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Be dedicated to producing top quality theatre, in any given space or scenario. Ranging from theatre spaces to bringing the magic of theatre to schools, hall or any unconventional space. Transforming any venue to provide a unique and unforgettable experience for all ages. Providing a better service for better value than other companies, our dedication remains to our craft and uncompromising values. Based in South Yorkshire we are in the perfect position to tour both the North and South of the Country. All of our work is playful whether for entertainment or using fun as a tool for education.
I trained at Bretton Hall College, University of Leeds reading Theatre and Performance graduating in 2008 with a 2.1 BA (Hons) classification. It was straight out of university I got to test my producing skills. The university part funded a project to go the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2008. I took a musical reinvention of Richard DuMarcy’s political satire “Stranger in the House”.
My degree course gave me the necessary skills to run a company in the way I do today. Most of our work is done in-house. Producing, marketing, script writing, costumes, props and scenery. Whilst I work behind the scenes, one of the reasons I formed the company was to create acting work for Northern based actors, including myself, so I have been fortunate to feature in our productions. Playing dame in every pantomime from Dame Trott to Widow Twankey – ever year I can’t wait for Christmas.
My favourite role so far has to be the Mad Hatter in our production of ‘Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland’. The character is just so wonderful and who wouldn’t love to wear a two foot bright orange top hat? Recently touring in ‘Father Christmas Needs a Wee!’ playing Father Christmas. He is such a famous and iconic image all over the world. It’s amazing to be a rock star icon to everyone under five years old!
I was the kid you would always find hanging about the art room. I soon realised my talents flourished in the arts studying at Church view, Doncaster School Of Art & Design. This was an epiphany! College was amazing and I soon found my feet, the course was varied, we were took back to basics with creative drawing, sculpture, photography, life drawing, fashion design, graphics & art history.
I then moved on to read Art & Design at Leeds Metropolitan University. At this point I wanted to follow in a pop culture & media direction, I adore fashion, celebrity and the arts. During a summer break I moved to London and got a job in a coffee shop on the famous Drury Lane, it was next door to the musical ‘Cats’, we’d often serve them in full make up. This is where a slight obsession wit musical theatre and the stage began. I would spend my down time blagging as many tickets as I could to see the West End shows, often standing at the back up in the Gods.
I have now taken the role of Managing Director for TaleGate Theatre! Within my role at TaleGate Theatre I utilise my art background creating our many sets & props. My role is varied with book keeping, bookings, prop & set design, sales, social media and even doing tech for shows, its endless. We get to work with the best people you will ever meet, I look forward to our exciting future.
Dave builds our touring scenery to be adaptable to the range of venues we visit. He allows his imagination to run wild with creative solutions for magical surprises. Most of our key scenery pieces are designed to be free standing and self sufficient.
Lyrics and Orchestration are a key part of our team. These are provided by Kate Lindsey, a secondary school teacher from Beverley who has the keenest ear to musical ditties we have ever known!
Specializing in Pantomime and Children’s theatre, Danny has been making theatrical costumes for nearly 20 years! Working with directors & designers all costumes are tailor made to perfectly fit each production, ensuring ease of movement, changing and durability.
"We have had the pleasure of working with Talegate Theatre for almost ten years now, it’s a relationship we really value. We have found James to be amazingly creative; small budgets and tight deadlines don’t faze him, in fact he thrives on the challenge! James has worked with us on Christmas events, summer festivals, dramas and children’s workshops. We have commissioned Talegate Theatre to work with us on a project running until 2020 and this itself should be a ringing endorsement of how much we appreciate Talegate’s contribution to our events programme. Oh, and by the way, James is a thoroughly nice guy!"
Sandra Whittington,
Bassetlaw District Council
…with a pantomime tour of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ (2009) we have build a solid base of clients ever since in the last seven tours including a residency each winter season at Junction, Goole. This year will see us produce our eighth pantomime ‘Beauty and the Beast’.
Along side this we have a successful theatre in education department. Working on projects such as ‘Sam and Sammie Roadshow’, an attendance musical for primary schools across the UK developed with Birmingham City Council most recently Doncaster Council.
In 2010 we launched our first full scale theatrical production ‘Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland’. A new adaptation of Carroll’s classic children’s novel. A magical musical romp through Wonderland. ‘A fast-paced, highly entertaining show featuring original songs, dancing, puppets and your favourite Wonderland characters.’
The show subsequently went to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2011 then on a theatre tour across 2011 ending in February 2012.
Our most successful production to date isthe musical adaptation of Nicholas Allan’s ‘Father Christmas Needs a Wee!’ Premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013 it accrued a sell out run supported with five star reviews.
The production was followed by a UK tour in 2014 and 2015. Again to a sold out receptive audience from venues varying from Connaught Studio (Worthing) to the Swansea Grand Theatre. Father Christmas will be back on his rounds this year to even more theatres across the UK, channel islands and Ireland!
All of the creative team behind this show were based in Yorkshire and it is this team that is currently working on our new production. ‘The Giant’s Loo Roll’ by Nicholas Allan is a great title that is waiting to jump from the page to the stage.
Other bespoke productions and workshops have seen us work with Bassetlaw District Council, Goole Town Council and Doncaster Book Awards to name but a few. Last year it is estimated we have worked with 245,000 pupils across the UK.
TaleGate is awarded their first static pantomime. ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ at Parkway Beverley
TaleGate Theatre is enjoying its 10th year touring children’s theatre across the UK
Work for children deserves to be as high quality and as intellectually and visual stimulating as any other performance art form.
We also take this passion into the corporate arena working with prestigious hotel brands to provide our murder mystery evenings. Our murder mysteries continue our theme of playfulness that is the core of all our work.
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