The Old Vic Community Company Presents RISE on Waterloo Millennium Green

This summer The Old Vic Community Company presents RISE. 200 Londoners will take over a brand new pop-up venue on Waterloo Millennium Green to present a kaleidoscope of ideas, discussions and stories that distil into a human, personal story exploring our relationship with the environment. RISE runs 10 to 21 August, and tickets are released on 22 June.

With music and movement, RISE will explore the impact of living in a city where the temperature is rising. 200 community participants from all walks of life will collaborate with a professional creative team to deliver a powerful production that will resonate with first-time audiences and experienced theatregoers alike. A unique temporary theatre is being designed by Collective Works, a network based design studio specialising in architecture and graphic design, which will be partially created from reused and recycled materials.

As part of the project The Old Vic and creative agency Flying Object are working with theatre-makers and the Community Company to create an interactive experience, using technology to provide audiences with new ways to engage with the themes of the play. This innovative project is being created with the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies. The Old Vic's partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies is driven by two shared fundamental philosophies; their belief in the unique and transformative power of theatre, and their commitment to expanding audience access to diverse and exciting cultural opportunities. Bloomberg Philanthropies' sponsorship is not only enabling The Old Vic to enhance the scale, impact and reach of RISE, but also to draw on Bloomberg Philanthropies' expertise in digital technologies in the arts, environmental sustainability and education.

In addition to the support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Old Vic Community Company, which is now in its third year, has received funding since its inception from numerous trusts and foundations, including The Stavros Niarchos Foundation, The Mohamed S. Farsi Foundation, City Bridge Trust and The Hearn Foundation.

RISE will take place from 10 to 21 August 2016. All tickets are free, with approximately 200 being made available per performance, across 10 performances. Tickets will be released on Wednesday 22 June with a limited number being held back as a lottery allocation to be made available nearer to opening.

RISE will be the third production from The Old Vic Community Company and the first in Matthew Warchus' tenure as Artistic Director. Matthew's passion for engaging everyone in theatre is reflected in RISE being programmed in his first season.

While RISE is showing on Waterloo Millennium Green, the world premiere of the new musical Groundhog Day is being performed across the road at The Old Vic theatre demonstrating The Old Vic's commitment to producing a wide-ranging programme.

Writer Deirdre Kinahan

Director Alexander Ferris

Music Dom Coyote

Set Designer Carla Goodman

Movement Anna Morrissey

Video Designer Duncan McLean

Costume Designer Sarah Beaton

Sound Designer David Gregory

Musical Director Aimee Leonard

Voice & Dialect Kay Welch

Picture credit: Collective Works

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