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Oxford Playhouse

Address

Capacity

Slots per term

Technical director

Beaumont Street, OX1 2LW

630

2 in Michaelmas and Hilary, 1 in Trinity

Ashley Bale

Schedule

Bids: To be submitted two terms before the intended run

Programming: The company may express a preference of programming weeks, but will be offered whichever week the venue thinks suitable

Get in: Sunday of show week

Tech & Dress: Monday-Tuesday, Wednesday if necessary

Performances: Wednesday-Saturday with matinees on Thursday and Saturday

Get out: Immediately following final performance

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Good for:

  • Experienced crews looking to create high-quality shows with the help of the professional in-house team

  • Set construction

  • Classic shows with a wide-appeal to the general public

  • Shows with large casts or complex design requirements

  • Assistants looking to learn from more experienced designers

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Technical

The Playhouse is a professional producing theatre equipped with everything a designer might need to create a large-scale high-quality show. Please see the tech spec the full inventory of in-house equipment, which may be hired from the venue for a fee. Many productions will supplement this stock with external hires, following consultation with venue staff.

Designing for the Playhouse is an amazing opportunity, but requires months of careful planning and should not be taken on lightly. The in-house team are available to help you throughout the process, but expect a reasonable degree of prior experience from students.

For specific queries regarding lighting and sound get in touch with Will Hayman (Chief Electrician).

Set & Stage

The empty stage is 9.26x16.43m and is raised from the auditorium and fronted by a proscenium arch. Companies may choose to have a stage extension, forestage, or orchestra pit but will need to remove several rows of seating.

The Playhouse is exceptional in offering the opportunity for student set designers to construct sets from scratch over an intensive two week period in the workshop. The venue staff will be able to advise on construction, structure, and to help order materials, but will expect the designer and/or production manager to be able to produce accurate plans, scale drawings, a scale model,  to have carefully considered how to make the set both practical and safe, and to have planned how the set will be dressed and decorated.

For more information, contact James Thearle (Technical Stage Manager)

Facilities & Access

Stage Door is staffed at any time the company may need access to the building. Dressing rooms across 3 floors can accommodate up to 31 people. Audio show relay may be played throughout the backstage area and backstage calls may be made from stage door or the DSM desk. There are toilets on every floor and a green room in the basement.

Deliveries should be received via stage door. Both the workshop and the stage can be accessed from the car park by dock doors. This is a level access venue.

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