Lucia Revel-Chion

Whether you’ve been on stage since you could walk or have never stepped foot inside a dressing room, if you’re interested in getting involved in theatre, Cambridge is the right place to be. With over 40 shows entirely run by students every term, the Cambridge stage is varied, vibrant and shaped by students, and there’s always something to match your interests and availability. The community is welcoming, warm and large, and ranges from actors to production team, front of house to technicians. This is the perfect place to try out something new and exciting in the theatre.

As publicist of the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club (CUADC), my role is to work with the rest of the committee and ADC Theatre management to support the shows we have chosen to fund, and more generally to help people get involved in theatre in Cambridge. So, what can you get involved in, and how?

“The Cambridge stage is varied, vibrant, and shaped by students”

The theatre scene at Cambridge can seem complicated, with so many different organisations, venues and roles available. Instead of having a single theatrical society, Cambridge has many. Most of these organisations function as funding bodies – they provide money and support to directors and producers who apply directly to them and build their own company – rather than maintaining a permanent company who take part in every show.

Several colleges run a theatrical society, like the Pembroke Players (Pembroke) and Fletcher Players (Corpus Christi). There are also larger societies operating between colleges: CUADC is the largest and oldest, and is a resident company at the ADC Theatre, on Park Street, which is the biggest venue in Cambridge. Other regular venues include the Corpus Playroom (owned by Corpus Christi and managed by the ADC), the Fitzpatrick Hall in Queens’ College, and the Robinson Auditorium, although there are many more all over the city.

If you want to put on a show in Cambridge, applications open midway through the term before. You can apply as a producer, director or actor, and if you’re pitching for the ADC or Corpus Playroom, you’ll be interviewed by an applications panel. If they like your pitch, you’ll be assigned a slot for the next term! You can then apply to the theatre societies for funding.

“If it's all a bit daunting, come and chat to someone, or send an email to any of the CUADC committee”

If you’re interested in getting involved in acting, or want to apply to work on a show as a technician, creative or production role, then Camdram is the place to look. This is a website which lists all of the opportunities currently open, how to sign up for an audition or how to apply, and some contact details if you want to get in touch with the organisers. Usually, all opportunities plus some other bonus content is posted in the Cambridge Theatre Facebook group, and weekly email lists can be subscribed to through CUADC’s website. If it's all a bit daunting, come and chat to someone in the ADC bar on Freshers’ Friday (11th October), or send an email to any of the CUADC committee.

One way to get involved if you’re new to theatre is through CUADC’s freshers’ plays. These are made up of students new to the theatre scene, freshers or otherwise, with support from the CUADC committee. They run midway through Michaelmas term and are a great way to get started! Applications for production team members will open on Friday 11th October, with auditions and interviews taking place at the ADC Theatre between Wednesday 16th and Sunday 20th October. Don't worry if you miss them, as there are loads of other ways to get involved – just keep an eye on Camdram, or get in touch.


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CUADC, Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society (CUMTS) and the Cambridge Footlights are also running theatre trip socials throughout the term, which are perfect if you want to see some theatre, but you’re worried about turning up alone! During the first few weeks of term CUADC and friends from other societies will be running socials for BME students, female and non-binary technicians and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

For more details on these events and the workshops that will be run throughout term, on everything from acting and directing to producing and lighting design, check out this year’s CUADC Get Involved Guide.