University-Wide Companies
Durham Opera Ensemble
DOE is Durham's leading opera society and stages numerous productions each year, ranging from our fully-staged Epiphany term production, to concert operas, operettas and cabaret-style concerts. There are also opportunities to take part in masterclasses, outreach projects and tours. The society is passionate about making opera more accessible for students and audience members alike, giving as many people as possible the opportunity to engage with the artform. We choose repertoire that is appropriate for young voices, largely perform in English, and don't require any prior experience. DOE has performed in many of Durham's most prestigious venues, including the Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre, Durham Cathedral, Durham Castle's Great Hall, and the Gala Theatre.
Whether through roles in the cast, orchestra or creative and production team, there are plenty of opportunities with DOE for anyone looking to develop their skills and be part of the wonderful community of opera!
President: Ruby Alexander
Email: [email protected]
The Durham Revue
Established in 1974, The Durham Revue is Durham’s longest-running sketch comedy troupe. Its members write and perform all material themselves and shows are put on annually at The Assembly Rooms Theatre, and the professional Gala Theatre where they perform alongside The Cambridge Footlights and The Oxford Revue. The Durham Revue also travels yearly to Cambridge, Oxford, Bristol, Leeds, London and the Edinburgh Fringe where they perform for the full run of the festival. Previous members include Ed Gamble, Nish Kumar, Ambika Mod, Stevie Martin and Jeremy Vine. Their Returners Show is the first show in the DST calendar and auditions for new members take place shortly after, in first term.
Presidents: Lex Irish and Alannah O’Hare
Email: [email protected]
Durham University Audio Drama Society
At DUADS, we tell high quality stories which are heard in Durham and around the world. Our content spans all audio storytelling, including but not limited to serialized drama, radio plays, audio adaptations, audiobook narration and experimental sound creation. From writing, production opportunities, voice acting, working with different microphones, learning how to edit audio, and even opportunities to compose your own soundtrack, there’s something in DUADS for everyone!
President: Linus Cheung
Email: [email protected]
Durham University Classical Theatre
DUCT is committed to producing high quality productions of plays written or set over a hundred years ago. We aim to be a reliable platform for budding talent in Durham to get involved in classical theatre at all levels - irrespective of whether you have been involved with it before. Recent productions have included Sheridan’s ‘The Rivals’, a modern retelling of ‘Boudica’ written in verse, Shakespeare’s ‘Measure for Measure’ and a sell-out run of ‘Twelfth Night’. This year, DUCT is is reimagining classical plays with fresh and innovative perspectives; we encourage anyone interested to get involved!
DUCT also host an annual Classical Acting Showcase in Michaelmas judged by industry professionals; this is an excellent opportunity for those looking to study for a Masters in Acting to work one-on-one with a director on a classical piece.
Presidents: Ollie Cochran and Henry Skinner
Email: [email protected]
DULOG
DULOG (Durham University Light Opera Group) is the oldest and largest of Durham’s musical theatre societies. We stage three shows each year, and specialise in big-budget, blockbuster musicals – including our annual production in Durham’s professional, 500-seat Gala Theatre, involving a team of almost a hundred students! Recent productions include ‘Anything Goes’, ‘Guys and Dolls’ and ‘Hello, Dolly!’ (at the Gala) and ‘Legally Blonde’, ‘Spring Awakening’ and ‘Kinky Boots’ (at the Assembly Rooms Theatre). We encourage applications and auditions from everyone – whether you’re interested in chorus singing or choreography, producing or pit-band playing, stage management or sound design, please get in touch and get involved!
President: Daniel Hicks
Email: [email protected]
First Theatre Company
1TC aims to provide support and opportunities for first-time directors and production team members in Durham by providing funding, advice and training.
Our main goal to help new directors put on their first show in Durham, yet the company also works with first time production teams to expand DST’s pool of talent, and is looking to expand further to work with first time actors. We pride ourselves on our inclusivity and receptiveness to new and exciting ideas, and are open to pitches from students!
President: Sarah Kelly
Email: [email protected]
Fourth Wall
Fourth Wall is dedicated to staging high-quality fringe style contemporary theatre. We take anything that is fresh and exciting! We aim to be bold, innovative but above all entertaining.
For the previous two years, we’ve had shows selected for the National Student Drama Festival (NSDF), both killology and Beats epitomised what we as a company strive to create – provocative, slick and the talk of the (Durham) town!
President: Megan Dunlop
Email: [email protected]
Ooook! Productions
Ooook! is a friendly and outreaching theatre company, specialising in comedy productions. We aim to involve new talent alongside an experienced cast and crew, resulting in high quality shows that prove popular with the large and diverse audiences they consistently attract. Our calendar’s highlight is an annual performance of Terry Pratchett’s novels. Past shows include Soul Music, Monstrous Regiment, and Night Watch. Another Ooook! tradition is our summer sitcom, which has included iconic classics Blackadder, The IT Crowd, Yes, Prime Minister and Fawlty Towers. Ooook! donates profits from all shows, and has raised over £17,000 for charity.
President: Harry Threapleton
Email: [email protected]
Pitch Productions
A theatre company providing an open, fostering platform for upcoming theatre makers and emerging writers alike. Pitch us your production, it’s as simple as that.
Pitch Productions was established in 2015 with the hope that it would provide a more open and transparent way of allowing DST members to put on shows. We are an avenue for the hundreds of members who don’t sit on executive committees and therefore don’t have much say in which shows are performed termly.
We choose shows on the merit of the application and have often worked with directors and writers on their debut production to great success. Our recent productions have been vast in range of style and subject, from experimental student writing to musicals to Shakespeare. We always endeavour to ensure involvement with Pitch Productions is greatly enjoyable, whilst ensuring a high degree of professionalism along with support and advice. Applications open termly.
President: Horatio Holloway
Email: [email protected]
Polloi Productions
Polloi Productions is a theatre company that specialises in ancient Greek and Roman plays. Our goal is to be an entry to classical theatre for people of all backgrounds and experiences. At Polloi, we encourage everyone to be a part of our productions in any capacity. Outside of just acting and crew work, we aim to include student writing in our plays, from translated excerpts to original work.
President: Samantha Dotson
Email: [email protected]
Sightline Productions
Sightline Productions is an outreach theatre company. Our goal is to provide a platform to increase and improve the representation of underrepresented ideas, identities, or groups within Durham. We aim to create productions that have an impact beyond the theatre itself by working alongside charities and other organisations. Most importantly, we are all about providing a platform for everyone, from everywhere, to get involved and bring their own voice to the stage.
President: Alexa Thanni
Email: [email protected]
The Stand
The Stand Society stands for a lot. We stand for regular stand-up nights featuring new and experienced student comics. We stand for developing new talent with professional writing and performing workshops. We stand for sidesplittingly funny Pro Nights where we bring the best of the UK stand-up scene to DH1, and socials at comedy clubs in Newcastle. We stand for a great night out, whichever side of the mic you stand on.
Fancy a laugh? Come check us out.
President: Oliver Owen and Jamie Smyth
Email: [email protected]
Suffragette Theatre Company
Suffragette Theatre Company is a now independent theatre company that focuses on political and provocative theatre. We aim to use the stage to spark conversations about contemporary and unspotlighted issues, with an emphasis on intersectional feminism.
President: Katie Procter
Email: [email protected]
Tone Deaf Theatre Company
TDTC was founded in 2010 with the aim of bringing small-cast musicals to Durham. Since then it has brought shows ranging from the two-person cast of The Last 5 Years to Little Shop of Horrors to the Durham stage. TDTC prides itself on its high quality of productions and is always searching for the best new musicals. TDTC is also renowned for its showcases, with a Freshers’ Showcase and a themed Easter showcase bookending each academic year. Anyone is welcome to audition or be involved in our productions, onstage or off, and auditions will always be open and advertised through the DST newsletter.
President: Alexandra Tyler and Jacob Vellucci
Email: [email protected]
Walkabout Productions
Walkabout is Durham’s immersive student theatre company.
We innovate untraditional spaces to create experiences beyond ordinary drama. Audience is at the heart of our action. We build from breaking creative boundaries and inspiring the cutting-edge of Durham’s cultural scene. Immersive theatre scraps the passive and makes performance personal.
Stay tuned for our next projects, or get involved now.
President: Harry Threapleton
Email: [email protected]
Wrong Tree
Wrong Tree theatre is a collaborative theatre company that focuses on storytelling through devised physical theatre. Our shows invite creative talent seeking to produce contemporary, compelling theatre whether that be fully scripted or plotted, or devised from zero. Our emphasis on physical theatre means that our shows normally at least have some aspect of focused movement whether that be continuously throughout, or just certain scenes.
We also pride ourselves on taking at least one Wrong Tree show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe every year, meaning our company has the chance to showcase its work to people from all over the world!
With Wrong Tree, every year remains excitingly new as we build on our existing legacy.
Presidents: Felicity Rickard and Indie Spafford
Email: [email protected]