News
11/07/2019
Blue Apple is recruiting: Communications Manager
Blue Apple Theatre wishes to engage an experienced Communications Manager to develop, manage and execute the charity’s marketing and communications operations.
This is a new role within our successful and growing arts organisation and represents an exciting creative opportunity for an established professional to take the lead in developing our marketing activities and communications strategy, to make a real impact in supporting Blue Apple during our next phase of development and expansion.
The ideal candidate will be a skilled communicator and planner with demonstrable previous success in developing and delivering communications strategies, and a self-motivated approach to work. An in-depth understanding of marketing for arts charities, a passion for theatre, and substantial experience in a similar role will be essential.
The post-holder will have overall responsibility for all marketing and communications activities, and there is significant scope to increase the visibility and profile of the charity’s work. As a new position, the role will necessitate some hands-on development of marketing and communications materials, with the potential to develop further personnel resources as part of the future strategy.
This is a part-time role of 3 days per week at the rate of £30,000 per annum pro rata, able to be worked on a flexible basis to fit the successful applicant’s schedule. This post will initially be offered on fixed-term contract with the potential to extend in future years.
Please download and read the job description, then download and complete the application form and an equal opportunities form and send to: manager@blueappletheatre.com.
The deadline for applications is Wednesday 31 July 2019 at 5pm. It is envisaged that interviews will take place in the week beginning 12 August 2019.
17/06/2019
Success for The Tempest+
Our 3 night run of The Tempest+ was a huge success. We received lots of positive feedback from the audiences that attended on 13/14/15 June at Theatre Royal Winchester. You can view photographs from what was probably our most spectacular show to date on our production page here.
Photograph of James Benfield as Ariel by Mike Hall
05/06/2019
New Blue Apple videos
Members of the cast of Blue Apple’s production of The Tempest have made a promotional video with the help of students from the University of Winchester - you can watch the film here.
Another video featuring interviews with some of the performers and the show’s director can be seen here.
15/05/2019
Award Nomination
Blue Apple is proud to have been selected as a finalist in the prestigious 2019 Winchester Business Excellence Awards in the Social Enterprise/Charity category
24/04/2019
New season timetable
Our workshop timetable for the summer season has now been published - find the dates here. We are proud to be launching a new Ensemble-level group in Andover in partnership with Andover & District Mencap.
17/04/2019
Paris Success!
Artistic Director Richard covered himself in glory in his first ever marathon in Paris on 14 April. He successfully completed the 26 miles in 5 hours 36 minutes in order to raise funds for Blue Apple - it’s not too late to congratulate his effort with a donation.
20/03/2019
Tickets on sale now for The Tempest+
Tickets are now on sale for our summer production The Tempest+ at Theatre Royal Winchester on 13/14/15 June. Telling Shakespeare’s tale with clarity and simplicity, this will be the classic story of love, magic and treachery featuring fairies, beasts and gods – but, as always with Blue Apple, you should expect a twist on the traditional.
You can puchase tickets here.
04/03/2019
Richard Pounds the Pavement
Our valiant Artistic Director Richard is running his first ever marathon in Paris on 14 April. Typical of his dedication, he is doing it to raise funds for Blue Apple - so why not reward him for all his months of training with a donation?
If you live in Winchester and shop at Waitrose in Weeke, you can also support Blue Apple by voting for us with your green tokens in March - the more votes we get, the larger the share of this month’s Community Matters funding pot we will receive.
22/11/2018
Spring season dates
Our workshop timetable for the spring season has now been published - find the dates here.
19/11/2018
Tickets on sale now for A Christmas Carol
Your winter festivities won’t feel complete without an encounter with Scrooge – and this season Scrooge will definitely be unlike any other! Join Blue Apple at Theatre Royal Winchester on 11/12/13 January for an innovative new adaptation of what is, for many, the ultimate winter classic.
This will be the Dickens story you know and love but much more… There will be snow and there will be ghosts, but filtered through Blue Apple’s unique style of uplifting theatre that includes drama, dance, puppetry, music and film - you should expect an old tale with a new twist.
Blue Apple begins its new year exploring the spirit of ‘reconciliation’ with a story about how to reach out, build bridges and warm long-cold hearts.
Tickets can be purchased now from the Theatre Royal Winchester box office at: https://www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk/a-christmas-carol/ or call 01962 840440.
18/10/2018
Blue Apple is recruiting: Freelance Fundraiser
Blue Apple Theatre is seeking an experienced freelance fundraiser to support its current fundraising programme, including a major grant submission as well as smaller applications.
Blue Apple’s success has seen demand rise and our geographic scope has rapidly expanded towards the creation of a countywide service offering a framework of progression outcomes for participants, with further groups likely to develop in the 2018-2019 period.
We are looking for a fundraiser with a track record of successful bid writing for outcomes-focussed creative businesses, and language skills that demonstrate clarity and passion.
This work is offered as a freelance contract for a fee of £3,000 – expected to cover approximately 20 days activity within the period from early November to the end of December 2018. It is anticipated that additional commissions will also arise in the future.
To apply please send a brief letter outlining your interest in the opportunity, your experience and examples of successful fundraising work to: manager@blueappletheatre.com.
The deadline for applications is Friday 26 October.
02/07/2018
Blue Apple is recruiting: Finance Manager and Company Secretary (part-time)
Blue Apple Theatre wishes to engage an experienced finance manager to maintain its financial records, oversee budget management and fulfil its financial reporting and other statutory obligations. Applicants will preferably have a thorough understanding of the compliance requirements of small charities to additionally fulfil the functions of company secretary for the organisation.
Founded in 2005 and based in Winchester, Blue Apple is an inspirational and ambitious theatrical company that supports performers with learning disabilities to develop and present high quality productions for the widest possible audiences – performing and touring theatre, dance and film within a variety of large and small scale venues around Hampshire and the southern regions, as well as nationally and internationally.
This is a part-time role of 1.5 days per week, able to be worked on a flexible basis to fit the successful applicant’s schedule. This post will initially be offered on a one-year fixed-term contract with the potential to extend in future years.
Please download the job description, then download and complete the application form together with the equal opportunities form and send to: admin@blueappletheatre.com.
The deadline for applications is Wednesday 18 July 2018 at 5pm. It is envisaged that interviews will take place in the week beginning 23 July 2018.
30/06/2018
Hat Fair 2018
Blue Apple’s Special Assignments Company will be presenting their new piece of street theatre, ‘Mother, Mater, Co-Creator', at the world famous Hat Fair event in Winchester on Saturday - please come along to enjoy the show and show your support for this wonderful creative team.
At 12 noon you can follow their brief walkabout performance from Abbey Gardens to the Cathedral Outer Close, where the show begins at 12.10pm. More info here: https://hatfair.co.uk/events/mother-mater-co-creator/
23/05/2018
Blue Apple has updated its privacy policy. You can read the policy here.
16/05/2018
Summer Show
Tickets for Blue Apple's latest major production, 'Winchester! The First 100,000,000 Years', are now on sale at https://www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk/winchester-the-first-100000000-years.
This year’s show is titled ‘Winchester! The First 100,000,000 Years’ and features a whistle-stop exploration of the history of the city that the company calls ‘home’.
Through Blue Apple’s unique style of uplifting theatre that includes drama, dance, puppetry and multimedia effects, the new show promises to throw the spotlight on well-known and more obscure historical facts, as well as sometimes playing with the truth for comedic effect.
The play has been written by Blue Apple’s artistic director, Richard Conlon, and the large integrated ensemble cast is comprised of experienced local actors with learning disabilities alongside non-disabled people. Many of Blue Apple’s performers have performed and toured extensively throughout the south of England, including a show at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London in 2016.
Richard commented, “This is certainly a show for everyone who loves Winchester, as well as anybody that doesn’t! It’s a love letter to a particular place and its individual history, but we will also poke a little bit of fun at it too.”
The show will run from 21-23 June and tickets are now on sale, priced £19 and £14 concessions – schools and friends of Theatre Royal Winchester can also apply for discounted block bookings.
Blue Apple’s general manger, Simon Morris, added: “As always we will be staging a bold and ambitious production and we hope that as many people as possible will come along to be inspired by and support the integration of performers with disabilities into the mainstream cultural scene.”
25/04/2018
Blue Apple appears on USA TV
During our recent USA residency at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, our community workshops were filmed by WHSV television news. You can watch 2 clips here: http://www.whsv.com/content/news/Blue-Apple-theater-makes-first-trip-to-the-US-to-visit-the-Valley-479552453.html
01/11/2018
Blue Apple presents
A King’s City Christmas
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the town,
A pilgrim walks silent with our own ancient Crown…
The start of the Christmas period in Winchester is marked by many special things and one of them is the Blue Apple winter show; this year we take our inspiration from the city itself.
Come and join our timeless Pilgrim as he takes on the task of reminding our very own King Alfred what a remarkable place his city is. The king has stood and looked on from above for so long that he needs someone to refresh his jaded eyes.
Tender, bittersweet but ultimately uplifting, A King’s City Christmas is a love letter to an extraordinary place. Told with Blue Apple’s unique charm, wit and sense of mischief this piece is the perfect way to kick-start your festivities with a spring in your step and joy in your heart.
“Tonight we’ll play you the voices of this city’s choir, the tiles in the mosaic that makes up this place. Come along now and we’ll spend this night together in search of the soul of a city.”
Wednesday 6 December 7.30pm
Thursday 7 December 7.30pm
Friday 8 December 7.30pm
Saturday 9 December 7.30pm
The Tower Theatre @ Kings’, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5PD
Tickets: £12 / Concessions £8
Includes £1 booking fee
Available in advance from
Theatre Royal Winchester box office.
Tel. 01962 840440 or book online at
www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk