SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
All members of the workshop starred in a short film over summer this year - and then we screened them at the Crescent Theatre.
OFF THE CUFF
First Act is putting on an improv show (think 'Whose Line is it Anyway?') on January 18th at the Crescent Theatre. It's called 'OFF THE CUFF' and is sure to be hilarious (it was the last two times we did it!). Please come along and show your support - all the money goes to Kerrang! Radio's charity Cash For Kids!
http://www.crescent-theatre.co.uk/theatre-event.php?EventID=18493
LATER THIS YEAR...
Straight after OFF THE CUFF, will be making short films and screening them around the summer.
Then, later in the year... we have a Halloween show sure to scare even the bravest souls!
TERM 12 (SEPTEMBER - DEC 2013)
Rap music video 'Black Coffee and MarLboro Gold' by former workshopper Heretic. Also starring workshoppers Luke, Hattie and Roisin.
Georgia Phillips (from Drama Workshop) gets a starring role in BBC Doctors through First Act, playing younger version of character Imogen.
10 workshoppers audition for the Birmingham Rep's version of 'A Christmas Carol' - the classis Dickens story.
Audition upcoming for a Boots commercial.
For the second year running, workshoppers are presenters at the prestigious - The Skills Show at the NEC.
Hattie Dunn secures work with Captial FM after her stint on the Skills Show.
Many workshoppers appear in small roles in dramas The Game, Doctors and By Any Means.
Anna Piper continues her role as 'Rosa' in Radio 4's The Archers.
Workshoppers audition for a voice over by a phone app company.
15 Workshoppers attend open auditions for the new Star Wars movie. 5 get recalled!
Luke, Adam and Bek appear on WPC 56.
Writer/director Nick Fogg casts Tom Reeves in some new writing at the MAC - and also observes workshoppers ahead of casting for her new film.
Term 11Audition for Discovery channel programme Last Chance Salon.Dan Stokes gets recalled for a National Rail advert.BBC's By Any Means drama casts Jamie Causer, Harry Konstantis and Tom Reeves as riot kidsKerrang Radio ask workshoppers to take part in an advert for the air ambulance.Rachel Carter casts Dan Stokes in short film 'We're the people people see from trains'.Helen Monks auditions for 'Fresh Meat'.Citezen Khan - many workshoppers put forward for roles.Ben and Nathan appear in new show 'Truckers'.Term 10Filming ends on 'Rudy' - the feature by Shona Auerbach, featuring Jamie Causer as Boney.10 workshoppers audition for 'The Woman in Black 2'.Many workshoppers appear in BBC's 'Doctors'.Vickie, Jess and Erin recalled for Channel 4 sitcom.Mtv filmingAnna Piper cast in Shakespearean short - 'Elizabeth and Phoebe'.Yasmin Murphy cast as 'Lady Silent' in feature film 'The Truth'.Dan Stokes and Tom Reeves appear in drama 'Love and Marriage'.Louis auditions for musical 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert'.Shakespeare Ch 4 clip bank programme auditions workshoppers.Ben Robinson from Isis Media records workshoppers' voiceovers for a Ch 4 Clipbank programme.Ten Workshoppers film short 'The Tempest' - made by James Clarke and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust'.Helena gets work on a documentary about a terrible murder, playing the unfortunate victim after doing work on the shakespeare project she got through workshop.Kerrang Radio cast various workshoppers in some adverts for the Children's Society - as part of Cash for Kids Day.Young male workshoppers put up for roles in Sherlock.Auditions for new film version of 'Swallows and Amazons'.Term 9Ryan Walker Edwards cast in a CH 4 Maths Clip bank programme.Kyle and Rahual cast in a theatrical version of the Malcolm X story.Daniel Rose cast in a music video by Batsch called 'The Divers'.After getting a role in Line of Duty through First Act Workshops, Greg from Drama Workshops gets a top London agent.Yasmin Murphy and lots of workshop parents tread the boards at the RSC after being cast through First Act in a Russian version of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.Shireenah, Beth, Anna and various others appear in an advert for FLYBE.Workshoppers present, act and dance at The Skills Show - at the LG Arena to an audience of thousands.BBC's The One Show features Ryan and Sophie as they perform Shakespeare in hospitals for charity Kissing it Better.Actor Simon Marriot - friend of the workshop - is cast in a music video through us.Emilio cast in a theatrical production of 'Animal Farm' - directed by former Birmingham workshopper Dean Finlan at The Crescent Theatre.Star of the Nativity films Ben Wilby is cast in a viral advert through First Act.Roisin cast in an advertAuditions for 'A Winters Tale' at the RSC.Hattie Dunn plays a girl who gets murdered in 'Fair Cop'.
TERM 8
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Our improvisation show ‘OFF THE CUFF’ – similar to ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’will be performed at the AMC CINEMA, Birmingham on 17th July at 6pm – all ticket money will go to Acorns Children’s Hospice.
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‘Heterophobia’ is a short film that over 100 workshoppers were in. It was written and directed by workshop leader Ross and produced by ISIS MEDIA and workshoppers Sammie Fletcher, Anna Piper and Sophie Samuda. We recently had a huge film premiere at the AMC Cinema in Birmingham. We raised lots of money for charity (over £1800 for Acorn’s Children’s Hospice) by showing Comedy Sketch Shows that the Workshoppers wrote themselves. We also watched ‘Heterophobia’ – our new short film – on the big screen at the Cast and Crew premiere!Watch this space for news of how well it is doing in short film festivals and what the exciting plans are for its next stage of development!
Anna Piper got an audition for Radio 4’s ‘The Archers’ through the Workshop and won the role of ‘ROSA’. She is busy recording her second episode!
Sam Young finished filming The Nativity 2 (starring David Tennent) which he auditioned for through First Act Workshops
Niamh Leeman, Harmonie Llyod and Steph Sabin were cast in an advert concerning the Olympics by Rachel Cryan which will be shown on Birmingham Big Screen from June to September!
Some older workshoppers have recently been sent up for roles in the Tracey Beaker follow up – The Dumping Ground.
Luanda Holness,Ryan Walker-Edwards, Kyle Bell, Gavin Young and Harry Konstantis were all cast in Dan Marston’s film ‘Soloman’.
Luke Stanton has been put forward for a small role In new BBC drama Father Brown.
Steph Sabin, Ben O’Hare, Gavin Young and Florence Kinder were all cast in short film ‘Freedom Runner’.
Many older workshoppers have been recalled for parts in the new feature film ‘Miles E. Benedict’.
Some workshoppers auditioned for CBBC Friday Download.
TERM 7
Emily De Pons, Imogen Clarke and James Osbourne were cast in docu/drama ‘Children of the Titanic’ by producer Mike Prince. Mike assures us he will return to the workshop to cast his next piece – ‘Children of the Great War’.
Director Alex Igbanoi cast ten Workshoppers for his pilot sitcom ‘Asbo Kids’. Shoot date pending.
Niall, Gavin, Meg, Florence, Vickie, Jamie, Michael and many others received small roles in BBC’s ‘Doctors’.
Director Neil Reidman returned to cast from the Workshop again for his new movie ‘Broken Society’. This time he hired Steph Sabin and Kyle Bell.
Many workshoppers were cast in small roles in a series of adverts for airline Flybe.
Click here to see some of the adverts.
Imogen Clarke and Emilio Villano-Harris auditioned for a role in the RSC production of The Winter’s Tale. One of the roles was won by Workshopper Ellie Coldicutt.
Congratualtions to the many Workshoppers who got into B.O.A. and the National Youth Theatre! And a big well done to Sammie Fletcher who will be leaving us in September to go to drama school ALRA, and to Alex Morris who leaves us for drama school LIPA!
TERM 6
Workshoppers in all five groups are working towards either a Silent Movie or Comedy Sketch Show project, to be screened at a cinema in Birmingham towards the end o the year.
THE HISTORICAL WEEKEND
Sammie Fletcher and Jon Kissun are featuring in a project written by Gwen Williams on October 8th. KNOWING OUR PLACE is part play and part tour of Aston Hall. Also, eight Workshoppers are taking part in another play written by Gwen Williams called 'BUILDING A CITY, FINDING A VOICE'.
The play is about Birmingham through the ages and is directed by Workshop member Anna Piper.
http://www.macarts.co.uk/event/building-a-city-finding-a-voice
The film was made by Isis Drama, a department within production company Isis Media, and was produced by Ben Robinson. Adapted and directed by First Act Workshops’ Ross Berkeley Simpson, the film is based on a short story by writer Manda Rigby.
After a large audition, various Workshoppers were cast in main and supporting roles in the BBC 2 drama Line of Duty. Jordyn-Eve Davis Green and Gregory Piper - from Drama Workshop - got their main roles through their connection with First Act Workshops.
15 Workshoppers auditioned last week for the sequel to the hugely popular film NATIVITY. NATIVITY 2 will this time star David Tennent.
KISSING IT BETTER is a campaign being run by Jill Fraser to improve care in hospitals. First Act Workshops is proud to have been involved with this project. In July, five Workshoppers went to Walsall Manor Hospital to read poetry to patients. The reaction was overwhelming and we hope to repeat the readings very soon. Please follow this link for more details about this popular campaign: http://www.kissingitbetter.co.uk/
Megan Oxtoby and Florence Kinder are soon to be appearing in BBC's Doctors.
Tom Reeves, Jordan Doyle and Glen Facey spent a few days on BBC's Landgirls.
Jett and Amber Yip - and their mom Suki! - appeared in a promotional advert for FABA - a comedy sitcom written and directed by Workshop leader Ross Berkeley Simpson. Isis Media are taking on the project in the hope of it being signed to a major channel.
Some workshoppers took part in an advert for ASDA.
Jon Kissun won the role of The Duck in an advert for Star City.
Many Workshoppers were cast in an advert for UK Athletics. Made by Junction Media, this Flash Mob style advert is available to view here: http://vimeo.com/27006216
Former Workshopper Esther Stanford was cast in Alex Kelly's film The Happy Wanderer and Matthew Hickinbottom's 'Nuclear Family' through First Act Workshops.
Director and writer Leah Murray has been in touch and wishes to audition Workshoppers for roles in her short film 'MILKY'.
In our first casting of the new year, Tia Campbell will play Young Yolanda in the Channel Four film 'HOOKED' - playing the daughter of 'BAND OF GOLD' star Cathy Tyson.(Another member was also nearly offered a role in this film but sadly the role itself was cut from the script in a re-write).
Ryan Walker continues his run of film roles with a casting in Neil Reidman's short film 'WOUNDED'. Ryan plays the role of 'Danger'. Director, writer and actor Neil Reidman was one of the first ever members of The Television Workshop's Birmingham Branch.
Anna Redman and Harry Robinson appear briefly in The Present - a short film written by Manda Rigby and made by Isis Drama (which represents the coming together of Isis Media and First Act workshops). This film won the Bridport Film Festival on April 17th.
We recently completed out first short film BOTTLE with the help of ISIS MEDIA.
This starred members from each of the three groups: Rosie Barnes, Lucy Shaughnessy, Harry Robinson, Dan Ciotkowski, Edd Paul, Sammie Fletcher, Sophie Samuda and Sydney Evans.
It is the story of a troubled friendship between two young girls - and their problems come to a head at a Halloween sleepover!
We are very proud of 'Bottle' and we are entering the film into national and international short film festivals.
Please click the links below if you would like to watch the programmes.
http://www.teachers.tv/series/primary-lesson-starts
http://www.teachers.tv/videos/teenage-pregnancy
http://www.teachers.tv/videos/managing-money-buying-a-car
Also appearing in 'Toast' was former Birmingham Television Workshopper Kia Pegg. Kia moved to the Nottingham Television Workshop when the Birmingham branch went dark. This casting was made possible by the friendship that exists between First Act Workshops and The Television Workshop in Nottingham. Kia - and other stars of 'Toast' - came to First Act Workshops in Birmingham for their audition. Kia has also been cast in the new HORRID HENRY movie.
Ryan Walker Wilkes and Connie Smith were cast in the lead roles in Ryan Venara's short film '50' - about a scary situation that develops on the number 50 bus in Birmingham. Kyle Bell won a supporting role.
TERM 2
In the summer holidays we will be performing scenes from classic plays in various venues in Solihull - performances are at 12.30pm and 2pm on each of the following days:
12th AUgust: Mell Square (Solihull Town Centre)
18th August: Malvern Park (in Solihull!)
19th August: Mell Square (Solihull Town Centre)
The play is about Birmingham through the ages and is directed by Workshop member Anna Piper.
http://www.macarts.co.uk/event/building-a-city-finding-a-voice
TERM 5
First Act Workshops was involved in the short film ‘The Present’ which won The Bridport Film Festival on April 17th.The film was made by Isis Drama, a department within production company Isis Media, and was produced by Ben Robinson. Adapted and directed by First Act Workshops’ Ross Berkeley Simpson, the film is based on a short story by writer Manda Rigby.
It stars workshop helper Andrea Wilson, current workshoppers Anna Redman and Harry Robinson, former workshoppers Gem Durham, Lee Williams and Matthew Hickinbottom, and former workshopper and leader of Dramaworkshop in Stourbridge - Esther Stanford.
After a large audition, various Workshoppers were cast in main and supporting roles in the BBC 2 drama Line of Duty. Jordyn-Eve Davis Green and Gregory Piper - from Drama Workshop - got their main roles through their connection with First Act Workshops.
15 Workshoppers auditioned last week for the sequel to the hugely popular film NATIVITY. NATIVITY 2 will this time star David Tennent.
KISSING IT BETTER is a campaign being run by Jill Fraser to improve care in hospitals. First Act Workshops is proud to have been involved with this project. In July, five Workshoppers went to Walsall Manor Hospital to read poetry to patients. The reaction was overwhelming and we hope to repeat the readings very soon. Please follow this link for more details about this popular campaign: http://www.kissingitbetter.co.uk/
Megan Oxtoby and Florence Kinder are soon to be appearing in BBC's Doctors.
Tom Reeves, Jordan Doyle and Glen Facey spent a few days on BBC's Landgirls.
Jett and Amber Yip - and their mom Suki! - appeared in a promotional advert for FABA - a comedy sitcom written and directed by Workshop leader Ross Berkeley Simpson. Isis Media are taking on the project in the hope of it being signed to a major channel.
Some workshoppers took part in an advert for ASDA.Jon Kissun won the role of The Duck in an advert for Star City.
Many Workshoppers were cast in an advert for UK Athletics. Made by Junction Media, this Flash Mob style advert is available to view here: http://vimeo.com/27006216
Former Workshopper Esther Stanford was cast in Alex Kelly's film The Happy Wanderer and Matthew Hickinbottom's 'Nuclear Family' through First Act Workshops.
Director and writer Leah Murray has been in touch and wishes to audition Workshoppers for roles in her short film 'MILKY'.
TERM 4
In our first casting of the new year, Tia Campbell will play Young Yolanda in the Channel Four film 'HOOKED' - playing the daughter of 'BAND OF GOLD' star Cathy Tyson.(Another member was also nearly offered a role in this film but sadly the role itself was cut from the script in a re-write).Ryan Walker continues his run of film roles with a casting in Neil Reidman's short film 'WOUNDED'. Ryan plays the role of 'Danger'. Director, writer and actor Neil Reidman was one of the first ever members of The Television Workshop's Birmingham Branch.Anna Redman and Harry Robinson appear briefly in The Present - a short film written by Manda Rigby and made by Isis Drama (which represents the coming together of Isis Media and First Act workshops). This film won the Bridport Film Festival on April 17th.We recently completed out first short film BOTTLE with the help of ISIS MEDIA.This starred members from each of the three groups: Rosie Barnes, Lucy Shaughnessy, Harry Robinson, Dan Ciotkowski, Edd Paul, Sammie Fletcher, Sophie Samuda and Sydney Evans.
It is the story of a troubled friendship between two young girls - and their problems come to a head at a Halloween sleepover!
We are very proud of 'Bottle' and we are entering the film into national and international short film festivals.
TERM 3
Various workshoppers appeared in television programmes made for TEACHERS TV by TELEVISION JUNCTION.Please click the links below if you would like to watch the programmes.
http://www.teachers.tv/series/primary-lesson-starts
http://www.teachers.tv/videos/teenage-pregnancy
http://www.teachers.tv/videos/managing-money-buying-a-car
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20 members auditioned for BBC's daytime soap 'Doctors'. This term Dan Jones featured as a very agressive character - he got to show off his martial arts training!
Dan Jones also appeared in an episode of BBC's Hustle. (Kyle Bell appeared in a separate episode).
Harriet Poole appeared in 'Toast' - the BBC film about TV chef Nigel Slater, which starred Helena Bonham Carter.Dan Jones also appeared in an episode of BBC's Hustle. (Kyle Bell appeared in a separate episode).
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Ryan Walker Wilkes and Connie Smith were cast in the lead roles in Ryan Venara's short film '50' - about a scary situation that develops on the number 50 bus in Birmingham. Kyle Bell won a supporting role.
Some Workshop boys were put up for a role in Clash of the Titans II. Dan Rose was recalled and got down to the last few.
Sophie and Serena Gill auditioned for the HORRID HENRY movie.
Jordan, Edd and Nick auditioned for the role of Peter Pan in new tv series NEVERLAND. The casting directer was Hubbard Casting.
A large amount of Workshoppers auditioned for '50' - a short film by Ryan Venara.
TERM 2
In the summer holidays we will be performing scenes from classic plays in various venues in Solihull - performances are at 12.30pm and 2pm on each of the following days:
11th August: Merriden Park (in Solihull!)
Harriet Poole and Kia Pegg were cast in the upcoming BBC film 'TOAST' - the film of the life of TV chef Nigel Slater. (Kia Pegg is a member of The Television Workshop in Nottingham but the friendship between the two groups made this casting possible).
Dan Jones, 'DOCTORS', BBC (a role where Dan got to use his martial arts and stage fighting expertise!)
Kyle Smith and Shireenah Ingram starred in the 'LESSON ON A PLATE' series for the BAFTA winning Television Junction, which will be shown on television and the Teachers TV website.
Taylor Yate, Oliver Mardenbrough, Hannah and Ella Ciotkowski and James Osbourne took part in the Black Country sitcom 'BLACK BY DAY' for Post Office Studios films. This episode was filmed at the Black Country Living Museum and starred Big Brother contestant and ITV This Morning presenter Alison Hammond.
Hannah Ciotkowski was cast in the main role of the short film 'STEPMOTHER', directed by Nick Fogg, for Virgin Media Shorts.
Tom Reeves, Nick Wood, Lexia Tomlinson, Dewi Johnson, Abigail Timms, Ellie Sofroniou, Ethan Hudson, Dan Jones, Maya Juchtman, Anna Himali Howard, and Chloe Tomalin all starred in a programme about 'YOUNG PEOPLE AND RELATIONSHIPS' for The Television Junction, directed by Rowena Lyon and Yvonne Davies.
John Maidens, the writer and director of the short film 'CATERPILLAR' (which won a Royal Television Society award and featured workshopper Harry Konstantis) has called to say he will be soon coming in to see the Workshop to talk about his upcoming feature film.
TERM 1
Cian Cheesbrough: A commercial for Clusta LTD. Click on the link to watch the commercial: http://vimeo.com/10771324
Lucy Morris played ‘Phoebe’ in 'THE ARCHERS', BBC RADIO.
Jonaro Robinson was cast for one episode of 'DOCTORS', BBC.
Hannah Ciotkowski: featured role in 'DOCTORS', BBC.
Ten workshoppers auditioned for the RSC production of MATILDA. Jamie Carter was recalled.
Many Workshoppers have auditioned for casting director Kerrie Mailley for new CBBC drama SADIE JONES. Ellie Coldicutt has been recalled numerous times, and three boys - Jordan Doyle, Edd Paul and Glen Facey - recently went to London for a casting for an older character in this project. We await news of final castings.
The Television Junction recently auditioned the Thursday Group for someone to read from 'Charlotte's Web' in one of their television programmes. We await news of who won the role.
The Thursday group auditioned for Alex Kelly’s short film ‘The Happy Wanderer’. Three members have been recalled.
35 Workshoppers auditioned for Casting Director Rachel Freck for new BBC Film 'TOAST' from the writer of Billy Elliot. 10 Workshoppers have been recalled!
5 boys auditioned for Casting Director Jina Jay for an as-yet unnamed DREAMWORKS movie. We await news of recalls. (We later discovered that this was Stephen Speilberg's Warhorse. Jordan Doyle got down to the last few actors recalled for the lead role).
5 boys auditioned for Casting Director Jina Jay for an as-yet unnamed DREAMWORKS movie. We await news of recalls. (We later discovered that this was Stephen Speilberg's Warhorse. Jordan Doyle got down to the last few actors recalled for the lead role).
Various Workshoppers auditioned via telephone to be the singing voices on new children's TV programme SMALL POTATOES by Little Airplane productions. Gianni Cantone and Dion Griffiths have a recall coming up soon.
Successes Outside of Workshop:
Tia Campbell had a speaking role in the feature film 'MY LAST FIVE GIRLFRIENDS' - shown in cinemas all around the country.
Former Workshopper Jessica Harper is playing the lead role in 'BOOGIE NIGHTS' at The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, in October.
James Osbourne recently appeared in the BBC shows 'CANDY CABS' and 'DOCTORS'.
Ellie Coldicutt & Hannah Ciotkowski - 'THE NATIVITY' film, starring Martin Freeman.
Ellie Coldicutt - 'THE SOUND OF MUSIC', West End.
Cian Cheesborough - RSC production of Shakespeare's 'THE WINTER'S TALE'.
Alexander Morris has just got into the National Youth Theatre.
Sam Edwards is currently attending the Silvia Young acadamy.
Connor Doyle - playing Michael in 'BILLY ELLIOT' in the West End
Gianni Cantone is one of Fagins boys in 'OLIVER' in the West End. His contract was recently extended!
Dan Ciotkowski and Helen Monks continue their roles in 'The Archers'.
Ellie Coldicutt - following her success on the West End stage in The Sound of Music - was offered a main role in a touring produciton of THE SECRET GARDEN. She is currently touring in Edinburgh and Toronto!
Connor Doyle continues to appear in various projects as an actor and also a television presenter!
