Lasses Being Class - female led cabaret launches at Newcastle theatre
North East producer Rosie Bowden has curated the night, featuring some rising stars of the creative world
Last updated 3rd Aug 2023
A North East theatre maker and producer tells us she wants young girls to feel inspired in the arts - as she launches a new cabaret night.
Rosie Bowden's curating Lasses Kicking Ass and being Class! at Alphabetti Theatre in Newcastle - featuring a mix of comedy, theatre and even opera.
Rosie - who has made a name for herself working on productions including Head Girl and Soapbox Racer - says she wants to change the narrative, that the arts is still a male dominated industry, and shine a light on some of the best young female talent in the North East.
"A lot of the artists are taking typically male material and transforming it and reclaiming it, and using it as their own,
"I'm really excited about that because I think it's lovely to have a space that's just for female creatives, celebrating them and all the good things they do."
She explains she'd like to create a space for women to help each other get a step up in the arts world;
"When you look at it in a broader sense, a lot of the people I take inspiration from have been men - and I go "why??"
"Because I haven't got enough female role models to look up to.
"So I think it's really important we open spaces both for the creatives who can be part of them, but for future creatives as well."
The lasses being class on the night are;
Ava Da Costa
Ava Da Costa is a 19 year old soprano from Morpeth. She is currently studying opera and is training to be an opera singer with the Samling Institute for Young Artists, before going to study at conservatoire. She has performed solo repertoire several times at The Sage, including singing the role of Dido from ‘Dido and Aeneas’, Susanna from ‘Marriage of Figaro’ and Nellie from ‘South Pacific’.
Kelly Rickard
Kelly has performed in various musicals, including the European tour of ‘Hold Tight! It’s Sixties Night!’. She also played Donna/Oollie in ‘City of Angels’ (Bloombsbury Theatre), Monteen in the critically acclaimed British Premiere of ‘Parade’ (Edinburgh Festival), Bobby Melrose in 'Stage Door' (The White Bear Theatre), Gemma in 'Concrete Fairgrounds' (Royal Court Collaboration), Cobweb in 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' (Forty Hall), Lady Macbeth in 'Macbeth' (UK Tour), and appeared for many years as Julie Alcock in the 'Uncle Eric' musical series at the New Victoria Theatre.
Kelly performed her one woman show ‘Posh Boys’ at Alphabetti Theatre for Newcastle’s Fringe Festival in 2021.
Since beginning Stand Up Comedy last year, Kelly has won the Felt Nowt New Act of the Year Competition. Her first full length solo Stand Up show, ‘Free As a Bird’, is premiering in Manchester’s Women in Comedy Festival later this year.
You can see it locally at Newcastle’s The Stand Comedy Club on November 20th.
Louisa O’Neill
Louisa O’Neill has just completed her first year as a film and TV student at Northumbria University. Most of the time she finds herself behind the camera but has been convinced to come onto the stage for the first time since school. A natural comedian with flexible face and a couple of tricks up her sleeve!
Maya Torres
Maya Torres is a young performer and creative from the North East. Her stage credits include : Pints (Live Theatre), The Fear (Alphabetti Theatre), Endo The Line (Live Theatre), We (Open Clasp), Birdie (workshop), Can You Keep A Secret (Please don’t) (Alphabetti Theatre) , Hold Me Tight (Live Theatre) and most recently, The Sorcerers Apprentice (Northern Stage). On Screen she can be seen as lead, Sanam in the BAFTA winning short How To Be A Person (E4, Channel 4) and as Mindy Singh in Blue Jean (BBC Films, BFI) released in cinemas in 2023 as well as in the new McDonald’s ‘Selfie’ campaign
Lasses Kicking Ass and Being Class takes place on Thursday 3rd August, on the D'Addario stage at Alphabetti Theatre.
You can find out more information on how to get tickets here.