Tickets from college reception 01572 722286, Oakham Art Shop 01572 723943, Uppingham Sports & Books and online www.wegottickets.com

Wasteland

Presented by New Perspectives Theatre. Written by Laura Lomas and co-production with Derby Live.

Tuesday 12 May 7.30pm (7pm doors)
Advance Tickets: £7 standard / £4.50 conc. / £3.50 student under 18 / £20 Family

On the Door Tickets: £8 / £5.50 conc. / £4.50 student under 18 / Family £24

Jamie's step dad has just been sent down.
Meghan's planning to run away to find her real dad.
Clayton's back in town and keen to play the father figure.
 

When Jamie promised his mum he’d turn his life around, wipe the slate clean, he hadn’t counted on his step-brother Clayton turning up. He also hadn’t expected to be swept off his feet by the arrival of funny, feisty Meghan, on the run with her mother from yet another of her Mum's unsuitable boyfriends. Staying out of trouble’s not going to be easy this summer.

As the lives of this unlikely trio of young characters become entangled, the ties that bind them turn into the secrets that threaten to tear them apart, and divided loyalties mean that they’ve all got big decisions to make - life and death decisions.

Inspired by the real-life events leading up to the killing of Fred Barras by farmer Tony Martin, up-and-coming Derby playwright, Laura Lomas, has written a gripping drama of love, loyalty, revenge and redemption - an unsettling but moving portrait of three characters caught on the wrong side of the tracks and trying to find their way back.

A compelling human story in a top notch touring theatre production, Wasteland is everything that audiences have come to expect from a New Perspectives show, but, true-to-life, it also contains strong language as part of the cut and thrust of the lives of its troubled teenage characters, and so we suggest is suitable for anyone over 16 years and likely to be of particular interest to young audiences.

New Perspectives Theatre: www.newperspectives.co.uk

Funded by Arts Council England

OnkeOse

Presented by Siyaya Arts

Wednesday 20 May 7.30pm (Pre-show drinks from 7pm)

Advance Tickets: £7 standard / £4.50 conc. / £3.50 student under 16 / £20 Family
On the Door Tickets: £8 / £5.50 conc. / £4.50 student under 16 / Family £24

Siyaya is back in the UK! After suffering visa problems in March, Siyaya, one of Zimbabwe’s great music and dance treasures, is back in the UK and raring to go with new dates in May for Centre Stage.

This tour is part of the County’s acclaimed Centre Stage Rural and Community Touring Scheme which brings live professional arts to local people in local venues; live arts on your doorstep

Siyaya have gained international recognition by their live performances and recordings. The show is sensational: stunning traditional and Township song and dance from the heart of Bulawayo, celebrating the greatest African instrument – the human voice.

Live on stage the male and female ensemble of singers, dancers, musicians and actors are exciting, uplifting and unforgettable!

This is a company high on octane and talent, wonderful music, dance and song, Siyaya plays major venues and festivals but loves to perform in village and community halls. People have asked if Siyaya are musicians, a dance group or a theatre company. Siyaya encompasses all of these celebrations and is simply not to be missed!

Suitable for all ages! Family audiences welcomed.

Siyaya Arts: www.siyaya-arts.com

Funded by Arts Council England East Midlands, Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council.

Trudy Kerr presents Jazz for Juniors

Organised by The Spark Children’s Arts Festival

Saturday 6th June 10.30am

Advance Tickets: £3, £12 Family
On the Door Tickets: £4, £14 Family

Jazz singer Trudy Kerr needs help! She has a jazz show to perform but her bumbling, saxophone-playing, stage manager George has booked the wrong musicians. Somehow she has to transform a rock drummer, a country double bass player, a classical trumpeter and a hip hop keyboard player into a fabulous jazz band. With a strong storyline and lots of participation. Trudy takes her audience on a jazz journey from its origins in times of slavery to the modern day charts, stopping off along the way to introduce the instruments and the sounds they make. A fantastically jazzy way to explore different kinds of music for all the family. Suitable for:  7+ years. Running time: 1 hour

Jazz for Juniors: www.jazzforjuniors.co.uk

Funded by Arts Council England and Rutland County Council Extended Services

Flhip Flhop - Everything Happens on the Break

Presented by Rannel Theatre Company. Organised by The Spark Children’s Arts Festival

Sunday 7th June 5.30pm

Advance Tickets: £4, £14 Family
On the Door Tickets: £5, £18 Family
Workshop: 2.30 - 4pm (10+ years) Free with purchased ticket.

Painter-decorators Matt and Joey attempt to relieve the monotony of their working life by
trying out the latest dance moves. The result is a hilarious piece of physical comedy which takes hip hop to a whole different dimension. Rannel have taken the theatre scene by storm with this sell-out show and we are delighted they are coming to share their skills and talents with local children during The Spark. Suitable for: 8+ years, Running Time: 1 hour. To join the free Hip Hop workshop please book in advance on 01572 725904, limited places, running time 1.5 hours.

Rannel Theatre Company: www.rannel.co.uk

Funded by Arts Council England and Rutland County Council Extended Services

Oakham Festival Reception

Presented by Oakham Festival

Friday 12th June 6.30pm onwards. FREE

Join us at the Oakham Festival reception to toast the launch of Festival 2009, hosted in the college’s gallery. Entertainment will be provided by a choir of young local singers and find out about everything on offer during the Festival period. A fantastic evening of up and coming comics, in true ‘J’Oakham’ tradition at the college’s theatre, will follow this event.

J’Oakham

Presented by Ship of Fools Comedy Club

Friday 12th June 8.00pm

Tickets: £7 only from Festival Box Office (Oakham Art Shop)

Chris Neill has spent a dozen years producing shows for Radio 4, more recently moving to the other side of the microphone as a panellist on the likes of Just A Minute and Quote Unquote. He had a regular role in Linda Smith's Brief History Of Time-Wasting on Radio 4, as Chris the builder with a fear of completing any job. As a stand up, he is a regular at Robin Ince's Book Club and made his debut at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2002.

Gary Potter (guitar) and Bill Coleman (double bass)

19 June 7.30pm (doors 7pm)

Advance Tickets: £10 / £7.50 conc. / £2 student under 16
On the Door Tickets: £12 / £9.50 conc. / £4 student under 16

Gary Potter is regarded as one of the greatest jazz and country guitarists in the world. He enjoys high acclaim in the United States, Australia and Europe. He is in constant demand all over the UK and works as a solo performer or lead guitarist with his trio, quartet or larger combos. He is a guitarist who is melodic, lyrical and imaginative, with perfect rhythmic sense and is a virtuoso in Country fingerpicking.

His playing is influenced by players such as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Parker, yet his approach to playing jazz guitar, both acoustic and amplified, is sufficiently original to give him an identity that is all his own.

Rutland-based double-bassist Bill Coleman is one of the country’s most sought after players. During his 40 years of experience as a bass player he has worked with many great names in jazz including Kenny Clarke, Martin Taylor, Mundell Lowe, Jim Mullen, Kenny Ball, Don Weller and Scott Hamilton.

"He's brilliant." George Harrison
"Gary is a heck of a guitar player.” Chet Atkins
"One of the most wonderful guitarists in the world." Martin Taylor
"George Harrison got me into jazz guitarists like Django Reinhardt and Gary Potter." Gary Moore

Part of Oakham Festival

Rutland’s Got Talent

Presented by The Rutland College

Friday 3rd July 7.30pm

Tickets: £3 only from Festival Box Office (Oakham Art Shop)

We welcome back the Rutland College Students who will be organising Rutland’s very own talent competition. Auditions will be held and the finalists will be chosen by a panel of distinguished local judges. The event last year was featured on East Midlands today on the BBC.

Grease

Presented by Catmose College

Wednesday 8 - Saturday 11 July 7:30pm & Saturday 11 July 2:30pm

Tickets: £5 standard, £4 concession, £3 student, £15 family

Catmose College presents the 1950’s rock ‘n’ roll musical Grease. The spirited students of class ’59 at Rydell High include Danny Zuko and the wholesome Sandy Dubrowski who try to resolve the problems of their relationship. The gang and others (played by a cast of over 90 students) sing and dance their way through this popular musical. Tickets on sale at reception from June

PERFORMANCE ARCHIVE