Following on from my interview with Katie, this week I decided to interview my friend Chris Lynch, who runs local theatre company C&D Productions. Similarly to Katie's interview, I chose open-ended questions so that Chris could answer them in-depth and give you a proper feel for what C&D Productions is all about, I definitely recommend you go and check them out!
What inspired you to start C&D Productions?
I think we wanted to do things differently to how we had seen many local theatre groups or societies do. Having been involved in theatre for four years taught us a lot and gave us a great grounding in the pitfalls we saw first-hand doing other shows. We ultimately wanted to provide a fun, relaxed environment for people to perform and produce good theatre, without all the cliques and drama behind the scenes which we had seen elsewhere. We also wanted to focus on straight acting, so thus far we have performed a mix of classic and contemporary plays. The reason being that the local area is saturated with groups performing musicals (of varying standards) and with a few exceptions it seems they all pick their shows from quite a limited pool of choice. Hairspray for instance will be performed both at amateur and professional levels 4-5 times throughout 2015.
We also wanted to try and encourage new people to get involved with theatre. In some productions we see the same faces show after show, regardless of whether they all suit or fit the play/musical. In every production we have so far performed we have had 40-50% of the cast members having never been on stage before. This helps local theatre on many levels, it ensures the local performing pool is added to so it doesn't grow stale and stagnant and it will hopefully start to build a new audience for shows locally.
What do you aim to achieve with C&D Productions?
Obviously I’ve touched on that in the last paragraph, and the easy answer is ‘to be successful’, but that is quite a loose term, it depends on how you measure success. For me, being successful would mean to continue encouraging new people to get involved with us as we've done a lot of good work on that front so far. I would like us to perform more plays on a more frequent basis to ensure chances are always available throughout the year for people on stage and as part of the various production and backstage teams. Touching on something I mentioned earlier, I want to ensure a varied season of theatre year on year to give our audiences a nice mix of dark and light plays, using classic texts/plays and also not being afraid to deal with more contemporary material.
What are your goals for C&D productions in the next 5 years?
By the end of our first year we will have performed five different plays, both locally and down in London at a fringe festival. I think within the next five years I would like to perform at more fringe festivals, both locally and further afield, and also increase the number of productions we perform a year. This obviously needs to be at a manageable level and has to be sustainable in terms of time, talent and audience attrition, but I feel it is achievable. The other main thing would be to build up our creative and production teams to ensure that there are always fresh views and approaches. In our first year we've had four different directors involved and I would like to see this number increase, along with the different people involved in other areas including technical, props and make-up for example. Keeping things fresh should ensure a vibrant group of people that is always evolving and keep the risks of stagnancy at arm’s length.
What do you find most challenging about running your own company?
I think just keeping track of everything, especially as the beginning was quite daunting. Many people when they think of theatre immediately think of the actors, the venue etc. but the sheer amount of things that happen behind the scenes is amazing. You have to sort out scripts, venues for workshops/auditions and get rehearsal schedules planned before anything has even been set! Running up to the show you have to pull everything together so props, set, marketing, backstage crew, front of house people, not to mention all the technical elements such as lighting.
I have found the whole experience highly rewarding though as there is no better way to learn than on the job. I did pick up lots of bits of advice during my time with other theatre groups and as mentioned saw things almost crumble last minute on occasion due to poor planning, or more likely to bad communication. We have regular production team meetings once the cast of a play has been assembled and we keep dialogue going constantly as it builds the togetherness that is important for any team to succeed and it allows us to identity any potential problems and deal with them as a collective. Ego has no place within our theatre company and making sure everyone feels valued and appreciated is key to building and maintaining the harmony that has been prevalent in our productions to date.
What do you find most rewarding about having your own theatre company?
The family feel that we've created has to be one of our biggest accomplishments. I can honestly say I have never known anything like it, especially in the local theatre scene. There are no tears, no dejected looks and certainly no one leaving feeling unhappy or undervalued. Theatre is ultimately to the vast majority of those involved a hobby, hobbies as a rule should be fun, enjoyable and fulfilling and I would like to think we've achieved having that feeling really early on. Perhaps because we don’t approach rehearsals or projects with the ‘what can I get out of this?’ attitude, instead I go in with the thought process of ‘how can I encourage and inspire people to realise and even exceed their potential?’, and that isn't just on a performing level, but it’s almost on a personal one. Actors aren't robots, especially at a young age when people are trying to figure out who they are and what they possibly want from life. I'm privileged to have a fantastic group of people around me and I always operate an open door policy, meaning if someone needs to speak to me about absolutely anything, I'm always there.
I had a great conversation with one of my bright young talents this week where they said they appreciated me being there and that I had made a real difference over the months I have known them. That for me is one of the best compliments someone can give me as it means I have supported them and have become someone they can rely on. I hate reading articles or statuses where people haven’t got anyone they can go to, and I’d like to think my casts, crew and production teams know they can always come to me. Having a positive impact on someone is one of the best feelings in the world and when people go on to the many achievements they will no doubt have in life, I can at least know I helped them get there even if it was in a small way.
How does social media play a part in your company?
Social media impacts on practically every facet of our group and productions. I honestly don’t think people and businesses realise how much of a great thing social media can be and how it is seamless and relatively cost effective. We have used it to reach out to parts of the local community which were otherwise untouched and have engaged with people to get involved as actors, backstage crew or volunteers in other parts of the theatre company. It has also allowed us to connect with local businesses too to great effect which both improves our profile locally, and also ensures our long-term future. One local business has agreed a four figure sponsorship deal with us to ensure the majority of our running costs are paid for, meaning we can focus on other elements of the theatre company with the peace of mind that our break-even levels are much lower. A lovely restaurant and cocktail bar has also agreed to form a partnership with us, offering discounted rates to cast/crew and to theatre-goers before and after our performances. The key word that relates to all these examples is community, and continuing down this route can only help us build strong relations with other groups and companies, thus helping them in turn.
Who is your favourite theatre company?
I can’t really pick one single theatre company that I like as there are many that I’ve had great experiences with, or have enjoyed performances of on the professional stage. Instead I’m going to cheat and pick a theatre I love, The Old Vic, in London. As a theatre it has everything from a rich history going back hundreds of years to presenting an exciting schedule of theatre year on year. As a theatre it has been transformed from a near church room which busied itself with science lectures and conducted itself along ‘strict temperance lines, to then dealing heavily in Shakespeare to its modern day offering which saw a brilliant production of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, starring Gillian Anderson. As a theatre it also understands it has a responsibility to the theatre scene and runs umpteen programmes (including Old Vic New Voices) to help young and aspiring actors and directors, as well as doing a ton of community work.
What's been your favourite production you've put on so far?
That is a really tough question as they have all left me with great experiences and many happy memories. ‘A Doll’s House’ by Henrik Ibsen was our first production and was really challenging as it presented so many obstacles. Also as it was a debut show it will always have some sentimentality attached to it and was the first of the many steps we've taken since our inception. The two Camden Fringe plays were also an amazing experience, especially as one was my own work and was raising awareness about strokes and Locked-in-Syndrome, with the other which Dan directed presenting me with one of the best characters I've ever played in ‘Death’. My favourite has to be ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley, as it is our biggest production to date, in both scale with cast size and the magnitude of the project as a whole. It confirmed that we could put on productions of varying size and scope, whilst also bringing through quite a few exciting talents who have since stepped up a level to bigger parts in our next production this December, Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’. The team I assembled around me were all really talented and the ability to build a ‘family’ with a cast and crew numbers over 40 is an achievement I feel very proud of.
What advice would you give to anybody wanting to start up their own theatre company?
Look around in your local area and see what other groups are doing. You will need to try to find a different angle or ‘take’ on what your group will offer. There are many societies out there that have been going for decades and are pretty set in their bi-yearly offering. Setting up another group offering the same thing isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you don’t want to split audiences or stretch the local talent pool. Instead it’s better in my opinion to find a niche and pursuit it, as we have done by creating an open door straight acting theatre company. No one theatre company that focuses on acting offers this at the moment and I think the reaction we've had from the public and local community reflects this. That isn't to say that groups should be as open as we are, of course if they want to focus on an invite only approach then that is their choice and good luck to them. The same could be said about groups that have a small group of people to cast from and typically cast the same people in the same roles production after production. This could be down to the group’s inability to attract new members or down to vanity and ego, either way I don’t think it is healthy in the long-term.
The main advice is to have a focus and don’t veer from it without good reason. Start on a smaller scale and gather a close-knit group around you who share the vision and are willing to put the hours in. Also don’t put ego before the project. Looking at the five productions we will have done in our first year, I will have been a lead in only two of our productions and I think having that transparency is vital to show that new people can come in and have a chance at getting any part. Several local groups have problems with some public opinion being that some parts are often pre-cast, this is a nightmare whether it’s true or not as the general consensus can blacken a name and dissuade people from auditioning. Of course, those people cast could well be the best people for the parts, but I think it’s key to have the transparency I spoke of and if you’re directing something, not to take the lead for yourself. It smacks of vanity and suddenly the question of why groups exist boils down to self-promotion, rather than simply ‘putting on good theatre’.
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The other advice I would have is simply to have fun! It is a hobby for most and it should stay an enjoyable endeavour, especially for the cast involved who give up their time to appear in your productions. Hopefully my thoughts and opinions have given a slight insight into the theatre company world, at least in my sphere, and if anyone wants to discuss anything, ask me questions or link up in projects somehow I’d encourage them to email me at chris@cd-productions.co.uk. I’d also ask people regardless of their location to give our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/CDProductions.theatre) a ‘Like’, doing so is a great way to support our theatre making and community work. We will be performing in fringe festivals throughout the UK in 2015, with London, Brighton and Manchester being likely locations. Also if you want to get involved with us in some way then definitely get in touch! Eleanor has recently joined our team, looking after our Twitter account which currently has 800+ followers and that is testament to our policy of helping and encouraging people. I first met Eleanor a couple of years ago when she was 16 and I’m really proud that she’s at uni, doing something she enjoys and giving her opportunities to hone her skills with us.
Last night finally saw me reunited with my home girls and it was bloody amazing! After a massive build up it was lush to finally be able to see them again, and I certainly wasn't disappointed! Beth was coming over early to get ready at mine, and Lydia was coming over beforehand to do my makeup, so I was able to have a massive catchup with them and we all filled each other in on our university adventures! It reminded me how much I love getting ready with other people and how much I've missed my girls, it was as if we'd never been apart from one another! Lydia is absolutely incredible at doing hair and make up, she made me feel like a princess! I felt so confident in my dress and I just couldn't wait to get out and meet all the other girls and get drunk and celebrate in style! Although we had prinks at mine they were tiny compared to our Manchester prinks, but I think the three of us knew the rest of the night was going to be pretty heavy!
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