Send us a text This episode features an interview with performer Mark Horne about his life and loves in amateur theatre, including his early days as a ‘Crescenteenie’ and his membership of the Crescent Youth Theatre. Mark also tells us about his role in the Crescent Theatre’s forthcoming production of [title of show], Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen’s witty love-letter to musical theatre and the creative process.

Send us a text This month we welcome actor and director Steph Urquhart onto the podcast to share her life and loves in amateur theatre. Steph is also directing the Crescent Theatre's forthcoming production of Nora: A Doll's House by contemporary playwright Stef Smith, a powerful reimagining of Ibsen's classic play. Steph tells us more about the challenges and rewards of staging this exciting take on A Doll's House, set simultaneously in three different time periods. Meanwhile Luke, who is app...

Send us a text This month's episode explores James Graham's award-winning play Labour Of Love and we find out how the Crescent Theatre Birmingham's upcoming production of the show has been a real 'labour of love' in more ways than one... Our Studio Guest is actor Katie Merriman. Katie spills the beans on her life and loves in amateur theatre and talks about her role as straight-talking Labour constituency agent Jean Whittaker in Labour of Love. We also go behind the scenes of the production t...

Send us a text The Crescent Theatre's podcast, Amateur of Life and Death, is back for a fourth season. In this episode Luke and Liz talk to actors Jason Adam and Helena Lima about their life and loves in amateur theatre, and about their roles in the Crescent Theatre's forthcoming production of The Effect by Lucy Prebble. In the play, Jason and Helena play Tristan and Connie, two volunteers in a clinical trial who experience love as an unexpected side effect of the new anti-depressant being t...

Send us a text This month’s episode focuses on Red Velvet, the 2012 play by Lolita Chakrabarti. Laura has been speaking to actor Papa Anoh Yentumi about his role as the young Ira Aldridge in the upcoming Crescent Theatre Company production of the play. We also learn more about the play and the actor who inspired it, the American Ira Aldridge, who was the first black actor in England to play Othello on the professional stage.

Send us a text Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre-maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. In this month’s episode, our Backstage Pass holder, John O’Neill, speaks with director Dewi Johnson, who’s recently been working in London’s West End theatres including as Associate Director on Simon Nye’s ‘The Crown Jewels’ at the Garrick Theatre,...

Send us a text This month we're focussing on two great American musicals of the 20th century. We speak to actor, singer and dancer Jo Brookes about her role as Louise in the Crescent Theatre's production of Gypsy. We also go backstage with Tinker's Farm Opera and speak to director and choreographer Emma Harley to find out more about the history of society and its forthcoming production of Guys and Dolls, which Emma is directing.

Send us a text Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre-maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. This month’s episode focuses on the upcoming production of the play ‘Love From a Stranger’ by Agatha Christie and Frank Vosper, a “psychological thriller”, which the Crescent Theatre Birmingham are performing in April 2024 as part of the Crescent’s...

Send us a text This episode delves into the world of Willy Russell's modern classic, Educating Rita. We talk to actress Vicky Youster about her theatrical life, theatrical loves and the times when she's 'died' on stage. Vicky is playing Rita in the Crescent Theatre Birmingham's production of Educating Rita and she also tells us all about rehearsals, the challenges of taking on such an iconic role, and how to master the Liverpool accent. Laura takes a delve into the Crescent Theatre's ...

Send us a text Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre-maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. This episode focuses on the Crescent’s upcoming pair of productions, 'House' and 'Garden', both by Alan Ayckbourn. Luke Plimmer is borrowing our backstage pass this month to learn more. He’ll be talking to the Stage Manager for 'Garden', Suzie King...

Send us a text This episode we’re celebrating the past, exploring the present, and looking ahead to the future of amateur theatre. Chairman of the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham, Kevin Middleton tells us about his theatrical life and theatrical loves, as well as discussing the governance of an amateur theatre, and the role of the board. We also chat to one of the Crescent Theatre’s longest-standing members, set-builder and former stage manager, Phil Parsons, about his memories and experie...

Send us a text Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. This episode focuses on the Crescent’s upcoming production of Othello. Our backstage pass holder, John O'Neill, will be exploring the iconic Props department with the Production Assistants for Othello, Steve Davis and Jess Shannon.

Send us a text Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. This episode focuses on the work of a giant of modern British theatre, Harold Pinter. We will be talking to Graeme Braidwood, who is directing the Crescent Theatre Birmingham’s upcoming production of two one act Pinter plays, A Kind of Alaska and A...

Send us a text Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre, and features an amateur theatre maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. This episode focuses on the history of the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham, which is celebrating a big birthday this season. We’ve been talking to Clare Crosland, the Crescent’s Head of Archives, about the rewards and challenges of archiving a hundred year...

Send us a text Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre and features an amateur theatre maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. This episode focuses on Kevin Elyot’s 1990s masterpiece, My Night with Reg. Liz talks to David Baldwin about his life and loves in amateur theatre, and about My Night with Reg, which David is appearing in.

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Send us a text Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre and features an amateur theatre maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve died on stage. Our Backstage Pass feature takes us behind the scenes at The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham to discover more about what goes into making a great amateur production. This episode explores Florian Zeller’s modern masterpiece The Father. Our studio guest is dir...

Send us a text Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre and features an amateur theatre maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve died on stage. Our Backstage Pass Feature takes us behind the scenes at The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham to discover more about what goes into making a great amateur production. This episode is all about the work of the late composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim and we w...

Send us a text Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre and features an amateur theatre maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. This episode focusses on A.R. Gurney's charming 1995 romantic comedy "Sylvia." We'll be talking to actor, author and director Jaz Davison about her life and loves in amateur theatre. Jaz is directing The Crescent Theatre's forthcoming p...

Send us a text Each episode takes a look at a different aspect of the wonderful world of amateur theatre and features an amateur theatre maker talking about their theatrical life, theatrical loves, and the times when they’ve ‘died’ on stage. This episode focuses on Shelagh Delaney’s ground-breaking 1950s drama A Taste of Honey. We’ll be talking to designer and director Colin Judges about his life and loves in amateur theatre. Colin is directing the Crescent Theatre’s forthcoming produ...