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Creating Community through Theatre
About
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Oxford People's Theatre is an intergenerational company for anyone aged 11+ with a passion for making theatre alongside professional artists.
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We harness the transformative power of theatre to create community. Our all-inclusive, intergenerational workshops, socials & productions allow meaningful connections to flourish, between actors, creatives, and audiences, and across different communities, and age groups.
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OPT was founded by Co-directors
Lizzy McBain and Emma Webb in 2022.
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Lizzy is a Director and Designer.
Emma is a Choreographer, Movement Director and theatre maker.
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Between them they have 45 years collective experience making theatre with professional and community artists, and a passion for making visually striking performance with people from all backgrounds.
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"Life is better with OPT" - participant
What we do
​OPT is open to all adults & YP aged 11+ from across Oxford. We want all to feel welcome, especially those:
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with little or no experience of theatre
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on low incomes,
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with additional mental or physical health needs.
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at risk of becoming or who are already socially excluded/lonely
We do this by:
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not holding auditions
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creating multiple ways to engage onstage or backstage
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offering free /pay what you can activity
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reimbursing bus fares where needed
- hosting social events & sharings alongside workshops & performances
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Alongside developing a biennial production, we also have opportunities to get involved throughout the year, to collaborate on the writing, music & design of our shows through Play in a Week style events & sharings.
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Alongside this we run skills shares & weekly workshops.
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Email us oxfordpeoplestheatre@gmail.com or join our mailing list below for more information.
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What people say
“By not setting any barriers to entry, it
means there are no limits to what can be achieved.”
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- Participant
"Personally, I had never been on stage before and it gave me a chance to step onto the stage in a very safe way with a local, supportive audience and a team who had your back. It has given me a new-found confidence that I have never had before. I feel that if I can do that, I can do anything"
- Participant
“If I wasn’t involved with OPT, I would not interact with people & I’d be more depressed. It’s something to look forward to... A chance to be part of something.
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Life is better with OPT"
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- Participant
Weekly Workshops
Acting Workshop
Mondays 6.30 - 8.30pm Pegasus Theatre
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These are generally more skill orientated, developing scenes from a script.
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APRIL MAY 2025 Guest Tutor Season
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We are delighted to be hosting three guest tutor workshops this term they are:
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​Theatre Workshop
Tuesdays 6.30 - 8.45 Arts at the Old Fire Station
These are playful, games based drop in sessions using a script as a springboard. Suitable for anyone who would like to play, grow in confidence, improve public speaking and have a lot of fun.
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Summer term dates are:
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Tuesday 22nd April. Tickets available here
Tuesday 29th April. Tickets available here
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Tuesday 6th May. Tickets available here
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Tuesday 13th May. Tickets available here
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Tuesday 20th May. Tickets are available here
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Julia is an experienced voice and musical theatre teacher.
During the workshop you will take part in warm up activities, develop vocal skills through exercises and group song, explore acting through song, harmonies and song performance.
Limited places. Tickets are available here
This workshop is built around learning two very simple magic tricks. Through scripting, acting, character and choreography we turn something very simple into something very impactful, and test out the various different ways the same trick can be presented to tell a variety of stories.
Limited places. Tickets are available here
This workshop explores ways improvisation can be used in performance or for devising new work. This workshop is for anyone who is entirely new to improv, hasn't tried it for years, or wants to brush up on their skills. Even people who don’t consider themselves actors.
Limited places. Tickets are available here
SHOWS
The Moon and Darker Tales
A bright light has appeared. The people have been woken up and some are pretty grumpy about it. What are they going to do now? Will they ever get back to sleep? And what’s that wolf doing there too?
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“Just the beauty of the whole thing - the people, the talent, the patience, the creativity, the kindness, the connection…. Working together to create something amazing.”
- Participant
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“Whilst every element of this production was perfect it was the sense of love and joy in the room that really elevated into something almost spiritual and definitely about community.”
- Audience member
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An original production by Oxford People's Theatre, inspired by Grimm's Fairytales
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Written by Emma Webb and devised by the company
With original music by Guy Hughes
Directed by Emma Webb and Lizzy McBain
Designed by Lizzy McBain
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50 performers aged 9 to 90
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Performed at Pegasus Theatre, February 2024
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Supported by Arts Council England, Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council
Shaping Destiny
Photos by David Jeffrey
An Oxford People's Theatre performance
Written by Emma Webb and devised by the company
Directed by Emma Webb and Lizzy McBain
Designed by Jess Shaw
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Site specific promenade performance in the grounds of the Old Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, June 2023.
Commissioned by TORCH & DPAG, The University of Oxford.
Funded by the Wellcome Trust
In one day 26 performers aged between 17 and 89 performed three sold out shows exploring, medicine and the history of the building. It was a time leaping extravaganza filled with Saints, sheet folding, quacks, Obstetric flying squads, resurrections and one very strict Matron. Developed over two days of devising, the cast then had 4 rehearsals to get to grips with their roles before playing to over 200 members of the public
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Shaping Destiny was commissioned by TORCH, the Oxford Research Centre for the Humanities and DPAG, the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, as part of a public engagement project funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine.
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The People's Pantomime
An original production by Oxford People's Theatre
Text by Limelight Scripts and adapted by Emma Webb and Mark Ralph Bowman
Directed by Lizzy McBain and Emma Webb
Designed by Lizzy McBain
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40 performers aged 8 - 89 years of age
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Performed at the Old Fire Station, January 2023
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Supported by Oxford City Council and Offbeat Festival
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"A Fantastic show. Really good fun. I have never participated so much with a show, the warmth and talent of the actors drew in the audience. Wonderful music and clever lyrics."
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"A wonderful celebration of community theatre at its best. Excellent script, directing, movement, acting, music and audience involvement."
-Audience feedback
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