Drama workshops

[Garnet]

Just wondering if Mermaids puts on workshops? On their website they say drama workshops will start in 2004/5 so I am guessing they are no longer do them and since I haven't seen any advertisements for them since I've been here. Their description now just seems to be to fund and help people put on plays.

The reason I ask is if that is the case then I was thinking about starting up a society which does drama workshops which work on various things from movement, voice work, improvisations to work with scripts, we could meet once a week.

I know a few people that would like to be involved in drama but either don't have the confidence to go to auditions or are tired of going to auditions and not getting a part.

Also unless anyone points out why this is not a good idea, or won't be allowed, does anyone want to help me set this up?

I have experience of going to various youth theatres so i know a lot of exercises we can do. I also go to a group at Dundee Rep Theatre and I can ask them if there are any professional people we could get to assist us say once a month when we could do a special workshop - this are obviously just ideas, will need to work out everything with budgets etc if we get started.




[hr]

so alive, so full of fire and music!

[maenad]

I would attend, but exactly because I don't have a background in auditions and acting, so I'm not sure I'd be much help in running such an endeavour.

[hr]

Tommy can you hear me?

[teagreenaddict]

I think it sounds like a really good idea. Mermaids ran an 'audition workshop' during Freshers week which was really fun and interesting, but since then, nothing. And you're right, I've met half a dozen people who are cast in /every/ single play, and rush between rehearsals, and people who are in nothing. And it bites, for those people.

[Han]

I actually had the same ambition of setting up a drama group, but was generally discouraged because technically Mermaids does put on workshops. I don't remember the name of the current workshop co-ordinator but a big problem with the events is that they seem to be difficult to organise, the publicity for them is almost non-existent and thus people don't attend, suggesting there's no demand.

I would recommend you went along to the Mermaids AGM (whenever that is) and get your foot in the door

Good luck

[Garnet]

I wrote to the person in charge about setting up a new society for this and asked his opinion, not heard a reply yet. I am pretty sure we could get over 20 people as most people I have mentioned it to said it was a great idea and they would be interested. I am not sure if it would be allowed as I know that a society can't start up if it has similar aims to another, but Mermaids seems to be about helping people put on plays not about acting skills/workshops. I shall write to Mermaids just now and ask them about it.

I have never actually seen any advertisments for workshops and I usually check the notice boards in the library and the union. It would be good to have a regular slot.

I do go to the adult youth theatre in Dundee but it would be great to have something similar here.

[hr]

so alive, so full of fire and music!

[novium]

Mermaids certainly do have a beautifully put together website. Shame it's not been updated since my third year.

[hr]

tamen ira procul absit, cum qua nihil recte fieri, nihil considerate potest.

[Freaker]

Given that a new SSC Performing Arts Officer was just elected (Isabel Hunter), now may be a good time to put these ideas through to her.

[hr]

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

[Garnet]

Meant to update this a while ago. I wrote to newly elected performing arts officer and she said it seemed like a good idea for Mermaids to do. So hopefully it will happen, just have to wait and see.

[hr]

so alive, so full of fire and music!

[CZ]

As a response:

I've been on the Mermaids committee for three years now and helped run the auditions workshop last year. I can say that Mermaids definitely tries to put on as many workshops and other one-off events as possible, but often they fall by the wayside as the year progresses. To be perfectly frank, many of those who would be qualified to run workshops from within the student population are rarely available outside of their own projects and studies, and getting outsiders to come in is difficult without any proper theatre space to work with in this town. The auditions workshop last year during Freshers' Week was a big success and there will be a repeat this year, and two new committee members Adam Gordon and Jamie Wightman have been jointly put in charge of Workshops and Plays for a Pound, which are another great way for people to get their feet wet in the acting scene. I anticipate some good stuff to come from them, but you have to keep your ear to the ground for upcoming because no matter how hard we shout from the rooftops for people to attend things, no one seems to hear it. Anyway. Ultimately, it's not that Mermaids doesn't give its best effort to put these things together, it's just that there aren't many people to take the reigns of each individual session. We are trying, though. So that's a start.