Rosencrantz and Guildenstern First Night

The first night of any production is always nerve wracking for the director and actors. Particularly the director as their 'baby' is finely going to be sent before a paying audience. There is nothing they can do any more, too late to change anything, it is all down to the actors and luck.

The other worry of course is will anyone actually come and pay money to see the play you've worked so hard on over the last few months. A good number of seats have been pre-booked for this run but you never now how many people will turn up on the door.

While waiting to open the doors to the public the front of house volunteers could hear the faint strains of 'what to do with a drunken sailor' wafting through from the back stage area. The cast sounded in good voice and spirits.

The Progress Youth Theatre normally have their sessions on a Monday at the theatre and when there is a production on this is replaced with a talk from the director and an opportunity to watch the production. Once the talk was over and Glynn had answered all their questions like what is your favourite line in the play, ("Pirates could happen to anyone") we opened the doors to the public.

By 7.45pm there were only a handful of seats left unsold, front of house reminded everyone to turn off their phones and it was time for the magic to begin.

All photos by Richard Brown.

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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead by Tom Stoppard 15th - 20th October 2012, Progress Theatre

Auditions for Rumours by Neil Simon, Thursday 1st November, 7pm or Sunday 4th November, 2pm Progress Theatre

7th Annual WriteFest 14 - 17 November 2012, Progress Theatre

Auditions for New Directors’ Double Bill Wednesday 5 December, 7.30pm or Sunday 9 December, 2pm, Progress Theatre

Progress Youth Theatre presents For the Love of a Nightingale by Timberlake Wertenbaker 10-15 December 2012, Progress Theatre

Details of all our productions and auditions can be found on our website.