About
DramaSoc
University of York Drama Society
The University of York Drama Society is dedicated to providing both a platform for young creatives as well as high-quality productions that exceed the stereotypes of university theatre. We believe that it is our role to create theatre that is both an important learning tool for the creators and an enriching experience for the audience. DramaSoc is a platform for actors, directors, producers, writers, technicians, stage hands and designers to band together to create theatre in any form you want to explore.
Over the years we’ve had a wide range of members, including Simon Stephens, Anthony Horowitz, Nick Payne and Greg Dyke, ex-chancellor of the university, all going on to achieve distinguished, successful careers.
We produce two main different types of shows, Open Drama Nights (ODNs) and Weekend Shows. Open Drama Nights are weekly original writing performances to showcase the best of what our society has to offer in terms of creativity and originality. Weekend Shows are often existing plays, though there is occasionally original writing too, that is afforded a larger budget and seeks to show the best of what the society has to offer.
In the past couple of years alone we have put on everything from experimental improvised pieces to CBBC-inspired musicals in our Open Drama Nights. Meanwhile, our weekend shows have ranged from innovative Shakespeare adaptations to new takes on shows that are just a few years removed from their west end debuts.
The Drama Barn is our own dedicated performance space that we have had for over 30 years. Nowadays, it plays host to 16 shows a term, including full weekend plays and our "Open Drama Nights". It is a very versatile studio theatre space, seating around 50 people, with a moveable seating system allowing for various alternative stage layouts to suit the production.
We are open to all and encourage anyone with a great idea and a passion for theatre to get involved and help York DramaSoc continue to be one of the best theatre societies in the country.
For more information about our venue please visit the FAQ page
Visting the Drama Barn
We are easily accessible by both car and public transport. Being based on the University of York West Campus, we are a short walk from UoY Central Campus Car Park - car parking is free from the hours of 6pm - 8am most weekdays and weekends, so usually cover all our shows.
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There are buses from the city centre and railway station approximately every 5 minutes during the day, and it takes around 20 minutes to reach the campus. The UoY66 service runs from York railway station to Campus West, via the city centre - alight at the Library stop and walk back towards the information centre which is on the opposite side of the road where the main campus is.
Our Committee
DramaSoc is run by an elected committee – all students! The committee keep the theatre running day-to-day and more long term, so if you have a question just contact one of these lovely people and they’ll help you out.
