Week Five!

Week Five completed and as I sit here, it’s almost time to be heading home.  Just the last week to go now but before that, I better update you on what has been happening this week.

Actually, it’s a little hard to create new and imaginative things as in all fairness, my job role hasn’t changed and I have still very much been involved with fulfilling the tasks that would normally be undertaken by Jessica, as Production Assistant.  Once again this week, my main duties and responsibilities have been to deal with any logistical problems arising with travel and accommodation arrangements for any of the touring companies.  This is what has taken up the bulk of my days and I have still been extremely busy re-scheduling journeys, due to the ash cloud.   A huge amount of my time has also been spent applying for refunds for the flights that were cancelled and booking extra baggage for the new flights.  When you have two large touring companies, that’s a lot of flights to be applying for and many extra luggage allowances needed!

I have also this week, been dealing with Michael Ball and his assistant, Andrew Ross.  Michael has a car to take him from the theatre to his hotel and return each day. Knowing Micheal’s requirements for a Mercedes, it was my responsibility to find and contract a suitable car company for him whilst the show is in Southampton.  I encountered a problem with Michael this week, when he arrived in Southampton, only to declare his hotel suite wasn’t big enough.  Therefore, we had to move him ASAP and endeavoured to quickly find somewhere else where he would be happy.  In the end, a marina apartment was decided upon.

Another problem arising this week, was that of Aliana’s visa.  Aliana is one of the dancers on the Strictly tour and she encountered difficulty when trying to leave England and fly to Dublin.  She was then required to stay in England longer than expected and pay an additional visit to the Embassy before she was able to re-join the tour.  For me, this meant having to deal with and organise further hotel accommodation and flight details for her.

On Friday, J returned to the office from her very enjoyable break.  I handled everything back over to her and brought her up-to-speed on all that happened and to matters to which she may need to pay attention.  She seemed happy and pleased with everything I had undertaken and the work I had carried out.

I have had the opportunity of seeing three shows this week: War Horse, Jersey Boys and Legally Blonde.  I have thoroughly enjoyed all of them, although I think Legally Blonde was probably my favourite.  War Horse was an exception production that has transferred from the National Theatre.  Very moving and the spectacle of the puppets was just brilliant.  Jersey Boys was brilliant and I left the theatre huming many a tune.  I didn’t realise Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons had so many recognisable hits!  Legally Blonde was such a feel good show with Sheridan Smith being sensational.  You must go and see this one.  Wonderfully camp!

My week ends on rather a high as I had a job offer yesterday to join Paul Holman Associates as their Production and Marketing Assistant, till October at least, probably longer.  They are a pantomime production company with 13 venues this coming season, so I am completely thrilled!

Week Four!

With Monday being the Bank Holiday, this week has been pleasantly short.  Although saying that, I have been exceptionally busy.

With J being off for a two-week holiday to Hong Kong, I have been given the opportunity of taking over the majority of her job role.  She briefed me on the tasks I would need to undertake prior to her leaving at the end of last week and I was fully up-to-speed due to shadowing her also.

My main responsibilities include dealing with the touring companies of Hairspray and Strictly Come Dancing Pro’s.   I am currently the primary contact for all travel and accommodation issues.  I am dealing with both touring and company managers requests for any changes to that which is already scheduled as well as dealing direct with the travel management agency and hotels.  New requests are also to be acted on and I find myself consistently actioning requests for additional accommodation and travel arrangements.  I am updating the spreadsheets and sending new rooming lists through to hotels, several times a day.  The disruption caused by the Volcanic ash cloud, has also caused me to have to make a huge number of re-arrangements and deal with the booking of new and alternative flights for the ‘Strictly’ company, as their scheduled flights to Dublin were disrupted.  Michael Ball too was arranged with alternative transport, should he not make his transfer to London when the Hairspray Tour ended its run in Glasgow.

I have really enjoyed this week and I really feel like I am playing a part within the company.  Its great to actually have a job role.  I feel like I am really able to show what I am capable of and portray some of my qualities, putting my own stamp on the work I do instead of it being in someone else’s shadow.  I am definitely enjoying being able to get on with work and being busy, instead of waiting for tasks to be handed to me.  It’s good too, to be doing work that involves me dealing direct with people.

My weekend has been spent catching up with an old friend, Andrew McBean (West End director of Aspects of Love and Sunset Boulevard) who I haven’t seen for about 10 years.  We were such good friends all those years ago and it was truly great to see him and catch up.  I hope it won’t be as long again, Andrew!

A picture of the Production area of the office and my desk:

Week Three!

Well, here we are… half way through and still greatly enjoying myself!  I have moved upstairs this week and I’m now spending my remaining time in Production.  Up here I will work under the supervision of Production Assistant, Jessica Chu and assist on the day-to-day running of the touring productions.

I spent the beginning to my week however, assisting with West End production ‘Sister Act’ and the preparations that were happening for the workshop at the Dominion Theatre, Tottenham Court Road. Work included making sure everyone had everything they required for the rehearsals, the sorting out of internet access, water supplies and to make sure that all electrical equipment had been PAC tested.  The American creative team for the production arrived in the UK in order to re-work the beginning section of the show, in time for its Broadway transfer.  It has been decided, amongst others bits, that the opening needs a little re-writing.  I was able to meet certain members of the show’s production team and I even delivered a parcel to Alan Menken, the composer of Sister Act, as well as many hit Disney films including The Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast and Aladdin.

One of my main tasks this week, has been to organise the opening night gifts for ‘Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals’, which opened in Brighton on Thursday evening.  It was my responsibility to arrange the flowers for the dancers and choreographer.  I liaised with a florist in Brighton and between us, we came up with a bespoke design of purple and white (the show colours) with an added glazed glitter effect.  They looked great when they arrived, and much more expensive then the budget of £25 per person I’d been given!  I also undertook the wrapping of the embroidered dressing gowns which all involved in the production received as a thank you gift.

Thursday was the opening night of ‘Strictly’ and I was lucky enough to be invited to the opening night.  I made my way to Brighton and checked into my hotel.  The show, which was at the Brighton Centre, was fantastic and certainly exceeded my expectations.  I never expected the production values to be so high.  The dancers were great, the band fantastic and the costumes beautiful.  A definite see if it comes anywhere near you.  Have a look at the tour list!  After the show, it was great too to be a guest at the after show party where I was able to enjoy a drink with the dancers and even a spot of karaoke in a late night bar with director and choreographer, Karen Bruce.  Friday was therefore as shorter day in the office due to us traveling back to London during the morning.

Today has however, seen me take part in the ‘Nun Run’ in aid of Barnardos.  It was a 4mile run across London, starting near London Bridge.  Due to agreeing to help with the set-up, I arrived on site at 7am! Yes, painfully early and if that wasn’t bad enough, the weather was dreadful! We struggled in the wind and rain to blow-up and place Sister Act publicity balloons and banners in the vicinity.  There was no sign of the weather getting any better and so I completed the run in the torrential rain alongside Meg, a colleague from AKA, Sister Act’s marketing agency.  Other colleagues from Stage Entertainment that participated were Lewis, Fiona and Kirsty.  Although, I was supposed to be heading out with friends for a drink this evening (it’s the Bank Holiday!), I am feeling the pain and after the very early morning, I’m just too tired so ... night all!! x

Week Two!

Well, it’s now the end of my second week at Stage Entertainment and what another enjoyable one it’s been.  I was supposed to be moving upstairs to the production department this week but I mutually decided to stay with marketing.  With Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals opening on tour next week, my help would be much better placed here with more beneficial tasks.  I’ll move to Production next week!

My week has mainly consisted of working on the souvenir brochure for Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals Tour.  This brochure is to be produced in addition to the usual theatre programme and will contain extra editorial articles, photos and information on the show and the dancers. The first few days of my week were spent mainly proof reading and editing copy as it was coming through from the writer.  With a huge number of mistakes both in punctuation and grammar, there was a lot for me to correct, I have to say!  I was even rewriting complete paragraphs at times.  The brochure contains articles for ‘Strictly’ fans on such things as the costuming and shoes, rhinestones, how the show is put together, a typical ‘Strictly’ day as well as literature on the various dances.  Additionally, further information on the dancers not found in the programme and some fun facts will be included.  I felt I was playing a vital part in the print process especially as the material had been given to me to make presentable before being sent through for approval by the BBC.

Once the brochure started to come through from the designers, it was clear that the balance between the dancers biographies wasn’t right.  They were all of different lengths; some too long, some too short.  It then became my responsibility to edit the copy for the ones that were too long and to up-write the ones that were too short.  This involved a certain amount of research for new material.  It was great too to be liaising directly with the designer and to know that some of my work is actually going to be there for all to read.  I have to say; the final proofs for the brochure look superb, so it’ll be great to see it all in print!

I have also continued to promote all the shows and the up-and-coming ‘Nun Run’ via the social media sites.  A highlight of the week was being able to sit in on the team marketing meeting where updates were given on each production as well as discussions held on the various strategies and areas of concern regarding ticket sales and what could be done to improve these.

I have also visited the theatre on two occasions.  I was able to take a group of friends, courtesy of the producers, to see Stage’s production of Sister Act at the London Palladium, which was extremely enjoyable.  We all had a fantastic night out and the show was excellent.  The cast were great, the score memorable and the set amazing!  I loved it, although if I had to criticise, I would say the first 20 mins could be a bit faster paced and I would have liked a bigger opening.  Oh … remember that top-secret piece of information I learnt last week?  Well, it has now been announced that Simon Webb, star of boyband Blue, will be joining the cast of Sister Act when it has its cast change at the end of the May.

The other show I saw was the new David Essex musical All the Fun of the Fair.  Not the best thing I have ever seen but not the worst either.  I’m not sure what I actually thought of this looking back on it.  There was one or two numbers I recognised (being as old as I am!) and the production was OK, but on the whole this show was mainly aimed at the David Essex fans and if I’d had taken my Mum, I’d sure she’d as been singing along with the rest of them (who thought they were at some kind of a concert!).

My weekend has been spent by having a few drinks in the Canary Wharf area on Friday evening and entertaining another friend at home for a nice chilled out on Saturday evening.  Today I enjoyed exploring Greenwich and catching a cruise up the Thames.  Onwards and upwards to Week Three …

Week One!

Well, I’ve just finished my first week with Stage Entertainment UK and what an interesting week it’s been!

I have settled into where I’m living and although I’m experiencing a few language barriers with my flatemate Brunee (she’s Italian!), things with the accommodation itself aren’t too bad. Whilst she is away on a contract, I’m renting my friends room, in her flat near Canary Wharf.  Hannah and myself originally went to dance college together and later appeared in a show together in Dallas, Texas.  Through the powers of Facebook, Hannah knew I was looking for somewhere to stay during my internship and with her going off on a cruise for a few months, it seemed ideal for me to rent from her.  I have my own double en-suite room in a nice two bedroom flat in the Docklands area, just across the water from Greenwich where I am approximately a 45-50 minute commute into work.

I arrived at Stage Entertainment UK on Monday 12 April where I was greeted by my liaison, Jessica Chu (Production Assistant).  J took me on a brief tour of the offices and introduced me to the various departments, the staff and their job roles.  ‘Stage’ is situated in the heart of the London’s Theatreland, just off Oxford Street, in Soho and is made up of the top two floors in a shared building with five other companies.  On the first floor, you will find the main reception, meeting room, kitchen, accounts and marketing departments with a scattering of management personnel; whilst the top floor houses the production and press/PR staff, the big wigs and the very nice roof top terrace over-looking the surrounding skyline.

I was to join the marketing department for my first week and was therefore shown to my desk and introduced to the others in my immediate team: Katie – Marketing Assistant, Kirsty – Marketing Executive and Fiona – Head of Marketing.  Stage Entertainment’s present productions include Sister Act – The Musical (London Palladium); Hairspray (UK Tour) and Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals (UK Tour) and I was therefore asked to make myself familiar with these productions by reading through their websites and other promotional material.  Some of my main tasks this week have involved the upkeep of the social media sites for these shows as well as adding new Facebook events as the tour dates, casting and venues for Hairspray have been announced.  I have also been heavily involved in the promotion of Stage’s forthcoming event, the Nun Run (a charitable fun run to raise money for Barnardos) both through the use of the social media sites and the distribution of posters.  Plus, I have signed up to run the 4 km event myself on the May 2^nd – so stay posted for that one!  I was also asked to prepare a PowerPoint presentation showing the web statistics and usage of the Sister Act website plus prepare a spreadsheet showing the tickets on hold at each venue of the Strictly tour.  This particular task involved communicating with the various venues, in order to collect information held by the relevant box offices. A highlight to the week, was being able to sit in on the weekly marketing meeting for Sister Act, held with the marketing agency (AKA), where various marketing and ticketing strategies were discussed, plus a presentation given on the forms of digital media that could be incorporated.  I also learnt of some top secret casting, which has yet to be officially announced!

My favourite part to the week has to have been having the opportunity to attend the press night for new West End musical ‘Hair’, which has transferred from Broadway.  Although the cast was fantastic and the production great, I’m not sure if I was a big fan of the actual musical itself though.  A little random in parts and not a huge storyline!  Mind you, the invite to the after show party soon made up for it and I was slightly in awe of seeing my idol, producer Cameron Mackintosh!  Other celebrity figures we spotted included Tim Rice and Toby Anstis.

I also attended Priscilla – Queen of the Desert on Friday evening at the Palace Theatre staring Jason Donovan, which was extremely enjoyable.  A definite see and hugely spectacular!

My first weekend has consisted of exploring my surrounding area and some leisurely shopping at Canary Wharf, as well as seeing a friend for some Sunday lunch and a few drinks in the West End on what was a very beautiful, sunny afternoon.

So all in all … a very enjoyable and educational week!

Back in London!

Looking forward to starting my work placement with Stage Entertainment UK on Monday April 12th :-)

Find out what I get up to during the 6wks ahead and follow my regular posts as I join the West End producers of Sister Act, Hairspray,
High School Musical, Strictly Come Dancing - The Tour and others!