Vibrant pub theatre launches new talent

A display from TOR’s launch event, held in June. The team would love budding actors and directors to get in touch with any scripts they have written.

Cardiff’s very first pub theatre looks set to launch the careers of talented thespians.

The Other Room (TOR), in partnership with Porter’s bar, will be turning the latter’s cinema room into a professional theatre space.

Determined to showcase the best Welsh talent, TOR will be producing exciting new work whilst reviving modern texts from the last 50 years.

Script writers can pitch TOR ideas, while the company’s open auditions will discover fresh acting talent.

Assistant director, Chelsey Gillard, 23, said, “Nowhere else in Cardiff does this on a regular basis; we really want to give people a chance to show us their skills.

“So many people train in Cardiff and then run off to London. We want to be another reason to keep the best talent in Wales.”

Sparkling with success: TOR’s founders, artistic director, Kate Wasserberg and executive director, Elizabeth ‘Bizzy’ Day, are pictured with Dan Porter and David Wilson, the owners of Porter’s.

Events

TOR’s debut show is in February, and they will soon be having a new image and website launch. Thespians and theatre goers should also keep their eyes open around 5 January when TOR will be announcing their first season.

Vision

Artistic director, Kate Wasserberg, is keen for TOR to be the place where young directors in Wales get their first show. Chelsey going to be assistant director for two shows in the first season and will hopefully be putting on her own show in the space the year after.

TOR want to keep expanding their network of actors, directors, writers, and designers to ensure their work is always cutting edge and vibrant.

Chelsey said, “Although there are only a few of us, we will also be seeing as much theatre as possible, so if you’ve got something you would like us to see, for example, a play or a rehearsed reading of your latest script, then please get in touch.

“We want to be the most exciting venue in Cardiff, where anyone feels like they can see a great piece of theatre and then have a pint.

“We have also committed to paying all actors Equity minimum which is rarer than you would think. We will also never have an all white season and will actively be promoting female creatives.”

Structure

TOR’s year is split into 2 seasons: spring/summer and autumn/winter. Each season will have four shows, each of which will run for three weeks. There will be eight shows a year, as well as a student drama festival, whilst they hand the venue over for the Cardiff comedy festival in July.

They will also spend August doing a development lab called The Kitchen where they will experiment with new concepts and invite exciting young artists to come and play with ideas.

Meanwhile, the drama produced by talented new actors and directors will be script-based work. Every year at least one show will be a new piece written by a Welsh or Wales based writer. This year their autumn/winter season will be curated, meaning they have invited four exciting young theatre companies to make work specifically for the space.

Currently the open auditions are only open to those with professional training or those with at least one professional acting credit.

http://www.otherroomtheatre.com/