Act Up: Student Theatre Societies
Wondering where to find theatre societies, and which one offers exactly what you're looking for? Here's The Skinny's handy run-down of what you can find and where.
You’re just starting University. Chances are you’re ready to get your head stuck in to some societies, to meet like-minded people, and to start acting out a little bit. If drama is what you’re looking for, The Skinny has got you covered. Here's our handy overview of where you can do it, how to get involved and which society is best for you – whether you want to write, direct, act or get your hands on the tech gear.
Theatre Group at Leeds University will be returning to campus after a trip to the Fringe with The Worry Monster and Five Drinks, both original plays penned by students and chosen by the group's committee to attend the festival. If it’s writing that you're interested in, directing, or performing on a grand scale – perhaps not in venue size but as part of the largest arts festival in the world – this is a fantastic opportunity. They’ve already announced their first semester’s programme for the coming year, all chosen from proposals made by members of the society, so if there’s a show you’re dying to produce there will always be the opportunity to pitch it.
If it’s musical theatre you're looking for, the Leeds University Music Theatre Society looks for directors, musical directors, producers and actors to join their society each year. The first shows announced on their 2015 roster are Sondheim’s Assassins and Ghost – the Musical. The Opera Society put on two shows a year, but members do not have to have extensive background in opera to join. They’ll be putting on The Magic Flute in February.
Leeds' Open Theatre is the society that describes itself as “that little bit different,” from devised shows to The Wind in the Willows and Ancient Greek comedy Lysistrata. As well as performance opportunities there are also workshops for picking up new skills and exploring some old ones.
Manchester University Drama Society runs New Writing Showcases, which offer great opportunities for student writers to bring their work to the stage. This year they took Façade, a new play penned and directed by Thomas Glover, to the Fringe.
The University Of Manchester Musical Theatre Society is there for those who are musically inclined. UMMTS' most recent production was Titanic the Musical (in no way connected to the film). They also put on performance showcases and attended the inaugural Inter-University Musical Theatre Festival in York. Fans of musical theatre can only hope that this is a festival that will continue. In the last academic year the society took home three awards from 13 nominations at the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) awards, winning Best Programme, Best Supporting Actress in a Musical and Best Director of a Musical.
Manchester Metropolitan University’s Cheshire campus has both Genesis Theatre and the MMUsical Theatre society while the Manchester School of Theatre is developing a new arts and cultural hub at the University. Until then, their performances will take place off-campus at Manchester’s exciting HOME venue.
Liverpool University’s Student Theatre society (LUST) is a musical theatre society putting on two shows a year, with Into the Woods coming up in December. The less saucily named Liverpool University Drama Society (LUDS) may be one of the most prolific, putting on four large-scale productions a semester, as well as workshops and theatre trips. Students are given the opportunity to act, direct, write, produce and work backstage also. The opportunity to showcase work on a large scale comes as well with a yearly production taken to the Edinburgh Fringe: in 2015 it was absurdist comedy A Traffic Jam on Sycamore Street.
Liverpool John Moores University Drama Society boasts a Freshers' Show on 12 September to kick off their year of events, followed by a Christmas show and end of year show, with plenty of opportunity for students new and old to get involved. The University’s recent history with the arts includes partnering with arts and culture festival Homotopia. Among all this, the city is home to LIPA, where drama, musical theatre and performance aren’t as much societies as they are the reason for attending, making Liverpool an incredible cultural city for students interested in both participating in and watching theatre and the arts.
Glasgow University is home to Student Theatre at Glasgow (STaG), who start the year with New Talent Nights, auditions for which take place during freshers' week as an opening to bring new students into the society. As well as two mainstage productions a year, the society hosts mini festivals, including STaG nights, and the New Works festival. Each year student-penned plays performed as part of the New Works festival are judged by a panel of theatre professionals, with the winning production taken to the Edinburgh Fringe. With a space for new writing, as well as producing contemporary and classic plays, STaG invites students into all aspects of the theatre.
The Cecillian Society is Glasgow’s musical theatre society, boasting two productions a year. The first, this year Footloose, is produced in 24 hours, somewhat of a baptism by fire for new students. The second show is a large-scale musical worked on throughout the year, with students creating set and working on the technical side of things as well as performing and directing. The 2016 musical already announced is Bat Boy!
Re-Act Theatre Group at Strathclyde University was founded in 2010 and aims to let all students explore their theatre skills. The Strathclyde Theatre Group, which began as a collaboration between the university and the people of Glasgow in 1971 continues as an inclusive theatre charity open to all.
Dundee University’s only student-run drama society is LIP Theatre Company, which this year brought two student written plays – The Selkie and The River God and Paying The Piper to the Edinburgh Fringe. Their work throughout the year includes a comedy sketch show as well as a main, scripted theatre show.
The Edinburgh University Theatre Company lives at Bedlam Theatre, which becomes a hub during the fringe, so it makes sense that Edinburgh University may have the most theatre societies. Les Escogriffes: French Theatre Society are there for those fluent in French and those muddling along, with the chance to act as well as getting involved in the technical, costume and set teams. The EUSC are geared specifically towards producing Shakespeare’s work, putting on a yearly show and hosting workshops that look into adapting the bard for the modern stage. The Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group offers the chance for students to direct, produce, choreograph and musical direct, as well as perform. They'll be staging The Addams Family the musical later in the semester (auditions in early September).
With so much going on – and we’re only scratching the surface here – it’s almost impossible not to get involved with a bit of theatre at university.
For theatre previews, reviews and interviews with theatre makers: theskinny.co.uk/theatre