Rehearsal Room Notes: Jack Petchey Achievement Award

'Established in 1999, The Jack Petchey Foundation gives grants to programmes and projects that benefit young people aged 11-25. The Foundation is eager to help young people take advantage of opportunities and play a full part in society. The major focus of our work is the Achievement Award Scheme. The Foundation focuses on London and Essex. Since it has been established the Foundation has awarded grants totalling over £65million.

The Jack Petchey Achievement Award Scheme is our flagship programme. It is run in almost 2,000 schools, colleges and youth organisations throughout London and Essex, contributing millions of pounds each year. The scheme is a reward and recognition initiative which enables schools and youth organisations to celebrate the achievements of their young people as well as receive additional funding. The young person chooses how their £200 award money is to be spent within the organisation.'

This term's Jack Petchey Achievement Award went to heat&light regular Ed Davis. Ed not only acts but also sound designs for many of the performances, and has been involved with the company from a young age.

He has decided the £200 will go towards the set budget for this term. Well done and thank you, Ed!

Hotlight on... Stephanie-Jane de Whalley

Spotlight CV

Being involved with heat&light was incredibly enjoyable and above all useful. You work with people in a similar position, within the same age group – all striving towards one thing, but on different paths.

You hear about so much beyond the company, such as IsoProductions, director Kelly Wilkinson’s own company, and Lisa Woynarski’s Green Theatre Project. It's an amazing good platform not just for acting but for making industry contacts. The potential for career progression is fantastic, with so many professionals involved from the start of each project.

My expectations at the beginning were completely different from what I now know is a wholly positive and beneficial experience. I knew I'd been offered a great role, but I wasn't sure who would come and see the production or if it would throw me further into the theatre industry. I was proven wrong – the development as an actor I received was second to none. I have been put in contact with the development team at Hampstead Theatre, and received feedback from a wide range of people I would otherwise have never have participated with.

heat&light has opened up so much more than I thought it would. You don't just complete a project and move on after it's finished – you're remembered and become part of a community. I didn't expect any of that. It's definitely a programme rather than just a show – it becomes a scheme in itself.

Specifically, my comedy skills were greatly improved. Previously, I've often played serious, intense and dramatic characters, so it was so much fun to play someone a bit more neurotic.

All the training we received to enable us to improve and expand our skills was highly professional, from Gary the vocal coach to Imogen to movement director. She spent a lot of time working on my blocking. Everyone was so committed to pushing us to broaden our different abilities.

Finally, I met some amazing, friendly people, and also people I'll stay in touch with for theatre reasons. It was so great to be involved with something which allowed me to meet so many people and really begin to progress in my career. 'Progressive' is definitely the best word to describe the fantastic heat&light company.

As told to Stephanie Potter.

Stephanie played Chantelle in the heat&light Spring Season 2010 production of IN HIS IMAGE by Rosa Connor, 11th - 13th March.

Rehearsal Room Notes: Week 2

Rehearsals are well and truly underway.

Working in the Hampstead Theatre Rehearsal room, the Michael Frayn Space, the board room and the lobby, each play group started working through the scripts. It is important the cast work through the whole of their play before going back to work on specific areas to make sure it every actor is comfortable with working as part of a cohesive whole. Acotrs must be aware of who they share the stage with, and respond to subtle shifts in positioning to ensure that for the audience the play looks satisfying and complete.

Many groups have scheduled additional rehearsals to make sure every production receives the commitment it deserves. With only one month until technical week, there is a lot to get through.

But it's not all work and no play.. For the first time since casting, most of the actors joined the writers and directors for a few drinks in the Swiss after rehearsals. Some of us stayed until kicking out... definitely a success of a night.

Stephanie

Hotlight on... Jonnie Riordan

Interview

heat&light 18-25 is Hampstead Theatre's Young Company, providing professional theatre training for young people interested in or already participating in the arts.

Overall, how do you feel about heat&light?

I absolutely love heat&light - there is nothing else like it! I did not once refer to it or even think of it as an amateur youth company. It's just so professional, yet with a lovely collective atmosphere.

What did you learn from your experience in the Spring Season 2010?

I learnt the ins-and-outs of a professional working theatre. The styling of the piece enabled me to learn lots of new techniques for comedy, so now I have better comic timing and gestures. It was a first for me to see Rosa Connor (the writer) at work on her play during the process, and there was something really productive and organic about having the writer present. Also, you obviously then have an unlimited source of knowledge about characters and back stories to tap into.

How has heat&light helped in beginning or furthering your career?

heat&light exposed me to so many up-and-coming artists, directors, writers, collaborators and actors. Since my first heat&light all of a month or so ago, I have been able to work with theatre companies associated with the Hampstead Theatre on research and development projects with the aim of performing in the future. It is also a fantastic platform to which to invite agents and add credits to your CV.

Do you feel you have improved in any specific or technical areas?

I would say there was an overall improvement in my skills. I think you learn so much working on a production: one from trial and error and two just from watching and working with other people. It was brilliant to look back over the process and see some growth in terms of confidence and maturity as well and I would say that has a significant amount to do with being treated as a professional - and being the youngest last term at 18, it was nice to be treated as an adult as well! Also, the guidance from the creative team was so useful and encouraging and I thank them for that.

Would you recommend heat&light for anybody looking for a way into theatre, and why?

I have already recommended heat&light to friends for all of the above reasons and for meeting people professionally and socially. It is often very difficult to meet new people when stuck in employment like I am on a gap year; heat&light gave me an opportunity to meet a new little collective of creative individuals with similar mind-sets and career paths.

Do you have anything else to add?

This has been and is such a fantastic opportunity, and opportunities don't come along often. So anyone that is able to audition for heat&light should definitely seize the chance otherwise you're missing out!

Jonnie played Stef in the heat&light Spring Season 2010 production of IN HIS IMAGE by Rosa Connor, 11th - 13th March. See his Spotlight CV here.

Rehearsal Room Notes: Week 1

The new cast assembled for the first read-through of the (nearly final) scripts for each play.

At the beginning of the rehearsal we played some getting-to-know-you games. While a lot of familiar faces are involved this term, there are always new actors to introduce and make welcome. Each director had prepared a game which forced us to talk to everyone - and also to do a lot of jumping around!

After ensuring the actors were comfortable with their assigned characters, each play group discussed the work with its writer. Actors were encouraged to think about the background to their character and to consider the intentions behind the writing. Directors then began to introduce their ideas for the production.

A successful rehearsal - and only 5 weeks until production week!

It's never enough to live in the now

Hampstead Theatre is committed to the continued production of new writing. This term, the heat&light 18-25 Young Company takes inspiration from the structure and themes of Canary by Jonathon Harvey, the main show running 19th May - 12th June. Five new writers have responded with five 15-minute plays which will be shown with full production on the 18th and 19th June at 8pm, with a Saturday matinee at 4pm.

The work, to be performed as one night of new theatre, will be:

Zeera by Zia Ahmed
Living Off The Land by Emily Cooper
Descoverie Space by Sotirios Hatjoullis
Do Us Part by Karis Halsall
Sometimes I Miss Us by Stephanie Potter