Your question
Harriet is 15, has acting experience, and is looking to work in theatre.
Q. I am 15 and would love to act in theatres. I have had acting lessons and have got medals in acting and I think I have experience in acting. I was wondering if you could give me some advice and help me fulfil my dream.
You may decide, when you’re 18, that you’d like to pursue a career in acting. If so, you’d be best advised to go to one of the NCDT accredited drama schools for your training.
However, these schoo...
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.
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- What's the best way to audition for drama school?
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- How do we start our own theatre company?
- Can you get technical theatre experience at 15?
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- Which matters most - grades or experience?
- A levels or BTEC national diploma?
- What are the roles in a small touring theatre company?
- What do I do next after my theatre degree?
- Should I apply for the National Youth Theatre?
- How do I get work as a wardrobe assistant?
- How do I get into making theatre props and sets?
- How do I become a theatre education officer?
- Will my degree choice narrow down my options?
- I want to be a lighting designer - university or work experience?
- Do I need a degree to be a stage manager?
- How does a fine art graduate get into set design?
- What experience do drama schools look for?
- Help! I'm too old for youth theatre!
- How do I start my own theatre?
- Do I have to decide at 16 which area of theatre I want to work in?
- How much work experience will I need to get onto a stage management degree?
- Which universities are best for set design?
- Are there scholarships for wannabe costume designers?
- How do I get into making props?
- How do I become a professional theatre director?
- What do I do if I can't get into drama school?
- How do I become a theatre technician?
- How do I get into theatre lighting?
- Will a humanities degree help me get into stage management?
- What questions will be asked in a stage management interview?
- What course should I do to work behind the scenes?
- How do a get a placement in a theatre costume department?
- Am I too old to start working in theatre?
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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
Ryan Tyler-Smith
Front of House Manager / Theatre Manager, Greenwich Theatre, London
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
Martin McLean
Project Manager, Deafinitely Theatre
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
