A new central London 200 seat theatre The Sound Theatre, to open 21 June 2005 with The Laramie Project

A new central London 200 seat theatre The Sound Theatre, to open 21 June 2005 with The Laramie Project

The new central London 200 seat theatre THE SOUND THEATRE in Leicester Square, will open on 21 June 2005 with The Laramie Project.

KIT Productions will produce its own work and has the ability to transfer the best off-West End Productions into the Sound Theatre and also programme one night and late night slots of cabaret, music and live art.

Kendrick and Perkin believe that the venue should foster a festival atmosphere all day, not just during evening hours. A typical day at SOUND THEATRE could include a lunchtime reading or workshop for as little as £2.00, followed by a drink, food and some heated discussion in the venue's bar. After that, a performance of contemporary theatre followed by late-night comedy or cabaret.

The company is backed up by an advisory board: Nick Allott, one of the directors of Cameron Mackintosh Limited, Nica Burns, head of Programming at Really Useful Theatres, Thelma Holt and Kim Poster, two leading theatre producers in the West End and William Taylor, Chief Executive at Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group.

THE OPENING SEASON PROGRAMME INCLUDES.....

Tuesday 21st June ­ Saturday 16th July 2005
The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and The Members of Tectonic Theater Project; directed by Ruth Carney, designed by David Farley, Lighting by Julian McCready. Starring Andrew Garfield, Penny Layden , Margot Leicester, John Lloyd Fillingham , Sam Robinson , Stephanie Street, Russell Tovey Following a visit to a local bar Matthew was brutally beaten and found 18 hours later lashed to a fence barely alive. He never regained consciousness and died 5 days later. In the spotlight of media interest the crime opened a countrywide examination of hate crime, bigotry, homosexuality, human rights, class, education, violence, and tolerance.
Four weeks after the murder, Moises Kaufman and nine other members of Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie and began interviewing residents, those who knew Matthew and those who did not. Over the course of a year and a half they visited Laramie six times, conducting over 200 interviews, and collaborated in developing the resulting material into THE LARAMIE PROJECT, a truly significant, unique, and deeply moving theatrical experience emerged. THE LARAMIE PROJECT was later made into a film with Steve Buscemi and Christina Ricci. Eight actors give voice to the real life testimony of more than 90 citizens of Laramie ­ from ranchers to university professors as they come to terms with Matthew Shepard's death.

Tuesday 19th July ­ Saturday 13th August 2005
Frankie and Johnny in Claire De Lune by Terrence McNally directed by James Phillips, designed by James Phillips, Lighting by Guy Hoare, Sound by Neil Alexander

Tuesday 16th August ­ September 2005
Prometheus Unbound by Aeschylus, a new version by James Kerr; starring David Oyelowo. The story of a God who defied Zeus in the name of mankind. Now, chained to a rock with a bolt though his chest, he must try to redeem himself.