Latest news with #outdoortheatre
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Huge crowds applaud after defying the weather for epic Kynren opening show
HUGE crowds applauded after the opening show of a spectacular outdoor theatre event telling the story of 2,000 years of English history. The audience didn't let the wet conditions stop them as tenth anniversary celebrations kicked off at Kynren – An Epic Tale of England - in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, last night (Saturday, July 19). The 1,000-strong volunteer cast and crew performed on the seven-and-a-half-acre outdoor stage featuring combat, stunts, horsemanship, stunning pyrotechnics and amazing special effects. The opening night of the brand new summer show at Kynren (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd) Visitors were also the first to watch Kynren's new scene focusing on Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Parade, featuring new music, costumes, and nearly 200 new characters. The show was brought together by majestic horses and impressive new props to portray the vibrant essence of Victorian society, with unexpected dashes of humour and comedy. Eloise Oakes, one of Kynren's volunteers who stars in the new jubilee scene said: "All of us involved in this reimagined part of the show have been rehearsing thoroughly to ensure this new spectacle wows our audiences. HUGE crowds applauded after the opening show of a spectacular outdoor theatre event telling the story of 2,000 years of English history. (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd) "The Jubilee scene is incredibly dynamic, with around 180 of us on stage at once, all moving in carefully choreographed sequences alongside some impressive new props. "It's been so much fun learning the detail and seeing it all come together. I think audiences will be amazed by the beautiful new projections too – they really stood out to me when I first saw them. "They're so colourful and help set the perfect tone for this joyful part of the show." (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd) Kynren has grown from strength to strength in the build up to its tenth anniversary season, welcoming over 430,000 visitors since it began and contributing £65.5 million to the local economy while creating 146 jobs. This summer also sees the return of the popular pre-show Viking Village, which offers visitors immersive experience with authentic sights, sounds, and interactions in a recreated settlement. Practice battle cries with the magnificent Viking warriors themselves as they prepare for a raid, watch sparks fly at the blacksmith's forge, and witness the characterful sheep, donkeys and real Icelandic chickens whose origins can be traced back to the 9th century. (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd) Anna Warnecke, Kynren CEO, said: "Saturday evening's incredible performance, the first of our 2025 season, was testament to the hard-work, skill and creativity that has been poured into this production by all involved. "The dedication and passion from our volunteers is truly remarkable, and we appreciate every single person that helps continue the legacy of Kynren and the impact it has on our market town and the region." Kynren is a real whistlestop tour of 2000 years of history myth and legend. It is a spellbinding, family-friendly experience delivering thrills, shocks, tears, laughs, goosebumps and gasps on a truly cinematic scale. Packed out crowds for the opening night (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd) READ MORE: Darlington woman shaves head in support of charity providing life-changing services Search intensifies for missing man with County Durham links after three months Driver trapped in overturned car receiving medical care after A1M multi-vehicle crash The 90-minute performances start at sunset and end in starlight and will be taking place every Saturday night until 13th September. Tickets cost from £30 for adults and from £20 for under 18s. Children aged 3 and under are free when sat on an adult's knee. For further information and to book tickets, visit
CBC
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Catch some theatre under the stars at the Guy Lombardo Pavilion
Social Sharing The stars will be out when a new theatre production premieres in London this week — literally. Starting Wednesday, a local theatre company will be taking over the Guy Lombardo Pavilion in Springbank Park for a free outdoor theatre experience, where the surrounding trees, pathways and night sky will all be part of the set. "No one's really done outdoor theatre in London in the last few decades, so it's kind of starting from scratch and learning how everything has to be set up technically," said production manager Alexandrea Marsh. "Every time that I see a show that's put on outside, it always just elevates the story so much," she said. "You don't just put on any show outside. It has to benefit the narrative." Marsh is one of the 25 cast and crew members putting on Theatre Aezir's production of That Summer, a coming-of-age story about young love at an Ontario lakeside resort by Canadian playwright David French. When artistic director Elizabeth Durand first read the play back in 2018, she knew she couldn't produce it at just any theatre at any time of year. "I fell in love with it, but it is a summer play [and] Theatre Aezir never did shows in the summer," she said. "I put it aside and said, 'If I ever do a show in the summer, it'll be That Summer.'" It made sense to do the production outdoors, Durand said, adding that most of the story takes place on a cottage porch and some of the pavilion's natural surroundings parallel those in the play. "They talk a lot about the red pavilion that they go dancing at, and that's another reason why I felt this play was really appropriate for the Guy Lombardo Pavilion," Durand said, pointing to the red accents around the pavilion stage. The natural sights and sounds of the encompassing Springbank Park will also add to the ambiance, Marsh said, in ways that a typical indoor theatre cannot. "I think bringing the story here will fully immerse the audience [by] just providing the atmospheric noise like the birds and the cicadas. We've also timed the show to start at 8 p.m. so that at a pivotal moment in the show, the sun sets and the tone changes," she explained. However, for every positive that comes with producing a play outdoors, there are also challenges. The cast and crew have been rehearsing the play using two different set ups, Marsh said: one that makes use of the entire pavilion space including its uncovered stage and pathways, and another that will force the performers to share the same covered bandshell as the audience. "We basically have two entirely different versions of the show that we are ready to switch on a dime, in the case of rain before or during the show," Marsh said. There are also some procedural considerations that come with putting on an outdoor production, Durand said, including safety risks, city rules and the cost of renting a location. Still, she said she hopes all of the work will be worth it. "It was such a good idea to do it outside and I'm just really excited about it," she said. "We have some really wonderful people in this cast. It's outdoors, it's beautiful and it's free."
