The University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham’s student-run Nottingham New Theatre has undergone a transformation this summer thanks to the generosity of our alumni supporters.

A series of works have been carried out on the back of a £1m capital build commitment from the University, which has already improved the layout and created an impressive new environment for the building.

Now, thanks to generous gifts from Matthew Bannister (Law 1978), Edgar Wallner (Pharmacy 1958), Jamie Justham (Production Engineering 1973), Patrick Grice (Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences 1979) and Phil Swallow (Metallurgy 1973), as well as further funding from the University and the Students’ Union, the theatre studio has been refurbished with a new sprung floor, new staging, a new lighting rig and floor-to-ceiling curtains. The main auditorium has been redecorated and has new seating and an initial investment has been made in new lighting and sound equipment.

Nottingham New Theatre is unique as the only completely student-run theatre in England. Since the 1960s it has provided a platform for thousands of talented performers, directors and crew members in some of the best student productions in the country. Today New Theatre is still going strong, producing up to 30 shows a year — a dizzying schedule that means different shows every week. There are currently more than 450 New Theatre members and more than 5,500 tickets were sold last year.

Notable New theatre alumni that we’re aware of include actors Haydn Gwynne, Hugh Simon, Ruth Wilson, Nicholas Farrell and John Benfield, Associate Director at the Royal Court Theatre Carrie Cracknell and Jennifer Worton and the Producer and CEO of Creation Theatre James Erskine. Many members go on to prestigious drama schools such as LAMDA, RADA and Mountview Academy to take acting, directing and technical theatre postgraduate courses with a view to entering the industry.

The New Theatre has its own alumni network, co-ordinated by Phil Geller (Mechanical Engineering and French 2011), which plays a vital part in keeping former members in touch, updating them on progress and collecting memorabilia from over the last half century and more.

You can join the network here:
http://newtheatre.org.uk/alumni

Earlier this year and for the very first time, a student cast from the theatre joined a professional crew, including staff from Lakeside Arts Centre, to stage Aristophanes’ comedy Lysistrata. The show was adapted and directed by Martin Berry, from a translation by University of Nottingham Professor of Classics Alan Sommerstein. The highly successful collaboration was funded by Cascade, a grants programme supported by donations from alumni and friends. In 2011 the students secured an unprecedented achievement of having four shows at the National Student Drama festival and this year a further three shows picked up seven awards.

But we want to build on this success to provide more professional workshops, a touring fund and a performance rights fund and we will begin with the first ever seat-naming opportunity for a limited number of supporters. This will almost certainly fund the next stage of technical investment. With your support, this unique institution will be secured –with expanded activities – for future generations of students.

Name your seat

You too can support the unique Nottingham New Theatre. In November we are launching an appeal to name the 90 new seats in the auditorium. You could have your own name on the seat, remember a friend or dedicate a seat to a loved one. You can take advantage of this opportunity for £250 but please remember the offer is strictly limited.

All alumni are welcome to come along to the free launch event at the New Theatre on 16 November. Starting at midday there will be drinks and nibbles and you can meet the students, tour the refurbished theatre and there is an option to stay for a matinee performance after the event.

Contact Andy Shields today to attend the event or to express an interest in naming a seat

t: +44 (0)115 823 2806
e: andrew.shields@nottingham.ac.uk

Alternatively, if you would like to give a gift of your choice to Nottingham New Theatre visit:
http://tinyurl.com/oho6hnp
www.newtheatre.org.uk