Since 2013, Stage One has facilitated a highly successful regional Producer Placement scheme. Over the past 5 years, 22 outstanding commercial producers have had 12 month placements at venues including Bristol Old Vic, Mercury Theatre and Leicester Curve. Almost all have gone on to have fantastic careers within the industry with over half climbing the ranks at their host organisations! In 2019 we placed 5 producers in the following organisations;

– HOME Manchester
– Leeds Playhouse
– Northern Stage
– Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh
– Wiltshire Creative

Meet the Producers:

Name: Ciara McCafferty

Age: 29

Currently: Stage One Trainee Producer @ Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

What’s coming up at the theatre?

The Lyceum is pretty busy at the moment, David Greig’s adaptation of Stanisław Lem’s novel Solaris our co-production with Malthouse in Melbourne and the Lyric Hammersmith, is currently on our main stage. Then out on tour currently is Isobel McArthur’s fantastic take on an Austen classic Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) which closes in Bristol this week and then heads to Northern Stage for the next leg. We also have Barbershop Chronicles with us soon as well as gearing up for our spectacular Christmas Show An Edinburgh Christmas Carol.

Highlight of placement so far?

Without a doubt being part of the team on the world premiere of new musical Local Hero. The Lyceum doesn’t have a massive team but every one of them put their absolute all into bringing the much loved film to the stage. It’s a fantastic show with a lot of heart; make sure to catch it at the Old Vic from June 2020.

Top Tip for new producers?

Go see everything you can, the good, the bad and everything in-between. It’s the best way to hone your own taste and style as well as figuring out who you want to make work with in the future. Years of spending August at the Edinburgh Fringe doing just that made me fall in love with the city and ultimately lead to me moving there permanently!

Name: Anna Nguyen

Age: 31

Currently: Stage One Trainee Producer @ HOME Manchester

Highlight of placement so far?

Working with a multidisciplinary venue. Working in a vibrant and artistically exciting city. Working on the HOME2020 commission and learning about how commercial theatre collaborates with the subsidized sector.

Top Tip for new producers?

Take your time to understand the different roles within your theatre and what your relationship will be with them as a producer. Inductions are invaluable, ask questions when ever you are unsure don’t keep quiet. Also, ask your seniors to set you up with a mentor, they have invaluable connections!

 

Name: Erin Connor

Age: 27

Currently: Stage One Trainee Producer @ Northern Stage

What’s coming up at the theatre?

We have just had Pride & Prejudice (*Sort of) which is honestly an adaptation like no other! This Blood of the Young Production has been an absolute joy to be a part of as a co-producing venue and seeing it on stage this week absolutely blew me away, my cheeks still hurt from laughing! It is currently touring around the UK and I cannot recommend enough that people grab a ticket while they can.

The next show visiting us is English Touring Theatre’s Reasons To Stay Alive an adaptation of the bestselling book by Matt Haig. I cannot wait to see this story come to life on stage for the first time and if ETT’s last production of EQUUS is anything to go by, this show is going to be an absolute must see.

Highlight of placement so far?

It would probably be the press night for our in house production of The Hound of the Baskervilles. This production was the first thing I took the producing lead on back in March when I started here and have looked after it ever since, so sitting in the back row to a sold out press night was just the best feeling ever.

The production has a cast of four, all who have trained with Northern Stage through their NORTH programme, so it was brilliant to see emerging, Northern actors start their career right here in Newcastle. It felt great to be a part of their experience.

Top Tip for new producers?

Be upfront and honest about what you can do and what you can’t do at the beginning of a project. It makes it easier and clearer for all involved and then everyone knows where they stand.

Extra mini tip- Get a good quality back pack with comfortable shoulder straps, you’ll thank me later!

Name: Amanda Bruce

Age: 26

Currently: Stage One Trainee Producer @ Salisbury Playhouse – Wiltshire Creative

What’s coming up at the theatre?

This week we opened our production of Breaking the Code by Hugh Whitemore in our Main House, which has been really well-received. We’re gearing up for our pantomime Robin Hood, and our Christmas production for young audiences in The Salberg (our studio theatre), a musical adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s The Tailor of Gloucester by Glyn Kerslake and Gareth Machin, which I’m producing. Then in the New Year, we’re doing a fantastic co-production with Up in Arms of Lorca’s Blood Wedding, retold by Barney Norris and set in a Wiltshire village.

Highlight of placement so far?

Producing our studio theatre programme in The Salberg (so our in-house produced work and all the visiting productions) has been really brilliant. I’m working with a range of varied and talented visiting companies who are bringing their work to us next year, whilst also producing The Tailor of Gloucester, so it’s been lovely seeing that take shape.

Top Tip for new producers?

If you can, volunteer/intern/shadow producers at a variety of theatre companies and see as much of their work as you can. I think this is really useful to help you decide the type of theatre you’re interested in producing, and the type of organisational structure you feel you’d work well within.