BATS Theatre

2015 Script Contest Winner

admin — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 21:18:17 +0000

BATS Theatre and the Spectral Piano Company are collaborating on an original, short film project. We made a call for film scripts during the summer which requested that submissions would be approximately 5-10 minutes long and contain no more than 5 characters. In all there were eight script submissions which covered topics from death, separation, break ups, senility, aging, trust, murder, and regret, among others, and in comedic, dramatic, and horror styles. The committee found the process difficult as the subject matter was so wide and varied.

We’re happy to announce that BATS Theatre and Spectral Piano Company will produce Carl Cosgriff Norås’s script For Pete’s Sake. Carl is from Stavanger but now lives in Australia where he went to SAE Institute and received a degree in Film Production.

The film is now in pre-production as there are some details that need to be sorted before we can make a casting call. However, if you are interested in participating in some capacity in the film making, please contact BATS.

Leonardo Duerto and Terry Thorpe will direct and Lisa Bingham will produce.

Watch your inbox and Facebook for developments!

BATS @ NATO

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 13:47:44 +0000

BATS @ NATO

On Saturday, August 15, BATS members Sara, Jazz, and Guro attended the annual information session at NATO.

It looks like they had a great time!

We’re hoping to see some of the new (and old) audience members in future shows!

It’s July!

admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 07:42:51 +0000

Credit: A. Reymond-Christensen

We had a wonderful production run of The Importance of Being Earnest at the beginning of June. It’s a great time for everyone involved and the audience was pleased with the performance and the set. We’re sorry if you missed it. We hope to have more shows at Stavangeren as it was a fantastic venue.

But, now it’s July and some of us are in hot places and some of us are in places we just wish would feel a little warmer. So whether you’re searching for the sun, taking it in, or hiding from it, we’ve got some activities coming up for you.

Spectral Piano Company

First of all, BATS Theatre is teaming up with the Spectral Piano Company to make a short film. We’re having a script contest and we invite you to submit your entry. All of the details can be found here.

Second, in the fall, we’ll be organizing workshops of all sorts. If you’d like to lead a workshop on directing, set design, acting, singing, improv, or other aspects involved in the theatre, then please get in touch.

Third, we’re organizing a fund raising event for Folken. The details are still being worked out, but we’re planning on a showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Watch our website and your email for more information soon! Not on the mailing list?

Fourth, BATS is 30 years old! We’ll be having a jubilee party in September. Watch our website and your email for more information. We’re hoping to involve old and new BATS in this event. It’s very exciting and we’ve got some great ideas to celebrate.

Finally, we’ll be auditioning for the panto in October. If you’re interested in directing in general or a specific panto, please contact the Board!

The Importance of Being…

admin — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 05:04:29 +0000

Artwork by M. Zulkifli

The show premieres tomorrow! We’re so excited!

We have had three successful run-throughs at the theatre and everyone knows the stage and surroundings. We are so happy to be performing at Stavangeren and hope that you can attend one of the performances to see us there. It’s a special location and we find it amusing that we’re performing Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest in the old temperance meeting house.

If you haven’t bought tickets yet, you can still get them here. Though we haven’t sold out yet, if you wait to buy your tickets at the door, you may not get as good a seat as you would booking ahead.

Let me introduce you to a few of the characters in the play. They are all clever and wish to be taken much too seriously.

Miss Prism. Photo by T. Winters.

Merryman and Lane. Photo by T. Winters.

Mr. Ernest Worthing, Mr. Algernon Moncrieff, Dr. Chasuble, Lane. Photo by T. Winters.

Lady Gwendolen Fairfax. Photo by T. Winters

Spring is here again!

admin — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 09:43:53 +0000

At least it seems that way.

The cast has been selected and rehearsals are under way for our next production! We were so excited and also saddened that we had so many wonderful and talented people coming to the casting call. We unfortunately had to turn away several people because the play has only nine characters. We hope that everyone can participate in one way or another over the next few months in different activities. BATS always wants to maintain its social and inclusive atmosphere and so we sincerely hope that no one became discouraged. We had no idea this play or the timing would prove so popular!

Updates and revamping of the website has continued. We hope that it is even more functional and easier to find information and learn about BATS Theatre now. Thanks to Shed49 for hosting and technical support as we expand previous shows information. So stay tuned for some cool vintage photos and news clippings!

Now, if I could just figure out how to get out of work and enjoy the sun!

Fundraising for Kreftomsorg Rogaland

admin — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 18:24:45 +0000

From the very generous donations of baked goods by Jærbakeren Randaberg and homemade cakes from BATS members, audience members donated NOK 4973 and €5 for Kreftomsorg Rogaland! Thanks to our volunteers who helped to serve the cakes!

Look on the bright side

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 11:56:34 +0000

We all had such a great time during the production cycle of this play. Thanks to all of our lovely audiences who made the shows such great fun! We’ve heard great reviews and hope that you join us next year when Tom Tailor returns as a zombie!

Tom Tailor the Zombie!

Just kidding!

Thanks to our family and friends for all the support you’ve given us!

The cast!

Hope you all look on the bright side of life!

Photos and artwork courtesy of R. Russell.

Why we do this

admin — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 06:19:17 +0000

We always try to remember to have fun during rehearsals and shows. This is, for lack of a better word, a hobby after all. However, there are times during the preparation of a production that we ask ourselves “Why are we here?”. The stress comes in waves before any play. And it always seems to have a climax just before moving into the theatre. We wonder if we’re ready. We doubt ourselves. We build ourselves up. We overreact to our own mistakes. But we try to remember to take it in stride. And then comes the performance week and we start asking ourselves “Why do I do this to myself?”. We all know we have to be rested, but we can’t sleep and when we do, there are crazy dreams and sleep does not last long. We neglect housely chores and rely on the support of our family and friends to get things done. But we somehow find the energy after a day at work to go through and make a great show. (I suspect some of that is the copious amounts of sugar backstage.)

Yet through all of the stress and sleepless nights, we somehow believe this is fun. So it’s no wonder that these are questions we are asked and try to answer in the documentary.

You’ll notice that most people talk about the first few seconds before going on the stage and how nerve-wracking but awfully exhilarating it is.

But there’s another reason mentioned. It’s the community that we build up within BATS Theatre and among the cast and crew of each show. My email and SMS inboxes are going mad! And it’s great! It’s great to be a part of this group of people who I wouldn’t have met otherwise. People really care about each other and the well-being of their fellow members.

Some support and love on Facebook

Love and support on Facebook.

This kind of outpouring of love and support and the friendships that are welded together between the chaos of a show are what make all that stress and sleepless nights worth it.

Selfie!!

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 10:44:15 +0000

Get your phones ready!

Selfie time!

Photo courtesy of B. Hegle.

Cultural Grant

admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 12:16:52 +0000

Thanks to the Stavanger Kommune for supporting The (Mis)Adventures of Robin Hood with a cultural grant of NOK 10,000. We are very happy to have received these funds. The grant is used towards the rental of the theatre at Folken and we will be able to start having more shows in the centrally located area of the sentrum.

Now, on to the impressively nutty show!