Join us For the National Student Drama Festival 2011

Most of the people who come to NSDF are not taking part in a show but buy a subscription ticket and join us for a mind-blowing week of drama, workshops, discussions, masterclasses, comedy, music and late night events.

When you buy a subscription ticket you receive a festival pass which gives you access to all the shows, workshops and events throughout the week, as well as an NSDF T-shirt, programme and other industry freebies.

Check back soon for online ticketing or email Chris Wootton, chrisw@nsdf.org.uk, with any enquiries.

NSDF11 Workshops

Every day at NSDF11 there will be a choice of up to 25 workshops covering all aspects of theatre and performance, including acting, choreography, dance, lighting, circus skills, writing, directing and designing to name but a few. Check out the NSDF website to say the amazing list of NSDF11 Visiting Artists, who at going to print (May 2010) include: Justin Audibert, Richard Beecham, Lucy Briers, Bristol Old Vic, Jonathan Broadbent, Ruth Carney, Femi Elufowoju jr, Equity, Tamara Harvey, Alan Lane, Methuen Drama, Mountview Theatre School, National Theatre Studio, David Newman, Paines Plough, James Phillips, Mark Ravenhill, Mark Rosenblatt, Royal Shakespeare Company, Chris Thorpe, Spotlight, Stage Electrics, Stephanie Street, Nina Steiger for Soho Theatre, Underbelly, West Yorkshire Playhouse.

The workshops were a real pleasure - just would love to come up for longer next year. (Hannah Miller, Head of Casting RSC, Visiting Artist NSDF10)

There will also be networking events where you can talk one-to-one with Drama Schools, producers and arts management organistaions where you can get help and advise with whatever path into the creative industries you wish to follow. There are also workshops that easd to practical prize at NSDF10 Arden Entertainment supported by IdeasTap awarded £1000 to Manchester University's A Perfect Corpse production at the Edinburgh festival Fringe.

Late Night Events

There are a myriad of opportunities to perform at NSDF even if you are not at a show. Each year we programme several Visiting Artists to run workshops which result in a late night, scratch performance. Over the last few years these have included: Open Mic Comedy Night hosted by Izzy Suttie (Dobby from the Peep Show), Bollywood Night, Akala and Hip Hop Shakespeare, Graeae's Singing and Signing Cabaret, alongside performances from Unlimited, The Penny Dreadfuls and Showstopper! The Improvised Musical.

Discussions

I love the discussions. They contain broad compliments, sly, sideways sleights and occasionally verge on what a friend of mine has referred to as group therapy. The discussions are a triumph, because regardless of the regular barrage of sometimes unconstructive comments, the real flaws and successes of every show discussed so far have been exposed by the end of each debate. (Thom May, NOFF Tues 30th March NSDF10)

Discussions take place every day in the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round and are attended by students and professionals alike. This is your chance to air your views on the shows, the festival and anything else that has captured your imagination.

Technical Team

Think you might be interested in technical theatre - then join the NSDF Technical Team, but you need to get in quick as last year we had double the number of applications as we did places.

Starting on Thursday 7th April the professional technical advisors begin with an induction in all the major aspects of technical theatre, as well as Health and Safety and First Aid training. The whole team receive complimentary T-shirts as well hard-hats and gloves before beginning the first task of unloading the trucks containing £850,000 of equipment, made available to NSDF11 thanks to the continuing generous support of Stage Electrics and other partners. The Technical Team then build and facilitate eight venues, operate shows and take part in all of the technical workshops on offer.

If you are interested in joining the NSDF11 Technical Team then please email the NSDF Technical Director, Nic Watson, nic@nsdf.org.uk

I have had a fantastic week on the Tech Team learning more than I am sure some people do in a year. (Grace Stead, Deputy Venue Stage Manager, Technical Team, NSDF10)

Noises Off (NOFF) - NSDF's Magazine

If you are interested in being a writer or a critic then NOFF is for you as it is the mouthpiece for everyone at the festival to air their opinions on every aspect of the festival as well as other issues you might want to share. Each day the magazine contains over 30 pages of articles and reviews and is a unique opportunity to flex your critical muscles and become a journalist for the week.

Local Organisers and FOH

Every year at NSDF we appoint 60 volunteer students, many of whom come from University of Hull Scarborough Campus and the Stephen Joseph Youth Theatre to take up the challenge of forming the Local Organisation Team. The LO's provide all of our FOH support include: Box Office, Workshop Co-ordination, Front of House Co-ordination, ushering, as well as press and publicity. If you are interested in becoming an LO at NSDF11 then please contact the NSDF Administrator, Chris Wootton - chrisw@nsdf.org.uk