Under Development
The Company, formed in 1908, has a long and distinguished history and over the years we have performed more than 100 productions of Shakespeare's plays. Our membership is currently in excess of 100 actors and supporters and we are always delighted to welcome you.
You can join us as a fully active member, either on stage or helping with the myriad of "back stage jobs"; no experience is necessary as your enthusiasm plus help from us will enable you to participate to the full.
Or you can support us by becoming a Patron, Friend or Sponsor: full details of this form of membership will be posted here shortly.
Finally, you can be placed on our free mailing list to receive news of future productions.
If you would like to join as a fully active member then please complete an application form and send it with your cheque, for your first year's annual membership fee, to our membership secretary.
If you already know a member of the Company then that person can propose you by signing the relevant part of the form. If you do not know anyone in the Company, don't worry, just send off the form with the proposer and seconder spaces blank. There are no auditions or anything like that required for you to join. And there is no, one-off, joining fee.
Once we have your form, we will invite you to the next function or functions so that we can meet you and you can meet us. This might be an audition for our next production or a rehearsal or a social function at our Headquarters. Once we have met you and you have met us your application to become a member is finally processed and you will then enjoy all the benefits of membership: this includes the opportunity to take part an any of our productions, a regular copy of our Newsletter, Bard News, information about all our other activities and the right to vote at our Annual General Meetings.
When we select a play for production we hold auditions for all the major parts and all members are entitled to put in for whatever part they wish. However, even after a play has been cast, it is quite often that the producer wishes to add other characters or to fill empty roles and he or she would then simply invite any member who was interested in being on stage to take part. Rehearsals for our plays can take place over a period ranging from four months to eight weeks, according to the individual producer and the complexity of the play: two or three weekday evenings and a Sunday afternoon rehearsal would not be untypical. All rehearsals are held at the Company's headquarters: Shakespeare House, 93 Kedleston Road, Derby which lies approximately one mile north of the city centre.
As well as acting members, we are always keen to welcome members who will help "backstage": there are a myriad of tasks necessary to mount a first class production and run a company of this size; some are listed on the application form.
There is an Annual Subscription for membership which is currently
£20.00 per annum for Full Membership
£8.00 per annum for Associate Membership (i.e., 18 years of age or under)
The company is governed by a set of rules.