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First Act Workshops develops the confidence and acting talent of young people (between 8 and early twenties) in the West Midlands by taking them through specialised television, radio and theatre courses and general acting training. It holds weekly term-time sessions for experienced young actors and also offers sessions for those with little experience who are looking to expand their knowledge and improve their talents. If you would like a free taster session, please get in touch via our CONTACT page. Below is a list of all our casting and auditions information. To see what the Workshoppers get up to in the sessions please see the Diary page. Join us on Facebook:
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CURRENT NEWS
TERM 6
Sam Young has won a role in the film NATIVITY 2 after he and various other members audiitoned in August. And four members have a recall audition for roles in BBC 2's Line of Duty.
Workshoppers in all five groups are working towards either a Silent Movie or Comedy Sketch Show project, to be screened at a cinema in Birmingham towards the end o the year.
THE HISTORICAL WEEKEND
Sammie Fletcher and Jon Kissun are featuring in a project written by Gwen Williams on October 8th. KNOWING OUR PLACE is part play and part tour of Aston Hall. Also, eight Workshoppers are taking part in another play written by Gwen Williams called 'BUILDING A CITY, FINDING A VOICE'. The play is about Birmingham through the ages and is directed by Workshop member Anna Piper. You can see this play at the MAC (Midlands Arts Centre) on October 9th. Tickets are £6 / £4 and can be bought directly from the Midlands Arts Centre or from their telephone box office – 0121 446 3232 or from the website at this link. http://www.macarts.co.uk/event/building-a-city-finding-a-voice |
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TERM 5
First Act Workshops was involved in the short film ‘The Present’ which won The Bridport Film Festival on April 17th.
The film was made by Isis Drama, a department within production company Isis Media, and was produced by Ben Robinson. Adapted and directed by First Act Workshops’ Ross Berkeley Simpson, the film is based on a short story by writer Manda Rigby.
It stars workshop helper Andrea Wilson, current workshoppers Anna Redman and Harry Robinson, former workshoppers Gem Durham, Lee Williams and Matthew Hickinbottom, and former workshopper and leader of Dramaworkshop in Stourbridge - Esther Stanford.
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After a large audition, various Workshoppers were cast in main and supporting roles in the BBC 2 drama Line of Duty. Jordyn-Eve Davis Green and Gregory Piper - from Drama Workshop - got their main roles through their connection with First Act Workshops.
15 Workshoppers auditioned last week for the sequel to the hugely popular film NATIVITY. NATIVITY 2 will this time star David Tennent.
KISSING IT BETTER is a campaign being run by Jill Fraser to improve care in hospitals. First Act Workshops is proud to have been involved with this project. In July, five Workshoppers went to Walsall Manor Hospital to read poetry to patients. The reaction was overwhelming and we hope to repeat the readings very soon. Please follow this link for more details about this popular campaign: http://www.kissingitbetter.co.uk/
Megan Oxtoby and Florence Kinder are soon to be appearing in BBC's Doctors.
Tom Reeves, Jordan Doyle and Glen Facey spent a few days on BBC's Landgirls.
Jett and Amber Yip - and their mom Suki! - appeared in a promotional advert for FABA - a comedy sitcom written and directed by Workshop leader Ross Berkeley Simpson. Isis Media are taking on the project in the hope of it being signed to a major channel.
Some workshoppers took part in an advert for ASDA.
Jon Kissun won the role of The Duck in an advert for Star City.
Many Workshoppers were cast in an advert for UK Athletics. Made by Junction Media, this Flash Mob style advert is available to view here: http://vimeo.com/27006216
Former Workshopper (and now Workshop leader) Esther Stanford was cast in Alex Kelly's film The Happy Wanderer and Matthew Hickinbottom's 'Nuclear Family' through First Act Workshops.
Director and writer Leah Murray has been in touch and wishes to audition Workshoppers for roles in her short film 'MILKY'.
TERM 4
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In our first casting of the new year, Tia Campbell will play Young Yolanda in the Channel Four film 'HOOKED' - playing the daughter of 'BAND OF GOLD' star Cathy Tyson. (Another member was also nearly offered a role in this film but sadly the role itself was cut from the script in a re-write). |
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Anna Redman and Harry Robinson appear briefly in The Present - a short film written by Manda Rigby and made by Isis Drama (which represents the coming together of Isis Media and First Act workshops). This film won the Bridport Film Festival on April 17th. |
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Ryan Walker continues his run of film roles with a casting in Neil Reidman's short film 'WOUNDED'. Ryan plays the role of 'Danger'. Director, writer and actor Neil Reidman was one of the first ever members of The Television Workshop's Birmingham Branch. |
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We recently completed out first short film BOTTLE with the help of ISIS MEDIA. This starred members from each of the three groups: Rosie Barnes, Lucy Shaughnessy, Harry Robinson, Dan Ciotkowski, Edd Paul, Sammie Fletcher, Sophie Samuda and Sydney Evans. It is the story of a troubled friendship between two young girls - and their problems come to a head at a Halloween sleepover! We are very proud of 'Bottle' and we are entering the film into national and international short film festivals. |
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TERM 3
Various workshoppers appeared in television programmes made for TEACHERS TV by TELEVISION JUNCTION. Please click the links below if you would like to watch the programmes.
http://www.teachers.tv/series/primary-lesson-starts
http://www.teachers.tv/videos/teenage-pregnancy
http://www.teachers.tv/videos/managing-money-buying-a-car
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20 members auditioned for BBC's daytime soap 'Doctors'. This term Dan Jones featured as a very agressive character - he got to show off his martial arts training!
Dan Jones also appeared in an episode of BBC's Hustle. (Kyle Bell appeared in a separate episode).
Harriet Poole appeared in 'Toast' - the BBC film about TV chef Nigel Slater, which starred Helena Bonham Carter.
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Also appearing in 'Toast' was former Birmingham Television Workshopper Kia Pegg. Kia moved to the Nottingham Television Workshop when the Birmingham branch went dark. This casting was made possible by the friendship that exists between First Act Workshops and The Television Workshop in Nottingham. Kia - and other stars of 'Toast' - came to First Act Workshops in Birmingham for their audition. Kia has also been cast in the new HORRID HENRY movie.
Ryan Walker Wilkes and Connie Smith were cast in the lead roles in Ryan Venara's short film '50' - about a scary situation that develops on the number 50 bus in Birmingham. Kyle Bell won a supporting role.
TERM 2
Harriet Poole and Kia Pegg were cast in the upcoming BBC film 'TOAST' - the film of the life of TV chef Nigel Slater. (Kia Pegg is a member of The Television Workshop in Nottingham but the friendship between the two groups made this casting possible).
Dan Jones, 'DOCTORS', BBC (a role where Dan got to use his martial arts and stage fighting expertise!)
Kyle Smith and Shireenah Ingram starred in the 'LESSON ON A PLATE' series for the BAFTA winning Television Junction, which will be shown on television and the Teachers TV website.
Taylor Yate, Oliver Mardenbrough, Hannah and Ella Ciotkowski and James Osbourne took part in the Black Country sitcom 'BLACK BY DAY' for Post Office Studios films. This episode was filmed at the Black Country Living Museum and starred Big Brother contestant and ITV This Morning presenter Alison Hammond.
Hannah Ciotkowski was cast in the main role of the short film 'STEPMOTHER', directed by Nick Fogg, for Virgin Media Shorts.
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Tom Reeves, Nick Wood, Lexia Tomlinson, Dewi Johnson, Abigail Timms, Ellie Sofroniou, Ethan Hudson, Dan Jones, Maya Juchtman, Anna Himali Howard, and Chloe Tomalin all starred in a programme about 'YOUNG PEOPLE AND RELATIONSHIPS' for The Television Junction, directed by Rowena Lyon and Yvonne Davies.
John Maidens, the writer and director of the short film 'CATERPILLAR' (which won a Royal Television Society award and featured workshopper Harry Konstantis) has called to say he will be soon coming in to see the Workshop to talk about his upcoming feature film.
TERM 1
Cian Cheesbrough: A commercial for Clusta LTD. Click on the link to watch the commercial: http://vimeo.com/10771324
Lucy Morris played ‘Phoebe’ in The Archers
Jonaro Robinson was cast for one episode of Doctors.
Hannah Ciotkowski: Featured role in Doctors: |
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| Ella Ciotkowski on the set of Doctors: | Dan and Cian in The Archers green room: |
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Recent Auditions:
Daniel Rose has been auditioning for the role of Helius in the feature film Clash of the Titans II.
Sophie and Serena Gill auditioned for the HORRID HENRY movie.
Jordan, Edd and Nick auditioned for the role of Peter Pan in new tv series NEVERLAND. The casting directer was Hubbard Casting.
A large amount of Workshoppers auditioned for '50' - a short film by Ryan Venara.
Glen, Jordan and Edd went to London to auditoin for DREAMWORKS film 'WARHORSE' - rumoured to be directed by Stephen Speilberg.
Ten workshoppers auditioned for the RSC production of MATILDA. Jamie Carter was recalled.
Many Workshoppers have auditioned for casting director Kerrie Mailley for new CBBC drama SADIE JONES. Ellie Coldicutt has been recalled numerous times, and three boys - Jordan Doyle, Edd Paul and Glen Facey - recently went to London for a casting for an older character in this project. We await news of final castings.
The Television Junction recently auditioned the Thursday Group for someone to read from 'Charlotte's Web' in one of their television programmes. We await news of who won the role.
The Thursday group auditioned for Alex Kelly’s short film ‘The Happy Wanderer’. Three members have been recalled.
35 Workshoppers auditioned for Casting Director Rachel Freck for new BBC Film 'TOAST' from the writer of Billy Elliot. 10 Workshoppers have been recalled!
5 boys auditioned for Casting Director Jina Jay for an as-yet unnamed DREAMWORKS movie. We await news of recalls.
Various Workshoppers auditioned via telephone to be the singing voices on new children's TV programme SMALL POTATOES by Little Airplane productions. Gianni Cantone and Dion Griffiths have a recall coming up soon.
Successes Outside of Workshop:
Ellie Coldicutt - following her success on the West End stage in The Sound of Music - was offered a main role in a touring produciton of THE SECRET GARDEN. She is currently touring in Edinburgh and Toronto!
http://www.thekingsleyschool.com/News/Details.aspx?f=Kingsley_Student_
Connor Doyle continues to appear in various projects as an actor and also a television presenter!
Shireenah Ingram made the final cut for a national singing competition.
Tia Campbell had a speaking role in the feature film 'MY LAST FIVE GIRLFRIENDS' - shown in cinemas all around the country.
Former Workshopper Jessica Harper is playing the lead role in 'BOOGIE NIGHTS' at The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, in October.
James Osbourne recently appeared in the BBC shows 'CANDY CABS' and 'DOCTORS'.
Ellie Coldicutt & Hannah Ciotkowski - 'THE NATIVITY' film, starring Martin Freeman.
Ellie Coldicutt - 'THE SOUND OF MUSIC', West End.
Cian Cheesborough - RSC production of Shakespeare's 'THE WINTER'S TALE'.
Alexander Morris has just got into the National Youth Theatre.
Sam Edwards is currently attending the Silvia Young acadamy.
Connor Doyle - playing Michael in 'BILLY ELLIOT' in the West End
Gianni Cantone is one of Fagins boys in 'OLIVER' in the West End. His contract was recently extended!
Dan Ciotkowski and Helen Monks continue their roles in 'The Archers'.