"Think outside the box and acquire adaptable skills whenever you can"

Hometown
Originally from Chester, living in Watford

What do you do?
Theatre manager, Stantonbury Campus Theatre, Milton Keynes

How long have you been at it?
Seven years

What was your very first role in theatre?
Production assistant

What else have you done in theatre?

• General manager , The Bull Arts Centre, Barnet (now part of artsdepot)
• Theatre manager, Miskin Theatre, NW Kent College , Dartford
• Theatre assistant, University of Hertfordshire
• Freelance theatre production assistant in Singapore

Have you got qualifications?
Comparative American studies degree

What did you do before you worked in theatre?
Customer service management trainee for West Midlands Gas and bookseller

How did you make the move to working in theatre?
By chance. I went to live abroad (Finland and Singapore, both for quite different reasons) and got the opportunity whilst there

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A hairdresser

What do you do all day?
Management of all staff, budgets, devising programming, marketing, strategic development of the theatre and dealing with faculties of the campus and other arts providers

What’s the best thing about your job?
Variety – each day really is different

And the worst?
Management accounting

What’s your dream job in theatre?
I have it

Got any wise words for someone who wants to be where you are now?

• Opportunity: take it
• Adventure: don’t be afraid of it
• Luck: use it
• Above all think outside the box and acquire adaptable skills whenever you can, taking the rough with the smooth to achieve your final goal