Exeter University footlights' 2024 production of "Made In Dagenham"
Essex 1968. Like millions of other working women, each morning Rita O’Grady is just trying to get her husband out of bed, get the kids off to school and get to work at the factory on time. But life is about to change forever when it’s announced that the girls in the stitching room of Ford’s Dagenham car plant will have their pay grade dropped to ‘unskilled’. Quickly drawing on a strength she never knew she had, Rita leads her friends in a battle against the might of Ford and the corruption of the Union supposed to protect them. As the girls’ inspiring journey gets bigger than anyone could have imagined, the pressure is too much for some, but can Rita keep up the fight and the happy home she’s worked so hard for?
Funny, touching and timeless, Made in Dagenham shows how ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they stand together.
Why do we need your help?
We at Footlights commit to putting on large-scale, high-quality productions and public donations are an incredibly crucial part of how we achieve this. Bringing our production and vision to life requires significant collaboration between students and the community. Whether through being part of the audience, sharing your support on social media and via word of mouth, and engaging via donations, the support of the wider community is an integral part of what keeps Footlights going.
Where will the money go? Your donation will contribute to every aspect of the show’s production, such as venue and equipment hire, show rights, rehearsal materials, set, costume and publicity. In addition to this Crowdfunder, we also run various fundraising events throughout the process. We are committed to making the most of every donation, big or small, which means that when the show comes around you can be certain that YOU had a tangible part in making it happen, for which we, in the Made In Dagenham family, will be eternally grateful!
Who are Footlights? Footlights is the University of Exeter’s biggest musical theatre society, committed to delivering fully realised, spectacle-filled productions throughout the year. We pride ourselves on inclusivity and this is one of the fundamental objectives of our group. We want to support and encourage students of all abilities and all levels of experience to exercise their skills and talents, whether this be in the band, cast or production team. Another of our core aims is to provide high quality student theatre, endeavouring to provide a professional experience for all our members (and audiences) which we can only achieve with your help!
Our Previous Productions: Over the years, Footlights has put on a number of exciting and successful productions, including: "Singin' In The Rain" in 2024, "Bandstand" and "Kipps!: A New Half a Sixpence Musical" in 2023, and “Legally Blonde The Musical" in 2022
Want to find out more? If you have any questions about our Crowdfunding project, production or Footlights itself, please don’t hesitate to contact us via email at footlights@groups.exeterguild.com or through our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/footlights/.
Footlights is part of the University of Exeter Students' Guild, a Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered Charity Number: 1136468 Company Number: 7217324; registered in England and Wales Registered office: Devonshire House, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4PZ.
