Kate Flatt

Doorway Project 2019


Intensive for Directors and Choreographers 

The Doorway Project is a 3-day Professional Development Intensive designed for mid-career directors and choreographers, supported using public funding by the Arts Council of England. It will be held at Watford Palace Theatre 27th 28th 29th March 2019.

An idea initiated by Kate Flatt and first pioneered in 2003-4 with David Lan, sees a second edition with partners Young Vic Directors’ Program and Watford Palace Theatre. It will be guided and co-facilitated by theatre choreographer Kate Flatt with Brigid Larmour, Artistic director of Watford Palace and a specialist on the work of Shakespeare.

One Dance UK will be supporting the project through the dissemination of filmed documentation, and an evaluation will be conducted by Theresa Beattie. It will be evaluated with regard to career development opportunities and their value in a climate of product driven creation.
The Doorway project will offer opportunity for fresh discovery through the live chemistry of collaborative practice.
Four directors and four choreographers selected by nominating organisations, will ‘share the floor’ to investigate creative strategies, and inter-disciplinary staging made with twelve dancers and actors.
Brigid and Kate’s tasks and plans assume the premise of the open stage of Shakespeare’s time and that of the contemporary choreographer.

The different collaborative tasks are conceived as ways to examine the space, movement, rhythm and breath in text and non-literal ways to explore scenes and story and the skill needed for the migratory journey between text and movement.

“The Doorway Project is an opportunity to explore collaborative theatre making, that
seeks a sustained, emotional truth, ideally with an absence of dislocation between the two forms.”
Brigid Larmour, Director

“The opportunity to share the creative process with theatre directors has been a
continuing revelation, and a rich learning curve in terms of insight into a discipline other than my own. The Doorway Project will enable both creation and solving of problems on a level playground for directors and choreographers, with Shakespeare’s text as the source for shared investigation.” Kate Flatt Choreographer

The participants have been selected through nominations by Watford Palace Theatre, Young Vic, The Place and The Lowry.

Directors are: Alice Hamilton, Sarah Tipple, Leo Skilbeck and Scott Le Crass Choreographers are: Carlos Pons Guerra, Eleanor Perry, Theophillus “Godson” Oloyade, and Wayne Parsons. See below for biographies.

Directors:

Alice Hamilton (nominated by Watford Palace Theatre)

Alice’s work as director includes Paradise, Every Day I Make Greatness Happen (Hampstead Theatre); The March on Russia, German Skerries (Orange Tree); While We’re Here, Visitors (Bush); Echo’s End (Salisbury Playhouse); Orca, Orson’s Shadow (Southwark Playhouse);  Thirty Christmases (Supporting Wall); Eventide (Arcola and tour); Fear of Music (Up in Arms/Out of Joint tour), and At First Sight (Latitude Festival and tour). She has worked as Staff Director at the National Theatre, and directed development workshops and rehearsed readings with the Royal Court, National Theatre, Salisbury Playhouse, and High Tide. Alice is co-artistic director of Up in Arms.

Scott Le Crass (nominated by Watford Palace Theatre)

Scott received a Best Director Offie Nomination for his production of Sid and Kicked in the Sh**terAlice in Wonderland was a runner up and a finalist for two What’s On Birmingham Awards. Credits include: Director- Elmer (UK and International Tour), Sid (Arts Theatre and UK Tour), The Witches (Watford Palace/HCYT),  Alice in Wonderland (Old, Rep, Birmingham), Kicked in the Sh**ter (Hope Theatre/Theatre in The Mill, Bradford).

Leo Skilbeck (nominated by the Young Vic)

Leo is a director, creator and writer and the Artistic Director of Milk Presents. From drag king plays (JOAN, Derby Theatre, winner of Off West End Award) to cabaret Chekhov (The Bear/The Proposal, Young Vic), their work forefronts queer and trans narratives, and aims to create real social and structural change – in fabulous ways. www.milkpresents.com

Sarah Tipple (nominated by the Young Vic)

Sarah is a freelance director, working in theatre, opera, and musical theatre. Most recently she directed Kander and Eb’s Curtains at Arts Educational and Handel’s Acis and Galatea for ENO Studio Live.  Sarah is the co-founder of Barbershopera, a comedy barbershop quartet who create original shows performed entirely a capella. She has co-created and directed all of their shows to date, two of which have been recorded for BBC Radio 4. Sarah also works as a dramaturg, most recently on Joe Wright’s production of Life of Galileo. 

Choreographers

Carlos Pons Guerra(nominated by The Lowry)

Carlos is an independent choreographer who has created works for companies  such as Ballet Hispanico of New York, Rambert, Nashville Ballet, Northern Ballet, Sadler’s Wells, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and more. In 2012, he  founded his company, DeNada Dance Theatre, for which he has created four internationally touring  productions. Carlos has received two nominations for the UK Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards: ‘Best’ Emerging Artist’ in 2015, and ‘Best Independent Company’ in 2016. www.denadaFdance.com

Wayne Parsons (nominated by The Place)

Wayne is a choreographer and movement director who works across dance and theatre. His company Wayne Parsons Dance presents narrative dance theatre works that are underpinned by a script. The company has previously toured both nationally and internationally. As movement director and choreographer for theatre Wayne has worked at Shakespeare’s Globe and Theatre Royal Stratford East amongst others. Wayne is an Associate Artist of Swindon Dance and is represented by Kirsten Wright of Amanda Howard Associates. wayneparsonsdance.com

Eleanor Perry (nominated by The Place)

Eleanor trained at the Rambert School (BA) and at Laban (MA). She is half of dance duo Thick & Tight, who were established in 2012. Their work reaches to dance, theatre, cabaret, gallery and festival audiences, frequently sitting within a queer context where it is most at home. Eleanor makes solo work as well as collaborating with other artists such as Tim Spooner. She has presented her work at Yorkshire Dance, Duckie, The Place, London Topophobia and Battersea Arts Centre. www.thickandtight.com

Theophillus “Godson” Oloyade (nominated by The Lowry)

Theophillus is a senior member of Boy Blue Entertainment and was a finalist for SKY 1’s “Got to Dance” and “Britain’s Got Talent”. Theophilus is a U.K. Krump pioneer, hip-hop dancer and choreographer. Has danced and choreographed for artist such as FKA twigs, Fergie, and Tinie tempah to name a few.

Kate Flatt Projects would like to extend a warm thank you to our other nominating partners: Dance Umbrella, Leeds Playhouse, Manchester Royal Exchange, DanceEast.

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