On The Rocks Newsfeed

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What role do you want to play for On The Rocks 2016?http://www.ontherocksfestival.com/#!apply-now/c11qq

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Ceilidh in the Castle

On the last day of On the Rocks, the Celtic Society is ready to provide you with a shot of Scottish culture. Come down to the St Andrews Castle at 5.30 on April 12th to dance the evening away before heading off on a torch-lit pier walk. We caught up with the Societ to ask them a few questions about this year’s ceilidh.

Can you describe this year’s event in three words? Dancing, Ceilidh, Castle

What makes the Ceilidh in the Castle an unmissable part of On the Rocks? It is the only chance to take part in an outdoor ceilidh in the historic ruins of St Andrews Castle at sunset.

What’s something people might not know about this year’s ceilidh? It is held by the oldest society in St Andrews: Celtic Society. This event will kick-start our 220th year!

Tickets are available from the Byre website: http://byretheatre.com/events/otr-ceilidh-in-the-castle/

For more information, join the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/844220632291534/

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Mirthbusters

They make you laugh every Monday night in the Barron, but they’re scaling up for On the Rocks. On Tuesday, April 9th, at 9.30pm, St Andrews’ first, best, and, coincidentally, only improve comedy group, Blind Mirth, will present Mirthbusters on the Byre Mainstage for their annual sketch show, written just for this year’s Festival.  It’ll be the first time Blind Mirth graces the Byre, Scotland’s only five star venue, in three years. We caught up with them to ask them a few questions about this year’s show.

Can you describe your show in three words? Title is irrelevant

Why is your show an unmissable part of this year’s festival? As far as we're concerned, the show is totally unmissable because we're going to have to be there to perform it.

What’s something people might not know about the show? It's based on a true story

Tickets are available from the Byre website:

https://byretheatre.com/events/otr-mirthbusters/

For more information, check out the Facebook event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1379438089047482/

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On The Rocks Preview - Two

On Monday and Tuesday evening this week, Aikman's will be taken over by Mermaids for a unique performance of Jim Cartwright's acclaimed Two.  A play about life, laughter, loss and love, set in the heart of every community - a pub - and performed in one of our very own here in St Andrews, sit back with a pint and allow events to unfold around you.  Monday's performance has already sold out, so move fast to make sure you don't miss out on a ticket for Tuesday night!  We talked to the team behind Two to find out more about the show.

Why particularly did you want to bring Two to St Andrews? Emma and Ben saw the play at the Edinburgh Fringe two years back and one of our first responses was ‘wouldn’t that do well in Aikman’s?’ It took us two years but we’ve finally got everything to together for Emma, Frazer and Ben’s final show in St Andrews. As Emma and, Frazer play all fourteen(!) characters in the show between them, it’s given us a lot to play around with in terms of character and scene.

You are performing in Aikman's - what are some of the challenges and rewards of adapting a space like that? Well… It’s not a dedicated theatre so pretty much everything!

We’ve moved certain scenes around the pub so everyone will get a scene or two played up close to them. Sometimes in a pub you don’t see everything, only catch conversations through the crowd and noise of the bar and we want to give people the sense of eavesdropping in on these people’s lives, nosing round at the different customers all around the bar.

The rewards for this play are actually being able to use a space that is absolutely perfect for the look and feel of the play and to be able to involve the audience with the scenes.

Why will Two be a performance not to be missed? We’ll be actually using the bar, before the play and during the interval, so you can buy a pint from our landlord and landlady. Theatre AND alcohol- what could possibly go wrong?

See Two at 7pm on Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th April at Aikman's Find Two on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/832529590168487/ Tickets are £5 and available from the Byre box office: http://byretheatre.com/events/otr-two/

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Spring Awakening This year as part of the On The Rocks Festival the Just So society will perform Spring Awakening, the Tony Award-winning rock musical with music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater.  Set in late-nineteenth century Germany, it concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of sexuality.  The original play was banned in Germany due to its portrayal of masturbation, abortion, rape, and suicide. We caught up with Just So to find out more. Why particularly did you want to bring Spring Awakening to St Andrews this year? The re-opening of The Byre this year has given Just So the opportunity to put on a larger musical again in a beautiful setting. We couldn’t think of a more exciting production to fill the space than Spring Awakening, which has been one of the most popular musicals of recent times. Given the play on which the musical was originally based was banned after publication due to the controversial themes, it’s not what you typically expect from a musical! Growing up, learning about and exploring your sexuality is an intrinsic part of most people’s lives and Spring Awakening takes these to an extreme. This gripping storyline, when accompanied by the catchy pop-rock score, makes for an incredibly entertaining show. This, alongside the potential for broadening the involvement that the Just So Society can provide, made Spring Awakening an obvious choice. Spring Awakening deals with some controversial themes—have there been any particular challenges working on it so far? Spring Awakening is, undoubtedly, a challenging piece. It calls for humorous roles alongside a genuine respect and regard for themes like (SPOILERS!) suicide and adolescent pregnancy. Providing this balance, in the usually light medium of musical theatre has been an ongoing challenge that the cast have stepped up to magnificently. It has been such a rewarding experience, and we are continually awed by the dedication that the company exhibit on a daily basis. This show truly has been a joy to put together, and we only hope that each audience member leaves the theatre with as much a sense of fulfilment that we have today. What is it that will make your production of Spring Awakening a musical not to be missed? Above all else, everyone involved with the production is incredibly talented, from the cast to the musicians to the team behind the scenes. Spring Awakening will be one of the biggest student productions of the year, combining elaborate staging and effects with beautiful original choreography, a big, live band and a wonderful cast! We are so excited for existing fans of the show and those who have never heard of it alike to come and see what we have created. The cast and crew have all been working relentlessly in the build-up to the show, and we really hope that people come along for what will be both an insightful and an entertaining evening. Catch Spring Awakening at 19:00 on Saturday 4th, Sunday 5th, and Monday 6th, at The Byre Mainstage.Join the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/799336430151715/Tickets are available from The Byre Box Office: http://byretheatre.com/events/otr-spring-awakening-a-new-musical/

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Jamnesty

The Amnesty International society are repeating their successful event from last year’s On The Rocks festival allowing a mishmash of the musical talent in St Andrews to come together in one evening. The team had more to say:

What is your event?

Jamnesty is an eclectic mix of some of the best music St Andrews has to offer – from A Cappella to a ukulele band – all presented in a chilled evening with the aim of raising awareness of the campaigns Amnesty supports around the world.

Why is Amnesty International so important?

Despite its worldwide acclaim, we feel sometimes Amnesty International can be a little overshadowed by the glamour offered by some of the larger charitable societies in St Andrews. We may not offer any black-tie-events, but now more than ever, the crux of Amnesty’s message, the power of the pen to initiate change, appears most evident. Living in an age where knowledge of the world is available at our fingertips, it is impossible to hide from the atrocities still being committed around us. As University students, we have afforded to us the greatest freedom of expression than ever before, yet around the globe people of all ages are to this day tortured and wrongfully imprisoned from expressing their views. The power of protest in this technological age has found new heights; however, the founding idea of Amnesty, writing letters to the authorities oppressing human rights or to those on the receiving end of that oppression, plays an important role in the fight. Not only has letter campaigning proven again and again to help restore justice, but its also provides a channel of support otherwise inaccessible to those prisoners. The knowledge derived from those letters, that they are not alone in their struggle, bestows these sufferers the necessary drive to persevere and ultimately fight back against their adversaries.

What do you want the audience to take away from this event?

Despite the seriousness of our central goals, our recent success in hosting an evening with Ireland’s foremost leading Drag Queen and Human Activist extraordinaire, in conjunction with the LGBT society, has shown that we know how to put on a great night. We hope Jamnesty, through the medium of music, laughter and possibly tears (not our desired effect but you never know), will show the audience not only stellar performances, but most importantly how easy and rewarding it is to get involved in all the work Amnesty does here in St Andrews!

Jamnesty will take place from 9pm in Sandy’s Bar on the 4th April. Tickets will be £4 (or £3 for Amnesty members) (http://byretheatre.com/events/otr-jamnesty/)

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Catch a glimpse of the fun at the On The Rocks launch 2015 held in the Byre Theatre! Good music by Wire & Wool: Good FUN!

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Apply before Monday

http://www.ontherocksfestival.com/#!apply-now/c11qq

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What is it like to be a volunteer?

What is it like to volunteer for On The Rocks? 

Last year I applied to be a OTR volunteer. After receiving my box office training and feel the enthusiasm of the committee I was just as excited for the festival as the rest of the volunteers. 

I picked up my free t-shirt with my friends. Which, during On The Rocks, becomes a major fashion trend, and is not to be missed.

One thing I did to help out with the festival was to work at the box office. With two other girls we sat at Rectors (which was duly decorated for On The Rocks) and sold tickets to plays, musicals, Big Top Ball and more. It was a good experience because we were selling so many tickets and could see first hand how popular On The Rocks actually is. 

On a Saturday morning I met up at the union and grabbed a ton of merchandise and sorted it into OTR bags. Then, with my partner, we headed to the farmers market to distribute it to both locals and students. I remember it as one of the best mornings I have had in St Andrews. It was fun to share the enthusiasm for art in St Andrews with the people we met. After we had handed out all of our bags, we went around to the different stalls and browsed local produce. 

I still have my first On The Rocks t-shirt and I still like to wear it and think about the fun I had volunteering last year, and how great OTR2015 is going to turn out this year! 

So if you have thought about getting involved in OTR, volunteering is a great opportunity to get to know the festival better and get involved in one of the largest student run art festivals in the UK!

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Preview: HookHitch Closing night

We are HookHitch. We tell stories.

It is what all theatre aims to do—immerse its audience in a new world for a few hours. And it’s something that HookHitch Theatre does particularly well.

After a sell-out run at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, HookHitch is bringing its five-star production, This Was the World and I Was King, to St Andrews from October 27th-29th. The play follows the Connor children during the First World War as their father fights on the Western Front; to escape from the harrowing reality by which they are surrounded, the children delve into their own imaginary kingdom. With its seamless inclusion of folk music and hand-crafted puppets, This Was the World and I Was King provides a glimpse back into the unbridled imagination of childhood.

In addition to their three-night engagement at the Barron, Hookhitch is also offering a free workshop from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 29th, in the Byre Theatre. Tickets for each night of the show are available on the Union website—be sure to order tickets for the correct night! Don’t miss the chance to escape everyday life in the Bubble and enter the imaginary world of the Connor children. 

Tonight is their closing night, be sure not to miss out on this spectacular performance! 7:30 Barron Theatre

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ONLY in St Andrews three nights (Monday-Wednesday), get your tickets to see the acclaimed Theatre Group HookHitch! http://www.yourunion.net/search/?q=hookhitch

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Update: Zombie Apocalypse SOLD OUT

Thank you to everyone who has bought their Zombie Apocalypse tickets for 30th October! Dr Pretorius cannot wait to welcome you all to his estate on 30ht October.

The event is now officially SOLD OUT! Apologies to those who did not manage to get a ticket this year.

On The Rocks is also hosting another fantastic event that same week! The acclaimed theatre group HookHitch is presenting their production of "This was the World and I was King". Check it out here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/581454881984290/?fref=ts

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Throwback Thursday to last year's Zombie Apocalypse crew!

But that was last year, they eliminated the zombies... Right?

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Did someone else see?

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Update: Last Day to apply for Sponsorship Position

L A S T chance to apply for the Sponsorship Officer for On The Rocks. 

The Corporate and Local Sponsorship Officer is responsible for contacting Corporate and Local Organizations who may be interested in sponsoring On The Rocks. You are a member of Operations Team, meaning you work on Corporate and Local sponsorship opportunities with the Head of Operations. Draft letters to Corporations and Local businesses! And gain valuable insight as  a box office manager during the festival.

This is a great role for anyone who already has, or wishes to strengthen their writing and communication skills. A sponsorship position for Scotland's largest student-run arts festival is a great learning opportunity for those interested in working with sponsorship later in their careers! Also, the OTR committee is a great group of people, who would love for YOU to join on this year's festival committee!

Anyone welcome to apply:)

http://www.ontherocksfestival.com/2015-corporate-and-local-sponsorship-officer-application.html

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On The Rocks New Official Newsfeed

Welcome to On The Rocks’ official newsfeed. 

This is where you can come for information about the festival and you will also be able to see some of the ‘behind the scenes’ leading up to the festival.

The 2015 committee is hard at work to make this year’s On The Rocks the best one yet!

 April isn’t exactly around the corner, but that does not mean there isn’t a lot going on. So keep checking back for more news about upcoming events hosted by On The Rocks.