Day8 Productions — Company background

Day 8 Productions is a not for profit company set up to support amateur theatre in its entirety within North Tyneside.

Our vision

To enrich people's lives everywhere through grassroots theatre.

Our mission

To continually find, acquire and develop active customers, on-stage, off-stage and in the audience by providing first class opportunity, productions, education and alliance within North Tyneside creating a surplus that is recycled into the organisation allowing it to grow.

Our core values

Dynamic, Professional, Inclusive, Pioneering and Creative!

Our key objectives

To create a theatrical company that is welcoming, inclusive and open to all sections of the community

To unite with other partners, as sponsors, co-producers or funders to enhance and extend the quality and scope of our productions and other activities

To ensure efficient running and financial viability of the organisation

To create opportunities to develop theatre and performance skills, to both young people and adults and develop talent through new ways of working including accredited training programmes and working with professional artists

To produce high quality enjoyable productions that both satisfies and challenges the company’s audiences and members, therefore the cultural life of North Tyneside

This will be achieved through...

Putting on a minimum of 3 high quality multi-format theatrical productions per year

Offering training and opportunities to work with professional theatrical practitioners

Delivering an educational programme

Day 8 productions offer an exceptionally broad range of the highest quality productions and participatory projects designed to engage and inspire audiences, children and young people alike. Being foremost in producing professional productions designed to enhance the experiences of both audiences and actors.

Run by local people for the local community, utilising over 70 years worth of combined experience, Day8's directors are:

Toby Bridges

	An experienced company director, currently Managing Director of NBT Ltd, an industrial wholesaler based in North Tyneside, and a director of Preline Ltd, a nationally based industrial wholesaler, the group turning over 15m+ and employing over 70 staff. He has worked with many other community theatrical companies in the region, and is a member of the Entrepreneur’s Forum.

Mike Fleetham

	Originally from Durham, he has been involved with the theatre in Whitley Bay for 14 years being Chairman and Secretary of a local Community Musical Society for some of that time. He has a wide experience of event organisation having produced and organised musicals in the Whitley Bay Playhouse for a number of years and has also performed on stage in such musicals from "Scrooge" to "Jekyll and Hyde".

Karen Knox

	Our most recent addition to the Company, Karen has a wide knowledge of theatrical design concepts. She most recently designed the entire costume plot for Jesus Christ Superstar and Buddy: The buddy Holly Story. Having been involved with many local groups, she is no stranger to community theatre.

Andrew James

	A local head teacher, Andrew has a wealth of knowledge regarding theatrical productions. He has been Vice Chairman of a local musical Society and has taken several leading roles in many community events thoughout the borough. His latest role is that of The Beast in Tynemouth Amateur Operatic Society's "Beauty and The Beast".

Claire Willis

	Claire currently works for Science Learning Centre North East, delivering innovative creative science projects for students and their teachers throughout the region. She has over 15 years experience in amateur theatre, performing in productions such as "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Jekyll and Hyde" (twice), "Barnum", "Copacabana", "Summer Holiday", "Buddy" and many more. Her favourite parts have included playing Jack in "Jack and the Beanstalk" and Prince Charming in "Cinderella". In recent years Claire has been involved in the marketing and publicity of several local productions. She lives in Whitley Bay and has a son, Aron aged 6.