Have you ever explored the Victorian stage machinery at the historic Drury Lane Theatre, or seen the innovative drum revolve at the National? Have you seen the exciting new Millennium Dome? Do this and more at Theatrical London: Setting the Scene, an insider's view of entertainment venues in London, England.
Scheduled for September 8-10, immediately following the 1999 PLASA trade show, Theatrical London offers participants the chance to get backstage and see the technology at work, while at the same time meeting the designers and technical teams that make it all possible. Conversations are currently underway with various venues to assure that Theatrical London will be as exciting and informative as possible, including backstage tours, breakfast, lunch, and dinner with an entertainment twist.
The following is a proposed schedule of events: Wednesday evening, September 9, dinner followed by a West End play or musical and a backstage tour of the theatre, plus the opportunity to meet members of the production's creative and technical team; Thursday, September 10, meet for breakfast and a tour at the 19th-century Drury Lane Theatre followed by a tour of the newly renovated Covent Garden Opera House, just months before its official reopening; lunch will be aboard a boat on the Thames River en route to Greenwich and a look at the Millennium Dome; the boat will return participants to Festival Pier on the South Bank and the National Theatre for dinner, a performance, and backstage tour. On Friday morning, September 10, there will be a farewell breakfast complete with a map of additional venues of interest, and a list of local entertainment design and technology companies that will welcome visitors throughout the day.
Participants are responsible for their own hotel accommodations; 3-day Underground passes will be provided for local transportation. The fee for Theatrical London: Setting the Scene is 225 pounds ($364) for all-day Thursday and Friday breakfast; or 295 pounds ($474) including the West End performance and backstage tour on Wednesday evening.
Sponsored by PLASA, ESTA, and the World-ETF, Theatrical London: Setting the Scene is the perfect companion event to the PLASA trade show, especially for international guests who might otherwise not have access to these venues.
The deadline for registration is July 15. For additional information call PLASA in the UK at 44/1323/410335, or ESTA in the US at 212/244-1505. Information about the event and an online registration form can be found on the World Wide Web at www.plasa.org.