As well as musicals, plays and opera, Thespie also has a huge selection of content for dance-lovers, or those looking to keep active whilst dance studios remain closed. World-renowned dance company Sadler’s Wells has been busy releasing weekly digital streams of past performances, along with online classes for all ages and abilities. The Lincoln Center in New York are also currently running a designated Dance Week, featuring pop-up classrooms, as well as archived recordings from New York City Ballet and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. 

With so much great dance content to explore, here are some of our highlights:

Choreographed by Amaury Lebrun, For An Instant is currently available as part of Northern Ballet's Pay As You Feel Digital Season. 

The Interval Act with Jon Reynolds - Livestream

West End star Jon Reynolds (9 to 5 the Musical, Kinky Boots) will be streaming a dance workshop from home as part of The Theatre Café presents The Interval Act series on 5 June. 

Christopher Wheeldon and Ashley Wheater - Artist Talk

Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon is joined by Ashley Wheater, the artistic director of Chicago's Joffrey Ballet, to discuss the creative process, ballet today, and Wheeldon's The Nutcracker.

From emerging artists to legendary figures, Pawlet Brookes - CEO and Artistic Director of Serendipity - speaks to pioneering Black dancers, choreographers, activists, academics and leaders within the arts and heritage sector.

This touching documentary about Larissa Ponomarenko features flashbacks to her journey from a difficult childhood and rigorous ballet training in Russia, to her emergence as the prima ballerina of a leading American ballet company.

Whether you’re a beginner who’s just starting out or an advanced dancer looking for in-depth training, learn skills and full routines in a range of popular dance styles with this dance studio app.

This online exhibit gives an insight into Martha Graham's upbringing, influences, and the legacy she has left for future generations of contemporary dancers.

Experience a 360 degree tap performance with Andrew Nemr dancing to Louis Armstrong's St. Louis Blues.

In this richly detailed and beautifully written biography, Sam Wasson draws on a wealth of unpublished material and over 300 interviews with Bob Fosse's family, friends and collaborators.

English National Ballet have released an excellent range of online classes for all ages and abilities to help keep you dancing, active, and inspired.

Discover more dance resources on Thespie.

Five Questions with Jimmy Fairhurst and Louise Haggerty

Not Too Tame have recently created an online mini-series, produced directly from story pitches following a public call out. This new series has been made in collaboration with a team of exceptional writers and performers to raise funds for local charities.  

Originating from Warrington, Artistic Director Jimmy Fairhurst played Rugby Super League for Leigh and Bradford prior to training at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Co-Director Louise Haggerty grew up in Glasgow and became a qualified primary school teacher before making the decision to study at drama school. Together, they helped form Not Too Tame: a multi award-winning theatre company who strive to create unique productions that combine quality work with a fun night out. 

We spoke with Jimmy and Louise to find out more about their careers in theatre. 

Jimmy: When I realised that people from a working class background could go into acting and theatre, it made me want to tell stories that celebrated my working class culture. I couldn’t see the stories or hear the voices of people like me, so I decided I wanted to make work that could be the Shane Meadows or Quentin Tarantino of theatre. 

Louise: My mum took me to see a lot of dance and pantomime when I was young, so I feel like I was always surrounded by theatre. Although I absolutely loved it, there was no part of me that really considered it as a potential career.  It wasn’t until I left University that a chance encounter with an old friend led me down a path to drama school. 

What’s something that you’ve learned along the way that you use often? 

Jimmy: I try and learn from those who I admire most and often remember bits of advice that I take on as mantras. Paul Abbott said, “Be nice, word hard and don’t f**k up!” when he came into Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama for a Q&A and that really stuck with me. I suppose what I use most is what Director Owen Horsely told me: “It’s always about the work.” Because it really is. 

Louise: I’ve learned to stay true to myself and go with my gut instinct. An outside eye can always be beneficial – particularly when you become so immersed in a project that it’s difficult to see things any other way – however, it is also important to trust yourself and not compromise the integrity of what you set out to make. Following your gut and trusting your own voice will more often than not lead you in the right direction. 

Following your gut and trusting your own voice will more often than not lead you in the right direction. 

What experiences have shaped who you are and how you work? 

Jimmy: Working with Cheek By Jowl and touring the world for three years really helped shape my work as an actor. I was also lucky enough to tour manage bands across America, Canada and Europe. That experience made me believe that theatre could become an intergenerational movement. These two experiences have shaped the energy and feeling you get from a Not Too Tame show. That’s why we say our shows are the ‘touch paper to the best nights out’. 

Louise: At Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, we were encouraged to make our own work and were given many opportunities to do so in a very supportive environment. It was here that Not Too Tame was born and there was an automatic understanding of taking the work seriously, but not yourself – something that was definitely fostered at RWCMD. We pride ourselves to this day in providing quality, entertaining work which we have a load of fun making. 

What advice do you have for people wanting to engage with the arts during this difficult time? 

Jimmy: Make your own work - now is the best time to be creative. Life’s challenges have a way of being a phenomenal creative catalyst! There is an abundance of content online and a host of free theatre being streamed, so feed the machine and then ask yourself ‘what do I want to say about the world?’ and ‘how do I say it?’. 

Louise: There are also a wide range of opportunities to get more actively involved with online workshops, masterclasses, and 1-on-1 Zoom chats with creatives from many different areas of the theatre industry. A number of companies have been giving actors and writers the chance to work with them to produce some original content too. Follow theatre companies or individual theatre practitioners on social media to hear about their upcoming offerings. 

What kind of theatre would you love to see more of? 

Jimmy: Louise and I are always saying that we’d like to see more theatre that feels like a good night out. We like our theatre raucous, riotous and with a lot of heart. Great theatre always has a holy trinity of key aspects: work that is well crafted, entertaining and socially relevant. 

Louise: I would love to see more anarchic, risk-taking theatre. I will be very interested to see what kind of theatre is made once we come out the other side of the pandemic. On one hand, theatre companies may be even more likely to wheel out ‘safe’ theatre in order the build themselves back up. Alternatively, we may see a push towards more varied offerings.

Great theatre always has a holy trinity of key aspects: work that is well crafted, entertaining and socially relevant. 

Find out more about Not Too Tame and watch their new digital series #LocalLegends.

Streaming This Weekend: Hairspray Live!, This House and more 

New filmed recordings from the Royal College of Music, online classes from Rambert Dance Company, and a digital reading of James and the Giant Peach with Meryl Streep, Benedict Cumberbatch and Cate Blanchett—these are just some of the great new resources added to Thespie this week. This weekend’s offering from The Metropolitan Opera also includes a modern retelling of Bellini’s La Sonnambula, as well as a production of Donizetti’s romantic comedy L’Elisir d’Amore. Plus the Lincoln Center will be digging into its archives as it kicks off Dance Week with streamed performances of CARMEN.maquia and Club Havana by Ballet Hispánico, and New York City Ballet’s 1986 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

Here's some more of our highlights streaming this weekend: 

This 2016 television production of Hairspray featuring Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson and Martin Short is available to watch online for free this weekend on The Shows Must Go On YouTube channel. 

Filmed live at the National Theatre in 2013, James Graham’s This House is a timely, moving and funny insight into the workings of British politics. 

Unprecedented – available on BBC iPlayer 

Written by some of the UK’s most celebrated playwrights and performed by over 50 actors, this BBC series is an intimate response to the radical way our world changed after lockdown was announced. 

This online concert celebrating the music of the legendary Broadway composers Jule Styne, Jerry Herman & Stephen Sondheim will feature performances by a starry line-up of artists, including Ramin Karimloo, Liz Callaway, and Jenna Russell. 

Monologue-Athon - Livestream (29-30 May) 

This ultimate 24 hour challenge is a skill-sharing, fundraising opportunity presented by Mashed Theatre, involving 36 actors each tasked with learning and performing a Shakespearean monologue in just 20 minutes.

Discover over 1000 digital resources on Thespie.

We’re continuing to explore different genres this week with a closer look at plays and other digital drama content. Thespie has over 100 Shakespeare resources, plus incredible filmed performances from the National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse and the Public Theater in New York. You’ll find everything from live readings of plays, to the scripts of Fleabag, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Shakespeare’s Globe’s Swive [Elizabeth] and more. 

Here are some ideas to help you get started:

This full-scale 90 minute adaptation created especially for young people was filmed at Shakespeare's Globe in 2020.

A collective of leading actors, writers, directors and creatives of East and South East Asian heritage from the UK’s performing arts industry join forces online to present a new digital arts event on 13 and 14 June.

Carey Mulligan stars in this audio recording of Dennis Kelly's hard-hitting play about parenthood and trauma.

Noël Coward’s Post-Mortem - Artist Talk

Comedian Alistair McGowan discusses Noël Coward's work with actors Penelope Keith, Keith Barron and Maria Aitken and director John Gorrie.

Made up of new short audio plays, this weekly podcast unites award-winning writers and actors, with all performances recorded in isolation.

This education pack offers in-depth exploration of the play, with reference to the production process and interviews with the author Susan Hill and adaptor Stephen Mallatratt.

Barber Shop Chronicles 360 - Virtual Reality

Barber Shop Chronicles weaves a rich tapestry of unfiltered stories about father-son relationships and black masculinity, set to an Afrobeat score. Immerse yourself in a 360 degree view of a scene filmed at the National Theatre. 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - eBook

Mark Haddon's heart-warming novel became the inspiration for the Olivier Award-winning stage production about a boy who begins an investigation to uncover the mystery behind the killing of his neighbour's dog.

Despite the run of Lucy Kirkwood's new play at the National Theatre being cut short, you can read the script of this gripping 18th century drama on Amazon Kindle.

Discover and discuss contemporary drama by today's most exciting writers. Nick Hern Books are making one play available for free every week, inviting everyone who reads it to send in questions for the writer. 

Discover more plays and drama resources on Thespie.

This week we’re highlighting the variety of content on Thespie by taking a closer look at different genres, starting with the world of musical theatre! From classics like Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel to new musicals including The Midnight Gang, Eugenius! and Wasted, we’ve got hundreds of filmed and audio performances, plus other exciting musical content for you to discover.

Les Misérables: The Staged Concert - Filmed Performance

Cameron Mackintosh presents a staged concert version of Boublil & Schönberg's legendary musical, starring Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Matt Lucas and Carrie Hope Fletcher.

If you missed it live, you can still watch the stars of NBC's Smash reunite virtually for a special streaming event to raise money for The Actors Fund.

Dreamgirls in Concert - Audio Performance

This full-length recording of the landmark musical was recorded live during a one-night-only Dreamgirls 20th Anniversary Benefit Concert in 2001.

In this intimate conversation, Tony Award-winning actor Ben Platt describes his lifelong passion for musical theatre, his childhood, and his love of Judaism.

Off Book: The Improvised Musical - Podcast

It takes years for a Broadway musical to hit the stage, but on Off Book: The Improvised Musical, you get a brand new original musical every week!

While you're waiting for Tony Kushner and Steven Spielberg's film remake to be released later this year, you can watch the original 1961 film adaptation on Netflix.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie - Student Guide

This free educational pack from the heart-warming West End musical explores themes of identity, relationships, resilience and respecting difference.

Musical Theatre Covers & Discoveries - Playlist

Hidden gems, surprising covers, and new discoveries from across musical theatre.

Immerse yourself in a 360 degree performance of Once Upon a December from Broadway's Anastasia.

This official songbook remixes five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a celebration of 21st century girl power, with piano and vocal arrangements of all nine songs from the show.

Boss in Boots: The True Story Behind Kinky Boots - eBook

Discover the story that inspired the Golden Globe award-winning movie and the multi-Tony Award winning Broadway musical Kinky Boots.

The whole family can sing and dance along to songs from hit musicals and films plus bubbles, puppetry and dance moves in this online interactive family concert series.

Discover more musical-related content on Thespie.

Theatre & Arts Streaming This Bank Holiday Weekend

We continue to add more exciting listings to Thespie every week, including newly announced livestreams, filmed performances, podcasts, and activities that the whole family can take part in.

World-class ice skaters and acrobats challenge the laws of gravity in Cirque du Soleil's latest 60-Minute Special, highlighting the best show moments from their very first productions on ice. We’ve also added lots of new kid-friendly performances this week, including Tweedy’s Lost and Found, Kika’s Birthday, and Half Moon Theatre’s When Spring Comes. Opera’s greatest composers delve into myths and legends in this weekend’s Met Opera nightly streams, with a 1978 production of Don Giovanni, plus a more recent adaptation of Gounod's Faust. Or if you missed the Jagged Little Pill livestream event, you can still watch the recording of Alanis Morissette and the Broadway cast performing excerpts from the show. 

Here’s our round up of more performances to watch this weekend: 

A Streetcar Named Desire – Filmed Performance 

Gillian Anderson and Vanessa Kirby star in the Young Vic’s critically acclaimed 2014 production of A Streetcar Named Desire. This filmed performance is available to watch for free until 28 May as part of the National Theatre at Home series. 

The Barn Presents: The Music of Finn Anderson - Livestream 

Featuring an all-star West End and Broadway line-up, join the Barn Theatre on 23 May at 7.30pm BST for this virtual concert to celebrate the music and work of composer Finn Anderson. 

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival are showcasing a filmed performance of this award-winning piece of gig theatre, which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018. Available to watch for free until 24 May. 

The Winter’s Tale – Filmed Performance 

Set in a world of monsters, gods and natural disasters, travel from the stifling atmosphere of the Sicilian court to the unbuttoned joy of a Bohemian festival. This 2018 production from Shakespeare’s Globe has been made available to watch for free for 14 days. 

Rodgers and Hammerstein's timeless musical classic - starring Carrie Underwood, Audra McDonald, Christian Borle and Laura Benanti - is available to watch for 48 hours only on The Shows Must Go On YouTube channel.

As well as filmed performances, livestreams and reading resources, Thespie also has a great selection of learning material and activities for families, students, or those with an interest in finding out more about the theatre industry.

We've worked with some leading institutions to bring you lots of inspiring educational content: student guides developed for West End shows, including Matilda The Musical, Wicked and The Lion King; apps that give you behind-the-scenes access to venues, audio plays, dance classes and more; and interactive activities and workshops for the whole family. Our collection of digital exhibits also allow you to learn more about the National Theatre, Sadler's Wells, Sydney Opera House and other renowned venues around the world. Or hear from the artists and creatives themselves - including Judi Dench, Matthew Bourne, and Ian McKellen - with over 80 informative artist talks to discover. 

With so many learning resources to explore, here are some of our favourites: 

With teacher packs, films and online activities, this programme of work aims to give young people the inspiration, confidence and skills to develop their own writing.

From the original idea, to the creatives and production teams who brought the show to life, Inside Death of a Salesman explores how the different elements came together to form the final production at the Young Vic.

This guide is a fabulous way to get students excited about Shakespeare, intrigued by the possibilities of theatrical storytelling, and inspired by an empowering tale of self-discovery and second chances.

Google Arts & Culture has collaborated with over 1,200 museums, galleries and institutions in 70 countries to make their exhibits available for everyone online.

Step inside the world of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on London’s Bankside and explore a stunning 3D virtual reality theatre constructed with multiple 360 degree photography and interactive hotspots.

Come To Where I'm From is a collection of over 150 audio plays, written by playwrights about the places they call home.

The English National Ballet at Home series features classes for all ages and abilities, including a workshop for children and families based on the world's best loved ballet - Swan Lake.

The whole family can sing and dance along to songs from hit musicals and films with this online interactive family concert by West End performers.

Join Welsh National Opera for an interactive family show aimed at 3-8 years olds, with a new episode launched every Saturday at 10am.

Sadler's Wells celebrated the 15th anniversary of their current building by embarking on a collaboration with Getty Images to document a year in the life of the theatre.

This online exhibit takes a behind-the-scenes look at a production of Hamlet on its two-year global tour around the world to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth.

Staging Children’s Stories at the National Theatre 

This exhibit explores how children's stories have been adapted and produced at the National Theatre since 1980, featuring photographs, costume and set designs, and interviews with writers, directors and designers.

From Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream to M in the James Bond films, this is an exclusive insight into an incredible career from one of Britain's best loved actors.

Produced by Variety as part of their Actors on Actors series, Lady Gaga and Lin-Manuel Miranda talk about their recent film roles, social media, Broadway and more.

Drag superstar Jinkx Monsoon talks about the films that influenced her as a person and informed her art, including Death Becomes Her, Addams Family Values and Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Discover more learning resources on Thespie

We are continuing to highlight the range of content available on Thespie this week, this time focusing on our great selection of reading resources. 

Explore our range of over 100 eBooks that have either inspired - or been inspired by – theatre productions and their creators. From Waitress pie recipes to Sondheim's autobiography, we’ve gathered a huge variety of reading material for you to discover, including stories that have influenced stage shows, historical insights into Broadway, and memoirs with behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the National Theatre. As well as eBooks, we also have a fantastic selection of digital songbooks, plus digital scripts from recent London productions.

From the show's creators comes the ground-breaking, bestselling novel inspired by the hit Broadway show Dear Evan Hansen. 

From the creator of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, this beautifully illustrated book of pep talks will inspire you at the beginning and end of each day. 

Dramatic Exchanges: Letters of the National Theatre 

This book brings together for the first time some of the most inspiring, dramatic and amusing letters from the life of Britain's most beloved theatre, revealing the stories behind some of the most lavish, triumphant, daring and disastrous productions in the theatre's history. 

Sugar, Butter, Flour: The Waitress Pie Book 

The official tie-in to Broadway’s hit musical Waitress, Sugar, Butter, Flour features the recipes for 3 dozen of the show’s most evocative and delicious pies. 

Filled with behind-the-scenes photographs, early drafts, and illustrations from original manuscripts, this inspiring book by Stephen Sondheim also contains annotated lyrics from the Pulitzer Prize-winning Sunday in the Park with George, as well as Into the Woods, Assassins, and Passion.

The original play that inspired the BBC television series, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag is a rip-roaring account of some sort of female living her sort of life.  

Tom Stoppard's epic new drama follows the story of a Jewish family in Vienna from the beginning of the twentieth century to the aftermath of the Holocaust. 

Jez Butterworth's comic, contemporary vision of life in England's green and pleasant land is set to return to London’s West End in 2021.

Written by Jack Thorne, based on an original story by J. K. Rowling, this award-winning stage production is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first to be presented on stage. 

This bold new version by Stef Smith reframes the Ibsen’s drama in three different time periods. The fight for women's suffrage, the Swinging Sixties and the modern day intertwine in this urgent, poetic play that asks how far have we really come in the past hundred years?

Learn to play your favourite songs from musicals and movies with our selection of digital songbooks, available on the Kindle platform. From old favourites like Les Miserables, Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat and Miss Saigon, to new musicals including Come From Away, Hamilton and Six, these piano and vocal arrangements feature songs from some of the most-loved musicals from the West End and Broadway. 

Discover more reading resources on Thespie.

This week we’re highlighting some of the many ways Thespie can help you engage with theatre, starting with audio content. We have a large selection of audio performances, podcasts and playlists you can listen to from anywhere, whether you’re out getting your exercise, an essential worker on your commute, or simply want to kick back and get lost in a good story or playlist. 

We’ll soon be adding soundtracks and cast recordings to Thespie, so you’ll have even more great audio content to discover. In the meantime, we have a selection of playlists full of our favourite musical theatre songs, new discoveries, and shows we are excited to see in the future: 

West End Musical Favourites includes top musical theatre songs from past West End shows. Listen to newer arrivals like The Prince of Egypt and Be More Chill, or long-running classics like The Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia!, and The Book of Mormon. 

Musical Theatre Covers & Discoveries collates hidden gems, surprising covers, and new discoveries from across the world of musical theatre.  

Up Next: London Musicals features songs from Moulin Rouge, Frozen, Hello, Dolly! and more. While we eagerly wait for theatres in London to re-open, discover music from upcoming shows scheduled to open in the West End in the near future.  

Up Next: Stage to Screen highlights music from some of the exciting screen adaptations that are announced or in development, including Merrily We Roll Along, In The Heights, and Everybody's Talking About Jamie. 

Silver Screen Musical Favourites collects well-known tracks from classic musicals, from The Sound of Music to Singin' in the Rain to Oliver! 

Screen Musical Discoveries pulls together some lesser-known songs of all varieties from films, TV shows and web series.

Thespie also has a broad range of podcasts, including interviews with Broadway and West End stars, behind-the-scenes insights into past productions, fan commentary, and improvised musical series. 

Simon Stephens talks to some of the world’s leading playwrights including Jez Butterworth, April de Angelis, David Hare, Rachel De-lahey, and Tanika Gupta. 

In this podcast about all things Hamilton, Hamilton-related, Hamilton-adjacent, or anything else in the Miranda universe, Gillian Pensavalle talks to guests about how Hamilton brings people together and show references in everyday life. 

Go backstage with this insightful podcast series from Disney Theatrical Productions, featuring career advice and stories from the incredible people that make Disney’s theatrical magic in London’s West End. 

Off Book features interviews with many of the exciting artists who have visited the Young Vic in the past, including Sharon D. Clarke, Wendell Pierce and Matthew Lopez.

Such Stuff: The Shakespeare’s Globe Podcast 

Such Stuff goes behind the scenes at Shakespeare's Globe to share incredible stories and experiences at the theatre, as well as exploring what Shakespeare's transformative impact has been on the world.

This original audiobook performance of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, starring the cast of the National Theatre's 2018 Broadway revival, is a is a complex and insightful look into identity, community, justice, and redemption.

Kit Harington and Johnny Flynn star as warring brothers Austin and Lee in this ferociously funny, modern classic.  

By multi-award-winning writer Al Smith, Radio is a story about memory, love and spaceships. To coincide with the run at London’s Arcola Theatre in 2019, this recording was also released on Audible. 

A deeply affecting and heart-breaking adaptation of Elizabeth Strout's best-selling novel, Laura Linney stars in this original audiobook performance of the stage production.

Arkansas Public Theatre present their first virtual online show, with a socially-distanced recording of Mastergate. This audio performance of Larry Gelbart’s hilarious political satire is available to listen to for free on YouTube. 

Discover a wide range of audio recordings of musical theatre concerts and other live performances, including the Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert, Dreamgirls In Concert, Hairspray Live!, and the 2019 Rent Live Television Event.

Danielle Mohlman is a nationally produced playwright based in Seattle, WA. When she isn’t spending time reading, cooking, or making her own clothes, Danielle is busy writing and workshopping new plays, including a current project for students at George Mason High School in Falls Church, Virginia. 

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Danielle recently produced a three-week run of her two-character play, Nexus. Written and developed in Playwrights Arena at Arena Stage in 2013, this digital staging involved a different set of performers broadcasting from their living rooms each night.

I was studying journalism as an undergraduate at Cal Poly Pomona in Southern California and when I joined the campus newspaper, I volunteered to cover the theatre section. One of my first interviews was with then department chair Bill Morse. Listening to him talk about theatre was enchanting. The next quarter, I registered for a bunch of theatre classes and by the time I graduated, I was a theatre minor. I ended up going to Emerson College in Boston for my Master’s degree, with the intention of studying theatre history. One semester in, I realised theatre history was not for me, but I didn’t want to leave this incredible program. “Well,” Bob said, “it’s too bad you’re not a playwright.” I owe my entire career to these two incredible professors.

What’s something that you've learned along the way that you use often? 

I think the biggest thing I learned as an undergraduate was how important it is to learn every aspect of theatre production. If we didn’t know how to do something, we learned. Cal Poly Pomona’s university motto is “Learn By Doing” and we really took that to heart. I know that I wouldn’t have self-produced a run of Nexus if not for those experiences. Over a decade later, I’m still learning by doing.

The biggest thing I learned as an undergraduate was how important it is to learn every aspect of theatre production....  Over a decade later, I’m still learning by doing.

In 2011, I moved to Washington, DC to work as the company manager at The Studio Theatre. And I knew from the get go that no one was going to take me seriously as a playwright until I did. So I introduced myself as a playwright. My playwriting voice has evolved and changed over the years, but I continue to take myself seriously as a playwright every single day — even on the bad days.

If you’re an artist and you have the bandwidth to create, create. If you feel like your well is tapped, use this time to rest. You’re still creative even when you’re not creating.

I’ve been stretching my creative muscles by recently putting on a run of Nexus, working with actors who were already quarantined together. I love working on large cast plays, which is why I worked with a different couple each night. And I love making theatre accessible, which is why all our tickets were pay what you can.

If you’re an artist and you have the bandwidth to create, create.

I really hope that we come out of this time and say “out with the old”. Let’s commit to producing plays that are new, exciting, scary, and untested. Because that’s the kind of theatre I want to see, and I know I’m not alone.

Discover filmed performances of new plays, podcasts, scripts and more on Thespie.

With more great content being added to Thespie every week, here’s our roundup of what’s new, what’s ending soon, plus some exciting filmed performance to watch this weekend! 

From new podcasts to digital scripts, livestreams and activities, there’s lots of new digital resources to keep the whole family entertained this weekend. Created especially for young people, Shakespeare’s Globe’s 90-minute adaption of Macbeth is now available for free for as long as secondary schools remain closed in the UK. For younger children, The Hunting of the Snark - filmed at London’s Southbank Centre - is an imaginative adventure brought to life with memorable songs, life-like puppetry and lashings of humour. Or if you’re looking for something to help keep you active whilst spending time at home, we’ve added some great new music and dance workshops for all ages from English National Ballet, Sadler’s Wells and Welsh National Opera. 

The Metropolitan Opera continues to provide free nightly opera streams. This weekend’s line-up includes a 1982 telecast of Joan Sutherland in Lucia di Lammermoor, plus a neon-decked production of Rigoletto set in Rat Pack-era Las Vegas. Lyric Hammersmith has also announced it will be streaming its 2019 production of A Doll’s House for one day only next week. With the action taking place is 1879 Calcutta, Ibsen’s classic play of gender politics is reimagined through the lens of British colonialism. 

Here are some more productions available to stream this weekend: 

Barber Shop Chronicles - Filmed Performance

Inua Ellams’ Barber Shop Chronicles is a heart-warming, hilarious and insightful play that leaps from a barber shop in Peckham to Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos and Accra over the course of a single day. This acclaimed production is now available to watch for free on National Theatre’s YouTube channel until 21 May.  

The 1998 film adaptation of CATS is available to watch this weekend as part of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Show Must Go On series. Alongside the livestream, Lloyd Webber will be providing a free live commentary, inviting fans to submit questions that he will answer throughout. 

What Do We Need To Talk About? - Filmed Performance

Performed live on Zoom, the world premiere of this new digital play was viewed more than 47,000 times across 30 countries during the limited four-day run. After an overwhelmingly positive response, The Public Theater have brought the recording back online until 28 June. 

Written by Simon Stephens for Andrew Scott, Sea Wall remains a unique, fascinating piece that is special to both the writer and the actor. This intimate filmed version has been made available to stream for free until 18 May. 

Browse 1000+ digital listings on Thespie.

1000+ Ways to Discover Theatre on Thespie

It's here! We're excited to officially launch our new theatre discovery platform, Thespie, offering more than 1,000 ways to deepen your engagement with theatre. 

You can find video & streaming, audio, ebooks, and educational resources for children and adults, across a wide range of genres. 

We're a team of friendly theatre folk, and our goal is to help audiences continue their journey of discovery while theatres are dark. And to amplify the great work of arts organisations and artists as they continue to release inspiring programming during this challenging time. Resources are available either directly on Thespie, or by linking to a partner's site. 

We continue to forge new relationships with theatres around the world and will grow our listings and launch new categories in the coming weeks. We are on a journey to  become the most trusted place to explore theatre and the arts, so let us know what would help you on your journey to discover more theatre.

Here's a very brief overview of some of our favourite things you can find on Thespie. We hope you discover something new! 

On Thespie you can watch Andrew Scott in Sea Wall; a Stephen Sondheim 90th birthday celebration; broadcasts from the National Theatre at Home series, including this week's Barber Shop Chronicles; interview livestreams from Stars in the House including a riff-filled chat with the Queens from Broadway's Six: The Musical; and Alan Cumming in a solo show from Joe's Pub at The Public Theatre in NYC. Also check out Fleabag from Soho Theatre On Demand which raises funds for charity.

Audio Performances  |  Podcasts  |  Playlists  |  More categories coming soon

On Thespie you can listen to our custom playlists like Musical Theatre Covers & Discoveries, as well as 27 different podcasts, like The Hamilcast and Off Book: The Improvised Musical. Also discover iconic performances of plays, like the National Theatre's Broadway production of Angels in America and Laura Linney in My Name is Lucy Barton, available from Audible within their subscription service.

Theatre & Arts eBooks  |  Digital Scripts  |  Digital Songbooks

We've curated around 100 Theatre eBooks for Thespie, from a feminist history of the Broadway musical to Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel to a host of memoirs and behind-the-scenes stories. Also available are a selection of digital songbooks (including Pretty Woman and Frozen: The Broadway Musical) and digital scripts for recent acclaimed productions like Little Baby Jesus, The Welkin, and Swive [Elizabeth]. All available on the Kindle platform.

Digital Exhibits  |  Student Guides  |  Theatre & Arts Apps  |  Artist Talks  |  Activities

We've worked with some leading theatre institutions and popular shows to bring you great educational content you can explore: student guides developed for West End shows, digital exhibits highlighting creative disciplines in theatre, and interactive activities for the whole family. Nearly all our learning resources are available for free.

Learn more about Thespie or visit our homepage to browse all listings.

With more incredible theatre and arts performances coming online each week, we want to help you discover what’s available, including one-time-only livestreams and rare, short-lived opportunities to see gripping filmed performances. From family-friendly musicals, to classic opera and contemporary dance, to artist talks and live play readings, there's so much to explore. 

You can now watch Chichester Festival Theatre’s The Midnight Gang, based on the heart-warming children’s book by David Walliams, or check out Night of the Living Dead – a hilarious comedic tribute to the 1968 cult horror film.  This weekend's selection of free performances from the Metropolitan Opera include two rarely performed works: Nico Muhly's Marnie and Verdi's Luisa Miller. Plus if you missed the livestreams of Take Me To the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration or Stars in the House with the Broadway cast of SIX, the full recordings are still available to watch for free.

Here are some more ideas to start your May off right:

Danny Boyle’s monster hit Frankenstein sees Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating between the roles of Victor Frankenstein and his creation.

- Benedict Cumberbatch as the creature (available until 7 May)

- Jonny Lee Miller as the creature (available until 8 May)

Stars in the House: Tiny Beautiful Things - Livestream (2 May, 7pm)

This weekend, join Seth Rudetsky for the next episode of Stars in the House, featuring a live reading of Tiny Beautiful Things. This empowering, heart-breaking play is about asking for help and finding the courage to take on the questions that have no answers.

A Separate Peace - Livestream (2 May, 7pm)

Jenna Coleman, David Morrissey and Denise Gough star in a live reading of Tom Stoppard’s enigmatic comedy, A Separate Peace. This innovative remote project will raise money for stage technicians and creatives forced out of work by COVID-19, as well as The Felix Project food charity.

As part of the Metropolitan Opera's schedule of free nightly broadcasts, you have a 24-hour window to see their celebrated 1985 production of Aida, marking the final performance by internationally-acclaimed soprano, Leontyne Price.

Thespie News

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