ABOUT STaG
Student Theatre at Glasgow (STaG) is the oldest and largest student theatre society in Glasgow. STaG strives to produce interesting and entertaining theatre whilst providing a lively social network of like-minded people.
The society is completely run by, and for, students and any students regardless of university are welcome to join the society. A small proportion of our members are also non-students. We accept members from all backgrounds and levels of experience with theatre, no matter whether you are a complete novice or a life-long theatre fan! STaG hopes that as well as giving people opportunities to exercise and build upon skills they may already have, we offer the opportunity to teach and learn from one another in all aspects of theatre production.
The society focuses on all aspects of theatre, involving acting, writing, directing, producing, designing, teching, publicising and managing theatre production. Throughout the year STaG put on small and large scale shows over campus and in both conventional and unconventional venues around Glasgow, welcoming classic texts as well as warmly encouraging new-writing.
If you would like to get involved in STaG in any capacity then please sign-up to our weekly newsletter to receive full details of all the opportunities which you can get involved in. You can sign-up by entering your email address into the box in the top right-hand corner of this website. If you read an article in the newsletter or here on the website, about an opportunity you are interested in, then please follow the relevant instructions on who to contact to express interest. You do not need to become a member of STaG to come along to any social event, to audition, or to apply for a backstage/crew position. Only once you are involved in a specific production will we ask you to pay a membership fee of £5.
Read the STaG Constitution Here.
STaG’S COMMON PROJECTS:
Although you can propose something completely new and exciting to STaG at any time of year via the website Proposal page, we have a few set slots which are generally consistent year upon year. Below is a run-down of the projects STaG commonly run in order to give you a better idea of the events likely to come up which you could propose for and a better idea of the yearly timetable of the society.
STaG MAINSTAGE:
Every year STaG try to put on two Mainstage shows, one in the first academic semester (late November/early December), the other in the second semester (mid-late March). Mainstage productions are large-scale with casts of around 20+ and are commonly classic texts, although new writing is still welcomed in proposals. STaG strive to put these shows on in large, public theatres around Glasgow so that actors and directors can have the experience of working in a real operational theatre with professional equipment and a higher likelihood of general public, non-student audiences.
STaG STUDIO SLOTS:
STaG’s very own home at 62 Oakfield Avenue has become a hub for Studio type productions. Studio productions are smaller scale compared to Mainstages with generally small cast sizes and smaller audiences of around 20-30 per night. Performances held in the STaG Room studio generally have limited tech capacity (although the current board are in the process of looking into improved tech capabilities for the space). As we have our own performance space available there are no restrictions (other than time) on the number of Studio Slots STaG can accept throughout a year. For Studio Slots the society would encourage classic texts and new writing. The Studio Slot is ideal for experimental theatre, works-in-progress and for new directors not yet wanting to take on a larger scale production.
FOUND SPACES:
Have you seen a random space around campus, around town, in your flat which would be ideal for a performance? Proposals for Found Spaces can be aimed at any particular performance space, and STaG will try its utmost to secure permission to use the space for a performance. In the past Found Spaces has been host to shows outside in the urban atmosphere behind the Adam Smith Building, in a kitchen flat, and in Kelvingrove Park. When proposing a show for Found Spaces make sure to add where (or which type of space if you have not found it already) you are hoping for the piece to be performed. Found Spaces shows can be any style of writing, classic texts or new writing/devising and of any cast size as long as the space is appropriate. This slot is perfect for unconventional theatre and is an exciting opportunity for experimentation.
NEW TALENT NIGHTS:
Every year during Fresher’s week STaG hold auditions for New Talent Nights in which new members are strongly encouraged to audition. There are also all manner of backstage opportunities available. New Talent Nights is by far the best stepping stone into the society as the majority of people involved are all new to the society. The show is specifically about having fun and meeting new people and for this reason auditions are unconventional in that every person who auditions is guaranteed a part in the show. Although the format of New Talent Nights has varied in its five year history, in recent years the show has consisted of two completely different version of the same show on consecutive nights. Light- hearted and well known shows with large casts have been popular. Everyone who auditions and volunteers for backstage opportunities is assigned to one of the two nights and asked to produce their take upon the same show, adding an element of friendly competitiveness. Although the aim of New Talent Nights is to encourage new members into the society, we also encourage old STaG members to get involved in order for everyone to meet. The shows have a short rehearsal and preparation period of around three weeks after casting. The show itself is usually picked by the Board and applications for directors are requested before the summer break, for the next academic year’s production in early October.
STaG NIGHTS:
STaG Nights is one of the largest student theatre festivals in Scotland. The festival has been going for over 10 years now. STaG Nights usually consists of three nights of 4 or 5 20-minute plays, plus live music, character actors, films and comedy. The festival is usually held in mid-November and any type of show, new writing or otherwise is encouraged to be proposed so long as it is no longer than 20 minutes long. Every year the festival is based upon a theme. The particular plays picked for the festival do not have to coincide with the theme but the overall feel and aesthetic of the nights will be linked to the theme. Themes in the past have included circus, mardi gras, student flat, boom and bust and light and shade. A strong creative team is always needed to pull off the event and transform venues to fit with the chosen theme. In the past STaG Nights has been held in the James Arnott Theatre however due to the loss of the G12 the festival recently moved to more experimental club venues in the centre of town.
NEW WORKS FESTIVAL:
New Works Festival is STaG’s annual new writing/devising competition. Four plays around an hour in length are picked for the four consecutive nights of the festival. The only condition is that the shows must be new works, either written or devised. The festival is usually held in mid-February. A group of judges from within the theatre industry (writers, critics, directors, lecturers etc,) are invited to judge the competition and pick one winning play to go on to a two week run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. This is by far the best opportunity throughout the year for budding writers. The plays get the opportunity to compete for a great prize and get feedback from professional theatre practitioners.
