My Place – information for host venues

ACCOMODATION FORM

Thank you so much for organising accommodation for our My Place travellers. It’s really important for our actors and technician to know where they are going and that they will get bed and board for the night, so thank you for providing this for them. 

Find the link to the accommodation form here.

 

PUBLICITY FORM

Please fill out the following publicity form so we have information specific to your venue for the publicity materials. The sooner you fill this out, the sooner we can get the materials to you and you can start advertising the event. 

Find the link to the publicity materials form here

 

Thank you! We really appreciate all of your efforts and cooperation and are very excited for each performance of the tour! 

If there is anything else you need to know, do not hesitate to contact us by emailing ruth@rltc.org or calling 01904 655317.

 

My Place

 

Could you help bring change to the lives of vulnerable children? That was the question set before us and now we have a powerful and moving evening of theatre and conversation to offer you.

Home for Good is partnering with Riding Lights Theatre Company to launch an 8 week nationwide tour from May 2022. We are looking for venues right across the UK.

Each evening will combine a performance of the new short play My Place – a wonderfully engaging piece of dramatic story-telling – with an opportunity to hear about Home for Good and how each of us can play our part in transforming the lives of vulnerable children and young people.

Click HERE to see the My Place tour dates.


Book now
WHAT’S THE STORY OF MY PLACE?

Both entertaining and thought-provoking, My Place follows the stories of four children in care. An individual child, a pair of siblings and an unaccompanied child refugee. They have different backgrounds and journeys, brought to life through a range of colourful story-telling techniques, including song and spoken word. Each story highlights the need for all vulnerable children to have a safe, stable and loving home where they can thrive.

 

WHO ARE HOME FOR GOOD?

Home for Good is a charity that exists to find a home for every child who needs one. We hope to inspire and equip individuals and families to open their homes and hearts to children and teenagers through fostering, adoption and supported lodgings. We also resource churches to be a welcoming and supportive community for all families who care for vulnerable children and advocate on their behalf at all levels of government. Home for Good is thrilled to have this opportunity to join with Riding Lights in presenting My Place.

WHY A PLAY?

Watching a play unfold engages the imagination in a vivid way and is more immediate than video. It allows you to place yourself in another person’s shoes, to think about issues from a new perspective, perhaps even to think about things you have never considered before. Riding Lights has over 40 years of professional experience doing just this in theatres, schools, prisons, cathedrals, churches and community centres across the UK.

WHO IS THIS EVENT FOR?

Everyone! Any individual who cares about children, has a passion for justice and compassion for our society’s most vulnerable would be inspired by this event. We hope that many people will gain a better understanding of the experience of young refugees and children in care. The play is suitable for teenagers and adults but not recommended for younger children.

For further details, please contact ruth@rltc.org or call Ruth on 01904 655317

2022 Courses

Face the Music (14-25)

Face the Music returns, with an expanded age bracket, for a fabulous production of Sister Act. Jump for joy in this gospel sensation, with vibrant musical numbers and quality comedy to be found. So, get thee to the nunnery for this Joyful Joyful show full of music, dance and fun.

Riding Lights Express (14-18)

Ready for a rip-roaring return, this year A Comedy of Errors gets the RLX treatment in a playful and potent production of this Shakespearean classic. Flex your acting muscles bringing to life this funny, fast-paced farce about mistaken identity and other silly shenanigans. 

Stage By Stage (19-90)

Presenting Chekhov’s Shorts, a colourful bill of short comedies from the king of character himself, Anton Chekhov – with parts for all. Hone your acting skills and enjoy the full force of the ridiculous under the expert tutelage of our STS directors.

 The Joy-Full Works (19-90)

Spend the week writing, devising and revelling in joyous storytelling. Bring some of your most surprising and joyful memories to life in a brand-new ensemble show created in the week from the personal stories of the Joy-Full Works company.

 Radio Active (19-90)

The Radio Active Players present The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – sort of! Join the company of this live ‘radio play that goes wrong’ for a hilarious misadventure in sound and space. Expand your vocal technique and have fun creating live foley sound effects to conjure a stellar soundscape.

Technical Theatre (16-90)

Gain excellent experience from a seasoned professional: learn effective stage-management, how to rig and operate lighting and create a sound design. Then work alongside a director and have fun enhancing one of the shows at the climax of the Summer School.

HAVING TROUBLE CHOOSING?

Hear more about the courses below.

Costs and Booking

COSTS

The cost of the 2022 Summer School is £585. This covers all tuition and materials for the week, as well as food and accommodation.

Book by 20th February for an early booking discount of £35 – that’s a reduced cost of £550.

Bursaries are available as well as a number of free places for those not in full time employment or education. For more information, please contact us.

BOOKING

To book your place, please complete the form below. If you have any questions, please email summerschool@rltc.org or phone 01904 655317.

Fizzy Finn – Watch at Home

FIZZY FINN FINDS HIS FEET – Individual bookings

STREAMING ONLINE TO YOUR HOME

“I loved it. It’s so good for all aged children” – parent

“I thought it was amazing! I liked the part where they went ka-pow!” – child

“It’s super funny, really interactive and brilliant for kids to learn it’s okay not be feel okay sometimes” – parent

Many young children have found recent lockdowns and absences from friends and family very stressful, causing anxieties they find hard to articulate.  Riding Lights has created this wonderfully insightful Christmas show to address some of these problems in a gentle, fun way.  Through the character of Finn and his discovery of Tink the cobbler and her amazing story-telling Shoe Shop, we jump right into tales of bravery, fear and finding your feet in a stormy world.

Technical

You will be allowed access to the videos on 22 November and guidelines for distribution/use, subject to a fee and licence agreement being returned to Riding Lights.

Your licence to the show will allow you access until 31 January 2022. Before that date you will be able to watch the films privately with families and friends.

Dates

The films will be available to view from 23 November 2021 – 31 January 2022

Tickets cost £10 for unlimited access between 23 November 2021 and 31 January 2022

 

Fizzy Finn – Community Film Bookings

FIZZY FINN FINDS HIS FEET

STREAMING ONLINE TO YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY from November 22 to January 31

“I thought it was amazing! I liked the part where they went ka-pow!” – child

“Fun and fast-paced. Throughout all I could hear was children laughing” – Year 6 teacher

“It’s super funny, really interactive and brilliant for kids to learn it’s okay not be feel okay sometimes” – parent

Many young children have found recent lockdowns and absences from friends and family very stressful, causing anxieties they find hard to articulate.  Riding Lights has created this wonderfully insightful Christmas show to address some of these problems in a gentle, fun way. Through the character of Finn and his discovery of Tink the cobbler and her amazing story-telling Shoe Shop, we jump right into tales of bravery, fear and finding your feet in a stormy world.

This is a lovely way to bring together a local community for a family friendly Christmas event.

Cost for streaming online to Communities

£2 + VAT per child or family watching the films. Minimum order of £24 + VAT.

Please contact us directly if you’d like to book this as part of a circuit or Churches
Together initiative to talk about a fee.

Sponsoring a film for your local primary school or other church-linked organisation such as. Brownies or Cubs is a great way to continue to offer valuable support. Schools and groups receive access to the films and a resource pack of creative activities to use over the final weeks of term – a valuable resource for time-stretched teachers looking to inject some fun at the close of the year!

To sponsor a school or group’s access to the films, or if you have any questions please contact us on chloe@rltc.org or 01904 655317.

BOOK HERE for Fizzy Finn streamed online

 

Fizzy Finn – Primary School Film

Fizzy Finn – on film for Primary Schools

“I loved it. It’s so good for all aged children” – adult

“I thought it was amazing! I liked the part where they went ka-pow!” – child

“Fun and fast-paced. Throughout all I could hear was children laughing” – Year 6 teacher

“It’s super funny, really interactive and brilliant for kids to learn it’s okay not be feel okay sometimes” – parent

“It was very colourful and fun” – child

Nov 22 – Jan 31

Many young children have found recent lockdowns and absences from friends and family very stressful, causing anxieties they find hard to articulate.  Riding Lights has created this wonderfully insightful Christmas show to address some of these problems in a gentle, fun way.  Through the character of Finn and his discovery of Tink the cobbler and her amazing story-telling Shoe Shop, we jump right into tales of bravery, fear and finding your feet in a stormy world.

Episode 1 – Tink the Cobbler’s Story Shop
Confused and anxious, Fizzy Finn arrives on Christmas Eve, escaping from a thunderstorm that has been chasing him for weeks. After advising him to ‘Blotzsh the Glim’, Tink hopes he will learn from the surprising story of poor Suzy Pettiskew.

Episode 2 – Barney Box and the Expanding Dog
Crackling electricity from the storm outside keeps Finn sheltering in the shop. He gets caught up in the world of Barney Box and his Expanding Dog – a problem which grows bigger and bigger, the longer Barney tries to keep it secret.

Episode 3 – Fizzy Finn Finds His Feet
We discover that Tink, too, has a remarkable shoe story of her own to tell and sharing it with Finn gives courage to them both. Finn finds his feet as he begins to understand why, this year, the prospect of having ‘two Christmases’ has been making him feel so strangely ‘fizzy’.

Schools streaming the show will be given free online access to the support materials

The show lasts approximately 45 minutes and can be viewed in three episodes if preferred.

 

Streaming costs from November 22nd

Under 50 pupils   £50 +VAT

51-100 pupils      £100 + VAT

100-200 pupils    £150+VAT

200+ pupils        £200 + VAT

 

Technical

You will be allowed access to the videos on 22 November and guidelines for distribution/use, subject to a fee and licence agreement being returned to Riding Lights.

Your licence will allow you access until 31 January 2022.

 

BOOK HERE to meet Fizzy Finn and the curious cobbler on film

 

Breaking Day – Church Resources

Hello church organisers!

Here you’ll find images and copy to help you tell your community about Breaking Day.

Breaking Day Film

Here it is on the Riding Lights YouTube. You may share this link directly with your community.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Nb3Go-0GA

Here it is on our Vimeo. This is meant ONLY for churches planning to download the video and add to your own platform as an unlisted video.
https://vimeo.com/524145329/0d16f33d95

The film in three parts will appear here on 17 March.

Breaking Day Reflections
Optional prayers to use during the screening.
2021 Breaking Day prayer material

Please click the link and wait for a box to open. Click Open or Save.

Breaking Day Programme

Breaking Day programme

Breaking Day Images (variety of sizes including for social media)

Graphics– ZIP File

Please click the link and wait for a box to open. Click Save. They’ll be in your Downloads folder, where you can extract the contents and save to your computer.

Breaking Day Copy

Full copy:

As day begins to break on Good Friday, the occupying Governor’s tenuous grip on authority is slipping. It’s festival time in Jerusalem but his wife is plagued with disturbing dreams. Amid the demands of the Sanhedrin and the murderous cries of the mob, the lines between personal and political in Pilate’s house start to blur.  The teacher at the centre of it all remains silent.

Confused by the hopes and fears of her people, a Jewish servant in the Praetorium, clearly knows more than she should. Pilate wrestles with a quandary of his own devising while outside momentum is gathering – the power of the Capitol in tension with the will of the people. 

With stark intimacy, Breaking Day casts a surprising light on the death of Jesus from inside the Governor’s household, immersing us in the decisions that led to crucifixion. Filmed remotely in an innovative lockdown style, Breaking Day is a virtual passion play for Easter 2021.

[ADD CHURCH DETAILS HERE – include date/time of access, sign-up process, and your church contact information.]

 

Short copy (suitable for social media):

As day begins to break on Good Friday, the occupying Governor’s tenuous grip on authority is slipping. It’s festival time in Jerusalem but his wife is plagued with disturbing dreams and his Jewish servant clearly knows more than she should. Between the demands of the Sanhedrin and the murderous cries of the mob, the lines between personal and political in Pilate’s house begin to blur.  The power of the Capitol stands in tension with the will of the people, but the teacher at the centre of it all remains silent.

Filmed remotely in lockdown, Breaking Day is an innovative passion play for Easter 2021, immersing us with stark intimacy in decisions that led to crucifixion.

[ADD CHURCH DETAILS HERE – include date/time of access, sign-up process, and your church contact information.]

Trailer

https://youtu.be/XPJ4BlDgTkc

If you wish to embed the video on your church website, here is the embed code:

<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/XPJ4BlDgTkc” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>

Social Media

Here are links to Riding Lights’ posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for your church platforms to use and share:

Post with Trailer

https://www.facebook.com/ridinglights/posts/10159500022881019
https://twitter.com/ridinglights/status/1366342702321836033
https://www.instagram.com/p/CL34N_cHTEL/

 

Church FAQs

When will the play be available?

The licence allows the performance to be streamed at any time between 15 March and 15 April 2021.

How does the licence work?

Riding Lights has a sliding scale for individual churches based on their regular size. Once purchased, you may share the performance as widely as you like, adhering to the licence terms. You may invite others outside your church to watch it as outreach, or offer it to your church family to enjoy together as part of your Easter celebrations. You may offer it for free, or sell tickets (see tickets question below).

Who is ‘Breaking Day’ suitable for?

It is a play for adults and has a guidance rating of 11+.  Under 16s should watch it with an adult.

How will we share the play with our community?

You will be able to add it as an unlisted video to your church YouTube channel. This means it won’t appear publicly on your YouTube channel, but can be accessed using the direct URL link.

To encourage that sense of participating together, we recommend you set a time to watch it together (with the option for people to catch-up afterwards), but you may also offer it for people to watch in their own time.

Alternatively, you can share the film on the Riding Lights YouTube channel if you don’t have your own.

To comply with the requirements of the licence and protect the intellectual property rights of Riding Lights it must be an unlisted video. After 15 April the video should be removed from your platform.

Can church members share the link?

Yes. Churches are asked to keep some kind of record of how widely their unlisted link is shared by a simple sign up form, if sharing outside of the regular mailing list.

Can we intersperse with reflections or prayers?

Yes.  Riding Lights will provide short reflections for a member of your community to lead before, after and in between the acts. If you would like to use these, the film will be provided to download in three parts with instructions about how to insert your reflections to make one video file, which can then be used online or at in person screenings under the same conditions outlined above. Do take into account that this will make the run time of the play longer.

Can I share it via Zoom?

The licence allows you to watch it together on Zoom or other video calling software, but not through screen sharing. This is to ensure the best possible quality depending on local connectivity.

You can send the link to everyone in advance of the video call, asking them to open it in a web browser to begin watching at the same time. Your group can then watch it all the way through, coming back to the Zoom at the end, or pausing at the end of each act to take part in a reflection on the Zoom call. They can stay on Zoom whilst watching the play but everyone should be muted.

How do we manage the reflections on Zoom?

The breaks between acts will be marked with a few seconds of blank screen. We will provide the length of each act in the YouTube description so your viewers know when to pause their viewing if returning to a Zoom for a reflection.

Viewers will finish each section at slightly different times. You can ask the group to turn their cameras off while watching, then put them back on to signify when they have finished a section. Alternatively the group might use a reaction button to indicate they’ve finished, or write in the chat.

The person leading the reflection can use this indication to know when to unmute themselves and begin. This will ensure that those still watching are not disturbed by people beginning to talk on the Zoom.

What if I have a technical problem?

Please test access to the film in advance during our company office hours (Monday to Friday 10.30 -4.30pm) to allow time to rectify any problems or issues before you wish to use the links, particularly if you are using them on a weekend.

An emergency number will be supplied if there are problems on the day but we are a small team and cannot guarantee instant help, particularly on Good Friday when most churches will be accessing the film. Please help us minimise these technical issues by doing a test run in advance.

What happens if my in-person screenings are cancelled due to a change in government guidelines?

Please contact Riding Lights as soon as you can. We can help you transfer the event into an online screening or extend the licence terms to allow for a postponement.

I want to sell tickets. How does that work?

Standard ticket price is £10 per household for access over the licence period. Any variance in this pricing must be agreed with Riding Lights.

The church will be responsible for their own box office arrangements. The church will keep 100% of the ticket income up to the equivalent of the booking fee. Any additional income will be split 40:60 between the church and Riding Lights.

It is the responsibility of the venue to run a box office, keep accurate records, and report ticket sales to Riding Lights. On receipt of accurate box office records, Riding Lights will invoice the venue for 60% of the profit.

Can you help with marketing?

Riding Lights will provide images, a trailer, and a description for church notices, as well as a simple press release for your local press. There will also be a programme for people attending your screening.

We also encourage you to share any of the company’s social media posts in connection with ‘Breaking Day’.

Can I see a preview?

We are unable to arrange free previews. It would be normal for film companies to complete their work many months before distribution. The constraints of the pandemic mean that our filming timeline has been very short indeed so the work will not be available to watch until 15 March. When we tour a play we often provide a trailer to give a flavour of the whole piece. This is very similar even though it’s a filmed play rather than a live performance. We will release a trailer in the first week of March.

Once you have ordered the film, you will be able to see it from 15 March.

summer theatre school