We’re delighted to bring you a number of Workshops from Part of the Main, to coincide with their performance – BIOSPHERE – at GenFest 2025.
Visual Impairment Awareness Training
POSTPONED
Instructor: Yusuf Osman, Visual Impairment Awareness Trainer and Access Consultant
This half-day Visual Impairment Awareness Training course seeks to introduce the basics of the following topics:
- Information about the numbers of Blind and Visually Impaired people in the area
- The language that should be used
- How to distinguish that someone might be blind or visually impaired
- How to offer support in different contexts including how to guide someone
- An introduction to what venues like theatres can put in place to enable Blind and Visually Impaired people to participate fully in events, including advertising and audio description.
This course is aimed at anyone who works within the theatre industry, such as actors, directors, administrators, producers, front of house staff, and anyone who may be called upon to provide assistance to blind and visually impaired visitors.
BIOSPHERE: Writing Response Workshop
Performance: Friday 21 November 7pm-9pm
Workshop: Friday 28 November 6pm-8pm
Instructor: Olivia Foan, BIOSPHERE Playwright
This workshop will use the GenFest performance of new play BIOSPHERE and its themes as a stimulus to explore scene structure, character development, and dramaturgy. Participants will be provided with a free ticket to see BIOSPHERE one week prior to the workshop. Led by Olivia Foan, an award-nominated playwright and Northampton native.
Introduction to Theatre Green Book
Tuesday 2 December 1pm-3pm
Theatre Green Book is an industry-wide initiative to work more sustainably in response to the climate crisis.
It began as a collective initiative by theatre-makers in the UK, and has grown to involve the performing arts industry across the world.
Theatre Green Book is a free resource for everyone in the performing arts, working in any role and at all scales. It is for any and all productions whether climate related or not.
This workshop introduces TGB resources and can help you integrate it into your work. We will use BIOSPHERE, a new play performing on 21 November during GenFest, as a case study to talk about how the team created this climate-related production as sustainably as possible using TGB standards and resources.
This workshop is tailored to industry professionals/aspiring industry professionals including writers, backstage-creatives, producers, directors, and anyone interested in learning about the TGB process, regardless of where you are at in your sustainability journey.
To ensure our workshop is tailored to the needs and interests of the participants, please fill out this Google form when booking your ticket:
https://forms.gle/uEJuuBxDq92VAGGC8
Travel:
Please consider your travel options and choose the most sustainable one according to your needs.
Some sustainability suggestions in-keeping with TGB ethos:
-Check the Royal & Derngate’s ‘Getting Here’ webpage for location and public transport links to local buses and trains.
-Consider trying active travel such as walking, local e-bike/scooter rental options to get to the venue. The venue is a 15 minute walk from the train station.
-Taxis- Use a company with electric vehicles where possible. If this is not possible, request a hybrid or fuel-efficient car when you book.
Theatre Producing Crash Course
Friday 5 December – 10:30am-1:30pm
Instructor: Olivia Munk, Artistic Director of Part of the Main Productions
Join Part of the Main Artistic Director Olivia Munk for an introduction to all things theatre producing, including budgeting, fundraising, marketing, publicity, programming, and more. Participants will take a look at case studies from Part of the Main’s past shows and gain an understanding about how to plan and deliver their own theatre productions.