Youth theatre director/ theatre practitioner
Lisa Joyce
23
Lisa Joyce, 23, is director of the Found in the Forest youth theatre, as well as taking on other freelance work with young people and drama. She thought she wanted to be a lawyer until she was 16.
"Make the effort to volunteer and make contacts "
Hometown
Originally, Bath. I now live in Chepstow, Gloucestershire
What do you do?
Youth theatre director for Found in The Forest Youth Theatre and freelance theatre practitioner
How long have you been at it?
One year and seven months
Have you got qualifications?
A theatre degree from Dartington College of Arts
I’m also an Arts Award Advisor, qualified to gold standard
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A lawyer. I only decided that I wanted to train in making theatre when I was 16.
What do you do all day?
Well, approximately two days in the week are spent in schools delivering workshops and projects, either through Creative Partnerships or through an independent school booking.
I then spend a day doing admin: half for the youth theatre and half in my role co-ordinating the county youth theatre network. There may also be another day in the week where I have meetings with large groups or one-to-ones.
On a Sunday, during term times, I run the youth theatre.
On some Saturdays I do freelance work at the Egg children’s theatre in Bath.
The holidays look different again as there is no weekend work, but instead lots of intensive holiday projects – this summer I am doing one week in a secondary school holiday project, one week running and co-ordinating my youth theatre summer school, and one week co-directing at the Egg.
And then alongside all that sometimes some other freelance one-off work arises from Travelling Light Theatre Company.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Being able to be very creative and engaging young people in making theatre. Having the independence to organise and plan exciting projects.
Having a balance between doing practical, hands-on stuff and organising/ admin – all of one or the other is too much!
And the worst?
Finding the motivation to get up and go to work on a Sunday morning! I love it when I get there but it’s still hard to get up.
What’s your dream job in theatre?
To be the education director for a large theatre company
Got any wise words for someone who wants to be where you are now?
* Make the effort to volunteer and make contacts
* Get in touch with theatre companies near you and see if they have a group that you can volunteer with. If you try hard, they might well offer you some paid work before long.
* Make the effort to attend training and events where you are going to meet the right kind of people for example, youth theatre practitioner sharing days or networking events. Don’t feel embarrassed that you don’t have much experience – people will be impressed that you want to learn. Some of the best opportunities for work in this industry come from meeting people face-to -face and getting to know them a bit.
* Look out on the web for opportunities coming up – paid or voluntary
* Arts Professional magazine and Arts Council websites in each region have loads of info on them
