We are thrilled to announce details of our upcoming residency at Reading Rep, with some fantastically exciting directors and theatre-makers.
Over two days, participants will have the opportunity to work with and learn from them, with workshops focusing on: the power and responsibility we have as artists, tackling challenges in the rehearsal room and during production, working in community based-contexts, fundraising and company development.
The Friday sessions will be led by Nyasha Gudo and Gbolahan Obisesan, both currently working on The Mountaintop, which will be in production at Reading Rep over these residency dates. Concession priced tickets are available to all participants.
The Saturday sessions will be led by Christie O’Carroll and Paul Stacey, Associate Director and Artistic Director of Reading Rep.
More details about the weekend and information about how to sign-up can be found below:
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Friday 26th October, 11am-5pm
Workshop Day with Nyasha Gudo and Gbolahan Obisesan
As directors and theatre makers we have so much power and with great power comes great responsibility. This workshop will be in two parts, the first exploring the power we have as artists and our responsibility to the community, audiences, company and theatres.
The second part will be based around The Mountaintop by Katori Hall directed by JMK Winner, Roy Alexander-Weise, it will include Gbolahan Obisesan – one half of The Mountaintop cast, also a writer and director. It will be an opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences on process and how we handle challenges in the rehearsal room, tech and during the run through a combination of discussions and activities.
Participants will be offered concession rate tickets to the evening performance of The Mountaintop on Friday 26th or Saturday 27th October.
About Nyasha and Gbolahan
Nyasha Gudo:
Nyasha is a Leverhulme Arts Scholar and recipient of the JMK Regional Assistant Director bursary. A director from Birmingham, Nyasha started his professional journey as a director at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre as part of the RTYDS Introduction to Directing Scheme and subsequently on The Birmingham Rep‘s Foundry Programme.
Nyasha has been Assistant Director at The Chichester Festival Theatre, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, National Theatre and The Royal Shakespeare Company. He was Associate Director for the National Caribbean Heritage Museum and Furnace a community project by the Birmingham Rep. Recently, Nyasha has been researching process and technique as a director training with Peter Brook.
Gbloahan Obisesan:
Gbolahan is an actor, writer and director. He has served as a Genesis Fellow and Associate Director at the Young Vic.
Whilst Associate Director at the Young Vic, Gbolahan directed Cuttin’it by Charlene James. The Play was a co production between Young Vic, Royal Court Theatre, Birmingham Rep, Sheffield Crucible and The Yard Theatre. Cuttin’it was nominated at the 2017 Olivier Awards for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre.
As a writer he is under commission to Eclipse Theatre Company. He is also writing an original feature, WE GET AROUND, for Emu Films/Film4
Theatre includes: How Nigeria Became: A Story, And A Spear That Didn’t Work (Unicorn Theatre); Pigeon English (Bristol Old Vic / Edinburgh Festival); Mad About The Boy (Edinburgh Festival and UK tour).
Saturday 27th October, 11am-5pm
Christie O’Carroll and Paul Stacey:
The morning workshop will involve the group working with Christie O’Carroll, Associate Director at Reading Rep, who will be focusing on her practice around working with vulnerable groups and in a community-based context.
The afternoon session will be led by Paul Stacey, Founder and Artistic Director at Reading Rep, who will be exploring the practicalities of how to set up a company and fundraise.
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About Paul and Christie
Christie O’Carroll:
Before joining Reading Rep as Associate Director in September 2015, Christie was the Drama Artist for the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company in Edinburgh, where she assisted on professional company shows and directed large-scale productions for young people.
Christie’s work often received four and five star reviews in local and national press. She worked for many years as an Associate Artist with the Grassmarket Project throughout the UK and internationally, and has an extensive history as a freelance director and practitioner. She also lectured in Performing Arts in prisons throughout Scotland, directing performances in various facilities – one was nominated for a Koestler Award. She was awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Travelling Trust Fellowship and won the Bruce Miller Award for Directing. Christie trained at the RSAMD (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).
Paul Stacey:
Paul is the artistic director of Reading Rep and Reading Studio of Dramatic Art. Credits include Sexual Perversity in Chicago (American Repertory Theatre), ‘Night Mother (Old Red Lion), The Dumb Waiter, Miss Julie, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Waiting for Godot (all Reading Rep), A Little History of the World (Reading Rep and Watermill co-production), Every You, Every Me (Reading Rep, Oxford Playhouse co-production), Little Tragedies (Dramaturg – Moscow Art Theatre Institute), The Scarlet Letter (Playwright/Adaptor – New Repertory Theatre and on tour), Sleep No More (Assistant Director – Punchdrunk).
Paul founded both Reading Rep and Reading Studio and has acted as Executive Producer on all projects to date. He has taught theatre history, acting and dramaturgy at Harvard University, University of Reading and Reading Studio of Dramatic Art. He is a Dramaturgy graduate of the American Repertory Theatre/Moscow Art Theatre Institute at Harvard University. He read English at the University of Nottingham, is a Teach First Ambassador and a Winston Churchill Memorial Fellow.
The residency is free of charge to attend. To book your place please email: nik@jmktrust.org
