Vault Festival 2020 Application

Event Title: Coming Out Of My Cage (And I've Been Doing Just Fine)

Published Company / Artist Name: Shepard Tone

Category: Theatre

Age Guidance: 12+

Age Content Description:

Interest Tags: Devised,Great With Mates,Interactive

Concept: The song ‘Mr Brightside’ is still in the charts after 15 years. How did it end up like this? Tim and Orla come across a viral video of an Irish bar singing ‘Mr Brightside’ to their recently departed friend. Reading online comments they uncover a series of stories of incredible people who are all celebrated by those around them - all united by one song. Tim, Orla and the audience conduct an investigation into the chart-busting phenomena, taking them from that small Irish bar to a karaoke booth in Nevada and back to an English Student’s Union bathroom. Their story is split into chapters, each named after lyrics from Mr Brightside and each jumping back and forth between the stories of the three people. By combining karaoke and fun audience interactions with on-stage explorations into how this song touched the world and became an anthem for millions, we want to celebrate the importance and strength of community and give our audience an unashamedly good night out in the process.

Format: The format for the show is an investigation led by audience participation. The show begins with the audience being asked a series of questions, encouraging them to interact and get to know each other so they can answer. They become a team. As the investigation takes place the audience becomes integral to telling the story of the three people. They make decisions, they become characters, they choose the path of the story. Karaoke is used throughout the show as a medium to give exposition, frame the story and encourage audience participation - building to a finale singing the title song.

On stage is a single microphone and a projector which is used to display karaoke lyrics, PowerPoint slides and videos. We're throwing traditional audience etiquette out of the window and encouraging our audience to play, move and interact as they please. The show is a celebration of communities and each night we create a unique experience for each audience as they get to know each other and work through the story together.

Technical Requirements: - A projector (for projecting home-made video and animated karaoke lyrics).

- A screen to project onto.

- A single microphone and a stand.

- A haze machine.

Loud Elements: Background music,Loud music or sound effects
Loud Elements Details: Karaoke segments containing loud music.

Event Producer: Saxon Mudge

Who's Involved: Producer - Saxon Mudge
Director - Alexander Hick
Dramaturg - Adam Gregory
Performer - Tim Chapman
Performer - Orla O'Sullivan

Past Credits: Alexander Hick - Like and Subscribe (Theatre 503), Never Swim Alone (Etcetera Theatre), An Abundance of Tims (Bread & Roses Theatre, Tristan Bates Theatre, King's Head Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe), Junior Associate at the King's Head Theatre.

Saxon Mudge - Galvanise (Vault Festival 2019), Never Swim Alone (Etcetera Theatre). Past Producing Intern at Arcola Theatre and current Trainee Producer at the Barbican.

Adam Gregory - Melonade (Camden People's Theatre)

Tim Chapman - Treasure Island (UK Tour), Secret Garden (UK Tour), An Abundance of Tims (Bread & Roses Theatre, Tristan Bates Theatre, King's Head Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe), DNA (National Youth Theatre), Take On Me (Dante or Die).

Orla O'Sullivan - Dandelion (King's Head), The Talk (Rich Mix), Ms. B, Colin Came Instead (Katzspace), Pride and Prejudice (GSA), A View From The Bridge (GSA), Love Orchestra (GSA), Twelfth Night (GSA).

Where are you based?: London

Creative Team Size: 3

Number Of Performers: 2

Why VAULT Festival?: Ahead of an Edinburgh run, a week-long premiere at a festival of this structure would be the perfect way to open our show. As an emerging company, it would not only be an invaluable opportunity for us to showcase our work, but also to gain a network of contacts and peers.
Our experiences of the festival’s unique communal atmosphere were a huge inspiration for us to create the show. We want to initiate new friendships, and knowing that many VAULT attendees return throughout the festival makes this the perfect platform to achieve this. Unlike at a traditional venue, we can encourage audiences to stay connected by attending the late night events together or even just grabbing a drink at the bar. Coming Out Of My Cage is about coming together and having an absolute blast, fitting VAULT Festival’s framework and goal of championing adventurous, creative and inclusive experiences.

Female Led: NO

Black, Asian or Visible Minority Led: NO

LGBTQ+ Led: NO

Does this production feature, or is it created by, someone who considers themselves disabled?: NO

Supporting Press & Reviews: ★★★★★ ‘a very entertaining, original and interesting exercise in meta-theatre’ - Everything Theatre for An Abundance of Tims (https://bit.ly/2z1Oa0b)

★★★★ ‘a briskly paced curious play with a definitive fringe theatre feel’ - LondonTheatre1 for An Abundance of Tims (https://bit.ly/2MkA5Uo)

★★★★ 'Well written, well acted and well directed, this is the sort of show which stands out in a crowded market place.' - BackstageFringe for An Abundance of Tims

Ali Pidsley (Barrel Organ): ‘Alex, Saxon & their collaborators are a really exciting group of theatre makers. I think they’re mega, and can’t wait to see the work they go on to make’

Company/Artist Website: www.shepardtonetheatre.com
Supporting Video: Available on the website

Supporting Photos: Available on the website

Primary Social Media Platform: Twitter: @tone_shepard

New or Existing?: Never performed before

Previous Life: Pleasance Scratch - Pleasance Islington - March 2019 (10 min scratch showing)
Barrel Organ's LIVE 11 - Camden People's Theatre - May 2019 (20 min scratch showing)

How did you hear about VAULT Festival being open for applications?: VAULT Festival social media

If yes, with what Production(s)?: An Abundance of Tims

Have you applied to VAULT Festival before?: YES

Previous Productions at VAULT Festival: YES

If yes, what was the production and what was your involvement?: Galvanise by Rascal Theatre - Producer (Saxon Mudge)

Previous Work at VAULT Festival: YES

Details for Previous Work at VAULT Festival: Volunteer 2018 - Adam Gregory

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019: NO
Edinburgh Transfer Pleasance & Summerhall Awards: No

Programmer Tickets: YES

Are you planning to tour the production after VAULT Festival 2020?: Edinburgh Fringe 2020

Example Marketing Blurb: 'Mr Brightside' is still in the charts after 15 years. How did it end up like this? It was only a hit, it was only a hit. An interactive investigation through the medium of karaoke.

Primary Target Audience: As Coming Out of My Cage (And I've Been Doing Just Fine) is about 'Mr Brightside', we know it will attract fans of The Killers and people interested in popular music. However, 'Mr Brightside' has become more than just a song, the lyrics becoming an ingrained source of internet humour. Knowing this, our target demographic is millennials who engage with meme culture. However, it’s important to us that the show can be enjoyed by anyone, including those who aren’t fans of the band. This is a show about coming together and having fun with friends, and because of this we’re aiming this show at karaoke lovers and people who want a great night out. We want this to be the kind of show a lover of experimental theatre could bring their friend to and for both to have the time of their life.

Marketing Strategy: For every promotional post on our social media, we’ll have plenty extra just for fun - utilising the pop-culture themes of the show to reach wider audiences. These will include memes, playlists, karaoke content and online participatory opportunities, introducing the interactive aspect of the piece.

We’ll have flyers within VAULTS and extra for local businesses in the area. We’re especially keen to connect with local music venues, bars and karaoke companies to draw in a music-loving crowd. Our flyers will double-up as fun personal props, ideal for photo opportunities and for online and in-venue competitions. In the spirit of VAULT Festival, we want to support other shows so intend to create cross-show publicity opportunities too.

We’ll also be reaching out to local youth and community groups to offer discounts, hopefully ensuring we reach members of our target audience who may not otherwise get to join in with the fun!

People can also interact with our online archive which documents the show’s entire behind the scenes process, including our breakthroughs - and most importantly, our failures - allowing audiences to develop a relationship with our company and show beyond what they see on stage.

Newsworthy Features: Coming Out of My Cage (And I've Been Doing Just Fine) is an interactive investigation that throws traditional audience etiquette out the window, encouraging audiences to talk and get to know each other.

First Venue Preference: The Vaults - Pit (78)
Second Venue Preference: The Vaults - Studio (76)
Third Venue Preference: The Vaults - Crypt (77)

Venue Preference Details: Having seen a large variety of shows in this venue in the past, we absolutely love it's atmosphere. We think it would be the perfect setting for a show about bands, legacy and community as it has real potential to feel like a gig space itself. We're really keen on this space as the configuration is flexible, which means we can create a seating arrangement that ensures freedom of movement for the audience and assures them that their comfort and enjoyment is priority. We would like the audience to be able to dance if they feel like it, and we feel this space feels large enough yet intimate.

Price Band Preference: D (£13.50 Full Price)

Deal Preference: 60/40 Split (15% Minimum Festival Commitment)

Performance Week First Preference: 04-09 Feb (Week 2)

Performance Week Preference Detail: We'd love our piece to begin shortly after the VAULT Festival launch party so we can keep up the night-out festival spirit! A huge aim for this show is to break down traditional audience barriers and encourage people to talk to each other and, by the end of the piece, feel like they know each other rather than just being a room full of strangers. We want this to be a long lasting feeling and encourage people to keep talking after the show has ended so they can hopefully have met a new person they can hang at VAULTS with! Ideally, we'd therefore like the run to be in week two so we can fully embrace this and encourage people to return throughout the festival and come along to late night events. We ourselves would love to get to know our audiences and fellow companies throughout the festival too.

Unavailable Dates: No unavailable dates

Performance Week Second Preference: 11-16 Feb (Week 3)

Running Time: 60

Run Length Preference: One Week Run (5 - 7 Performances)
Run Structure: Consecutive

Run Length & Structure Detail: We want to premiere Coming Out of My Cage at VAULT Festival, and think a week long run will be the right opportunity for us to get a range of audiences in. We're especially keen to get reviews for the show, and having a run of this length and structure will provide us with more date flexibility when offering press tickets. We also wish to invite Venue Programmers to come and see the show, but understand that they will be receiving many invites and will have their own busy schedules. Having a consecutive week of shows means we can also offer flexibility to venues, meaning there may be a higher chance they could come to see the show.

Finally, we know that different youth and community groups run on different days of the week. From experience, some organisers will offer the tickets out to members to come when they please/on allocated dates, whereas others prefer to arrange group outings. With a week long run, we can widen the options we provide to these groups and therefore provide more opportunities for individuals to be a part of the show.

Stage Of Life: Finished Production

Application Date Stamp: 16/08/2019

Confirmation Check Box: YES