Birmingham Repertory Theatre's New Installation #MadeAtTheREP Opens This Month

Birmingham Repertory Theatre's new family-friendly foyer installation #MadeAtTheREP opens this month, revealing the secrets and skills that lie behind the scenes.

#MadeAtTheREP will give visitors and audiences an opportunity to explore how theatre is made via a range of interactive digital maps and factoids, audio interviews, visual storyboards plus eye catching displays of costumes from past productions such as His Dark Materials and The Wizard of Oz.

Using digital technology, hands-on interactive touch screens will transport visitors backstage to see how scenery, costumes and wigs are made at The REP. Visitors can sit and listen to interviews with actors, directors and designers, browse Pinterest boards for an inside look at how costumes are made, or have fun dressing up for a #MadeAtTheREP selfie to become part of the exhibition themselves.

A new short film, We Are The REP, has also been launched online, exploring behind the scenes at The REP and featuring a voiceover by Birmingham spoken word artist, Polarbear.

The installation was created by Alli Houseworth of Method121, with graphic design by artist, Claire Hartley, photography by Gil Gillis and videography by Theo Gove-Humphries of Ergo Films. Alli says of #MadeAtTheREP;

"The REP is really a mini-manufacturing plant for the arts. It's amazing how much skill and craftsmanship is involved in putting on a show but it is all hidden away behind closed doors. The aim of #MadeAtTheREP is to raise the curtain on the intricacies of making theatre in a fun, fascinating and interactive experience for everyone."

Trina Jones, General Manager at The REP says:
"What a great way to celebrate how theatre is made than with our #MadeAtTheREP installation. We know from our open days that people are genuinely fascinated in how we make theatre yet our foyer is used by a wide range of visitors who generally have little or no idea that the city's only producing theatre and its specialist teams of set builders and costume makers, actors and writers co-exist behind the foyer wall. We hope this will capture the imaginations of our visitors be it during the interval of a show, while attending a daytime conference or simply passing through en route to the Library of Birmingham."

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