What’s the background of Limelight Performers?

We were formed in 2019 to fill the gap that we'd observed in the local area for a new group to produce high quality shows throughout the year, and give more opportunities to everyone in the community to take part and perform in a range of our amazing nearby venues. We've been producing shows since then, and always have big projects planned! In November 2020 we became a Registered Charity in England and Wales (Number 1192522)

Who runs Limelight Performers?

The charity is run by a team of 7 trustees, chaired by James Aleksic - you can find out about the team here. Each production has it's own unique team who run the rehearsals and are the first point of contact if you're involved in a show.

Why's it called "Limelight Performers"?

The name came about in an early discussion, remembering a competition that James (our owner) had won as a child to name a local theatre's front of house bar (with "Limelights" as the winning name) - and we felt it was the perfect way for us to quickly show our number one passion, giving everyone their chance to be "in the limelight" and get to experience the wonderful world of theatre (whether on stage, backstage or in the audience)!

How can I support you?

Running a theatre group is an expensive task, but there's lots of things that you can do to help us out (it's really easy!)

• Support us on Easy Fundrasing - a free service that donates to us every time you shop with lots of online retailers. There's some more info here
• Sign up as a Friend (£5 a year) - more info here
• Follow us on social media and share our posts
• Book tickets to come and see our shows
• Come and perform with us

Do you have a newsletter / mailing list?

We have a monthly newsletter that gets sent out to all of our members - Friends, Cast, Crew, Creative Teams, Chaperones, FOH Helpers etc. Come and join us if you'd like to get it, or you can always keep in touch with us on our Social Media pages to get all of the updates too!

Do you have any merch?

We have Limelight Performers T-Shirts and Hoodies which are only available to our cast, crew & team members - but also have a public RedBubble shop where you can get hold of a number of different products! Visit the shop here

I’ve got another question – how can I get in touch?

You can send us an email at info@limelightperformers.co.uk or visit our contact page

Can I get tickets for a show?

Yes - please do! For most shows, we don't manage the box office and you'll have to get in touch with the venue directly. You can get their details from the show's page on the list here

How often do you do shows?

The plan is that each year each section does 1 big and 1 smaller production, giving us 6 in total: 2 Concerts (Ages 9+) 2 Youth Shows (Ages 9-18) 2 Adults Shows (Ages 17+) These are spaced out throughout the year, and is just a guide - we sometimes have to adjust this slightly because of other events, plans, or things outside our control.

Who performs in & produces the shows?

Our casts are made up of a range of local performers, who are guided through rehearsals by our creative and producing teams. Our teams are also made up of local members who are very experienced in the amateur (and often professional) theatre world, and can pull on their collective knowledge to create a top quality production. If you'd like to join us as a performer or team member, check the other FAQs for info or just get in touch!

Where do you perform your productions?

We like to use a range of local venues, and currently have shows scheduled in at The New Wolsey Theatre, and St. Peter's By The Waterfront.

What shows are coming up and what have you done in the past?

You can see our future and past productions at https://www.limelightperformers.co.uk/productions There's pictures and videos on the individual show pages, and some promo videos and highlights are also available on our YouTube channel.

How do you pick your shows?

Our team discuss options that are available to us, but also have an ongoing poll where our members can suggest and vote on shows that they'd like us to do. If you'd like to be able to suggest shows, join us as a member or Friend and you'll be able to access the poll!

Are your shows accessible and suitable for all?

We do our best to make sure our shows are all in accessible venues wherever possible. Please check with the venue for any specific requirements though. If you'd be particularly interested in a Captioned, BSL interpreted or Audio Described performance, let us know and we'll see what we can do! Our concerts and youth productions are always suitable for all ages & audiences - our adult productions may not always be, but will clearly have a suggested age restriction on the box office website when booking if they're not suitable for everyone.

Would you like me to display a poster/leaflets for you?

Yes please! If you have a shop / counter / noticeboard or even just living room window we’d be very grateful if you could help us to promote our productions! We can send out posters and/or leaflets to you regularly – get in touch if you’d be able to help us out!

How can I join & perform in one of your shows?

Head to limelightperformers.co.uk/perform to see what we’re currently taking sign ups for! All of our productions are open to anyone to audition for, and The Limelight Ensemble doesn’t even have an audition – you can just sign up online and you’re in to perform with us in our next ensemble concert! With some shows, everyone who auditions will get in (Jr shows for example), but some only need a smaller cast so we can’t always guarantee everyone who auditions will get a part.

Where do you rehearse?

Our rehearsal venues change depending on the production but are always around the Ipswich area. To give you an idea, recent rehearsals spaces have included St. Peter’s by the Waterfront and Castle Hill Community Centre.

How often do you rehearse?

This varies between productions - but as a rough guide:

• Adults Productions – Around 12 weeks leading up to the show - Twice a week, sometimes adding a third closer to the production.
• Youth Productions – Around 16 Weeks leading up to the show - Once a week (usually a weeknight), adding a second rehearsal closer to the production
• Concerts – (Up to 15 leading up to the concert for Ensemble, slightly less for other concerts) - Once a week (usually a few hours on a weeknight)

How much are acting fees / subs?

We don’t charge any annual subscription fees or anything like that, but do ask for a small ‘acting fee’ which needs to be paid at the start of a rehearsal process by everyone performing in a show. These vary depending in the production, but are kept as low as possible, and go towards rehearsal and production costs.

Do I get a T-shirt or anything like that?

We offer a show T-Shirt to everyone in one of our full productions (not concerts) – as part of your acting fees. There’s a number of other benefits too – check out the link here for the full list!

How do you cast shows?

We hold open auditions for all productions which anyone can sign up for. The final casting decisions are made by an unbiased panel, with all on the panel having an equal vote to rule out any favouritism – keeping all casting fair. You can find our Equal Opportunities policy here

Do you need crew / musicians / directors / choreographers etc?

We’re always looking to expand our teams – so get in touch with us if you’d like to be considered! You can check out the benefits you get in return for joining us here

Do you need Chaperones?

Yes! A lot of our productions have children in, so we’re always needing licensed chaperones. Get in touch with james@limelightperformers.co.uk if you have a license already, or would be interested in getting one. Check out our ‘members benefits’ document to see what we can offer in return here

Do you need Front of House helpers?

If you’d be happy to help sell programmes / check tickets / run a raffle etc for us – please get in touch! Some of our venues provide FOH teams, but we often do have to sort this ourselves and never say no to a spare pair of hands! Check out the benefits you can get in return on the ‘members benefits’ document here

Can I hire props / scenery / costumes / equipment etc?

Yes – get in touch with us for more info! We are working on a searchable website to display everything that we have in stock. If you’re hiring for another local amateur production, we’d be happy to lend them to you for free in exchange for an ad & thank you in your programme. If you have anything that you think could be of use to us – you can check out what we’d be happy to offer you in return on the 'supporting companies' section here

Can I see your child protection / health and safety / data protection / equal opportunities policies?

Of course! All of these are available from our website at limelightperformers.co.uk/about

Do you have insurance?

Yes! We have £5,000,000 Public Liability Insurance (PLI) and £10,000,000 ELI (Employer’s Liability Insurance) – both documents are available on request or via our website at limelightperformers.co.uk/about

I'm interested in the 'Friends' scheme, can you give me more info?

Head to our 'Friends' page here and you'll find the sign up form and some information. It's only £5 a year, and really helps us out while getting you loads of benefits in return!

Do you do social events?

We do organise various events and get-togethers for our Friends, Cast, Crew, Team and all other members throughout the year. These include a Christmas Party, and things such as theatre trips, karaoke nights and much more! All members should get a monthly email which will list any that are coming up.

Can I stop being a 'Friend'?

The £5 fee is taken automatically yearly - if you'd like to stop, you can do at any time , please get in touch with us and we'll cancel your subscription for you. It's best to do this at least a few days before your subscription is due so we can make sure we can cancel it before any money is taken.

I've signed up as a Friend but not heard anything?

If it's been at least a month and you've not received our newsletter email or had any contact from us - get in touch and we'll sort it out!

What benefits do I get as a Friend?

There's a long list of benefits available for all members - check the document here or our friends website for the most up to date info!

I'd like to support you but don't have an email address / payment card / pay money online etc

No worries! If you can get in touch with us, we'll sort out another way for you to become a friend and make sure you don't miss out on any of our updates!