The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices 2012Evaluation

Old Vic New Voices The Old VicThe CutLondon SE1 8NB

www.oldvicnewvoices.com

The Old Vic is a landmark theatre in London. It has been the home of great productions for nearly 200 years, and continues to attract the very best creative talent. For us, great theatre is about great plays, great performances and great nights out from the moment you step through the door. As important to us as what goes on stage is our award-winning education, community and emerging talent programme, Old Vic New Voices (OVNV) which aims to support emerging talent, inspire young people and open up theatre to new and diverse audiences.

In 2009, OVNV formed a partnership with IdeasTap, a creative online network and funding body for emerging arts talent. There are currently over 70,000 registered members of this online network. Members can find information about events, interact with other users and apply for projects as well as advertise their shows, form collaborations and access a network of advice, inspiration and opportunities.

Over the four years of our partnership, IdeasTap and OVNV have created numerous bespoke, member-led projects – from TURNING YOU ON in 2009, a course offering promotional skills that culminated in a viral advert used to promote IdeasTap, through to COMING UP LATER in 2011, an incredible opportunity for six creative directors aged 21–30 to present three late-night events at The Old Vic Tunnels. The common objective of these projects was to empower young professionals whilst at the same time allowing them to learn from real life experiences.

The 24 Hour Play: Old Vic New Voices 2012 is the second year that IdeasTap are the solitary sponsor of OVNV’s flagship project – the nationwide search to find a company of 39 actors, writers, directors and producers aged between 18 and 30 to create six brand new short plays from scratch in just 24 hours.

BACKGROUND

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‘The highlight of our year … which continues to attract the most daring writers, producers, directors and actors, all eager to make their mark in a notoriously competitive industry’ Steve Winter, Director, Old Vic New Voices

‘I love the risk it takes … and the opportunity it provides for young people to showcase their talent’ Peter de Haan, Chairman, IdeasTap

The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices is the annual collaboration between Old Vic New Voices, The 24 Hour Company, based in New York, and (since 2011) IdeasTap to discover the next generation of theatrical talent in a grand theatrical experiment like no other. Now in its seventh year, the project’s outstanding alumni include Olivier Award-winning playwright Nick Payne (Constellations at Royal Court); director Michael Longhurst (If There is I Haven’t Found it Yet, Jake Gyllenhaal, Roundabout New York); producer Emma Brunjes (General Manager, Nimax Theatres); and actor Vanessa Kirby (BBC’s Great Expectations and film The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman).

From the playwrights’ first ideas, to casting, rehearsals, prop sourcing, the lighting design and sound effects: everything must be completed in one day, and be ready for performance to more than 1,000 VIPs and members of the public, on The Old Vic’s 193-year-old-stage. The opportunity to apply online via www.ideastap.com for the project began on Monday 6 August 2012 and closed on Friday 24 August. All applicants,

regardless of their discipline, were required to complete an online application form. Once closed OVNV staff began the mammoth task of selecting the final 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices Company.

By Friday 7 September a combination of external industry professionals and OVNV staff sifted through 552 application forms to choose 14 writers, 14 directors and 11 producers for the final stage of the selection process. The following week Steve Winter, Director of Old Vic New Voices and Project Manager, Shaka Bunsie, auditioned all 1,964 actors who applied to the project, and selected 332 to attend the second stage auditions. Joined by renowned theatre director, Charlotte Westenra, a group of 50 actors were selected to attend the final audition stage. The 89 shortlisted applicants were invited to a day-long audition workshop that culminated in a three-hour version of The 24 Hour Plays process. The final company of 39 of the very best young artists were selected and invited to a bonding day at the Theatre before taking part in The 24 Hours: Old Vic New Voices.

The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices

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‘A remarkable achievement in the time allowed …a great achievement for the theatre’Shelley Baxter, Fenton Arts Trust

‘…but golly, does it have the edge of excitement and spontaneity that so much more polished and considered theatre lacks’ Rupert Christiansen, Daily Telegraph

Contents

Aims 9Impact 18FactsandFigures 19Recommendations 21Summary 222012Programme 24Press 26

The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New VoicesA co-production with The 24 Hour Play Company

Supported by IdeasTap Presented by Old Vic New Voices

Director, Old Vic New Voices Steve WinterProject Manager Shaka BunsieAssistant Project Manager Roxanne Peak-Payne

Workshop created by Hannah Jenkins, Simon Pollard and Bryony RobertsOVNV Senior Manager Alexander FerrisOVNV Education Managers Hannah Jenkins and Bryony Roberts

Photography Alex Brenner, Richard Lakos and Fritz CurzonBrochure design Peter Collins

Aims

The programme had four clear aims:

1. To discover 39 emerging artists capable of producing six short plays in 24 hours for The Old Vic stage.

2. To provide all applicants with opportunities to learn and develop professionally.

3. To widen the diversity of applicants to The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices.

4. To streamline the application process of The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices.

1.Todiscover39emergingartistscapableofproducingsixshortplaysin24hoursforTheOldVicstage.

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The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices project requires the members of the final company to be creatively decisive and avoid procrastinating. It was essential to measure this attribute when selecting the final company, and in 2012 we introduced new elements to the application process of each discipline.

The actors participated in a workshop audition before progressing to the second stage of presenting a two-minute monologue to a panel of judges and, if successful, they were then invited to the final company auditions. The workshop audition required the actors to demonstrate their skill of investigating the text of a play with the aim of distilling the intention of a character to one key sentence from the text.

The application forms for directors and producers were amended to include questions to measure their practical approach as artists. Directors were asked to outline their approach when taking a play from the page to a performance in

the eight-hour time period they would have if selected. The producers were asked to articulate their understanding of the role of the producer in the theatre industry. We also added a question giving the directors an opportunity to demonstrate their opinion of new British playwriting – an important element of the project – whilst the producers were asked to suggest a potential project that would sit within the OVNV’s 2013 season of work, testing their understanding of OVNV and our approach to projects.

The actors, directors and producers who effectively demonstrated their suitability for the project in these preliminary stages of the application process were then invited to the final company auditions, which were a mini version of The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices process.

At the final stage, we assessed the capacity of the writers to deliver a short play under limited time conditions by giving them just two hours to create a five-minute play.

‘I was surprised to find the whole experience not one bit stressful or negative. It wasn’t hard, just hard work’ Director

‘Working with such a talented, like-minded, enthusiastic group of people … These people reminded me why I wanted to be in this profession’ Actor

2.Toprovideallapplicantswithopportunitiestolearnanddevelopprofessionally.

‘I’m sure we’ll spend the rest of our careers working with each other in a variety of combinations’ Writer

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The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices is highly-regarded in the theatre industry. The successful applicants are required to learn and utilise new skills, meet like-minded theatre artists, challenge their own creative processes and present the results at a world-famous venue with over 300 industry representatives in attendance. As a consequence of its reputation, the project attracts over 1,500 applicants each year, and in 2012 only 39 or 2% of applicants would be selected. We recognised the need to also add value to the experience of the 98% of applicants who would not be successful.

In 2012 we continued with the approach of previous years, seeing all of the actors applying to the project. However the preliminary audition became a workshop audition that lasted two hours with 100 actors in attendance. Over the six days and 15 sessions auditionees engaged in exercises designed to include the sharing of best and worst practices in peer groups; Q&A/open forums with the Director of OVNV; assessment of and reflection on an actor’s preparation process for auditions; and the technical skills required to perform on a large stage.

To provide a similar level of contact with all producer and director applicants the only available opportunity would be with the application form. The form included two key questions: the first required a subjective reflection on the function of their discipline in the industry, and the second developed their individual creative identity.

Providing the same scenario for all of the writer applicants was a greater challenge. We decided to place a 500-word limit on the play extract submitted with their application form and required them to provide not one but two references. The word limit encouraged the writers to approach their work objectively to ensure the extract provided character and story exposition yet still demonstrated their writing style. Having to provide two professional referees familiar with their work ensured all applicants had been making their work public to the industry, a situation that usually results in feedback and the process of editing their work.

‘The best 24 hours of my life’ Director

‘It was clear in hindsight that the more we worked as a team; the more we would stand out’ Producer

In 2011 only 37% of applicants to the project were located outside Greater London and it was agreed in 2012 this number should be closer to 50%. Furthermore we wanted to increase the diversity of the applicants to the project, specifically in terms of age and ethnicity. For 2012 we increased the upper age limit of applicants from 25 to 30 years of age. This was a direct result of feedback through our evaluation processes which had strongly indicated that 25- to 30-year olds were underserved with opportunities. It also matched the upper age range of the IdeasTap membership and that of OVNV Talent in the US.

The campaign to announce the launch of the project included the arts organisations and industry databases of OVNV and IdeasTap; the 70,000+ www.ideastap.com membership; a national PR campaign supported by Mobius Industries; discipline and age specific social media advertising; and visibility at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2012. All this succeeded in increasing the diversity of applicants for 2012.

The 25–30 years of age group represented 36% of all applicants to the project. Some 41% of all applicants were located outside the Greater London area and 21% were from non-white British backgrounds.

3.TowidenthediversityofapplicantstoThe24HourPlays:OldVicNewVoices.

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‘It’s always hard to know where to place yourself amidst other emerging UK professionals, especially coming from outside London’ Producer

‘Such a multiplicity of theatre talent at work!’ Michael Gaunt, Guildford Academic Association

‘I absolutely loved being part of The 24 Hour Plays – I’m really grateful for the opportunity and chuffed to be part of the family’ Actor

‘It was the most amazing experience of my career! And I cannot thank you enough for opening it to us oldies!’ Actor

4.TostreamlinetheapplicationprocessofThe24HourPlays:OldVicNewVoices.

OVNV expected a 25% increase in the number of applications to the project as a result of raising the upper age limit from 25 to 30. To deal with this, we decided to simplify the application process.

In previous years the applicants downloaded the form via www.ideastap.com and then uploaded their completed form back onto the website. The main drawback of this process was the need to manually administer 15% of applications due to software compatibility issues with a downloaded application form.

The solution was to provide an application process that would not require applicants to download and then upload the form; instead the form was located and completed within the website.

To achieve this, however, it was necessary to use a third-party online form building website (www.wufoo.com). Conversely this solution also provided us with the opportunity to streamline the administration process when selecting and communicating with the 2,516 application forms submitted to The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices. We were able to automatically create discipline specific databases and then organise the information from each database into a format that matched the unique requirements of the project. This meant that OVNV was able to sift all submissions in four days; in 2011, when we had 1,717 applicants, the same process took three weeks.

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‘All information is transparent online’ Director

‘The new application form was so much shorter and easier to fill in … I think it is great that everyone who applies is auditioned’ Actor

‘Very clearly laid out at every stage; the testimonials on IdeasTap from previous years helped illustrate the process’ Producer

The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices project is a valuable opportunity for company members to progress professionally within the industry. This means ensuring that key figures from the top talent agencies, casting houses, theatres and broadcasting companies are in attendance. The audience of over 1,000 at The Old Vic on Sunday 28 October 2012 included representatives from:

Theatres: Almeida, Arcola, BushTheatre, NationalTheatre, RoyalCourt, SalisburyPlayhouse, SohoTheatre, Shakespeare’sGlobe, Theatre503, TheatreRoyal(BuryStEdmunds) and TheatreRoyalStratfordEast.Theatre companies: Complicite, HighTide, OutofJoint, PainesPlough and SeabrightProductions.Top Talent Agencies: Avalon, BerlinAssociates, ConwayVanGelderGrant, CurtisBrown, HamiltonHodell, IdentityAgencyGroup, KenMcReddie, MBALiteraryAgency, PhilippaHowellPersonalManagement and UnitedAgents.

Due to the support from the industry in attendance on the night, the fall of the curtain represented the end of one journey and the start of another one for the final company. To date members of the final company that have gone on to professional work include:− Fiona Skinner (actor), Our Girl (BBC)− Lewis Hart (actor), Twelfth

Night and The Taming of the Shrew (Propeller Theatre)

− Haseeb Malik (actor), Pop Up Panto (Old Vic New Voices)

− Jon Barton (writer) full-length play shortlisted for HighTide Festival 2013

− Julia McShane (director), The Story Project 4: Terror, Tears and TwentyTwelve (Arcola and Theatre503)

IMPACT

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Engaged:− 2516 emerging artists aged 18–30 18–21: 17% 21–25: 45%

25–30: 38%

61% Female 39% Male− 21% of applicants from non-white British background− 41% of applicants from areas outside Greater London− 88% first time applying to the project− 66 producers− 293 writers− 193 directors− 1,000+ invited audience members− 1,964 actors− 40,453 views of the six project pages on www.ideastap.com

Havedelivered− 6 new plays written, directed, produced and performed within a 24-hour period− 6 directors to the OVNV Talent programme− 6 writers to the OVNV Talent programme − 6 producers to the OVNV Talent programme− 21 actors to the OVNV Talent programme− Access to The Old Vic Stage for 39 emerging artists − Over 96 hours of project activity

FACTS & FIGURES

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‘The whole evening was absolutely brilliant and the talent never ceases to amaze. I cannot think of a better opportunity for the next generation of writers, actors, producers and directors’ Henry Freeland, The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust

‘It gave me confidence that I was at the right level’ Director

‘I feel privileged to work with these people now as I fully expect them to be the influential practitioners of the future’ Actor

Recommendations

Areas to consider in future manifestations of the project

FurtherincreasethenumberofapplicantstotheprojectIn 2012 we received 2,516 applicant submissions to the project; however, with advancements in the functionality of online application form software the sifting process was completed in only four days. In 2011 it took three weeks to process 1,717 applications.

This development in the administrative capacity of OVNV demonstrates the potential of being able to deal with the 10,000+ artists that annually graduate from theatre education organisations in the UK – to whom the project will continue to be attractive.

Whilst this is an exciting prospect, additional elements of the project would also need to be reassessed, most significantly: a longer application period; the size of the team involved in the selection process; and how to continue to provide an opportunity to learn and develop professionally for the unsuccessful applicants.

Increasetheoverallaudienceoftheevent The amount of work undertaken by the final company to present the final selection of plays, compared to the number of people actually able to see the final result, has always felt unbalanced. In the seven years of the project the final event

has always been sold out, even with the auditorium of The Old Vic seating 1,100. This being the case, OVNV could tap into a fuller audience potential by including an online broadcast of the final event. A possible scenario would be to record the event and upload the film online the next day. This film could be edited to include the writing and rehearsal process of the company over the 24-hour period. The final video could then be available to view for a nominal charge or based on a specific requirement (eg having previously attended an OVNV event).

Theprojectcouldbenefitfromahiatusuntil2014 The recommendations above illustrate the potential for this fantastic project to grow in the number of applicants and the scale of the final event. To ensure the developments are implemented seamlessly and without a negative effect on either OVNV or potential applicants, it would be necessary to reformat essential elements of the project.

The additional benefit of a hiatus for the project would be to allow the pool of emerging artists who have not previously applied to the project to increase. This is comparable to the fallow field process used in agriculture – taking a pause to allow a field to intensify in fertility.

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Summary

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The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices has developed into a recognised experience of significance for emerging actors, directors, writers and producers. The project demands the members of the final company constantly to reassess and hone their creative techniques and skills by journeying through a rigorous selection procedure, an intense preparation process and the adrenaline-charged final presentation. The experience provides a personal understanding of their talent and develops each participant’s perception of what is required to succeed in the industry.

In 2012 OVNV acknowledged the value of the personal artistic journey of the final company members and developed the selection process to provide all applicants to the project with a similar experience. Furthermore, by increasing the upper age limit of applicants, we also expanded the number of emerging theatre practitioners who could experience this journey.

The use of an online application process continues to generate an increase in the diversity and total number of applicants. However the revelation of this year’s online application process was the capacity to process over 2,500 applications in four days – nearly six times faster despite an increase of some 46% of applications,

compared to 2011. This provides a practical demonstration of the ability of OVNV to accommodate more applications from the 10,000+ artists that annually graduate from theatre education organisations, as the popularity of the project increases over the coming years.

OVNV believe that the way forward for young artists entering the industry is to proactively create work by networking with artists from their peer group. This philosophy is embedded in the entire process of the project; when the participants take their final bow in front of the audience, the togetherness and mutual ownership of the work created can be the starting place of many collaborations, potentially funded by IdeasTap who continue to provide up to £30,000 directly to artistic projects.

Over seven years The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices has become trusted within the industry as one of the main places to source new talent and OVNV are proud to be able to provide this platform to the committed and talented. Our main aim, however, will continue to be the creation of a community based on artistic collaborations between emerging theatre practitioners.

‘The opportunity to rehearse, collaborate, direct, tech and showcase a play all at The Old Vic is a memory I won’t ever forget and an experience I really hope to achieve again’ Director

‘It is a really brilliant project which I hope will keep going for a long time. I’ve made great professional contacts and great friends’ Producer

‘Working with other artists at the top of their game. You really couldn’t ask for more’ Writer

The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices 2012 Programme

Playwright ChrisUrchDirector HannahBanisterProducer ArenDevlin

Actors VickiLeeTaylor PatrickWarner RachelWilcock

Trapp

Playwright SophiePetzalDirector DanielRaggettProducer GeorgeCook

Actors MichaelCusick ToriHart MollyLogan BenSewell

Activate

Playwright CatJonesDirector AmandaGaughanProducer VanessaQuiney

Actors JamesBaxter StephenMyott-Meadows SianPolhill-Thomas

The Natives

Playwright ZoeCooperDirector MarkMaughanProducer JasonMills

Actors TheaBeyleveld LewisHart ChloeMassey HaseebMalik

Longshore Drift

Playwright JonBartonDirector RichardFitchProducer HayleyCraven

Actors RobCarter JamesCooney JonathanMilshaw FionaSkinner

Cinderland

Playwright DavidByrneDirector JuliaMcShaneProducer StuartCampbell

Actors EddieEyre Anna-MariaNabirye HazWebb

Friends with Benefits

The TelegraphFeature Extract by Rupert Christiansen…from more than 2,000 applications, 21 young professional actors, six writers, six directors and six producers between the ages of 18 and 30 assemble….

What emerges may be a seat-of-your-pants, diamond-in-the-rough affair that relies as much on improvisation as it does on preparation, but golly, does it have the edge of excitement and spontaneity that so much more polished and considered theatre lacks.

“It’s a fantastic means of celebrating up-and-coming young practitioners and give them a truly testing and enlarging experience,” Winter told me. “Everyone who participates is on a low rung of the professional ladder, but if you’ve got the nerve and the guts, it can be a game-changer.”

A Younger TheatreFeature Extract by Becky Brewis What shines through is what a supportive network OVNV’s 24 Hour Plays really is. It is a community with a wide reach, bringing industry representatives and creative practitioners from different fields together to form professional relationships that will develop over years to come.

I ask Winter what he would like the legacy of the project to be: “a place you make amazing networking opportunities that will propel you forward, both in terms of who you meet in the wider industry but more importantly your peer group.”

Indeed, as director Stambollouian says, “In this competitive and often quite isolating profession it’s comforting to be part of a huge network of actors, writers, producers and fellow directors. The OVNV family as it were.”

Press