Frequently Asked Questions

Before contacting us, you may want to check our FAQ section below to see whether we’ve already covered your question!

Joining CTW

I’m new to amateur theatre/drama- can I join? If so, can I have details?

Yes – anybody of any age, ability or experience is welcome and can join Chelmsford Theatre Workshop. It takes a broad and varied membership to keep CTW and The Old Court running and there are all sorts of opportunities to support us, meet new people and develop.

The first thing you need to do is actually join by completing a membership form and paying the relevant membership fee. To download a form and get more information on joining, click here.

What do I need to do to join CTW?

Follow this link to go to our ‘Join Us’ page where you can download a form and find more information.

I am/my child is under 18 and wants to join – can I/they?

Yes. However, if you or your child are under 18, there are some restrictions on what they can do in terms of volunteering to work at the Old Court Theatre due to legislation on children working. Also, if you/they are cast in a production, we must follow rules on children in performance which require a chaperone to be present when you/they are rehearsing and performing.

I am/my child is under 18 and wants to join and learn lighting/sound and other technical theatre skills. Is this possible?

Unfortunately not. There are strict rules on people under 18 ‘working’ and volunteer work is included in this. Also due to the nature of technical theatre work and some of the risks involved, we are not able to assist any members under 18 with learning technical skills.

Do you run a youth theatre?

Not directly. However The Chelmsford Drama Centre focusing on pure drama and LAMDA classes, rehearses and performs at CTW, and one show a year is included in the main CTW season. They can be contacted via the above link. Other youth theatre groups in the Chelmsford area of which there are a few can be found with a quick internet search.

I’m also a member of another theatre/drama/musical group – is that OK?

Absolutely – you can belong to 1 or 1,000 other groups.

Work experience and paid work

Can I do my work experience at CTW?

Unfortunately not. We’re a volunteer-run company and we’re not able to accept any work experience placements.

Do you have any paid jobs going?

No. CTW is an amateur company and is entirely volunteer run and there are no paid opportunities.

Hiring the Old Court Theatre

Can I hire the Old Court Theatre?

No. The Old Court Theatre, as of October 2014, is not available for hire.

Auditioning, directing, working backstage and writing

I want to audition – do I need to be a CTW member first?

No – absolutely not. CTW open auditions are just that and anybody can turn up and have a go. If you were successful and cast in a production, you would then need to join.

Do you pre-cast?

In 99.9% of productions, there is absolutely no pre-casting. All parts are decided on from the auditions which are as open and fair as possible for CTW members and non-members alike.

In some exceptionally rare cases, a Director (by agreement with the Management Committee) will be able to pre-cast a specified role if it is absolutely necessary. If this is the case, it will always be noted on our audition information to save disappointment or people auditioning for roles that are not available. But this is very rare.

I want to direct at CTW – how can I do that?

To direct at CTW, you would first need to join. The Artistic Director is responsible for receiving submissions for each season which is generally announced each June/July for the coming year. As a rule, you should have been a member of CTW for a while before directing but this of course depends on your experience. As a rule of thumb, we require Directors to have been Assistant Director on at least one CTW show before directing.

Can I get paid for acting, directing or any other work at CTW?

No – CTW is an amateur company and no member of the company receives payment for what they do .

I’m a professional actor – can I claim expenses such as travelling?

No. As per above, CTW is entirely volunteer run and the company will not pay for expenses of any kind. The only expenses that may be reimbursed are for the purchase of props/wardrobe items which are pre-authorised by the Director.

I want to help backstage – how do I go about that?

You would need to join CTW and then talk to the Directors about working with them on their show. The Membership Secretary can point you in the right direction but the best thing to do is dive in to CTW life and meet people; the more people you meet, the more you’ll learn of who needs what help.

I write plays – can I have them performed at CTW?

As per the answer above about directing, you would need to be a member and submit it to the Artistic Director for inclusion in the season but bear in mind the rules about directing. Alternatively, you could ask another Director about producing your work but this again would ultimately be up to the Artistic Director.