Directory: PERFORMING ARTS

 
     _{THEATRE PRODUCTION:}

::  Stoke-on-Trent Repertory Theatre Company - Stoke's long-established company, putting on everything from Shakespeare to light comedy. Based near Stoke rail station.

::  Reveal Theatre is a professional company producing live theatre in Stoke-on-Trent and the wider Midlands, as well as in London & Edinburgh. Established in 1997 by Robert Marsden, Reveal is based in Stone. Recent productions include Godber's Teechers, Poliakoff's Hitting Town and Cartwright's Two. Reveal's aim is to employ Midlands-based creatives.

::  The Porthill Players.

::  The Newcastle Players.

::  Daneside Theatre - based in Congleton.

::  Keele University Drama Society.

::  The Chesterton Players.

::  Stoke Youth Musical Theatre Company.

::  Centre Stage Theatre Group - based in Leek.

::  Stone Little Theatre - a long established theatre company based in Stone.

::  Congleton Community Theatre - a 300-seat venue in Congleton, home to a variety of troupes.

::  Day-Star Theatre - a small professional company that tours canals and works in education.

::  Stone Revellers - performing musicals, pantomimes, drama, variety and comedy in Stone since 1978.

 Mow Cop Players. Specialises in comedy, farce, pantomime and the occassional musical. Has Junior, Youth and Adult troupes. Meets at Milton Youth & Adult Centre on Tues & Thurs, from 7.15pm - 10pm.

 Potteries Theatre Company.

::  Staffordshire AmDram - publicising and promoting local amateur theatre societies and groups.

::  Midlands Theatre Preview - a comprehensive list of forthcoming shows and auditions in the region.

     _{THEATRE PRODUCTION: Opera & musicals}

::  North Staffordshire Operatic Society.

::  Congleton Operatic Society.

::  Clonter Opera Theatre - the famous 400-seat opera venue, eleven miles from Stoke, in the countryside near Congleton. Their musical director is Anthony Legge, director of opera at the Royal Academy of Music.

 Five Towns Theatre.  Based in Stoke.

     _{THEATRE PRODUCTION: Youth}

::  Stoke-on-Trent Repertory Theatre Company has a thriving Young Rep section.

::  GEMS Youth Theatre Company - based in Stone. This company of 8 to 18 year-olds stages musicals three times a year; either touring to theatres, or at their own Rooftop Studios theatre in Stone. GEMS welcome new members, and entry is via a short audition. (Creative Stoke has a photo-gallery of their performance of Dazzle.)

::  The Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent started its own Youth Theatre and dance groups in Summer 2003.

::  K.Dee.K. Danceworks - offering dance classes children.

::  Stagecoach Theatre Arts: Congeleton.

 New People's Theatre - a drama society for the over 10's which puts on full-length plays. Meets in Burslem.

 Burslem Stars - a youth drama-school offering stage skills & professional tutors; fees payable termly. Meets in Burslem on Saturday at 10.00am.

 Burslem Summer School - a major summer-school youth theatre workshop which brings top-quality professional directors to work with young people in Burslem, Stoke.

 Mow Cop Players have Junior & Youth troupes.

     _{THEATRE: commercial venues}

::  New Victoria Theatre, Newcastle-under Lyme. The New Vic also offers practical drama workshops for adults. Also has: a small art gallery; regular crafts fairs held in association with the North Staffordshire Guild of Craftsmen; and New Vic Borderlines, their strong community-arts programme of workshops and touring performance.

::  Regent Theatre & Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent. The Victoria Hall reportedly has... "the second-best acoustics in the country". The Regent regularly welcomes opera and productions from Glyndebourne. The Regent also has: a Dance Artist in Residence; public workshops; events for schools, and school-holiday creative activities.

::  Mitchell Memorial Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent.

::  Stoke-on-Trent Repertory Theatre. Purpose-build modern theatre, in Stoke.

::  Clonter Opera Theatre - the famous 400-seat opera venue, eleven miles from Stoke, in the countryside near Congleton. Their musical director is Anthony Legge, director of opera at the Royal Academy of Music.

::  The Queen's Theatre, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. This Grade II listed building is the only purpose-built theatre for a 40-mile radius. Re-opened after a comprehensive refurbishment in 2004, with a production of Cinderella. As well as theatre the new private owners stage mid-range concerts (The Levellers in Nov 2004), and a commercial daytime nursery/creche.

  Parkside Theatre, Leek.

::  The Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire Theatres Trust.

     _{PERFORMING: Carnival production}

::  b arts (aka Beaver Arts) - an artist-led combined-arts company based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, with extensive experience of production for carnival performance.

::  The Cultural Sisters - experts in carnival crafts & related workshops.

(For comprehensive links to local Festivals & Carnivals, see the foot of our Events page)

     _{PERFORMING: stand-up comedy / performance poetry}

::  The Trent Vale Poet.

     _{PERFORMING: Circus & puppetry, children's entertainment}

::  World of Puppets are a local puppet theatre company, producing shows for schools and clubs. Their scripts are all written by the company, they make all the puppets themselves.

::  Penguins Puppets.

::  Funtastic Entertainments.

 Dragon Community Circus - based in Stoke-on-Trent.

 Clough Hall School Circus Club - based in Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent.

     _{PERFORMING: magicians & illusionists}

::  Van Buren - highly accomplished illusionist, magician, juggler - and television's plate-spinning expert!

     _{DANCE: Modern}

::  Staffordshire Dance Collective

::  FRONTLINEdance - six-member dance company which runs education projects bringing together disabled and non-disabled dancers. Based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent.

::  The Rhythm Factory is a new commercial dance-school offering dance lessons in the latest styles, as well as and professional choreography. Based in Stoke-on-Trent.

::  Jive, Swing and Blues in North Staffordshire and Cheshire. "The leading organiser of 'A-List' Modern Jive Workshops."

::  Alsager Arts Centre - probably the best local venue to see touring modern dance.

::  Stagecoach Theatre Arts: Congeleton.

::  Shaftesbury Dance - based at Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent.

::  K.Dee.K. Danceworks - offering classes for adults and children.

::  IDTA Dance Schools in Staffordshire.

::  Fusion Performance Arts offers weekly training in singing, dance and drama skills at ages 5 to 15 years, each week in Stoke on Trent, including training for Trinity Guildhall / LAMDA examinations.

 Ziggy Youth Dance. Based in Trentham, this group for 11-25 year-olds has performed all over the world.

 Staffordshire Youth Ballet.

See also: Cheshire Dance.

     _{DANCE: Folk}

::  Black Dog Molly Dancers - the main traditional folk dance group in North Staffordshire.

::  Shannon Irish Dancers - an acclaimed troupe of traditional Irish dancers, whose members hail from Kidsgrove and South Cheshire.

::   Focus Pocus a folk dance duo based in Hanford, Stoke-on-Trent.

::  Abbots Bromley Horn Dancers.

 Six Towns Morris. Traditional folk dancers.

 Blythe Bridge Folk Dance Club.

 Stoke-on-Trent Pagans - they meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the month in Burslem, Stoke.

  Hindu Cultural Centre - based at The Dudson Centre, Hanley. They sometimes put on evenings of traditional Hindu music & dance.

 Stoke Irish Club - at the Sacred Heart Centre, off Regent Road, Hanley - organises regular Irish dancing events.

     _{DANCE: Ballroom}

 Litchfield's Ballroom.  Based in Longton, Stoke. "Competitive coaching for beginners to international championship standard. Social dance classes in Ballroom, Latin, Sequence & Freestyle."

     _{LIVE ROLE-PLAY & EDUCATIONAL RE-ENACTMENT}

::  The Viking Experience - based in Stoke-on-Trent.

::  Omega Live Role Playing - 400-member group based in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

     _{LIGHTING & SOUND}

::  Living Design - sound & acoustics design. Based in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.

::  Slick Systems - based in Leek. Modular stage systems for exhibitions and events. Also rigging & lighting.

     _{COSTUMING, MAKE-UP & FX}

::  Charlie Crow - specialising in costumes for younger children. Winner of a government-backed e-commerce award in 2002. Based in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent.

(See also: Creative Stoke's Fashion page)

     _CASTING

::  Circuit Personal Management - an actor's co-operative agency based in Stoke-on-Trent

::  Alive Entertainment Network - entertainment agency based in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

     _{SCRIPTWRITING}

::  Federation of Worker Writers & Community Publishers - based in Burslem School of Art, Stoke-on-Trent. Although not providing scriptwriting services, they should be able to point working-class writers to suitable organisations or local groups.

::  The University of Keele's Dept. of Continuing & Professional Education runs short courses in 'Scriptwriting for Stage, Screen and Radio'.

     _{VOICE COACHING}

::  Sally Rivers, a highly experienced vocal and singing coach, based in Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent.

     _{COURSES & SUPPORT}

::  Staffordshire County Council: Performing Arts.