Welcome to the May issue of the e-mail newsletter, packed with news, information and special offers on tickets for the sensational Billy Elliott and on group tickets for the plantastic Little Shop of Horrors.

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             NODA IS SEEKING A NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Following Mark Pemberton's appointment as Director of the Association of British Orchestras, NODA is seeking a new Chief Executive. A job description and person specification can be found at www.noda.org.uk/vacancies. The closing date for applications is 23 May.

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                           NODA SUMMER SCHOOL

Places are still available on the Contemporary Drama, Directing Youth Theatre, Stage Combat, Stage Lighting, Stage Sound and BTEC Technical Skills courses at this year’s Summer School, which takes place at Loughborough University from 4 to 11 August 2007. To book a place, contact NODA on 0870 770 2480 or book online at www.noda.org.uk.

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                            THE THING ABOUT MEN
                        A MUSICAL COMEDY AFFAIR

From the writers of I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE
Book and Lyrics by Joe Di Pietro

Music by Jimmy Roberts

Based on the screenplay "MEN" by Doris Dörrie

Creative Director, Tom, is cheating on his wife Lucy (with several women). Lucy is cheating on her husband Tom (with Sebastian).
Tom moves out and, in disguise, moves in with Sebastian...

This quirky off-Broadway musical comedy from the writers of 'I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change' makes its London premiere at the King's Head Theatre for six weeks only. With a superb cast of West End veterans including Paul Baker (Oliver award winner, Taboo), Nicola Dawn (Copacabana), Hal Fowler (Carousel, Martin Guerre), Tiffany Graves (Chicago, Tonight's The Night) and Tim Rogers (Whistle Down The Wind), and directed by Anthony Drewe (Honk, Just So, new songs and additional lyrics for Mary Poppins).

Produced by INK Productions at The King's Head Theatre, London
25 April - 3 June 2007

To Book:
020 7226 8561
www.kingsheadtheatre.org

Both The Thing About Men and I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change are available for amateur performance from Josef Weinberger.

Perusal materials can be hired by contacting us at general.info@jwmail.co.uk
Josef Weinberger, 12 - 14 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JJ
T: 020 7580 2827 F: 020 7436 9616
W: www.josef-weinberger.com

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CHILD PROTECTION TRAINING IN MANCHESTER AND LONDON

This day aims to ensure that the children, staff and volunteers engaged in the arts through your organisation are as safe as they can be. The message is how to manage the demands of legislation (including the Vulnerable Groups Bill 2006) to meet the particular needs of your organisation.

This event will be led by Liz Whitehead, Consultant and Chief Executive of the British & International Federation of Festivals and Executive Director of the National Youth Music Theatre. Liz has provided child protection workshops for 300 festivals in the UK and Republic of Ireland since 2003, alongside other consultancies for schools, museums and arts organisations.

Who can attend?
The event is aimed at national voluntary arts umbrella bodies, but is relevant to anyone involved in voluntary arts provision (voluntary arts organisations, local authority arts officers, Arts Council staff, policy makers, consultants etc).

How much?
Just £25 per session, or take advantage of the £15 earlybird rate – book four weeks in advance and save £5.

Where and when?
- 29 May 2007 - 10.30am to 4.00pm - YHA Manchester, Potato Wharf, Castlefield, Manchester
- 28 June 2007 - 10.30am to 4.00pm - The Manor Gardens Centre, 6-9 Manor Gardens, London

How to book
Download the Safety Audit: Child Protection booking form from www.voluntaryarts.org/10370. 

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                  RUNNING YOUR GROUP RE-LAUNCH

The Running Your Group section of the VAN website has been re-launched with up-to-date information and signposting designed to answer the most common questions people have when setting up and running a voluntary arts group. The project now features a new interactive element – at the bottom of each page is an electronic form for you to add your own experiences, flag up useful information or report broken links.

To start accessing and contributing to the project, go to the Running Your Group section of the VAN website at www.voluntaryarts.org. 

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     BE ON TV & WIN A YEAR’S SALARY IN JUST ONE DAY?

We’re looking for contestants for a brand new BIG money quiz show

Can YOU tell how much money someone makes just from their appearance?

Can someone tell how much money YOU make just by the way you answer specific questions?

If you have a job and want the chance to win thousands of pounds – and even the chance to win as much as a year’s salary – we’re looking for you now!
All you need is to be over 18 and have a full time job

Interested?
Call us now on: 0844 4480 022
Email: quiz@twofour.co.uk

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Welcome to a simple yet extremely powerful new fundraising initiative which will benefit any organisation.

Who could resist
· A no cost, effective new income stream
· Potential to raise significant unrestricted funds
· A new way for your existing supporters to continue to support your cause – without costing them a penny or requiring any additional effort/change of behaviour
· A transparent form of fundraising

Homepages Friends, a web marketing company and official J4B partners for the Office of the Third Sector events programme, have now introduced a very simple, yet extremely powerful way of raising fund for the voluntary sector, purely from commission earned from Ask.com, eBay and recognised high street brands.  We don’t charge a start up fee or require monthly subscriptions.  From the relationships we have developed with internet companies, Homepages Friends and the voluntary sector organisations we support, share equally in all revenue earned

To find out more information on this new and transparent form of fundraising please contact our freephone hotline on 0800 2888 669 or www.homepages-friends.com

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                                  BBC NEW TALENT

I work for BBC New Talent and we are working with the BBC Proms to find young singers from across the UK to take 4 solo roles or be part of a 40 strong chorus to perform the premiere of this unique prom.

Water is a brand new musical drama tackling the current phenomenon of climate change and will be staged on Monday 27 August 2007 at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the world renowned BBC Proms. It is collaboration between Oscar winning composer Rachel Portman and award winning poet and playwright Owen Sheers. It draws on global myths and legends about water – from ice and storms to flood and drought and draws on current stories to reflect climate change and how it affects and concerns young people.

BBC New Talent is offering new talented young singers an opportunity to take part in this exciting performance. They will join with professional performers and the BBC Concert Orchestra for this unique Prom that will probably be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 in front of a capacity audience at the Royal Albert Hall.

Audition workshops will take place in July 2007 and all of the chorus and soloists selected will be invited to attend a 10 day residential music camp prior to the performance in August. If you are aged between 11 and 16 (boys your voices must not have broken) and love singing and performing then we want to hear from you. Go to www.bbc.co.uk/newtalent for more information and an entry form.

How you can help…
This is a once in a life time opportunity of these young children and BBC New Talent would be grateful and welcome your support in promoting this scheme through your organisation, by displaying promotional material of posters and postcards to bring awareness of this fantastic opportunity to your audience.
We can also arrange website links and artwork for advertising in your newsletter.

If you require any additional material or further help please contact myself Kelly Dunthorne kelly.dunthorne@bbc.co.uk or on 020 8576 9877.

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          BBC ONE ENTERTAINMENT SERIES IS SEARCHING 
             FOR TALENTED MALE AND FEMALE DANCERS

Are you a talented dancer or a singer who can move? A new Saturday night BBC One entertainment series is searching for talented male and female performers to be part of an exciting new dance group which could be destined for fame. Hot Gossip founder Arlene Phillips and fellow Strictly Come Dancing judge and choreographer Bruno Tonioli are holding open auditions at a venue near you.

Auditions will be taking place in the following locations:

• Glasgow: Friday 4th May
• Manchester: Friday 11th / Saturday 12th May
• Bristol: Thursday 17th May
• London: Friday 18th / Saturday 19th May

You may be required to sing but if so, training will be provided - do not let this put you off applying.

To download an application form visit www.bbc.co.uk/whatson/beonashow/shows/dance.shtml

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          THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM SOCIETY PRIZE FOR
                  STUDENT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

The Venue Theatre  Leicester Square  London
Sunday May 13th 2007, 4pm

The Stephen Sondheim Society is delighted to announce this exciting and unique event.

We are gathering together twelve of the top students from the major UK performing arts schools to provide an outstanding evening of entertainment in the heart of London’s West End.

This substantial bursary prize is being established to recognise exceptional achievement in musical theatre performance, and will be awarded to a UK performing arts student with a particular passion for the works of Stephen Sondheim.
 
The students will of course, be performing a varied selection of Sondheim numbers. In addition, because Mr Sondheim is an ardent promoter of excellence in new writing, he has requested that works by new UK composers and lyricists are also included in the programme.  Working with Mercury Musical Developments (a major supporter of new musical theatre writing) an extensive portfolio of new songs has been compiled- each of the students will be performing one of these works, in addition to their Sondheim song.

We are honoured to have a panel of three experienced, highly respected judges - Julia McKenzie, Edward Seckerson and Philip Quast - each of whom is closely associated with the works of Sondheim. The event will be hosted by Olivier-winning actress Maria Friedman.

This guarantees to be an extraordinarily entertaining and exciting evening of entertainment- it will certainly be a positive and supportive event for all the participating students, allowing them to showcase their talent in The West End. (be assured that there are no eliminations, no public votes, and certainly no destructive comments by our professional and appreciative judging panel!)

The event is open to members (tickets £17.50) and non-members (tickets £20), and takes place at The Venue Leicester Square, London,  on Sunday May 13th 2007, starting at 4pm.

Tickets are available exclusively through
The Stephen Sondheim Society
Tel: 01159 281613
email: sondheimsociety@sondheim.org

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                CONFERENCE 07: THE THEATRES TRUST

Performing Theatres?
12 June 2007
Young Vic, The Cut, Waterloo, London SE1 8LZ

A unique opportunity to explore and debate priorities for the future design of theatres.

If you are responsible for creating performances, staging productions, running theatres, managing facilities and attracting audiences, join the debate on what you would like to see incorporated into the design of theatres to ensure they perform better.

Chaired by Ian Brown, Artistic Director, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Genista McIntosh and Venu Dhupa, Director of Creative Innovation, Southbank Centre, Performing Theatres? includes contributions from some of the UK theatre industry’s most senior and celebrated figures.

For more information, the full programme and to register visit our website at
www.theatrestrust.org.uk, email events@theatrestrust.org.uk or telephone 020 7836 8591.

Special offers available for theatre organisations.

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                   INTERNATIONAL THEATRE KITCHEN

International Theatre Kitchen is open to performers from all over the world interested in the international meetings and creative discoveries, looking for change and new turning-points in their professional work.

This summer actors, dancers, choreographers and directors will meet in London. Performing arts – it's a small world, let's find each other. To take part in the the Kitchen, please send your CV and a brief letter of motivation to london@iugte.com or iugte@london.com

International Theatre Kitchen
July 3 - 6, 2007
London, UK
http://www.iugte.com/projects/kitchen.php 

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                           LICENSING ACT UPDATE

The live music/licensing petition has reached number 1 in the list of over 7,400 petitions on the Number 10 website with over 71,000 signatures: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/licensing/ (to sign)
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/list/open?sort=signers (view list of petitions)

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                         NEW FROM SAMUEL FRENCH

We are happy to announce that IMPROBABLE FICTION a comedy by Alan Ayckbourn is now available for amateur production.

Six diverse and aspiring authors meet to discuss their work and a collaboration is suggested. A clap of thunder precedes the story that would have resulted from the collaboration!! Sharp comedy and affectionate satire characterize this zany, imaginative play.

We are also pleased to let you know that STRICTLY MURDER a thriller by Brian Clemens is available immediately for amateur performance.
Lies, subterfuge and murder make this fast-moving thriller a dark and disturbing rollercoaster of bluff and double bluff.

And lastly, SEASCAPE, a one-act play by Tony Rushforth, is available imediately.
Two romances develop in this moving, lyrical play which takes place during the summer of 1940, set against the dramatic wartime backdrop of the internment camp at Port Erin.
Played mostly in duologues and soliloquies, this fifty-minute play is an ideal festival choice. 

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                              NICK HERN BOOKS
                            NEW PUBLICATIONS

HOW TO DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY AND NEVER BE FOUND
by Fin Kennedy
Winner of the 2005 John Whiting Award, premiered at Sheffield Theatres

SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES
by Drew Pautz
Premiered by English Touring Theatre at Soho Theatre

THE THINGS GOOD MEN DO
by Dan Muirden
Premiered at the Old Red Lion in Islington
The genuinely pioneering Shakespeare Folio edition, launched in 2001 with Hamlet, and now encompassing fifteen plays in the canon with the publication of:

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
HENRY IV, PART TWO
JULIUS CAESAR
Edited by Nick de Somogyi

THE COMPLETE STANISLAVSKY TOOLKIT
by Bella Merlin
A practical, hands-on guide to Stanislavsky's famous 'system' - for actors, directors, teachers and students.

Nick Hern Books, The Glasshouse, 49a Goldhawk Road, London W12 8QP
t. 020 8749 4953  f.020 8735 0250  www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

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        NEW PLAYS CATALOGUE FROM JOSEF WEINBERGER

Josef Weinberger are pleased to announce the publication of the all-new Complete Catalogue of Plays, available from May 1st, 2007.

The catalogue contains over forty new titles acquired by Josef Weinberger since the publication of the last catalogue and features the work of some of the finest English language playwrights working in the theatre today. The 2007 edition of our Catalogue of Plays also marks the last edition to be printed in the traditional form - future catalogues will be available only in CD ROM format, or on-line.

To reserve your complimentary copy of the new Catalogue of Plays, please click on the link and complete the address form HERE (Internet Explorer users only - users of Firefox or other website browsers, please e-mail us at the address below with your details to receive your complimentary copy).

The new Catalogue of Plays also contains detailed information about licensing applications, script ordering and contact details of our representatives worldwide and we're sure it will prove a valuable source of information regarding plays for reading and performance.
We look forward to hearing from you.

Josef Weinberger Ltd.
12 - 14 Mortimer Street
London, W1T 3JJ
T: 020 7580 2827 F: 020 7436 9616
E: mailto:playscatalogue@jwmail.co.uk W: http://www.josef-weinberger.com/

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                          VOLUNTEERS WEEK 2007
                            DATES: 1-7 JUNE 2007

Volunteers' Week is a national celebration of volunteers and volunteering. The week aims to raise the profile of the work of the UK's 22 million volunteers and the associated publicity means it's also a great time to recruit, reward and recognise volunteers. Now in its 23rd year, Volunteers’ Week has become a major event in the UK's volunteering calendar. The week is coordinated in England by Volunteering England.

As part of the Volunteers' Week celebrations this year, there will be a photography competition to reflect and celebrate the contribution of volunteers or volunteering in a variety of different organisations and roles. Participants will be asked to send in their photos of volunteers in action and these will be judged accordingly – there will be a first, second and third prize. These photos will be displayed on the Volunteers Week website at the beginning of Volunteers' Week and in the June issue of Volunteering Magazine.

For more details, visit the website at www.volunteersweek.org.uk. 

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                     UK VILLAGES COMMUNITY KITTY
                        DEADLINE: 10 OCTOBER 2007

UK Villages Community Kitty provides grants of between £50-£500 to a range of community based projects. In the past, the fund has awarded grants for projects ranging from a knitting circle, toys for a playgroup and support for several village halls and playing field committees, as well as a number of heritage projects.

For more details go to: www.communitykitty.co.uk

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                  THE CO-OPERATIVE FOUNDATION

The Co-operative Foundation is keen to support community and voluntary sector activity through grants to local groups and organisations across its trading area. Grants from £500 to £30,000 are available for part or total funding for one year projects. Deadlines for the next rounds are 1 June, 7 September and 1 December 2007.

Please note that the Co-operative Foundation operates within United Co-operatives trading areas only. United Cooperatives trade within the North West of England, Yorkshire and Humberside, Staffordshire and North Midlands and parts of Northern Ireland.

For more details, contact the Charity Manager at foundation@coop.co.uk or by phoning 01706 202032.

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                    CLORE DUFFIELD FOUNDATION
                    DEADLINE: 12 SEPTEMBER 2007

The Clore Duffield Foundation is offering grants to charitable organisations, schools, and voluntary youth organisations for new and creative education programmes that cover the performing arts. Known previously as the Small Grants Programme, the Clore Performing Arts Awards provides funding for performing arts education projects and events aimed at children and young people up to the age of 18 years across the UK. The funding is intended to provide children and young people with opportunities to experience performing arts education at its best. The performing arts include opera, dance, music, musical theatre, the spoken word and theatre.

The awards will fund project costs ranging from £1,000 to £10,000 for a total project budget of under £30,000. Match funding is not required. The grants will be available until 2010.

Registered charities, limited companies, schools (early year settings, primary, middle, secondary, sixth-form colleges, SEN schools), voluntary youth organisations, and professional and amateur arts organisations in the UK are all eligible to apply. Applicants must be able to demonstrate both artistic excellence and fully participatory experience for young people.

www.cloreduffield.org.uk 

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                               NODA THEATRE CLUB

TICKETS AT ONLY £20 FOR GROUPS OF 10+ TO SEE THE PLANTASTIC LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS!

Back in the West End for the first time in over two decades, Little Shop of Horrors is bristling with funky songs, side-splitting jokes and brilliant performances from an all-star cast that includes the comedy genius of Alistair McGowan, Sheridan Smith and Mike McShane plus award winners Paul Keating and Barry James. Don’t miss your chance to watch the most famous, blood guzzling, R&B singing carnivore ever attempt global domination in the most hilarious and entertaining musical of the year.
 
Groups of 10+ get best available seats at just £20, Monday-Thursday evenings, Wednesday and Saturday matinees until 15 September. Rate applies to tickets booked and paid for before 16 June.

To book call now on 020 7907 7002.

SAVE £19.50 ON TICKETS TO SEE THE SENSATIONAL BILLY ELLIOT

The West End production of Billy Elliot is now booking into its third triumphant year. Based on the smash hit film, the outstanding stage show reunites the team behind the movie including writer Lee Hall and director Stephen Daldry. The entirely original score is written by legendary singer songwriter Elton John.

Buy top price tickets for just £40 (+ £1.50 booking fee per ticket), Monday-Thursday evenings and Thursday matinees until 16 June (except 28 May-3 June).

To book call now on 020 7907 7056 quoting ‘NODA’.

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