Post on 26-Mar-2015
Your Guest Lecturers Today
Peter Muir
Annemarie
Neumann
GEARSTICK THEATRE
Innovative, ProfessionalTheatre for Regional Audiences
• INTRO: Gearstick’s Mission Statement
• INTRO: Gearstick’s Mission Statement
To create innovative and exciting theatre Creating opportunities for artists and empowering artists in the creative process
• INTRO: Gearstick’s Mission Statement
The Beginning• Founding Members and Backgrounds• Origins• Teething Problems
Structure• Current Types of Members• Planned Changes
Gearstick’s Trademarks• Project Types• Locations• Previous Projects
• INTRO: Gearstick’s Mission Statement
The Beginning• Founding Members and Backgrounds• Origins• Teething Problems
Structure• Current Types of Members• Planned Changes
Gearstick’s Trademarks• Project Types• Locations• Previous Projects
“Bite Sized”• Brief Details on Gearstick’s latest
Production
Why• The Selfish Reason• The Noble Reason
What• List of Short Productions with Short
Rehearsals• The Design Concept
How Received• Public Response
• INTRO: Gearstick’s Mission Statement
The Beginning• Founding Members and Backgrounds• Origins• Teething Problems
Structure• Current Types of Members• Planned Changes
Gearstick’s Trademarks• Project Types• Locations• Previous Projects
“Bite Sized”• Brief Details on Gearstick’s latest
Production
Why• The Selfish Reason• The Noble Reason
What• List of Short Productions with Short
Rehearsals• The Design Concept
How Received• Public Response
• OUTRO: Final Anecdotes
Craig Higgs
Kevin Pointer
Michelle Higgs
THE BEGINNING Founding Members
Craig Higgs • CSU - Bachelor of Arts (Acting
for Screen and Stage
((Honours))
Kevin Pointer• VCA - Design• CSU - Lecturer
Michelle• RADA – Shakespeare Course
• CSU - Bachelor of Arts (Acting
for Screen and Stage)
THE BEGINNING Founding Members - Background
Higgs Gaul
Kevin, help!We need a showcase!
THE BEGINNING Origins
--- > “Cheap Side” --- > 3 Plays
5 Years Ago:
THE BEGINNING Teething Problems
• Finding a Home for Craig and Michelle• Finding Motivated People for Admin• Gaining a Name for Gearstick (Sponsorship, Media, Grants)• Maintaining the Creative Interest
STRUCTURE Current Types of Members
Current Members
Creative Members Supporters
STRUCTURE Current Types of Members
Can Anybody, join, act and approach you with a project to direct?
Yes, absolutely!If you are capable and within limits.
We will help you develop the necessary skills.
STRUCTURE Planned Changes
• Maintain the Current Credo, that Creating Own Work is more Important than Showcasing • Create a Network of Artists• Move Towards being a Non Profit Organization
GEARSTICK’S TRADEMARKS Project Types
• Moving Towards Short Drama and Children’s Theatre• Theatre for Education
GEARSTICK’S TRADEMARKS Locations
Selection Criteria• Accessible• Appropriate• Can bring Theatre to the Audience
GEARSTICK’S TRADEMARKS Locations
Examples
Puppy LoveRSL Club - July 2008
• Hub of Entertainment• Easy to Access• Comfortable• “Parent Crèche”
Bite SizedRomano’s Hotel - April 2008
• Pub => Attracts Young People• Grab your Meal/Drink• Theatre = Part of the
Night out
GEARSTICK’S TRADEMARKS Previous Projects
Dumb Waiter October 2004
DraculaDecember 2004
IrreconcilableDifferences
August 2005
Melb. Fringe Festival Sept/Oct
2005
Chosen Vessel April/May
2006
The Magic Story CoatJanuary 2007
Battle of theStorytellers
The Magic Story Coat 2April 2007
IrreconcilableDifferences
Theatre in Ed Tour
July/August 2007
ShadeSeptember 2007
Source: http://www.gearsticktheatre.com.au
1 Act Plays 1 Play per
Week
4 Weeks
BITE SIZED Brief Details
Month of April
1 Act Plays 1 Play per
Week
4 WeeksMonth of April
WHY The Selfish Reason
WHY The Selfish Reason
A $3000 Grant!
Let’s get it!
Let’s get it!!!
How do we get it?
WHY The Noble Reason
• Make Theatre more Accessible as it’s Small Pieces• The Challenge of Making Quick Decisions• Work with Good Writing from Good Writers• Expose the Audience to Good Writers
WHAT List of Short Productions with Short Rehearsals
Dark Lady of the Sonnet - George Bernard ShawDir. Craig Higgs
Victoria Station - Harold PinterDir. Ashleigh Haynes-Holyoake
Magnetic North - Michael GurrDir. Kevin Pointer
L.A. Sketches - David MametDir. Kevin Pointer
Chronological Order of Writers Coincidental
WHAT The Design Concept
Dark Lady of the Sonnet : Queen Elizabeth = Poodle/Dark Lady = Black Cat/ Shakespeare = Rat / Beefeater = Bulldog
Magnetic North - Bathroom / Butler = Penguin
L.A. Sketches - Monkey Colony
Rooms of a House
A Zoo
Examples
HOW RECEIVED Public Response
Very Well Received
People Came Back
Demand for More
Weekend Advertiser: Saturday/Sunday 19th 20th April 2008
Gearstick doesn’t seems to have the ego or pretentiousness, that are often seen with regional repertoire and professional companies.
• OUTRO: Final Anecdotes
“There’s plenty of ego there, but pretension is something we don’t have a lot of time for as we’re spending too much time slapping each other around for being pretentious.”
Kevin Pointer:
Theatre these days is too much on a pedestal
People are getting frightened
Shakespeare wrote for a drunk mob!
GEARSTICK THEATRE
Images: courtesy of GEARSTICK THEATREOther Logos : Windows ClipArt
Last Image: Annemarie Neumann