This JCR notes that:

• Persephone (hereafter: “the play”) is a new musical written by Emma Hawkins and Carrie Penn.

• The play will be performed at the Oxford Playhouse (hereafter: “OP”) in Week 5 of Michaelmas Term (November 11 – 13th), and is being put on by a student production company (Jazz Hands Productions), which is affiliated with OUDS.

• The play has an original script and score, all written and composed by current Oxford students, and is the first original student musical to be staged at the OP.

• Luke Thornhill, Chuanqi Wang, and Katy Griffiths, members of this college’s JCR, are part of the Persephone team (hereafter: “the team”) as Lighting Assistant, Set Assistant, and Production Assistant, respectively.

• Matthew Kemp, a member of this college’s MCR, is also part of the team, as Environmental Officer.

• Funding is extremely important for theatrical productions, as ticket income is not received until the end of the show’s run.

• This funding will go towards marketing and production costs, as well as access and outreach initiatives, consisting of drama and classics workshops with several local schools.

• Under OUDS and OP regulations, any profits the play makes will be used to fund future student theatre productions in Oxford.

• Univ JCR has a contingency fund, which has in the past been used to fund student theatre productions.

• This fund typically contains around £1500.

This JCR believes that:

• The performing arts should tackle societal issues within performance. Persephone, a contemporary retelling of a classical myth, tackles themes of mental health, power abuse and feminism, and the team hopes to spark discussions surrounding these themes.

• It is important to stimulate students’ artistic pursuits and creativity in such an academically focused place as Oxford. This financial contribution will help support over 100 students involved in various aspects of musical theatre, including performance (acting, singing, dancing) and playwriting, as well as design and other technical roles.

• The performing arts have been one of the most affected industries during the pandemic, and the future of many students hoping to join this industry is significantly more uncertain than before. Supporting the play will give many students the opportunity to get the experience and skills they need before they graduate. - Access and outreach are just as important in theatre as they are in the University as a whole.

• This is an appropriate use of the JCR contingency fund.

• £150 will not be an excessive proportion of the JCR contingency fund.

This JCR resolves to:

• Allocate £150 towards funding Persephone from the JCR contingency fund.

Amendments:

£75