Welcome to the members page, which contains information on how to join The Operating Theatre Company, latest news for cast and crew, as well as discussion forums, and an archive of cast information from previous shows.
Initially formed by a group of medical and nursing students, this society has evolved into a dramatic and music company which allows student and qualified healthcare professionals the opportunity to become actively involved in amateur productions, despite the time restrictions imposed by a variety of different on-call rotas and shift patterns. We do of course welcome membership from people who do not come from a healthcare background, but we expect all our members to be understanding of the fact that many of our medical and nursing members cannot make it to all rehearsals, and to be willing to attend all the rehearsals they can despite the fact that there will inevitably be some other people missing from each rehearsal.
If you fancy being on stage, in the stage crew, helping out front of house or getting involved in any other way please get in touch sending an e-mail to:
It's time we had another get together. The plan is for a pre-theatre meal on Wed 27th followed by a trip to see Sweeney Todd - the demon barber of fleet street. No, not the film, the stage show which includes several pieces of music that they had to cut to keep the film short enough. (Well that's the official story about why some music was cut from the film. Interestingly it was the tricky pieces that we're cut.)
We'll book a table once we know about numbers, so let us know if your coming. Dinner will be close to the Mitchell Theatre (i.e. not the pie shop in Byres Road that backs onto the barber shop).
We may not have a show on the cards at the moment, but that hasn't stoped us playing cards (or roulette). At last night's Operating Theatre Company Casino Night we raised £117 towards our fundraising efforts to buy recreational equipment for patients of the West of Scotland Oncology Centre's new Teenage Cancer Trust ward, the first unit in Scotland to be specifically for the care of young people with cancer.
Now that rehearsals have started it has become apparent that due to the fact that many of our members already have other commitments for the week of the show, we cannot put on a performance this year and have been forced to cancel our production.
The next meeting/readthrough for Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens will be on 23rd September at 2.00pm, in the Turnbull Hall in the University of Glasgow University Chaplaincy Centre on Southpark Avenue. (Click here for a map.)
Those of you who wish to and are able to audition will be able to do so at the rehearsal on Sunday. We have received appologies from a number of members who are involved with another show this week and realise that some of you will therefore need some more time to prepare. Hopefully on Sunday we can arrange an alternative audition time. If you wish the audition pieces but are not on the mailing list please send an email to:
N.B. Auditions are for principal parts only. If you only wish to be in the chorus you do not need to audition.
The first meeting/readthrough for Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens will be on 16th September at 2.00pm, in the Turnbull Hall in the University of Glasgow University Chaplaincy Centre on Southpark Avenue. (Click here for a map.) Those of you who wish a sneak preview of the script may find some unnofficial versions on the Glitterboots Web Page, the site for fans of Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens. N.B. These downloadable scripts are not official but are fans' recollections of what has been said during performances, including transcriptions of the pre-show cabaret which in all likelihood will be different in our version.
Don't forget that at this meeting you'll be able to buy tickets for the Casino Night on 29th September at Bacchus in Glassford Street.
The first rehearsal / meeting will be on 16th September so keep the date free. The plan is for a readthrough of the script and a chance to hear recordings the songs.
While you've got your diary out, the next date to keep free is Saturday 29th September, when we will be having a Casino Night. Your £10 entry ticket will include fun money for your casino chips. It will be a great chance for a get together, but more importantly by then we'll have decided on our nominated charity for this year so it's an exellent chance for a bit of fundraising. Of course there are prizes for the people who have won the most fun money by the end of the night.
If there's room in the venue (t.b.c) to have some entertainment as well that would really add a bit of Vegas-style glamour, so if any of you want to be Showgirls let the committee know what routines you can dazzle us with!
We've done the cult musical Little Shop of Horrors. We've done the sci-fi musical Return to the Forbidden Planet. We've done the sleazy Cabaret. We've done the disco musical Disco Inferno. Now it's time for the cult sci-fi sleazy cabaret disco musical Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens.
The show's set in a futuristic cabaret club and the script features key dialog and musical numbers but gives free reign over most of the actual cabaret acts, so there's plenty of scope for anyone who wants to do a turn to get involved even if you don't get cast as one of the scripted charatcters. If you've an idea for an act you could add into the show let the committee or (once they've been fixed) production team know. We've got G12 provisionally booked for 19th-24th November and the show rights are available then. So, once the production team are in place we'll be ready to go. If you want to get involved, make sure you're free these nights even if you have to take time off work to ensure you're not on-call.
OK folks, I know this doesn't give you much warning, but we thought if we told you in advance that the next Operating Theatre Company social event was to be on Friday 13th then you would just spend months worrying about it. The plan is for a video night at which we can relive last years' excitement, generally catch up with what everone's been up to and have a chat about the next show. Kerry has kindly offered to hold it at her flat, so those of you who haven't been there before will need to e-mail for directions.
The next show may seem to be a long way off in the future, but we'll need to start organising it now if we're going to do a show this year so put your thinking caps on and come up with some ideas for what the next show could be. The owner of Best of Broadway Productions has e-mailed us advertising their scripts (which are for review style shows and can be adapted to different sized casts) and there are some previous suggestions from the 2004 shortlist still on the show choice page.
There are still plenty of other shows to discuss, so lets have some more ideas.
Members should click here to open the discussion forums in a new window.
N.B. These message boards are now password protected, so if you haven't looked at them recently then to get a note of the password you need you must send an e-mail to:
(Yes it is just a sneaky ploy to make sure I've got everyone's e-mail address.)
The first rehearsal will be on 24th September at 11.30pm, in one of the rooms in the University of Glasgow University Chaplaincy Centre on Southpark Avenue. (Click here for a map.) By this time the auditions will have taken place and the principal parts will have been allocated.
A couple of members have mentioned to me their concern about the rapidity in changes to medical training, a matter which not only affects junior doctors but also impacts on the working practice of the seniors who are training them. For more info on what's supposed to be happening and a chance to add your views into the discussion visit the UK MMC Discussion Site
You may wish to visit the NHS Modernising Medical Careers homepage.
There is a meeting on Wednseday the 27th of September at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (St Vincent Street) about the MMC. It apparently will involve a Q&A with Colin Semple (chair, MMC medical transitions board) and Chris Morran (same, surgical).
For those of you who don't already know the auditions will be on Sunday 17th September from 12pm onwards, in one of the rooms in the University of Glasgow University Chaplaincy Centre on Southpark Avenue. (Click here for a map.) The audition songs are "I will survive" for women and "Starman" for the men. Audition acting pieces are being sent out by e-mail and if you haven't already let Rachel know you want to audition you can contact her by sending an e-mail to:
If you wish to audition but can't make this Sunday and haven't already let a member of the production team know, please do so now.
N.B. Auditions are for principal parts only. If you only wish to be in the chorus you do not need to audition.
No I haven't forgotten to update the website, but we're still waiting confirmation from the propsed venue. Unfortunately I'll not be able to update the website before the first meeting now. (Well not unfortunate for me - I'm off on my honeymoon). If you haven't been contacted, get in touch with Rachel who in my absence will recieve any e-mail sent to:
No I haven't forgotten to update the website, but we're still waiting confirmation from the propsed venue. Unfortunately I'll not be able to update the website before the first meeting now. (Well not unfortunate for me - I'm off on my honeymoon). If you haven't been contacted, get in touch with Rachel who in my absence will recieve any e-mail sent to:
Here are the dates for your diary:
Meet the production team, and welcome new members. There will be a read-through of the script, so everyone gets a feel for what the show and characters are like, and a chance to hear the songs (although you'll probably know most of them).
Auditions!
If you know that you will want to audition but cannot make the above dates please get in touch A.S.A.P., either by contacting a member of the production team directly, or by sending an e-mail to:
The venue has still to be confirmed for these two dates, but in each case we are trying to get the Turbull Hall or one of the neighbouring halls during the afternoon.
Here it is folks, time for another show. We've already got the rights to the performance and the theatre's booked. The production team (Rachel Thomas, Ros McKenna and Barrie McKillop) are busy coming up with devilishly good ideas for what to do with this funky musical and before you know it the auditions will be upon us.
The plan at the moment is for auditions later on in the summer / early autumn and then rehearsals up to the end of November, with a theatre get-in on the 4th of December, dress rehearsal on the 5th, ane then performances from the 6th - 9th December.
Once the auditions have taken place there will be a more formal rehearsal schedule which will take into account different cast members availability so that we can best work around everyone's rotas.
Watch uhis space. The audition dates will be posted soon!
Not long now until our next performance. For details of how to get involved with our next show, email as below or come along and see "Forbidden Planet" and catch a production member after the performace!
A list of possible shows for next year and internet resources for these is available now.
Comments on the noticeboard about any you particularly favour / dislike, or at the next committee meeting for its members.
After the success of Cabaret, we've decided to do it all again - with a fresh production pencilled in for February 2005. We're looking for people to get involved, although no firm date has been set for the first meeting.
If you're in any way theatrically inclined - whether you interests lie backstage or centre stage - we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a line at:
Alternatively, you can send us your details on a membership form and we'll get back to you. At the moment we don't have a street address, but email the form to the address above.
We've now got a list of willing people to help run the 'OTC' in future, and it will appear here along with minutes from the first meeting in about a fortnight's time. (Busy lives, complex website to update).
For those on the committee, our next task is to organise the next meeting. Ideas on the message board, please.
Good luck to all the shiny new JHOs starting work next week!
Here's the embryonic rehearsal schedule for Cabaret
Sunday August 24th
Turnbull Hall
10:00-12:30; Welcome and practise of audition pieces
12:30 onwards; (hopefully finishing no later than 17.30) Auditions (15 minutes each)
"Cold" auditions for people who can't make the morning - please tell us beforehand, and we'll give you a time
Monday August 25th
Probably Barrie's flat
Evening; "Cold" auditions for people who can't make 24th at all
Sunday August 31st
Turnbull Hall
13:00-17:00: Read-through, rehearsal of many bits
Sunday Sept 7th, Sept 14th, Sept 21st, Sept 28th
Turnbull Hall
13:00-17:00: Rehearsal of many bits
Saturday Oct 4th
Turnbull Hall
14:00-17:00: Run Show
Sunday Oct 5th
Turnbull Hall
14:00-17:00: Run Show
17:00-19:00: Eat, drink, fall over
19:30 onwards: Wizard of Oz at the QM Union
Monday Oct 6th
Gilmorehill G12, James Arnott Theatre
09:00-17:00: Get in (cast not required)
18:00: Cast Call
19:00: Technical Dress
Tuesday Oct 7th
Gilmorehill G12
09:00-17:00: Fix tech (cast not required)
18:00: Cast Call
19:00: Dress Rehearsal / Press Night
Weds Oct 8th-Sat 11th:
Gilmorehill G12, James Arnott Theatre
18:00: Cast Call
19:00: Pre-Show
19:30: Performance
As you may have already heard - auditions have been pushed back until Sunday August 24th to allow more folks to attend. Blag that day off work soon! This year's policy is that everybody on stage should prepare for an audition - so that parts can be allocated appropriately.
How to fill that musical theatre void? Well, in the meantime you can download the audition material, character outlines, and read a synopsis of the show.
You can also browse through the Cabaret pages of Studio 54 to check out the sensational Broadway production, still running - and listen to Cabaret sound clips / MP3s on the RCA Victor website for a taster of how our show will sound!
However, if the bright lights of the stage are not for you - we're looking for people interested in helping out with backstage / technical / administrative duties as well. Email address as below.
As always, make sure to keep up to date by reading the noticeboard.
Welcome to our new members and visitors. Cabaret will soon be kicking off, and you can find out lots more about it below. If you'd like more information, leave a note on the message board or email:
You can download a membership form here, to bring along to auditions.
The performances will take at the Gilmorehill G12 Theatre from 8th - 12th October.
Also available is a copy of the Cabaret flyer.
Sunday, June 15, 2pm
Meet the production team, and welcome new members
Read-through of the script, and production team / tech crew meeting
Turnbull Hall at Catholic Chaplaincy, South Park Terrace
Sunday, June 22, all day
Auditions (performers only)
Turnbull Hall at Catholic Chaplaincy, South Park Terrace
Little Shop of Horrors was our first show, taking place at the Gilmorehill Theatre. It was hailed as a resounding success, and was part of Arts in Medicine Week 2002.
Little Shop on Broadway - Summer 2003 will see a major Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors. Details available soon on the Little Shop Website.
Read a short extract from our article, published in the end-of-term edition of Surgo, the Med-Chir "journal".
See what some of our members are getting up to with the Cecilian Society.