Burton Taylor Studio

The entrance to the Burton Taylor.
Burton Taylor Studio
Location of The Burton Taylor Studio within central Oxford

The Burton Taylor Studio ("The BT") is a 50-seat studio theatre owned by Oxford University. It is situated on Gloucester Street, off Beaumont Street in Oxford, United Kingdom close to the Oxford Playhouse, a larger professional theatre, which manages the Burton Taylor Studio on behalf of the University. The theatre is named after Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

It plays host to numerous, small-budget productions often starring Oxford students,as well as examined productions at the GCSE and A levels by local schools and colleges. Recent notable productions have included a staging of the play The Second Maiden's Tragedy, which Charles Hamilton claimed to be Cardenio, a lost play attributed to William Shakespeare and John Fletcher.

History

In 1966, Richard Burton donated money towards the creation of a rehearsal space, also occasionally used for performance, named the Burton Rooms. A couple of decades later, students from the Oxford University Dramatic Society (OUDS) established the current tradition of the venue as a home for regular student productions.[1] It has since undergone many changes, including renaming from the Burton Taylor Theatre to the Burton Taylor Studio.

Programme

The Burton Taylor Studio programs a mix of student and professional productions throughout the year.[1] The student productions that take place during Oxford University terms are usually programmed with two shows each week, performing as an 'early slot' and a 'late slot' each evening and students must bid for the slots with a play and production team during the preceding term.[2] Professional productions span a range of genres including comedy, new writing, music, dance and family shows. These productions are generally programmed outside of University terms and show preference to local Oxfordshire artists and companies.[1]

Technical Facilities

The studio is a small black box theatre with a moveable seating stand,[2] giving a flexible seating arrangement that allows pretty much any set up including in the round. It has a capacity of 50 and no backstage or wing space, with a green room on the floor below. It is equipped with a full overhead lighting rig, an extensive lantern stock and a new Element lighting board, as well as various sound equipment. It is often viewed as a training ground of sorts by Oxford students, because of its small scale and the professional support on offer from theatre staff.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Oxford Playhouse: Burton Taylor Studio". Oxford Playhouse. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Venues". Oxford University Dramatic Society. Retrieved February 5, 2015.

External links

Coordinates: 51°45′17″N 1°15′40″W / 51.7546°N 1.2611°W