uk-based ocp website

A problem with having the otley community players website hosted by Google and based in the USA is that lots of people automatically click to search UK websites only. If they don't they'll find us straight away, but if they do they never will (except via Courthouse, Red Lion or Glenn Smith's sites).
Charging over the hill aboard his trusty steed and with his armour clanking as he flies comes Joe Kelly. Joe still has a website for ocp which I didn't even know existed: www.otleyplayers.co.uk Because it would require some technical ability to update, I think we should carry on using otley community players googlepages site, but we should use this site to link to our site. It's much easier to remember, of course. I'm doing stuff now to get it found by the search engines, but it will take a long time. Still, it is an excellent solution, and shortly we will be able to tell everyone that the otley community players web address is www.otleyplayers.co.uk, even though it kind of isn't really. And eventually it'll show up in a UK search.
Thrilled? I knew you would be.

The String of Pearls rehearsal schedule

Here is the full schedule, except I haven't filled in some of the later gaps because I'm waiting to see which bits need more work.

Weds 24th Oct – Red Lion

8pm Ray, Dudley & Brian scenes 14 + 19

9pm Hannah & Sarah A scene 10

9.30 Sarah A & Richard F scene 4

Mon 29th Oct – Courthouse - 8pm

Ruth, Brian, Ray, Richard A, Flo, Amy, Karen O, Karen L, Dudley, for chorus/street scenes workshop with Jonas. Other actors may wish to use robing room/art room to practise – please arrange this yourselves.

Thurs 1st November – Red Lion from 8pm prompt

Pie shop bits, in this order -

scenes 7, 8, 9, 16, 21, 22, 24

(Lovett, Ingestrie, Lucy, Skinner, Todd, Mrs Wrankley, Blunt, Jeffery, Rathbone)

Mon 5th – Courthouse – 8pm prompt

barbershop bits, in this order –

scenes 13 (Tobias alone bit), 3, 6, 17, 20, 23

(Todd, Grant, Tobias, Jeffery, Rathbone, Deliverers, Johanna, Wrankley, Blunt)

Tues 6th – Red Lion 7.30 prompt

in this order

scenes 2, 5, 11, 12, 13 (Mrs Ragg + Todd bit), 15, 18

(Johanna, Mr Oakley, Todd, Lapidary, Deliverers, Tobias, Lucrum, Fogg, Watson, Popplejoy, Mrs Ragg)

Thurs 8th – Red Lion 8pm prompt

scene 19 (Blunt's office part) then other bits we've fallen behind on – tbc

Mon 12th – Courthouse – from 8pm prompt

Prologue, scene 1, all chorus/street scenes, scene 24 and epilogue (full cast minus Todd)

if you are only in scene 24 please come at 9.20.

There will be additional rehearsals this week – tbc – under-rehearsed + wonky bits

Mon 19th – First full stagger through. 7.45 prompt – Courthouse – may finish after 10pm, please make arrangements accordingly

There will be additional rehearsals this week – to be confirmed – please remain available

Mon 26th – Second full run through - with props. 7.45pm Courthouse. May finish after 10.

Thurs 29th – Red Lion – first half 7.30 (if we start prompt tonight, we'll finish early tomorrow!)

Fri 30th – Red Lion – second half. 7.30 start.

Production week (all at Courthouse)

Sat 1st December – 12.30-4pm. Full cast, full run with music

Sun 2nd – 4-8pm. Set + lights build – help from cast greatly appreciated – no children please.

Mon 3rd – FULL CAST FOR FINAL REHEARSAL WITH PROPS, MUSIC and LIGHTING. Arrive 7pm for a prompt start. We'll stay till we finish, so if we start on time, we'll finish by 10!

Tues 4th – night off – only if we are well-rehearsed.

Weds 5th – Final rehearsal – all cast on stage and ready 6.45pm

Thurs 6th – Dress rehearsal – as above in costume.

SHOWS – Fri & Sat: house opens at 7.15, actors call is 6.45 to stage in costume

Sun house opens at.5.15, actors call is 4.45 to stage in costume

workshop 20th August

This Monday's workshop is on Physical Theatre.

Karen Oxley will be running the session. It will be in the main function room of the Red Lion, and is free to members or new members alike.

Workshop for Monday 13th August

This week's workshop is 'getting into someone else's skin - body sculpture and breathing'.

Ruth Shakespeare is leading the session, which is in the Red Lion main upstairs function room, 8pm 'til 10pm.

Workshop for Monday 6th August

8pm in the front upstairs room at the Red Lion. This will be a free workshop.

We haven't got a proper workshop for this week, so instead, if people are willing, I'd like members to try out the first drafts of the early scenes of The String of Pearls (Sweeney Todd). It would be useful for me in the writing process to hear them out loud and to get some feedback from other members. I hope that's not too self-indulgent!

workshop for Monday 30th July

The OCP workshop for Monday 30th July is the follow-on session from last week's improvisation workshop. We'll be further developing the characters we created last week, in more structured improvised scenes.

The purposes (if anyone wants a purpose, other than having a nice evening of enjoyable activities amongst friends) are: increasing our confidence with improvisation as a style of theatre (and our confidence in improvising our way out of scary moments in scripted theatre); focusing on being in character instead of learning lines and moves.

Jess will be leading the workshop. It will be in the main function room at the Red Lion, 8pm 'til 10pm.

Don't worry if you weren't at last week's session - each workshop is planned so that you can attend it independently of the other sessions.

Workshop for Monday 23rd July

This monday's workshop will be in the large function room, upstairs at the Red Lion.

It will be free.

Jess and I are in the process of finalising what will be involved, but the idea is we'll be having a go at a more modern script, to see the difference in style and just to have a go at it in an informal way. More details to follow.

If you can let me know you're coming I'd be very grateful, because I'll have an idea of how many copies of scripts we'll need.

Alan.