Budding young performers have the chance to learn from the professionals this summer, as Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA) launches its Musical Masterclass Summer Intensive programme.

Taking place from Monday 24th – Friday 28th August, the five-day workshop will provide aspiring performers aged 10 – 19 with the chance to develop their skills in acting, dancing and singing. Led by the academy’s talented teaching staff, the aspiring performers will be able to showcase their new found talents at the end of the week with an exclusive performance in the BOA Theatre.

Located in Birmingham’s Eastside district, the specialist creative, digital and performing arts academy is normally home to students aged 14 – 19 studying a variety of different pathways. Having opened in 2011, BOA has already helped to develop up and coming talent, with current and alumni students achieving roles in productions including Peaky Blinders and going on to secure scholarships at leading performing arts colleges.

Gaynor Cheshire, principal at BOA said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the work we do here at BOA to people in the region with a passion for the performing arts. Whether it’s younger children who could become BOA students of the future, or teenagers who haven’t had the opportunity to attend a specialist performing arts school, we’re delighted to be able to offer them the chance to experience our teaching first hand.”

Places are now available to book for the BOA Musical Masterclass Summer Intensive programme at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/boa, priced at £200 per person, with a 50% discount available for siblings. For more information about BOA, visit http://www.boa-academy.co.uk/.

Birmingham Fest returns soon for its third year.

Artists and companies from across the UK (and some familiar faces from South Africa!) will showcase their work in an exciting two and a half week programme of events.

We have dozens of shows that cover drama, music, dance, comedy, puppetry, and much more. There is also a large selection of brand new work and writing.

We’re also excited to be working alongside the Jewellery Quarter Festival on our opening weekend where we’ll be presenting some free performances in the brand new Golden Square.

The festival is great for the city & its arts scene. As well as having such an eclectic programme of performances it will introduce companies and patrons to some of the city’s venues that they may not be familiar with.

Some artists and companies use this festival as a taster before going up to Edinburgh. Others use it as a less expensive alternative, especially those in the southern half of the country. Birmingham Fest fills a previously much-missing “fringe” element in the city’s theatre scene.

So join us for our third year!

The festival will take place from 17 July – 2 August 2015.

The venues are:

The Blue Orange Theatre, The Crescent Theatre, The Old Joint Stock Theatre, & @ A.E. Harris.

For further details please visit http://www.birminghamfest.co.uk

“Birmingham Fest” is an independent performing arts festival celebrating the second city’s venues & arts scene.

Local children set to shine alongside West End stars at The Old Rep

 

Talented young performers from the West Midlands will get a taste of showbiz as they star in Magic of the Movies at The Old Rep, on Saturday 25 July. This captivating concert will feature live musicians, spell-binding surprises, and the chance to sing-along to your much loved favourites. From The Lion King to Shrek, and from Tangled to Frozen, this show will feature world famous songs that will entertain every member of your family.

The professional West End cast includes Michelle Pentecost, who has previously played Elphaba in the global sensation Wicked, as well as Eva Peron in the smash-hit London production of Evita. Joining her is Marcus Ayton, fresh from performing in the UK tour of Bill Kenwright’s Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat.

The two lucky children’s theatre groups who will star in Magic of the Movies are Theatretrain Solihull (in the matinee performance) and Starlight School of Dance, Redditch (the evening performance). These budding young performers will perform alongside the professional West End cast in two iconic numbers, as well as appearing in the grand finale.

Performers from local organisation Musical Theatre Voices will form the Magic of the Movies ensemble, providing valuable backing support for Michelle Pentecost and Marcus Ayton. Musical Theatre Voices help performers in the early stages of their professional career. Run by professional theatre directors, choreographers and casting agents, Musical Theatre Voices puts Birmingham performers in the spotlight. In December 2014, their members performed alongside Kerry Ellis in West End Women at the New Alexandra Theatre.

Producer James Williams commented that “It is really important to me that we have young, local talent in the show. Magic of the Movies is all about bringing the glitz and glamour of West End musicals to Birmingham, and what better way is there for young aspiring performers to experience this magic than by starring on stage themselves?”

Magic of the Movies will be performed at The Old Rep on Saturday 25^th July at 2:30pm and 6pm. Tickets are just £16 for adults, with concessions available at £14 and family tickets at £48. For further information, or to book your seats, please call Box Office on 0121 359 9444, or visit http://www.oldreptheatre.co.uk (booking fees apply).

The Old Rep is bringing a taste of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to Birmingham, as they present a programme of stand-up comedy previews. From 21 to 23 July, a series of emerging UK comedians will take to the stage at The Old Rep to give audiences a glimpse of what will be on offer in Edinburgh later this year.

With tickets at just £5, The Old Rep’s Edinburgh Fringe preview season is a fun and affordable night out for all. The 383 seater auditorium, which still features stunning Regency décor, is a wonderfully intimate venue perfect for stand-up comedy.

The Edinburgh preview programme opens on Tuesday 21 July at 8pm with the double bill of Julian Deane, who makes his Edinburgh Fringe debut this year, and Steve Bugeja. Bugeja’s set Day Release follows the story of the time he went to a friend’s wedding and, on the way, had to pick up the bride’s dad who was leaving prison for the first time in 18 years.

The programme continues on Wednesday 22 July, 8pm, with Alex Smith and Ahir Shah, in what promises to be an intriguing evening of comedy. Alex Smith – a stand-up comedian, Huffington Post columnist and You &Your Wedding magazine’s resident groom – talks about the trials and tribulations of the recently engaged. Thoughtful wastrel Ahir Shah’s erudite and philosophical style has seen him perform across the UK and abroad, earning critical acclaim at every turn. His set Distant is about cigarettes, vegetarianism, extremism, disengagement, depression, walking and pirates.

The Old Rep’s season of Fringe previews will conclude on Thursday 23 July at 8pm, with Edinburgh’s very own double BAFTA nominate Iain Stirling. Iain is known for his appearances on CBeebies’ Scoop (with his canine pal Hacker T Dog) and CBBC’s The Dog Ate My Homework, so his show at The Old Rep will give parents a chance to see his more grown-up material! His show, Touchy Feely, covers post-referendum Scotland and that time he annoyed the armed forces. Iain will be accompanied on the 23 July by an as yet unannounced supporting act.This string of previews at The Old Rep follows the recent announcement that the theatre will host comedians Lee Nelson and Chris Ramsey in October, marking the venue as one of Birmingham’s premier comedy destinations.

To book your tickets for any of The Old Rep’s Edinburgh previews, call the Box Office on 0121 359 9444, or visit http://www.oldreptheatre.co.uk (online booking fee applies). Tickets are just £5 each, and the performances are expected to finish at approximately 10:15pm.