Networks Blog Stories Nr. 20: Sara Ballesta

Networks Blog Story Nr. 20 is about Sara Ballesta! She has participated in an amazing 19 shows, not only as an actress but also as the "sound-and-lights-girl", and as such she has played an essential part in Networks Theatre. Right now Sara is rehearsing for one of the main parts in the next Networks show When I Was Me. So where will it end...? ;)

1. What’s your name? Sara

2. Do you have a Networks name? Sarah

3. How many shows have you appeared in? 19 (including the ones in which I've done the lights)

4. Name them! Peter Pan, Romeo and Juliet, Scrooge.com, Robin Hood and the Abba Silver Disc, Ocean Blue, Cinderella, Make a Wish, Robin Hood the Prince Strikes Back, My School Musical, Snow White, Odysseus, The Scarecrow Girl, Remembrance, Dick Whittington, Frankenstein, The Three Princesses in Waiting, Distant Thunder, A Christmas Carol, Psychedelic Cool.

5. What was your first show? Peter Pan

6. What are your earliest memories of the shows? I remember in the first rehearsal of Peter Pan you asked us our telephone numbers; I got very nervous and I started to think of the numbers in English, but when I had learnt them all by heart, you jumped me and asked my sister... shit!

7. What is your earliest/favourite/scariest memory of Nick? My scariest memory of Nick was last year in Dick Whittington, in the dress rehearsal of Tuesday (with audience). I was doing the lights and I had to use a new CD that Nick had recorded with new tracks. When we were about to finish the show I realized the new CD didn’t have the final tracks, luckily I could easily solve the mistake by changing the CD for another that had all the tracks; apparently, the audience didn’t realize, but (of course) Nick did, and after the audience had left he started shouting "I told you to check the CD!!!" I wanted to explain to him that I didn’t have time to check the whole disc, but he carried on "well, it’s not my fault, it’s not my problem" (I hate it when he says that) I was feeling too bad to say a word so I just went home as soon as I could. But anyway, I know he also felt bad, after all, because the following day he was too nice to me.

8. What has been your favourite show to date? Robin Hood (both)

9. Do you have a favourite moment in a show or memorable moment in rehearsal? There are loads; but, well, I remember when we were doing Odysseus at Teatro Circo; at the end of the last show, Nick came up to the stage saying, with tears in his eyes, "I’m very proud of you". That’s a nice memory.

10. What is your favourite photograph of any production? The best ones have already been sent and if I now have to start to look for a photo I will never choose one. N.B. Thanks! That means I had to choose them! ;) So there´s Sara doing the sound and lights and Sara in Snow White.

11. Are there any ideas you’d like to give Nick when he’s planning productions. Stories or subjects that you think might make good shows? Not to use the "show inside a show" plot for a few years!

12. Finally can you sum up Networks Theatre in just one word? Bittersweet

Networks Blog Stories Nr. 19: Reyna Sánchez

Time for Blog Story Number 19, filled with the theatre memories of Reyna Sánchez. She is no longer active as an actress but Networks Theatre clearly means a lot to her!

1. What’s your name? Reyna Sánchez

2. Did/Do you have a Networks name? Amy

3. How many shows have you appeared in? 6

4. Name them! Flight, Dracula, Peter Pan, Romeo & Juliet, Robin Hood II: The Prince Strikes Back, Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs.

5. What was your first show? Flight

6. What are your earliest memories of the shows? I felt very important when Nick suggested to me to do Flight, because I thought that taking part in a show was an honour for a student, but I was also a bit sad because of my shyness.

7. A) What is your earliest memory of Nick? I was used to his shouts, because he was my teacher, but in rehearsals he shouted even more (if possible). Sometimes he went home with his face red, but the next day, he returned happy again.

B) What is your favourite memory of Nick? He had a lot of patience with me, and he always said to the cast how sorry he was about his anger.

C) What is your scariest memory of Nick? I cannot choose just one :S... but I think once, when I was speaking in the small room and another when I was a dancer and he told me to smile while dancing, but I couldn't so he started shouting, and he kept shouting at me a whole week, until I managed to do what he wanted, and he congratulated me.

8. What has been your favourite show to date? Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs, because my shyness had disappeared.

9. Do you have a favourite moment in a show or memorable moment in rehearsal? After the last show, (my favourite one) I even cried, because it was my birthday and the dancers had invented a special song for me. I knew it was going to be my last show, and I was sad, but I also felt that I had never been so happy and free on stage.

10. What is your favourite photograph of any production? I like almost all of them, but I really like the photo of the dancers in Snow White.

11. Are there any ideas you’d like to give Nick when he’s planning productions. Stories or subjects that you think might make good shows? I think 'Pride and Prejudice' would be amazing if Nick directed it. Any film or show turns out incredible in Nick's hands!!!

12. Finally: can you sum up Networks Theatre in one word? UNIQUE

Networks Blog Stories Nr. 18: Alba Ballesta

Alba Ballesta is the subject of Networks Blog Stories Number 18! Having done more or less 14 shows (who´s counting these things anyway?! ;) we can safely call her a Networks Theatre veteran. Alba performed many memorable parts, but we will perhaps especially remember her as The Scarecrow Girl...


1. What’s your name? Alba Ballesta.

2. Do you have a Networks name? Hannah. There’s a little story about my Networks name. On my first day at Networks, when I entered the class, Nick told me I had to choose an English name. He gave me a piece of paper with plenty of names I had never heard of. I looked at him and pointed at the first one I saw, Laura. There was another Laura in the class, so he made me pick a different one. I was a bag of nerves when I came into class and now it was getting worse. So I waited for Nick to answer. “Hannah is a nice name” he said. I smiled and mumbled “ok”.

3. How many shows have you appeared in? 14? Numbers is not my strong point. N.B Well, we´ll just have to assume you´re right then! ;)

4. Name them! Flight, Dracula, Peter Pan, Romeo and Juliet, The Prince and the Pauper, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Kindertransport, Robin Hood and the ABBA Silver Disk, Robin Hood: The Prince Strikes Back, Cinderella, Odysseus, Remembrance and The Scarecrow Girl.

5. What was your first show? Flight.

6. What are your earliest memories of the shows? I remember me trying to remember where I should go when I finished my lines, whether it was the office or the small room. And if it was the small room I wondered how I was going to manage to find a place there with twenty more children.

7. What is your earliest/favourite/scariest memory of Nick? I love the image of Nick on stage holding a bunch of flowers with a big smile and almost crying in “Kindertransport”.

8. What has been your favourite show to date? I couldn’t choose one. I keep a special memory from each one, each show is meaningful. It’s like being asked which of my children I love most; I just don’t know what to say (in the second case it’s because, obviously, I’m not a mother, and in the first one I’ve already explained it).

9. Do you have a favourite moment in a show or memorable moment in rehearsal? I love the butterflies in your stomach when you are waiting to go on stage.

10. What is your favourite photograph of any production? Any group photo. N.B. I´ve attached the group photo of The Scarecrow Girl (of course :)

11. Are there any ideas you’d like to give Nick when he’s planning productions. Stories or subjects that you think might make good shows? I could suggest making a certain show, but.. each to his own. Nick knows what the perfect ingredients of a show are.

12. Finally can you sum up Networks Theatre in just one word? Endearment.

Networks Blog Stories Nr. 17: Antonio Ortiz

Networks Blog Story Nr. 17 features Antonio Ortiz, or should we just call him Bananaboy?;) Antonio has already been a star in 11 Networks shows and is about to take part in another production: the upcoming show When I Was Me!


1. What’s your name? Antonio Ortiz Poveda

2. Did/Do you have a Networks name? Tony. Sometimes Nick calls me Bananaboy...

3. How many shows have you appeared in? 11 shows

4. Name them! Dracula, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, Scrooge.com, Make a Wish, Ocean Blue, Junior Saves Christmas, Frankenstein, Adventures in Pantoland, Around the World in 80 days and another one I don't remember now. N.B. Ironically, the missing show is Bananas The Musical, Bananaboy! ;)

5. What was your first show? Dracula

6. What are your earliest memories of the shows? When I was doing Dracula, there was a kid, one year older than me, going up on stage (from the office), and he fell down and I fell with him.

7. What is your earliest/favourite/scariest memory of Nick? Favourite: When we sang the main song of Beauty and the Beast together; for giving me the chance, being so young, to do that show… and scariest: Once in Make a Wish I had to go early and he shouted at me, then I came in again saying that a friend had to come with me, then he shouted again..

8. What has been your favourite show to date? Beauty and the Beast.

9. Do you have a favourite moment in a show or memorable moment in rehearsal? Like I said before, when I sang the main song of Beauty and the Beast with Nick.

10. What is your favourite photograph of any production? One of Scrooge.com.

11. Are there any ideas you’d like to give Nick when he’s planning productions. Stories or subjects that you think might make good shows? Some action film, like Die Hard; it would be difficult but great.

12. Finally: can you sum up Networks Theatre in one word? Magic.