Welcome to Dorchester Arts Summer 2010 programme
It's the hottest summer yet -filled with a cuddly koala puppet, a fiery performance of the Singing Bones, star-crossed lovers and a journey into the Lost World.
As always Dorchester Arts brings you a fabulous selection of professional theatre, music, dance and storytelling, supported by a community programme of events. I would like to highlight the work directed by Mel Hooley – Doubt – which is supported by the British Council and brings over two actors from Zimbabwe, as a fundraising event.
There is something for everyone, and everyone can get involved - from being part of Combined Arts Week; stewarding at a performance; supporting staff in the office; to working alongside an artist in a school. Be a part of our vibrant community. Looking forward to seeing you around.
Coming in September - Parklife by No Fit State Circus in Maumbury Rings - click the picture for a preivew !
Sharon Hayden
Artistic Director
Friday 18 June 1pm and 5.30pm • How the Koala Learnt to Hug • Children’s Theatre
Dorchester ARTS Centre - Doors: 12.30pm and 5.30pm
Performance 1pm and 6pm £8 / £6 members - £5 child – £22 family / £20 family members.
Please contact Dorchester Arts on 266926 to make sure this event is on
Written especially for parents to enjoy with their children, a charming tale about the magic of family and, of course, the importance of a nice warm hug!
Steven Lee runs The People's Theatre Company and is author of children's favourites The Witch's Bogey and Bink and the Hairy Fairy.
How The Koala Learnt To Hug has been adapted from his first collection of short stories which has just been published.
All you need are your ears.1 hour 15 minutes long.
Performance 1pm and 6pm £8 / £6 members - £5 child – £22 family / £20 family members.
Please contact Dorchester Arts on 266926 to make sure this event is on
Steven Lee runs The People's Theatre Company and is author of children's favourites The Witch's Bogey and Bink and the Hairy Fairy.
How The Koala Learnt To Hug has been adapted from his first collection of short stories which has just been published.
All you need are your ears.1 hour 15 minutes long.
Saturday 19th June, 8pm • Brooks Williams • Bluesnight
Dorchester ARTS Centre Doors and bar 7.30pm / Performance 8pm
£10.50 / £5.25 in advance £11.50 / 5.75 door – NEW: senior citizen’s ticket: £8.50 advance / £9.50 door * Under 18's or students with NUS card.
BLUESNIGHT
Brooks Wiliams
U.S. guitarist/singer/songwriter Brooks Williams has twice graced the Bluesnights stage, and on both occasions has played to capacity audiences. Combining exquisite guitar artistry with a melodic vocal style, whether playing rarities, standards or his own finely crafted songs, Brooks Williams will simply blow you away. What better way to end this Bluesnight’s season?
£10.50 / £5.25 in advance £11.50 / 5.75 door – NEW: senior citizen’s ticket: £8.50 advance / £9.50 door * Under 18's or students with NUS card.
Brooks Wiliams
U.S. guitarist/singer/songwriter Brooks Williams has twice graced the Bluesnights stage, and on both occasions has played to capacity audiences. Combining exquisite guitar artistry with a melodic vocal style, whether playing rarities, standards or his own finely crafted songs, Brooks Williams will simply blow you away. What better way to end this Bluesnight’s season?
Saturday 26 June 8pm • The Singing Bones • Storytelling/folk music
Dorchester ARTS Centre – Doors 7.30pm / Performance 8.00pm
£8.50 £7.50 members / £5 Under 16s
This is where the story spirits live. This is the place where heroes learn fear, a beautiful bird sings of a dark secret and Death is imprisoned in the shell of a nut.
Charming and chilling by turns, with unforgettable images, raising the hairs on the back of your neck. A heady concoction of tall-tales with epic themes laced with soul-stirring music, inspired by folk traditions from across the world, this is a theatrical experience not to be missed.
Performed by The Devil’s Violin Company. Reinventing the ancient art of storytelling for the new millennium, they use live music and theatre to create a unique and vivid experience for audiences. The Company are: Daniel Morden (storyteller), Sarah Moody (cello), Oliver Wilson-Dickson (violin) and Luke Carver Goss (accordion).
This is a signed performance.
“A scintillating combination of music, sound and story” - The Times
£8.50 £7.50 members / £5 Under 16s
Charming and chilling by turns, with unforgettable images, raising the hairs on the back of your neck. A heady concoction of tall-tales with epic themes laced with soul-stirring music, inspired by folk traditions from across the world, this is a theatrical experience not to be missed.
Performed by The Devil’s Violin Company. Reinventing the ancient art of storytelling for the new millennium, they use live music and theatre to create a unique and vivid experience for audiences. The Company are: Daniel Morden (storyteller), Sarah Moody (cello), Oliver Wilson-Dickson (violin) and Luke Carver Goss (accordion).
This is a signed performance.
“A scintillating combination of music, sound and story” - The Times
Friday 2 July 7pm • And Music Perhaps • Storytelling with music
And Music Perhaps – a musical portrait of Charles and Emma Darwin
Dorchester ARTS Centre– Doors 6.30pm / Performance 7pm - £8 / £6
Muse’s programme traces the emotional side of Charles and Emma Darwin’s life together. Charles’s achievement was extraordinary but, without the support and love of his family, and particularly of his dearest Emma, the story might have been very different. Emma was an accomplished pianist and Charles, a frequent invalid, was soothed by her playing.
Their life together encompassed triumph and tragedy, humour and heartache. For this musical portrait, we have chosen a wide range of music that reflects these feelings and which may have been heard by Charles or played by Emma.
Muse, founded by Andrew Bannerman, actor, writer and director, and Richard Frewer, tenor, accompanied by Lauren Hibberd, pianist.
Muse’s programme traces the emotional side of Charles and Emma Darwin’s life together. Charles’s achievement was extraordinary but, without the support and love of his family, and particularly of his dearest Emma, the story might have been very different. Emma was an accomplished pianist and Charles, a frequent invalid, was soothed by her playing.
Their life together encompassed triumph and tragedy, humour and heartache. For this musical portrait, we have chosen a wide range of music that reflects these feelings and which may have been heard by Charles or played by Emma.
Muse, founded by Andrew Bannerman, actor, writer and director, and Richard Frewer, tenor, accompanied by Lauren Hibberd, pianist.
Friday 16 July and Sat 17 July • Romeo and Juliet • Outdoor Theatre
Maumbury Rings – Gates and Bar 6.30pm / Performance 7.30pm
£11 / £9 member / £5 Child / £27 family / £23 family members
To die for…
They had grown up in a violent world. Everyone around them was blinded by conflict and hatred. Only a fool would sleep with the enemy.
But they are drawn to each other like moths to a flame. Their passion is a pure, bright, blazing refuge where, for a moment, they discover a kind of peace.
Known for its daring, innovative and downright funny physical performances, Miracle Theatre Company creates a totally original world where senses soar and humour is found in unexpected places – a production to captivate audiences of all ages. Come early and bring a picnic!
www.miracletheatre.co.uk
A joint promotion with Dorchester Town Council.
A partnership promotion with the South Dorset Ridgeway Festival
Friday 16 July – Saturday 31 July South Dorset Ridgeway Festival
geologists for a very special experience. Listen to stories and create your
own.
Visit some of the incredible historic sites that form part of this
unique ancient landscape. From open–air theatre at Maumbury Rings to
village churches and ancient monuments on hill tops.
Many of the events are free.
More information www.southdorsetridgeway.org.uk
Call: 01305 228241
Saturday 31 JULY gates and bar 7.30pm Maumbury Rings • PAPER CINEMA • Outdoor live cinema
Maumbury Rings – gates and bar 7.30pm / Performance 9pm – £8/£5
In case of bad weather relocate to Dorchester ARTS Centre
As a finale to the South Dorset Ridgeway Festival, Dorchester ARTS presents Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World.
Four gentlemen set out on a head-long journey across a continent searching for the existence of pre-historic life. One is journeying to prove his findings right, one to prove the other wrong, one to win the hand of his sweet heart and the last just for the adventure.
Hand-drawn marionettes are projected and animated, to tell a fairytale version of the story, accompanied by improvised live music.
Music and live sound effects by Chris ‘little boat’ Reed, performed by Imogen Charleston and Nic Beard.
Thursday 19 - Sat 21 August • DOUBT: A PARABLE • International Theatre
Supported by British Council Zimbabwe
DOUBT: A PARABLE
By John Patrick Shanley
Directed by Melanie Hooley
Dorchester ARTS Centre – Doors and bar 7:30pm / Performance 8pm
Tickets: £8 / £6 members
There is no evidence. There are no witnesses. But for one, there is no doubt.
“Funny, shocking, stimulating and ultimately wise”, this brilliant and powerful drama asks the question “What do you do when you are not sure?”
Themes relating to the nature of doubt, the desire for justice and the right of individuals to live with integrity, freedom and safety, are explored in a series of evocatively terse scenes, leading to an explosive climactic confrontation between self-righteousness and compassion.
Kevin Hanssen and Anne Fischer come to Dorchester from Zimbabwe to take the leads in this Pulitzer / 2005 Tony Award Winning Drama. They are joined by local actor, Katie Davis (last seen in ‘Triplet’).
Director, Mel Hooley, brings you a very relevant piece for these troubled times, as the conflict between a well-intentioned progressive priest and a conservative nun develops over the priest’s relationship with a young boy at a school in the Bronx.
An evening of unmissable drama
Supported by British Council Zimbabwe
By John Patrick Shanley
Directed by Melanie Hooley
Dorchester ARTS Centre – Doors and bar 7:30pm / Performance 8pm
Tickets: £8 / £6 members
There is no evidence. There are no witnesses. But for one, there is no doubt.
“Funny, shocking, stimulating and ultimately wise”, this brilliant and powerful drama asks the question “What do you do when you are not sure?”
Themes relating to the nature of doubt, the desire for justice and the right of individuals to live with integrity, freedom and safety, are explored in a series of evocatively terse scenes, leading to an explosive climactic confrontation between self-righteousness and compassion.
Kevin Hanssen and Anne Fischer come to Dorchester from Zimbabwe to take the leads in this Pulitzer / 2005 Tony Award Winning Drama. They are joined by local actor, Katie Davis (last seen in ‘Triplet’).
Director, Mel Hooley, brings you a very relevant piece for these troubled times, as the conflict between a well-intentioned progressive priest and a conservative nun develops over the priest’s relationship with a young boy at a school in the Bronx.
An evening of unmissable drama
Supported by British Council Zimbabwe
Monday 23 - Saturday 28 August • Summer Workshops and Performance
Dorchester Arts' Inspirational week of musical theatre making for young people
WORKSHOPS: Monday to Friday 9.30am – 5pm - £95 / £50 second sibling
Commitment needed for the full week – book now.
PERFORMANCES: MILTON ABBEY SCHOOL – Friday 7.30pm – Saturday TBC – £5 / £3 child.
Dorchester Youth Theatre want to inspire you to act, sing and dance your way to creating a performance in one week! The workshops will be led by a professional team of writers, directors and musicians. Learn new theatre skills and meet new people!
13 – 19 September 2010 • Parklife Dorchester • Inside Out Spectacular
Parklife Dorchester
13 – 19 September 2010
No Fit State Circus bring their extraordinary Parklife project to Maumbury Rings in Dorchester as a part of Inside Out 2010.
Community groups have the opportunity to participate in the performance and workshops. To get involved contact Sharon Hayden on 01305 266926
During the Open House sessions all Parklife activities will be 'public' and free. The public are welcome to come and watch our rehearsals and company members will be on hand to chat, host and explain what's happening. Activities will include;
'Run away with the Circus' taster workshop sessions for adults (16+) - these include for example: Men Only Hula Hoop, Whip Cracking for Women, Wire Walking, Capoeira, Rope and Tree Climbing, and Bicycle Ballet.
'Talent Spot' – the opportunity for anyone with a special talent to come and share it with the company and for it to be incorporated into the final show
'Park Stories' – the collecting of significant or memorable things that have happened to people at Maumbury Rings
Dorchester Festival 2010 Sponsors