‘Taking The Stage - Women in Performing Arts’ - an exciting symposium that celebrates all women within the theatre industry - will be staged at MK Gallery from 12th - 14th September.

This inspirational event has been organised by Rosemary Hill, Artistic Director of local and professional theatre company ‘The Play’s The Thing’; and funded by Milton Keynes Community Foundation and Arts Council England.

Over the three days audience members can see a brand new play by Julia Pascal (playwright and the first female director at The National Theatre); join the discussion with local and national female  industry professionals in a series of focussed panel sessions; witness ‘scratch’ pieces from emerging female talent, plus a newly devised piece of theatre by young people from Milton Keynes alongside Haste Theatre Company.

There will also be a keynote, comic sketches and a response to Paula Rego.

Full information

For full symposium detail, please see The Play's the Thing website.

Buy Tickets

Single event and, Friday and Saturday Combination tickets* are available.

*These tickets include all Taking the Stage events for the specific days excluding the film and exhibition admission for Paula Rego: Obedience and Defiance.

Programme:

Thursday 12 September

Three Sisters, 7.00pm

7pm Launch and introduction – Poppy Corbett ( Playwright)

 7.15pm Keynote speech - Carly Halse  ( Actor and Director)

 7.30pm – “Three Sisters”  performance


Friday 13 September

11am-12pm: How are women represented and paid in the industry?

12-12.30pm: Anna Berry-response to Paula Rego, From Rego to Where?

1-2pm: Dirty Laundry by Wallis Hamilton-Felton, 1-2pm

2-3pm: How are career paths affected particularly for older women? Are they invisible? 

3.30-4.30pm: How far have we come in terms of accessibility for gender, race and disability?

5-5.45pm: Becoming the Invisible Woman by Sarah Wanendeya

7-10pm: Film Screening- Cameraperson


Saturday 14 September

11.30am - 12.30pm: Youth Devised Piece with Haste Theatre Company (followed by Youth led discussion)

12-1pm: Technology-how have women harnessed technology? How are women working in technical fields treated?

12.30-4.30pm: Sarah Dyas, Comedy Sketches (actor and stand up comedian)

1-2pm: 'Untitled' Haste Theatre

1.15-215pm: Mental health-how are creativity and mental health connected?

2.30-4pm: Haste Theatre Company's Create and Play workshop

5-5.30pm: Tapestry by Chloe Todd-Fordham

5.45-6.30pm: The Great Escape by Shobu Kapoor

6.30-7.30: Parents and carers-how can we juggle being parents and carers with a career in the performing arts?

8-9.30pm: Three Sisters