coliseum.org.uk with WARDROBE ASSISTANT in the subject line.
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by phone.
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WARDROBE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT AND DRESSER
We require a Dresser to work on this year’s pantomime – Sleeping Beauty – on a part time basis between 18/11/2010 and 31/12/2010.
Dressing experience and basic sewing skills would be preferred for this post. You will work alongside another dresser at all times and also be responsible for all show laundry and maintenance.
This post includes Friday evenings, every Saturday, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and the 2 Bank Holidays.
Send contact details and CV to bridgetbartley@coliseum.org.uk with WARDROBE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT AND DRESSER in the subject line.
August 26th, 2010
26 August
Opening night is just around the corner for Kes and I’m really looking forward to getting the Autumn/Winter season started. It will be great to welcome our audience back after the summer break – they are after all why we work so hard on these productions. They are certainly in for a real treat with Kes beginning proceedings.
A little further ahead, LipService’s Desperate to be Doris arrives at the Coliseum on 27 October. The show is a hilarious homage to film and musical icon Doris Day. As part of the performance the production has a community choir on stage singing various Doris Day songs. This choir has been recruited specifically from the Oldham area so contains only local singers. If you were at this season’s Season Launch in May you will know we asked for volunteers after LipService performed a snippet of the show. LipService will be recruiting a different community choir for each town that the show tours to. The Oldham choir will be starting rehearsals on Monday 6 September.
The annual writing festival Wordsmith will also take place in October. This is a week long programme of writing activities for anyone with a flair or interest in writing – whatever ability. Participants get the chance to work alongside professional writers and share their ideas. Rehearsed readings, master classes and script surgeries will take place during the course of the week. Joyce Branagh who is directing The Sunshine Boys as well as directors Chris Wright and Adam Sunderland will be working on pieces and taking part in script reading for the festival. We are currently firming up the actors that are also going to be involved. Updates will appear both on the website and in this column so keep a look out.
The Festival is working hard on their collaboration with Stan’s Cafe and Gallery Oldham to deliver the new All of The People in the World exhibition. The show, which will be installed in both Oldham and Tokyo, uses grains of rice to bring formally abstract statistics to life. Simply put, each grain of rice equals one person and all the figures will be human statistics and relevant to the location of the exhibition. For example, there may be a pile which represents the population of Oldham, another with the population of Greater Manchester and another with the population of the United Kingdom.
The exhibition runs from 7 – 28 September at Gallery Oldham and the Festival is still looking for volunteer performers to support Stan’s Cafe artists throughout the installation. If you are interested then contact the Festival at info@festivalofdiversity.co.uk or call 0161 785 7016.
August 25th, 2010
Oldham Coliseum Theatre, working in partnership with FoD, are recruiting young volunteers aged 15-18 to become Young Reporters and provide dynamic reviews on events across Oldham.
- Can you create unique, engaging and thought-provoking questions?
- Generate a buzz?
- Instigate interesting discussions?
- Find out what people really think?
- Attend some exciting events?
- Capture the moments the cameras often miss?
The Coliseum is holding a taster session on Wednesday 15 September 5-7pm for all budding reporters.
If you are organising an event and would like it covered by a Young Reporter, for interesting and innovative ways of gathering feedback from participants and audience members, then get in touch to book.
To get involved call Carly on 0161 785 7008 or email carlyhenderson@coliseum.org.uk for more information.
August 24th, 2010
If you are (or know someone who is) female aged between eight and fifteen years old and talented at singing, acting and dancing then the Oldham Coliseum Theatre wants to hear from you.
The Coliseum is looking to recruit two teams of eight girls to perform in this year’s pantomime, Sleeping Beauty.
This is a fantastic opportunity to appear in a
production at a professional theatre. You will work with the director, choreographer, backstage crew and actors to help put together another great pantomime. Along the way we guarantee you will have lots of fun and make new friends.
Auditions will take place on the Sunday 19 September at the Coliseum. If you are interested please ask your parent or guardian to call 0161 624 1731 and speak to Anne-Louise to reserve your place.
Auditions will be held in height order so please have your details ready when you call.
Here’s what last year’s teams had to say:
“Thank you for letting me be in the chorus and I’ll try again next year”
“I love being on the stage and everyone’s lovely”
“I love seeing how the show comes together”
“Everyone in the audition room was smiley and calm”
“The best bit about panto is meeting friends I love them all, it’s been the highlight of my year”
“It’s the best fun ever! We meet lots of new friends and have fun!!”
