On 17th April at 4pm, Playbox Theatre will launch Chatterbox, the first in an ongoing series of online interviews with renowned performers and artists from across the world. Hosted via ZOOM Webinar, 100 participants, predominantly members of Playbox Theatre, will be able to take part in the interviews via a live Q&A with the panellists.
The interviews will also be streamed live via YouTube.
- 17th April, 16.00 – Juliet Stevenson
- 24th April, 16.00 – Paapa Essiedu
- 1st May, 16.00 – Niamh Walsh
The fourth week will be a special “Theatre Week” talking to actors who were performing when Coronavirus hit:
- 6th May, 16.00 – Lucy Phelps (on tour with the RSC)
- 7th May, 16.00 – Nasia Thomas (in rehearsals for Caroline or Change on Broadway)
- 8th May, 16.00 – Charlie Russell & Dave Hearn (founding members of Mischief Theatre)
Future guests to be announced.
As well as allowing young people the opportunity to engage with the wider arts community during this period of isolation, viewers will be able to donate to Playbox Theatre to support the work they do and to help them through this period of financial instability.
The interviews will be hosted by Playbox Associate Artist, Alumni and actor Calum Finlay. He said: “Playbox Theatre was, and continues to be, an incredible resource for young people who have an interest in the arts – whether you want to act, work backstage, make films or join the circus, Playbox has a workshop that can help you explore those ambitions. The training I received nearly 15 years ago was fundamental in me achieving a place at LAMDA and continuing to work as an actor. I hope these interviews will inspire young people in isolation as well as introduce the fantastic work Playbox does to a wider audience.”
The companies Artistic Director, Emily Quash, added: “It is incredibly important to all of us at Playbox Theatre that our young people stay creatively charged, engaged and feel able to develop their skills and knowledge during this unusual time. We’re inspired by the explosion of positive interaction that we’re seeing amongst our own community, and the wider world, in terms of ‘virtual’ interaction, as this shared experience is undertaken. As a young people’s theatre, our members are perfectly placed and fully energised to seize the opportunities that are arising from the current crisis. We are excited at the potential these new, online interviews have to inspire and inform, not only our own membership, but also the wider community experiencing isolation. What a fantastic opportunity to share such immediate contact with artists with a wealth of exciting experience. We can’t wait!”
All details of how to participate in Chatterbox will be published weekly on Playbox’s Twitter account or you’ll be able to register via: https://www.playboxtheatre.com/chatterbox. The live stream will be hosted via YouTube on Playbox’s channel.
