Teaching/Lecturing

TEACHING SPECIALISMS AND APPROACH:

I am currently Director of Curriculum at Wilkes Academy, Swindon, predominantly for the degree courses. I continue to supervise PhD candidates.

My teaching specialisms are:

• the Theory and Practice of Acting and Directing (in particular, rehearsal room methodologies including the director/actor/text relationship),
• heightened text and the classics
• company development
• pantomime and musical theatre.

I was, until 2024, Head of Department of Media, Performance and Communication and Associate Professor in Acting and Directing at Staffordshire University. I also launched the BA Musical Theatre at Wilkes Academy, the MA Contemporary Pantomime Practice and the Collaborative Theatre Practice degrees with Richard Cheshire whilst at Staffordshire.

In my time, I also oversaw entire curriculum re-designs, launching new undergraduate and postgraduate awards in Creative Media, Film, Animation, Music, Creative Writing and Journalism as well as drama and theatre, from Level 3 (Foundation) to Level 8 (PhD) and everything in-between!

My links to the University stretched back to 2005, where I was initially invited to direct Road, and develop a new documentary play Petticoat Soldiers alongside Chris Martin.

I taught at Staffordshire University on the following programmes:

• BA Acting for Stage and Screen
• MA Contemporary Pantomime Practice
• MA Collaborative Theatre Practice
• MA Modern Music Practice
• BA English and Creative Writing
• BA Film Production 
• PhD supervision 

In directing student productions, I believe that teaching acting and rehearsal methodologies through rehearsal and production work (both implicitly and explicitly) is a key to embodying the production skills needed. This also includes supporting the contextual knowledge and understanding strand, and ensuring links between the two are made.

I advocate for authentic assessment and professional learning where appropriate, as students can embrace their field in the learning they are following. This enables engagement and deep learning.

Linked to this, I have been involved in the movement for inclusive teaching and learning strategies in the arts; intensely with DramaHE and being a co-convener of their 2023 annual conference.

I was also a Fellow of Creative Teaching and Learning at Staffordshire, and I remain a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).

A proud trustee of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, I am also an external examiner for DSL, London.

Undergraduate student productions directed include:

Classical:

Restoration Comedy:  The Country Wife (Wycherley); The Man of Mode (Etheridge).

Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, The Winter’s Tale, Othello, Measure for Measure, Timon of Athens.

Jacobean Tragedy: The Changeling (Middleton/Rowley)

Russian: The Storm (Ostrovsky); Government Inspector (Harrower/Gogol)

Greek: Lysistrata

Spanish: The House of Bernarda Alba (Lorca)

Contemporary/Modern Language:

Roberto Zucco, Road, Attempts on Her Life, The Wonderful World of Dissocia, Fen, Top Girls, Blue Remembered Hills, and several original documentary and verbatim plays.

Pantomime: Cinderella (Kai Owen/Robert Marsden)

OTHER TEACHING / LECTURING / COACHING includes:

• 2024; Mentor on the Mercury Creatives Programme for Mercury Theatre, Colchester.
• 2019: Working with 30 teachers on how to teach drama and acting with a focus on the classics (British Council/Staffordshire University) Shanghai, China.
• 2019: Adult Acting Classes at the Mitchell Arts Centre, Stoke
• 2016: Leading Selladoor Worldwide’s new writing programme (London) leading to a new writing festival the the Greenwich Theatre.
• 2014, 2015, 2016: Tutor at AIMS International Music School, Eastbourne on opera and music theatre and acting through song.  Opera Scenes from HAMLET, OBERON and THE TAMING OF THE SHREW alongside Alison Wells, Lesley-Anne Sammons and Richard Jackson; Leading the Musical Theatre course alongside Bryan Husband directing: COMPANY, INTO THE WOODS, WEST SIDE STORY and KISS ME KATE .
• 2014: Directing for the Stage: a summer school course for aspiring directors co-led with Richard Cheshire at Staffordshire University.
• 2013 Delivering workshops on creativity and directing in Bangkok, Thailand.
• 2005-2012  Arden School of Theatre Manchester: Acting Techniques and Director/Designer Relationship
• 2007-2013 Keele University: Creativity and Drama within the PGCE Curriculum.
• 2005-2006 and 2009 Manchester Metropolitan University: Community Theatre Practice
• 2003-2005  Expressions Academy: Acting Tutor on their Diploma.
• 1999 and 2004: Aberystwyth University: Community Theatre practice and directing The Visit.
• Plus… private classes (including LAMDA teaching), countless workshops across the UK and further afield- my favourite so far being leading a workshop on Documentary Theatre on a rooftop terrace in Cyprus!
• Summer Schools for young people leading to public performances of Barnum, Seussical The Musical and Fiddler on the Roof.

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