Graduates' Masterclass On Winning Applause Off Stage
30 November 2012
L-r Richard Gerver, Tina Jay, Janthi Mills, Elin Joseph, Professor John Coyne Vice-Chancellor of the University of DerbyGuest were joined by other Theatre Arts graduates Cara Nolan (4th from left) member of graduate theatre company Uncontained Arts and Raj Chima (2nd from right) Marketing Manager for Derby Theatre.
The masterclass was both inspiring and eye opening; listening to the speakers made you realise there are lots of career paths you can take in the industry
”Dominic Ryan-Gilbank,Theatre Arts graduate.
An award-winning playwright and a Royal Shakespeare Company marketeer were among drama graduates returning to the University of Derby to give a 'masterclass' about off-stage careers in the theatre.
The four successful speakers told current Theatre Studies and Theatre Arts degree students of the many ways they could have an impact without treading the boards.
Hosting the masterclass were:
- Elin Joseph (2005 graduate in BA (Hons) Theatre Arts) - taught drama at American summer camps after graduation. On returning to the UK Elin worked at Malvern Theatres in Worcestershire, before becoming a Marketing Assistant and then Marketing Officer at the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon.
- Tina Jay (1996 graduate BA (Hons) Theatre Arts) - a writer and teacher who ran her own drama school and now coaches students for the internationally renowned London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Tina's writing credits include winning the International Student Playscript Competition (judged by Sir Alan Ayckbourn) and the Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing, and being shortlisted for both the Bridport Poetry and Short Story Competitions.
- Janthi Mills (2002 graduate in BA (Hons) in Performing and Media Arts) - a former Vice-President of Communications for the University of Derby Students' Union and editor of its publication Dusted. In 2006 Janthi became General Manager at Coventry's Belgrade Theatre and last month (October) was a finalist in the 'Manager of the Year Award' category at the 2012 Theatre Awards UK. Her development of an innovative apprenticeship scheme at Belgrade Theatre won the 'Creative Apprenticeship Employer of the Year Award' from the National Skills Academy in March (2012).
- Richard Gerver (1990s graduate BA (Hons) Theatre Arts) - an inspirational speaker on education, business and the voluntary/community sector. After his degree he entered teaching and in 2005 won the 'School Head Teacher of the Year Award' at the British National Teaching Awards and in 2009 published Creating Tomorrow's Schools Today, dealing with education transformation. He is a regular contributor in the UK media on education issues.
Twenty fivestudents from the BA (Hons) Theatre Arts course heard about the variety of non-acting careers open to them as degree students in the theatre world.
The special session was staged on Wednesday November 28 at Derby Theatre, which is run by the University of Derby as a commercial and learning theatre.
Yvonne Hurt, Programme Leader for Theatre Arts, said: "It's often mistakenly thought that a theatre related degree means you can only go into acting, when there are a wealth of professions off stage.
"The Derby graduates who returned to give this masterclass at Derby Theatre have all attracted national, if not international, attention for success in their chosen field. Hearing them will have inspired our students, which is what we are about as a learning theatre."
Richard Gerver added: "I'm proud of being a Derby graduate and have enjoyed being able to share my life experiences with current students today."
Dominic Ryan-Gilbank, who graduated from the Theatre Arts course in June, said: "The masterclass was both inspiring and eye opening; listening to the speakers made you realise there are lots of career paths you can take in the industry. Plus being able to ask questions and network with such prestigious figures from the world of theatre arts was really useful."
For information about the University of Derby's Theatre courses go to website www.derby.ac.uk/humanities/theatre and for Derby Theatre's own website go to www.derbytheatre.co.uk
For further information please contact Laura Ratcliffe, Alumni Relations Officer Tel: 01332 591368 or email: l.ratcliffe@derby.ac.uk.
