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"Terrifying"
is how Bart Lee describes his new job. It's also "fantastic"
and "exciting".
As
artistic director, Bart is responsible for putting together the
programme of shows for The Castle's 500-seat main auditorium and
100-seat studio theatre.
He's
the new boy at The Castle after working as artistic director for
a theatre company at Bracknell, Berks.
"There
I was responsible for six or seven weeks of programming," says
Bart. "Here it's for the whole year".
Nightmare
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| The
Buddha of Suburbia played at The Castle in April |
Shows
are booked up early, so it'll be a year before we see the results
of Bart's labours. But he's already planning on changes.
"I
want to get more community productions up and running," is
his aim. In discussion with local groups - such as youth groups
- he wants to develop shows for the main house.
Next
summer he wants to put on a big cast community musical: "I
have a history of doing that - a cast of 100; it's a nightmare but
good fun!"
At
27, Bart is a youthful artistic director. He believes his age is
"an advantage in attracting young people".
Like
many theatres around the country, The Castle is setting it's sights
on the twentysomethings.
Alienating
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| Youthful:
Bart Lee |
"Older
people can get set in their ways," he explains. "They
say: 'This is the way we've always done it and this is the way we're
always going to do it'.
"By meeting new people and hopefully being a bit fresher, I
can get people in and say: 'all right - go for it' and given them
a try."
The difficult thing (something with which all theatres are grappling)
is to to pull in a younger audience without alienating the existing,
older audience.
"I
have to cater for everybody and find good drama, good music; create
deals with new partnerships and try to get people in here."
Comedy has already been a draw for young people at The Castle. Bart
believes there's much more they can do for the audience: "Give
them ownership of the work and make it appeal to them. There are
plays for younger audiences that you can pick."
Unplugged
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| Tonight
We Fly - a show using masks - came to The Castle in February |
Other
projects include 'Unplugged and intimate', a showcase for local
acoustic bands and solo artists, and a 'Battle of the Bands' competition
culminating in a gig in the main theatre with professional support.
"The
arts centre is here as a service for everyone to use," he says.
He's urging budding performers to contact him.
"A
lot of people get very precious about their art and think it's something
that shouldn't be touched and it's something that you can't get
into.
"I
don't feel like that at all. I think it's something that needs to
be expressed: if you write a play it's no good if it stays on your
computer filed away - you have to try and perform it in front of
an audience because only in performance do you find what a play
is about.
"If you're a songwriter, it's no point if you're all the time
singing to yourself: you have to sing to other people."
The
invitation is there - give Bart a ring and he'll try to help you
develop your ideas.
For
Bart, the hard work begins now - finding all those community shows
to fill a year's worth of entertainment.
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