Building talent and friendships

Community theatre is a chance for literally any citizen to share in the collaborative and creative atmosphere of a dramatic production – be it pouring out emotion onstage, enabling the delivery of that emotion backstage, or celebrating that emotion from the audience.

Cambridge delights in having several amateur theatre groups, each of which have helped nurture talents and friendships throughout their history. Behind every "amdram" production, though, are the key creatives – directors, musical directors, etc – and technicians – set builders, sound designers, etc. Without them, productions can suffer from a lack of organisation, clarity, and/or pizzazz.

An increasing challenge

All the above is why it's a growing concern for everyone that, lately, many of the city’s most experienced "techies" and key creatives have been moving on, and it's become an increasing challenge to find all the necessary personnel for many productions.

Several amdram groups have resorted to paying pro techies and/or creatives. By its nature, community theatre has only ever been a “break even” endeavour – but now it's costing the members to produce, it's likely to be unsustainable.

While there are still some excellent techies and creatives prepared to give up their time voluntarily for the community, there is a dwindling amount to go round...

The show will go on!

But opportunity has knocked, rung the doorbell, and tried the handle to find the door open. For a start, the Pied Pipers Musical Theatre Club and the Cambridge Penguins Club (a group for amateur techies) have several connections with West End and/or pro techies that we can bring along to train the next generation of amateur techies.

Secondly, the latest Pied Pipers committee has simultaneously the youngest and oldest members of any amdram group in the city – giving us the broadest range of networks to approach when sourcing the interest of new talent for community theatre.

And finally, amdram.co.uk – the leading website for the amateur theatre network – has pledged to donate at least £700 towards this project from it's advertising revenue.

So what is this project?

Revitalising the voluntary theatrical scene

The Pied Pipers will organise a series of workshops for anyone in Cambridge with an interest in amdram techie and/or creative roles. The workshops will be led by industry professionals, including some from the West End.

The exact details of the workshops are TBC, but we hope to include sound, lighting, musical directing, directing, and make-up. Whatever their subject, each workshop will allow participants to develop their chosen skill whilst also networking with the Cambridge amdram world – leading directly into opportunities to practice their new talents and build new friendships.

We'll also be providing certificates for those who have completed the workshops that will evidence their commitment to developing their skills.

These workshops will have a positive impact for all concerned with Cambridge’s community theatre – be it in the groups making it happen, or in the audiences enjoying the performances. Increasing the number of trained and willing voluntary backstage roles will make our local amateur theatre sustainable again, allowing us to go on producing incredible spectacles with incredible cast and crew.

So thank you for your time, interest, and support!