Your question
Suzanne works in theatre in education. She has a friend who loves to write, but her job doesn't allow her the time. They're thinking about going it alone in theatre.
Q. How do we start our own theatre company?
Emma Gordon, who runs her own theatre company Offshore LA says:
Wow. That really is a big question!
I would suggest that you start by finding a production you actually want to stage. From that,...
Tim Marston runs circus arts company Juggling Inferno and says:
Whilst I don’t have any direct advice about the mechanics of setting up your own theatre company I do have some tips that may...
Meet the panel
These kindly souls are here to answer your questions about training, jobs, university, freelancing, work experience or whatever else is concerning you.
But even they have their limits. No questions please about spots, boyfriends, the meaning of life or parents who just don’t understand!
Our panel of experts
Get Into Theatre is not responsible for the advice and opinions given by the panel members.
The panel
Acting
Jo Adamson
Self-employed casting director, Leeds
Daniel Ainsleigh
Actor and acting coach, Surrey
Emma Gordon
Actress, teacher and workshop leader, Leeds
Peter Moody
Voice/ singing coach, Kent
Annelie Powell
Freelance casting assistant, London
Directing
Amy Bonsall
Self-employed director/ assistant director, London
Education/ community
Louise Dancy
Participation coordinator, Salisbury Playhouse
Jayne Lewis
Education development worker, The Palace Theatre Mansfield
Jennyfer Owen
Community arts development officer, ARC, Stockton-on-Tees
Sarah Stephenson
Education officer, Nottingham Playhouse
Amy Wale
Education officer, The Y, Leicester
Front of house
Zoë Jeyes
Front of house manager, Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham
General theatre
Paul Clay
Executive director, Royal Exchange, Manchester
Jonathan Cochrane
Theatre and arts development manager, Arts in Redditch
Laura H Drane
Freelance arts project manager/ fundraiser/ producer, Manchester
Andrew Loretto
Artistic director, Chol Theatre, West Yorkshire
Ellen McPhillips
Theatre company director, Southend Theatres, Essex
David Martin
General manager, Community Arts North West (CAN), Manchester
Derek Nicholls
Chief executive, HQ Theatres, Essex
Maggie Saxon
Executive director and arts management consultant, Northamptonshire
Producing
Katy Fuller
Associate producer, Artichoke, London
Small scale theatre/ street theatre/ circus
Mat Carroll
General & artistic manager, street and circus arts company Genii Productions, Leicestershire
James Mcpherson
Artistic director Artizani, Derbyshire
Tim Marston
Fire juggler/ circus arts agent, Cumbria
Stage management
Barbara Eifler
Stage Management Association, London
Martha Everett
Freelance stage manager, London
Jill Robertshaw
Stage manager turned administrator, Nottingham Playhouse and stage management lecturer, Lincoln University
Ellie Turner
Pyrotechnician and stage manager, outdoor theatre company Walk the Plank, Liverpool
Technical theatre – sound, lighting and production
Tim Anger
Production manager, Opera North, Leeds
Linda Borthwick
Production/administration assistant in the technical office, Northern Stage, Newcastle
Tom Hares
Senior technician, Sadler’s Wells, London
Matt Noddings
Production manager, London
Matthew Griffiths
Chief executive PLASA, London
Bev A. M. Paskell
Technician, South Holland Centre, Lincolnshire
Mic Pool
Director of creative technology, West Yorkshire Playhouse and sound and video designer
Francis Stevenson
Freelance production technician, technical stage manager and lighting designer, Scotland
Paul Green
Lighting designer, London
Theatre design
Alison Ashton
Freelance theatre designer, Newcastle
Corina Bona
Self-employed costume and set designer, Bristol
Emily Egleton
Freelance theatre designer, London
Roma Patel
Self-employed theatre designer and lecturer, Nottingham
Kate Unwin
Freelance theatre designer, Leicester
