KEVIN SPACEY FOUNDATION LAUNCHES RICHARD’S RAMPAGE

Richard’s Rampage is a bespoke creative learning project that will follow Kevin Spacey around the world as he takes on the title role of Richard III. It is a project that has the exchange of ideas, talent and creativity at the heart of the process. It will enable over 1,000 students and 200 emerging actors from nine countries and across three continents to connect with one another, experience extraordinary workshops, see a world-class theatre production.

It is the first initiative to be supported entirely by the newly formed Kevin Spacey Foundationwhose aim is to build on the long-standing commitment of its namesake to arts education and the nurturing of emerging talent.

RICHARD’S RAMPAGE IN AUSTRALIA

The Kevin Spacey Foundation, is seeking exceptional actors across Australia aged 18 – 25 to participate in Richard’s Rampage.

 KEVIN SPACEY SAYS:

“Over the course of my career, I've been fortunate enough to have success as a stage and screen actor, running the film production company, Triggerstreet, and as Artistic Director of one of the world's best-loved theatres - London's Old Vic.

This might not have been the case had I not had the support of some incredible teachers and mentors along the way, particularly in my formative years.

One such mentor was Jack Lemmon who had a phrase that he used all the time that I've now adopted as my own and that of my Foundation. He believed that if you've been successful in your chosenpath, then 'sending the elevator back down' is your obligation.

Richard’s Rampage is the first ‘elevator’ project allowing us to reach hundreds of young people, injecting a sense of excitement about the living theatre, as well as being able to use theatrical tools and artists as an education medium. The idea is to leave each destination with a sense of how to continue the work on their own long after we have gone.”

The Foundation is particularly interested in reaching students from schools who, in spite of facing economic, social or geographic challenges, can demonstrate a rigorous commitment to the arts, and in particular drama. Over 25 drama colleges have been selected to apply for the ON STAGE (for young actors aged 18-25 years) component of the program, and over 180 schools for the IN SCHOOL (for students aged 13-17 years) component. Both projects combined, there are 140 places on offer for the opportunity to take part in a workshop at The Lyric Theatre.

Applicants will be shortlisted by an Australian panel of experienced Arts Education professionals associated with the Foundation and final selection will be at the discretion of the Richard’s Rampage team in the UK.

Both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified no later than Friday, October 28 and those that are not selected to participate will be offered access to purchase PREMIUM tickets to see the production at an exclusive Richard’s Rampage price of just $29.

In addition to the Richard’s Rampage initiative, students under the age of 25 are able to purchase tickets to Richard III in Sydney at $39.

Richard III, which plays an exclusive Australian season at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre fromunites director Sam Mendes with Kevin spacey the first time since the Oscar winning American Beauty and is the culmination of The Bridge Project a three-year partnership between The Old Vic Theatre, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) and Neal Street, sponsored by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

The Bridge Project’s Richard IIIopened at London’s Old Vic in June to critical-acclaim.

Richard III is rguably Shakespeare’s most malicious villain, as The Guardian’s Simon Tisdall says:

“Shakespeare’s depiction of Richard – his personality, his political universe, his deeds and undoing – casts and extraordinary light not only on the turbulence of the late 15^thcentury England but also on our contemporary world of dictatorships, internecine power struggles, messianic and manipulative individuals, and popular revolt.”

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