THE award-winning theatrical production company &CO is proud to present its latest endeavour &SCENE, a live online streaming platform for theatre folk, by theatre folk, and for all those who love the live elements of entertainment.
This officially went live on Saturday, April 25 in spectacular fashion with the reunion of the 2007 South African company as well as the local and international creative teams of the hit musical Hairspray, in the weekly Together Again slot. Viewers were treated to two hours of non-stop fun and nostalgia as the guests in the virtual studio treated the viewers to fabulous behind-the-scenes insights and personal stories that make this art form so unique.
The second Together Again show will be putting a spotlight on Rent, featuring the creative team members that brought the show to life as well as members of the all-star company of the 2007 South African production of the Jonathan Larson hit. This will take place on Saturday, May 2 at 6pm CAT (Central African Time).
Reunited for one very special night, the evening stands to be filled with laughter, stories and music from the production. Viewers will get to enjoy more fabulous insights into this show that defined a generation. Joining host Natasha Van Der Merwein studio will be Hazel Feldman (Executive Producer), Anton Luitingh (Resident Director), Bryan Schimmel (Music Supervisor), and leading actors Duane Alexander (Mark), Shaun V (Roger), Talia Kodesh (Mimi), Aubrey Poo (Collins) and Thokozani Nzima (Benny), and others.
The important element of this weekly segment is that all funds raised during the show are donated to the Theatre Benevolent Fund. Founded in April 2020, &SCENE is a live-streaming network that brings together all facets of the theatre industry in a curated online streaming performance space, creating a sense of community between audiences and artists. It is empowering artists with unique opportunities to earn income as well as encouraging creative growth in creating unique onine content. &SCENE believes that the digital trend, and all its potential, is to be embraced as “the new normal.”
Streaming for 12 hours daily, the service is free to stream on Facebook and YouTube, and a diverse variety of content is offered. From weekday morning workouts (yoga, workouts and choreography), to family content (baking classes, kid-centric classes with activities like singing and dancing and story time); from industry workshops from industry professionals (in acting, singing, dancing, producing, etc.), and wellness hours (focusing on the mental and physical well-being), to chat shows, play readings, open mics and special content.
Weekends are set to include a shows for young performers to shine, as well as a rotating Saturday afternoon special broadcast and the new Together Again, bringing back together members of South African favourite productions for one night only, to benefit Theatre Benevolent Fund.
For the full, ever-evolving schedule, click here.
Every show will host a QR code, which connects to SnapScan and allows for viewers to make immediate donations to the artists directly, with no third party involvement in the donation process.
PHOTO CREDIT: RUPHIN COUDYZER
