The drama scene at Oxford is vibrant and thriving – in fact, the Oxford University Dramatic Society (or OUDS as everyone calls it) is the biggest university drama society in the country. However, because of its size and the way it runs it can be a little tricky to navigate at first, so we’ve put together this easy to follow guide which explains how to put on a show in Oxford. If you came to our OUDS introduction event in fresher’s week this may sound a little familiar, but for those who couldn’t make it I hope it’s of some use!
How to get involved with OUDS:
Get onto the OUDS portal on Facebook! This is where all upcoming auditions and crew calls are posted by individual productions companies within the drama society. Along with these will always be a link to a Google Drive with all the information you will need to apply. For a crew position (ie anything other than acting!) this will usually just be filling in a google form with your personal details, any experience you have and why you want to join the show. Crew positions can be anything from lighting design to assistant stage managing, and there are lots of assistant roles available for which you don’t need any experience – just an interest in theatre and lots of enthusiasm! If you want to learn a particular skill or just how a show in Oxford works, you can also sign up for one of the shadowing opportunities also advertised on the facebook portal. These have no application process, you can simply sign up using the form on the facebook, and you will be able to attend rehearsal and production meetings to get a sense of how Oxford theatre works.
For auditions, there will also be extracts or monologues for you to have a look at. You will then either need to send a self tape or attend an in person audition slot. There should also be links to additional advice on preparing for an audition and filming a self tape.
How to put on a show:
If you’re keen to put on a show yourself as a director or producer, we’d recommend you join a show this term in an assistant or shadowing position first .
Once you’ve got an idea of how a show in Oxford works, you’ll want to find another person to start a production company with. Starting a production company means you’ll be able to put on a show in Oxford within the drama society. This involves setting up a bank account and registering on the OUDS website. If you have questions about this you can reach out to any of the OUDS committee members, or your college drama rep. You will then put out your first crew call on the facebook page for your core crew members. This includes: a marketing manager, a lighting, sound, and set designer, and a welfare rep.
Once you have your crew and have chosen a show (and secured the rights if it’s not out of copyright – reach out to the committee if you’re unsure on how to check this!), you then need to go through a process called ‘bidding’ for one of the venues in Oxford. For a first production, both the BT studio and the Pilch theatre are really good options as they aren’t too expensive or big to fill. Theatres will advertise their bid application dates later in term, usually around 4th or 5th week, and you will need to submit an application with a budget, created using the OUDS budget template, and include statements from heads of department. You will then have an interview with the venue, who will tell you whether or not you have secured a slot.
After that, it’s pretty self explanatory! You will need to hold auditions by putting a casting call on OUDS, and maybe another crew call if you need additional crew members like assistants. You will also need to secure funding for your production, which most shows get from OUDS and a variety of other funding bodies whose details you can find on the OUDS website. You will need to send them your budget and sometimes have an interview about what you’re going to do with the funding.
Some shows, especially if they are in the first half of term, will cast actors the term before, but lots of shows also leave it to the term of the performance. Once you have a cast, it’s simply a question of rehearsing, having production meetings to discuss design elements and practicalities, and marketing your show to sell tickets.
I realise this was a lot of information in one go, and I promise being part of OUDS isn’t all admin and Facebook posts! The main piece of advice I would give anyone wanting to get involved is to start somewhere – it doesn’t matter if it’s a role you’ve never done before or a show you’ve never heard of. Everyone in Oxford drama is incredibly friendly and we all share a love of (some might say obsession with…) theatre, so you’re sure to have something in common with everyone you meet. The OUDS committee will also be hosting socials for Halloween and Christmas so do come along to those if you want to meet some friendly faces before diving in to a show. I look forward to seeing you there!
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