Red Phoenix, Storytelling and Productions

More about Storytelling

Storytelling is widely regarded as one of the earliest form of performance, with a long history of bards and minstrels as well as family and friends telling tales. Storytelling has enjoyed resurgence in popularity since the late 1960s, and since then many story organisations and professional tellers have spread the interest and enjoyment of original and traditional tales. Many believe that storytelling comes under the realm of theatre, which in some ways is quite logical, but just like singing and dancing, storytelling is an art form in its own right. There are many tellers and organisations that work tirelessly to promote the independence and importance of the storytelling community.
Storytelling is becoming ever more popular as a form of entertainment in all manor of venues and for a wide variety of events. Unlike theatre, storytellers usually work as an individual without all the set, staging, props and costumes. As their work is not normally heavily pre-script a teller can adapt to each and every audience, giving a truly unique experience. However, there is a balance of story and theatre, and combining my theatre and story backgrounds I regularly create “performance storytelling” productions (sometimes referred to as story/theatre or storytelling theatre) which incorporates the best of both worlds.

What is a Dramaturg?

Dramaturgy is still relatively unheard of in British theatre, but dramaturgs can be incredibly useful to have on board any scale of production. A dramaturg needs to know a little of everyone’s job; the playwright, director, actor, designer, producer, and stage manager, in order to support them and if necessary step into their roles until they can be resumed. Dramaturgs, right from the outset of any performance project, act as guide, peacemaker and intermediary. They start by researching into the project, whether any thing has been done like the project in question before, and what the pro and cons are. All this is detailed in a report which is usually for the director. Dramaturgs are there aid the script writer, and where necessary create new adaptations or devised scripts. They are the recorders and note takers in the rehearsal room, creators of workshops, and hosts for pre and post show discussions, as well as often creating blurbs for press, programmes and brochures and production support material such as information, education and press packs. If audience research and feedback is needed, guess who can do that too!
By understanding everyone’s role in the theatre, the dramaturg can offer assistance and mediate between all aspects needed to create a production and keep the ever turning wheels of the performance well oiled.

What extra supplements?

To supplement any performance (or aid other peoples events) Red Phoenix Storytelling & Productions can offer:

• Proposals: Ideas and suggestions for various projects which could be created specifically for any site or client’s needs. It includes an outline of the project, advertising material (such as promotional images and blurbs), time scale, quotes on costs, and any other additional information.
• Production reports: A detailed research into the background of any particular play, or proposed production, including information on playwright, culture or society in connection with the production. It also reviews pros and cons of approaching the project in particular ways.
• Programmes: a thin booklet which gives more info about the subject matter being performed and those performing, it can also include advertising.
• Information/ Education/Press Packs: these packs are aimed at specific readers and can take the form of hard copies (paper booklets) or CD ROM.
  • Information Packs are aimed at the general audience and gives more in-depth information relating to the performers and performance subject matter than a programme (such as history, social and culture context and contemporary comparisons).
  • Education Packs are intended to aid and support students and teachers in their studies based around the performance. The pack contains similar content to the information pack, but focuses on student and/or teacher lead projects, educational puzzles and reading lists so the students can do their own research.
  • Press Packs are only normally used if the performance will be attained by members of the press. Designed to attract journalists and improve likelihood of review, it includes all the information the journalist needs to about the performance such as: a brief history of the performance, publicity pictures, performer backgrounds, a synopsis of the show, any advertisement to be used, and favourable quotes from past reviews.
• Marketing: This is the advertisement, how to get audiences to attend the performance. From creating posters and fliers, to placing adverts in the local press and radio stations. Even looking at getting coverage from local TV or inviting the press along, and how to look for sponsors or local business which can be collaborated with, or create audience feedback.
• Script development or Adaptation: Script development is a process by which a writer sometimes needs a little help to attain the best from their work. By breaking down the writing process and looking in-depth to the separate elements (such as plot, sub-plot, characters, world of the story, and dialogue) each part can be refined and reviewed to produce a higher standard script. Adaptation is taking anything from a song, picture or already existing story and recreating it in the form of performance.
• Workshops: These can be educational or recreational and can centre around a particular performance (usually happening immediately pre or post show), theme or subject matter. Usually these can last between 30mins to all day, depending on class size, age and subject of workshop.

For any more information on any of the items listed on this page or how Red Phoenix can provide any of these services for your event, please just contact redphoenix@tallstory.co.uk