WHO ARE WE
PlayWell Productions develops relationships with artists in order to provide long-term support and nurture both artists and projects. Our focus is on providing platforms for stories that are not given enough spaces on our stages and for artists with urgent voices.
OUR NEXT PROJECT
WITH COURAGE is a new musical by Jon Hare, being written to celebrate and commemorate the stories and lives of our coastal life-saving communities. Audiences will be taken on a musical journey through historic rescues and dramas, whilst also reflecting on what it means to be a part of a lifeboat crew and a lifesaving community today.
The draft script and songs have been developed with input from existing members of life-saving communities, as well as archival research. Over the Summer and Autumn we want to invite members of these communities to come and see how the show is developing and give us their feedback. It is of prime importance for us to ensure our show is recognisable and authentic to those whose stories we are telling, as well as exciting and enjoyable for all audiences.
Over two weeks we will work with actors and musicians on the script and songs. At the end of each week we will invite people from lifesaving communities to watch a sharing of material and discuss with us their thoughts on what they see and hear. Both sharings will take place at The Lighthouse in Poole, the town where the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) train their lifesaving crews.
Feedback from these crucial sharings will feed into further script and music drafts, strengthening the show, which we hope to premiere in 2024, in time for the bicentenary of the RNLI.
WHY SHOULD YOU HELP?
The development of the show was paused during covid-19 closures, leaving us with a much shortened timeframe in which to develop this show to our 2024 target. These stories are important, exciting, and speak to the heart of the sacrifices that life-saving volunteers and their communities have made for 200 years - and continue to make. Your donation will help us to celebrate and commemorate the stories, histories and bravery of life-saving men and women, and the families, communities and volunteers that surround them.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
We have a target of £5000, which is approximately 15% of our budget for this next development phase. Some examples of what your generous donations could be used for are as follows:
- Purchase of Covid tests to ensure safety of those in the space (because sadly it remains an ongoing risk!) - £40
- A night in digs for an artist - £55
- A day of rehearsal space hire - £90
- A day of a Performer's time - £100
- Filming of the workshop sharings for wider circulation and feedback - £500
- A day with British Sign Language interpreters to embed access into the sharings - £600
- Captioning of recorded content, to ensure wider access - £450
On top of this, we are seeking to raise funds to take a short performance of some songs to varied coastal locations across the country, in order to involve more people in the development, and to support subsequent funding applications. Part of the donations may be used as match-funding in future Arts Council England and associated funding bids.
WHERE TO FIND US
You can find out more about who we are, our team, and our show on our website. You can also find us on Twitter @withcourageshow and @playwellprods. If you have any questions, you can contact us by emailing [email protected]