RSC celebrates an excellent year at the Annual General Meeting
13 December 2007
The Company's president, HRH The Prince of Wales, will chair the RSC's AGM, to be held at The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon on Friday 14 December at 2pm.
The event will celebrate the Complete Works Festival year and will include the presentation of Long Service Awards for seven members of staff. Between them they have built up 180 years service working both behind the scenes in wigs and make-up, stage, sound, hats and jewellery and as the public face of the RSC on Stage Door and front of house.
The Complete Works Festival was an incredible year-long journey which has left a lasting impression on the Company. Michael Boyd, Artistic Director said,
'The Complete Works was our biggest ensemble show. Every part of the organisation rose to the challenge of putting the Festival on, and we share a collective sense of pride over the achievement. The year was a defining moment in the RSC's history.'
As well as 19 RSC productions created for the Festival year, the seeds of a strong artistic legacy were sown. The first two and a half year long ensemble with the Histories company began in Stratford-upon-Avon, and will be seen at The Roundhouse as part of the Company's 2008 London season. New plays were born, inspired by the writer's response to Shakespeare with Leo Butler's I'll Be The Devil, Days of Significance by Roy Williams and Rona Munro's The Indian Boy. The year also included an international tour of Trevor Nunn's productions of King Lear and The Seagull, culminating in a sell-out London run at the New London Theatre.
The Festival was a financial success with over 527,000 tickets being sold, and the London season at the Novello was one of the most successful, playing to 94% capacity. Over 37,000 people enjoyed a Shakespeare production for the first time - an important milestone in our audience development ambitions.
As well as the artistic success, the transformation of the RSC's Stratford home has begun. Phase One of the project, The Courtyard Theatre, was opened on time and on budget; staff moved into their new home in Chapel Lane and demolition work has begun on the Royal Shakespeare Theatre to create the best modern day playhouse for Shakespeare in the world.
Ends
Notes to editors
Media who wish to attend the AGM should contact Sarah Aspinall, Clarence House, 0207 024 5692/07710 727365 or sarah.aspinall@royal.gsx.gov.uk
There are four photo opportunities during the AGM:
2pm The Prince's arrival at The Courtyard Theatre
The start of the AGM
Presentation of the Long Service Awards
HRH meeting the Histories ensemble
Long Service Award recipients include: Brenda Leedham (Wigs and Make-up supervisor), Neill Robson (Senior Stage Technician), Patricia Carnell (Stage Door Keeper), Andrea J Cox (Sound Supervisor), Jessica Furse (Senior Stage Technician), Elaine Moore (Head of Hats and Jewellery), Wendy Rands (Usher)
Further information
For more information, please contact:
Jane Ellis
Communications Manager
01789 412 668
jane.ellis@rsc.org.uk
Issued 13th December 2007
