description of Reflective cycle

Concrete experience

“Doing or having an experience.”

In September of this year I was told that I would be the sign language performer (signer) for the blue fairy in this year’s Christmas show which is Pinocchio. As we are an inclusive theatre company it is important to us that everyone can enjoy our shows. So with the main show of the year individuals are assigned to different characters groups and different characters to sign. This year I passed my British Sign Language level one which has come to be an enormous advantage for me. Every week for approx 2 hours I meet with Charlotte (who is the signing “coach”) who goes through the script and creates the sign language needed for the lines. Each week we will meet and start from the beginning.

Other signers may be in the session alongside me which is great as we can practice our signing on each other. However, signing can be very difficult. Recently I have been in a rehearsal with the blue fairy and the Pinocchio signer. Being placed and learning cues as well as trying to get the signing timing correct with the script she is reading. I have found the song the most difficult part of this. It is challenging having to mouth the words but actually signing something that may be different to what you are saying. It has always been tricky learning the signs for words that you have to sign whilst she is speaking but the actual signs and words are different to those being spoken.

“You must go back now. Back to your father with your gold coins. But learn your lessons well young Pinocchio and heed this advice. You are lucky to have someone who loves you as well as your father.”

This will then become in sign language:

Go now father with gold coins. But hope you learn good. Listen and help. He’s lucky have someone love him same as father.

Although it seems shorter getting your hands into the signs whilst signing the words can take just as long as saying the whole piece of script. I was concerned for myself that I wouldn’t learn the signing in time for the next rehearsals.

In this Christmas show I am also in the character group “puppets” our physicality is very doll like and I was informed by Charlotte that she would like to see some of that physicality come through when getting into position for signing and even if possible when we are signing without it being too distracting to watch. So this was another layer to add on. Keep it puppet like but not so much that is distracting that the signing is not coming across for people to read.

This year I have an understudy for my part as the signer. I have taken it upon myself to help and guide her through this process and make sure she knows exactly what she is doing when she is supposed to be doing it. My teaching skills need to get better throughout this process as we go into more difficult pieces of text for signing I need to be within myself more patient and improve at delivering information.

Reflective observation
“Concerned with reviewing the event or experience in your mind and exploring what you did and how you and others felt about it.”

Taking on my signing I attended the children’s rehearsals with the blue fairy and the blue fairy rehearsals where she is just with directors. That was helpful to me to watch her to understand how she is going to portray the character and what characteristics she is going to have. I needed to work on my physicality as her signer as deaf people will associate me to her. Being in the children’s rehearsals helped me learn the lyrics alongside the children when they were being taught and then slowly merge in the signing to the song as we went over it more and more. From attending these rehearsals I gained much more knowledge then I had even hoped for concerning the feeling that the group were giving off to the audience.

As a performer you have to incorporate signing as movement. Even though it’s a language it’s a very physical exaggerated form of communication and from being in those different rehearsals it influenced me in all these areas. I was also concerned in terms of memory if I would be able to sign without my script in front of me whilst the actress spoke her lines. Throwing myself in at the deep end was the best method for me. I wasn’t totally 100% clear of everything but I was willing to challenge myself and see what happened. As it turned out from being in her rehearsal and actually having Pinocchio’s signer present it helped me a lot in terms of remembering the signs and bouncing off their reactions, all in all piecing together my performance.

Taking the time with my understudy I have started to teach her the signing for act 1, I do not want to drown her with information as I have had a fair amount of time to learn my signing I want her to do it in little bits so she feels comfortable the whole way through. I realize the responsibility I have to teach her what she needs to know. I need to add in times where I can be available to her and still keep on track with my own work. Doing so is difficult but worth it and I know she benefits from it 100% and that’s part of chicken sheds ethos, its about the process as much as the initial performance.

I have puppet rehearsals twice a week and this process has been physically demanding although I thoroughly enjoy it. I can take aspects of my work through these rehearsals and incorporate that with my signing, for example the way I walk on stage as a puppet I can use when I’m walking on in a different scene when I am signing.

Abstract conceptualisation

Concluding and learning from the experience, seeking more information and experience and forming new ideas for the future.

I am constantly seeking to find new and more information for my performance and signing within Pinocchio. I have watched the Disney film twice over now to make myself more familiar with it, although Chicken Sheds interpretation is completely different to that of Disney’s it was important for me to re visit this. From being a child and being so excited about the story I wanted to go back and find that excitement and love for the story to interlink that to me actually being in the story now. I have learned from attending all the rehearsals I was called to that it is important to familiarize yourself with as much as you can. I need to go above and beyond for myself in order to help others including my understudy. She is taking on information from me and I need to make myself available to that information. I am asking from more experienced staff members for extra time to make sure I have movement right according to what they have choreographed, and finding time with charlotte for 10 minutes and there to go over signs I may be unsure of that will help me piece together the whole sentence or lyric.

Active experimental/observation
“Concerned with trying out the new ideas as a result of the learning from earlier experience and reflection”
From trying out all these different ideas and learning from the new experiences I have gathered along the way that I have learned in terms of signing that practice makes perfect. Practice, practice and practice some more. Reflecting on my performance I now see how I can make it better using the KOLB cycle.

The more you go over it the more you get in your head and you become comfortable with it and then eventually become more relaxed, and learn to go with it and enjoy it. I believe I need to trust myself more and know that I am capable of achieving highly if I put my head down and knuckle down with the work put to me. I now split lunch breaks in two. I don’t need an hour to eat I need 30 minutes or so and the other half of that can go into learning moves and practicing my signing ready for the next rehearsal; I have observed in myself that I need to prepare more for a rehearsal, in terms of mentally realizing the activity ahead of me and stimulating others, whether that be a warm up or telling other members of the group what is going to be done. I do this now but I feel that I can better at it by going that extra mile. I found that from doing this I mentally prepare my brain to act almost like a sponge, I seem to absorb movement much quicker rather than walking straight into a rehearsal with no preparation, I have found that other members of the character group benefit from this.

This goes for my signing as well, finding 15 minutes before a rehearsal to go over what I have learned previously and making sure I am ready and confident but what I had been doing was just going straight into those rehearsals. I had to go back to basics in order to allow myself to go forward, and in doing so I am benefiting the company on a whole by saving them time and actually saving money. If I soak up the information I can go then to teach my understudy instead of calling in the signing coach who Chicken Shed pay for.

I will take this as a learning curve and continue to do so. However I have learned that this cycle and carry on and never stop because there is always room for improvement and as a performer even when you think something may be perfect you can never get complacent with the task ahead of you or your performance and the process to that performance will suffer.

People i admire (Boals Tree diagram explaining Opressed theatre)

Links of interest

Links of interest

Frank McCourt. Angela’s Ashes

My first link of interest is reading autobiographies and non fictional books. I enjoy reading about true, real events that take place in people’s lives. I take different aspects of peoples life experiences and sometimes can compare them to my own or learn from others. I am going to write about Angela’s ashes by Frank McCourt. A writer and English teacher born and raised in Ireland he lived in poverty and squalor all his child life until he fled abroad at the age of 19 to America to live the American dream.

Once I started this book it was a matter of days before I finished it, and then read it again, and again. He is often blamed for started the “misery memoirs” trend but I believe this to be a very open honest book to which people need to read to truly understand where we came from and how we have evolved in society. I went on to watch the film of Angela’s Ashes and thoroughly enjoyed putting images to characters and places, although obviously parts are missed due to timing circumstances.

As a student of the performing arts I like to think I am constantly learning and I have taken parts of Angela’s and just with close friends scripted and acted out parts of the book. Writers like Frank McCourt give me inspiration to want to direct and write. I feel that when I have a full understanding of a piece of text I am in control of it and with the help of others there’s nothing you can’t do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9H5PolaUME Frank McCourt speaking about his writing and how he children feel about poverty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IacHUQGVdI&NR=1 Frank McCourt reading Angela’s Ashes
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/angelasashes/quotes.html

“The master says it’s a glorious thing to die for the Faith and Dad says it’s a glorious thing to die for Ireland and I wonder if there’s anyone in the world who would like us to live. My brothers are dead and my sister is dead and I wonder if they died for Ireland or the Faith. Dad says they were too young to die for anything. Mam says it was disease and starvation and him never having a job. Dad says, Och, Angela, puts on his cap and goes for a long walk.” Frank McCourt

Music

My second link of interest is music; music influences me in my everyday life as well as being a major key in my creative process. Music can have a major hold on me influencing my moods and depending on what kind of mood I am in also depends on the music I will listen to.
In my profession practice I use music to stimulate people’s minds and energies and to relax people within workshops. I enjoy setting movement and choreography to music. Creating new movement is a release for me because nothing is right and nothing is wrong. Improvisation is a wonderful thing and I have had experience that it keeps sessions relaxed (when it needs to be) and nobody feels under pressure which stems back to the inclusive process I follow.

Being involved in the vocal choir at Chicken shed I am practicing new lyrics and song words and in terms of movement rehearsals, we are creating new movement and setting pieces to music so I constantly feel in tune with it. I lap up its benefits and find it fascinating the effects it can have on an individual.

You only have to take a look at my Ipod to see how many genres of music I will listen to. Music is about being open to change and adapting with the times, and that is something that in today’s modern society we all need to embrace and understand.

People & Organizations i admire

Augusto Boal

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-boal.htm

“All activities of man are political and theatre is one of them.”
Augusto Boal is a Brazilian director and the founder of the theatre of the oppressed.
Boal was born in 1931 in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. When he began working at the Arena theatre of São Paulo. Boal’s teachings were considered too controversial and he was labelled as a “cultural activist”.
Political background In the early sixties there was a military coup which was the political mobilization of the rural lower classes. As a result, the military took power, inflicting twenty-one years of military dictatorship, which would be marked by further involvement of the state in economic development and political repression; Boal noticed that society was not fair with a split and creation of lower and middle classes and as a result, Boal was imprisoned for his work in São Paulo and tortured in 1971, when he was released he fled with his family to Peru.
He wanted to make a difference, as the government that ruled had ruined education and pulled the country down into the slums. Shanty towns were considered the norm, children bathed in dirty water and no one knew how to read.

I find Boal fascinating and so very easy to admire, he like me is always open to change that is going to benefit those around me. Without even knowing it i believe Boal to be inclusive, he longed to help others but used the gift of theatre. I often use his workshop ideas and adapt them accordingly to the age group I am delivering to. His workshop activities are so useful at engaging people and giving out lots of information and making people work really hard without them even knowing it. He believed in the body being so caught up in what you are doing that you become the character and your body should adapt accordingly naturally. I use this method when I perform and I try to clear my head of anything other than the character I am playing, a mild form of method acting if you will.

This link gives some more knowledge to oppressed theatre
http://www.theatreoftheoppressed.org/en/index.php?useFlash=1

There are four stages to Boal’s work of turning the spectator into the actor
(1) Knowing the body
(2) Making the body expressive
(3) The theatre as a language
(4) The theatre as a discourse

My peers and I have been devising a workshop on Boal’s methods for the foundation degree students at Chicken Shed.

The session plan Is as follows.

Boal workshop for the foundation year ones

Length of workshop- one hour and a half

Participants-foundation year one

Aim of workshop-to educate them about Boal and his methods
Possible activities- to develop or disguard

the circle and cross activity- with one arm draw a circle and whilst doing this with the other try drawing a cross at the same time. This is a pure psychological Mechanization; a further development of this is with feet. (2 minutes)

Equilibrium of an object-Give them an object and in groups they must find as many ways of holding it. (1-2 minutes)

Abstract emotion with numbers-they must act out a given situation using numbers instead of dialogue, variation on this activity is they make up their own situation, or instead of numbers they use animal noises.(2 minutes)

Animals or plants in emotional situations- for example a palm tree on a beach on a hot summer’s day, then the weather changes and a storm appears and the tree is destroyed. (3-5 minutes)
The circle exercise- similar to the 1-10 exercise, but instead walk into the circle one by one and no one can move at the same time. (No time)

Boxing match-In pairs they must box, BUT under circumstances can they touch each other, they must mimic being hit and hitting. (3-5 minutes)

Slow motion race- the last person in the race is the winner. (3-5 minutes)

The demon- participant hops from leg to leg and waves their arms manically as if they are chasing out a demon. (1 minute)
The blind car-one person stands behind the other (who is the car) from behind the driver guides the blind car by gently pressing a finger in the middle of the back for straight on, the right shoulder for right and left for left, the harder they press the faster the person must move. (3-5 minutes)

Draw your body- participants lie on the floor and shut their eyes and think about their body and its parts- arms, legs, elbows, torso and back. They are given a sheet of paper and asked to draw their own body with their eyes firmly closed. Then to write their own names.
Complete the image- A pair of actors shakes hands. Freeze the image. Ask the watching group what the possible meanings the image might carry, business meeting, lovers parting, a drug deal etc. Then in pairs given image and they must decide what happens next. This could be developed to a further activity so I cannot give this a time limit. It conveys the power of an image and how anything is truly open to interpretation. Workshop leader illustrate this.

Forum theatre- Think of a scene that could be played out in public, for example the bar, every time the overhead sound is stated everyone must shout biscuits really loudly.
Simultaneous dramaturgy-this gives the participants to intervene without being present onstage. They can give suggestions about, how a scene should be played out.
The child’s dream- half the group imagine who their childhood hero was, and then move around the space as that character, only using facial expression and body language. They write their name and their childhood heroes on a piece of paper. After a minute ask them to pair up with a partner who was observing and talk to them not giving away any obvious clues about their hero. Then that partner must try to guess who that person’s hero is. At the end we read out the names and show them who they were.

What am I, what do I want- the participants are given a piece of paper and asked to write, what am I; a man/woman and what they do student politician etc and what they want; to be happy, to own a monkey, to be rich whatever they want.






Lee Evans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMI3m6WDgn0

Lee Evans was born in Bristol England on the 25th February 1964. His occupation is Actor, Comedian, Singer and writer. Lee Evans shot to fame in the early 1990’s where he became known for his gift of standup comedy. His main theme is slapstick and he has been compared to characters such as Norman Wisdom. He has very physical way of delivering to an audience often darting from one of the stage to the other and from that he is known for excessive sweating! He is constantly pulling different faces and doing different voices allowing the audience to not only laugh his humour but be a part of it by associating yourself with the different characters. He is very character based and the theme of most of his jokes is day to day life. I believe this to be why he is so successful, anybody can relate to his jokes and even when it seems like something actually quite serious he can help you find a funny way of seeing it.
I would say his humour is innocent 99% of the time which makes him such a family brand Name. I admire lee Evans as a famous person because he does “his thing” and when he does, he does it extremely well but you do not see him in the newspaper starting fights or fashioning the latest trends. He is very much what you see is what you get. I admire this because if I was ever to be in the public eye that is the way I would like to be portrayed as somebody who knows their craft and does it well.
I can also appreciate how hard he works in terms of each show, and although his show isn’t word for word he is having to take in and remember a lot of information for a show that is an hour and a half maybe two hours. The work prior to the show I researched can take up to two years to write. As performers I think we all see ourselves as perfectionists and Lee Evans is a classic case of this.








Chicken Shed Theatre Company

http://www.chickenshed.org.uk/

i have been a member of chicken shed theatre company over four years, but I feel like I have always been there. Right now I cannot imagine not being where I am and practicing their inclusive method of performing.

We are a theatre company. We make theatre. Extraordinary, pioneering, challenging, dynamic, moving, groundbreaking, genuinely inclusive, beautiful theatre.

This is a quote from their website and being a student there for over four years I almost feel part of that quote, because I with the help of every other member help make this. It’s something I hold close to me and wherever I am I can always take with me. Chicken Shed are an organization that use an inclusive process which means that whoever you are if you want to be a part of it nothing and nobody in our company will stand in your way. Skys the limit with this company and more often than not with every show they out on the roof is blown right off!
With hundreds of members that start from the ages of 5 to 21 plus. The different age groups are split into different children’s theatre sessions and then from the ages of 16 up they come members of the youth theatre and then from there when you reach 21 they can become a member of the Luna theatre which is for those who are not working there or studying there but still want to be part of the Chicken Shed experience firsthand. They have numerous courses for students (such as myself) I started my BTEC national diploma in performing arts and then went on to gain a foundation degree in inclusive theatre. Two things that I am most proud of because they mean more to me than a qualification. The piece of paper that says what I have gained my look flat but runs deep and never ends, because chicken shed will never stop.
We are all so committed to the work that we want to make it the way the entire world works because it is the right for the world in this day and age we live in. with numerous shows, outreach projects, student shows, gala performances going on every year you never should find a dull moment, there’s always new material to be learnt and new faces to help learn it.

my teachers (picture)

Here is a picture of Sebastian Gonzalez in a Chicken Shed production called Globaleyes. Sebastian is man being held.

My teachers

My Teachers

The first teacher I am going to base my admiration on is a man called Sebastian Gonzalez or commonly known as Bassi. He has been a tutor of mine since I started at the Chicken shed and has guided and inspired me through my creative work. Bassi works at Chicken Shed theatre and has been a member there 26 years. He is a tutor to BTEC and foundation degree students and even now finds the time to help me with different obstacles that I face even though he is no longer a tutor of mine. I have been both a BTEC and foundation degree student and Bassi has been there with support and guidance. To teach our young minds and influence us in only what can be described as a positive creative manner. He truly is what you might call an “all rounder” a fantastic performer as I will go on to write about and a very patient understanding person as a tutor.

Bassi specializes in movement based theatre but his acting and singing skills are just as admirable. He as Trained at The Chicken Shed Theatre Company, University of Brighton and at The Laban Centre for Movement and Dance mainly in Contemporary, Physical Theatre and Contact Improvisation. He has trained and performed in parts of Western Europe and Central Brazil with companies such as Divas. Bassi’s work experience is outstanding. He has been in 14 dance shows, 10 theatre productions and 6 television appearances including adverts and films. He has toured many of these pieces around the world. I find his most interesting experience to be when he performed in “Stomp” he traveled to Paris and lived there for the duration of his part in the show. He has been directed by people such as Terry Johnson in a play called the Royal court which went on to have fantastic reviews.

Whilst this was all happening Bassi still found the time to go back to Chicken Shed and help with outreach projects and workshops, which is completely admirable to me as we both use the method of inclusivity. The cause is so strong that you do follow your heart and it leads you back to the home of where it all happens. Bassi has worked with hundreds of different people through his career all of different ages, abilities and backgrounds and still finds the time to challenge himself and find new projects and work towards new goals. Bassi has taken his work to other countries with him to share his knowledge and talents; such as Brazil where he worked with a dance company and toured around towns.

Bassi was influenced by his granddad Thomas Heathcote who also was a performer, he spent his early childhood learning from him and studying him, from then on Bassi knew that he wanted the same fate. And so he did go on to be a performer just like his granddad. He takes influence and admires Dv8, Lloyd Newson and Wim Vandekeybus. The most interesting name I found however is John Thierry who Bassi describes as someone who is “total theatre”. Which I think is rather like himself.

All aspects of theatre appeal to Bassi and as he has taken influence from these people he has passed his knowledge down onto me. So to me, no performer’s memory ever really dies. He has taught me that every performer is influenced by someone or someone’s work whether you like or dislike it. You make decisions yourself and deal with those consequences whether that be concerning theatre of just in general life. You can make theatre according to who you are and life experience will help with this process so get as much of it as you can! Bassi has influenced me when working with young adults, his energy is completely captivated by his students and it makes everyone in the lesson want to listen. He gives first hand experiences of routines he has learned from Theatre shows and will go on to teach them so that students have a glimpse of what lays ahead of them if they choose that path. I hope to gain as much experience as Bassi and he gives me the encouragement to do so. He is an inspiration to anyone who wants to be a performer and is a great role model to younger people. His life experience has come from hard work and dedication and they are the two main aspects I will take from Bassi.

My next teacher is Paul Morrall who has been a tutor of mine for past two years whilst I was on the foundation degree. He works at Chicken Shed Theatre Company as Director of Education and Outreach. That is his official title but his talents and responsibilities delve much deeper. He writes shows and lyrics at Chicken shed. He tells me that he sees his genre to be “really wide” as he follows the inclusive process and pioneers inclusive theatre. His previous work experience includes being a primary, secondary and special needs teacher, Deputy Head teacher and an acting head teacher. He found that the special needs school to be the most uninclusive job he has had as people were put into boxes and he found that it wasn’t the pupils but the staff who made this environment unbearable and unfair.

He believes as well as I do that within society we need to question ourselves that do we need stereotypes to keep us all segregated? To keep the flow of things “smooth” rather than actually noticing that the word disability is merely just a word. Everyone is different and each individual has strong points, both in main stream and “special” schools. If we learn from each other surely that would be much more productive than splitting everyone up? He started working at Chicken Shed as a volunteer at the same time whilst working in schools. He says he used his performing and theatre ideas and mixed them up with education to teach and reach the minds of his pupils. He feels it is the best way to teach young and older minds as the two subjects go hand in hand together.

Paul’s influences range from the following William Shakespeare to John Cleese and from The Beatles to Kanye West. These four people are all known for their excellent skills in creative writing. I can see aspects of all these writers in Paul’s work, John Cleese’s classic Fawlty Towers slapstick Comedy, Kanye West’s deep and meaningful lyrics about life in general. He also takes influence from the founders of Chicken Shed Mary Ward and Jo Collins who are both extremely creative people. They have influenced him because he explains how he was on a totally different pathway to the one he is on now, Mary and Jo Realized his amazing gifts and made him a rock within Chicken Shed. His influences go on to world icons like Nelson Mandela, Gandhi and Martin Luther King. These people have influenced him because they gave great sacrifices to correct what was wrong in society. They have all made great sacrifices to rectify society. “Suffered pain and hardship – but could put that pain and hardship into words.” – Paul Morrall.

Finally on Paul’s influences there is Paula Reece, she is not only an influence but a friend of Paul’s and she is the writer and resident of Chicken Shed. Paula has cerebral palsy which means she cannot physically write ideas down for herself. Her and Paul work together to create lyrics. Paula needs to be around chicken shed to be inspired, she finds her surroundings within Chicken Shed trigger off her ideas and when Paul there with her she can tell him through communicating with her alphabet board the idea she has in her mind. These two together influence me as a double act of magic. The bond there is so special and so strong that they go from strength to strength with every song they write. Here is a song they have written together, this is about experiences Paula has had in her life and with the help of Paul and Jo Collins they turned it into a song.

Paul has inspired me because he is without a doubt the most patient, understanding man I havemet on earth to date. He has the experience of the theatre and gives performers like me the skeleton to a successful show. I learned from Paul the art of patience and how to go that extra mile for others. He like myself didn’t enjoy secondary education much and found teachers all to “boring” I felt that the majority of my teachers had no passion for teaching. That what I was being taught always straight out a text book and not worth the while, nothing stimulated me to want to push myself further. From meeting Paul he was the missing link, the way he listens to everyone and adapts activities so that everyone can do them and in doing so everyone enjoys every moment.

Here is an example of their work together which this year will be performed at the Royal Albert Hall. “We Need Each other”

We need each other

Every person has to be dead who does not believe in someone

Every person has to be dead who does not believe in someone
I believe in you I want everyone to be beautiful, like your beautiful to me.
Every person has to be dead who does not believe in someone
I believe in you I want everyone to be themselves like you are to me.
I play around and you still stay with me, I stay out late and you keep wanting me.
I keep doing bad things and you go on loving me, loving me, loving me.
Chorus
We need each other
We need each other
We need each other
We need each other

We need each other, each other, each other, each other, each other.
Like songs need words
(4 bars of 8)
I believe in you I want everyone to be happy, like your happy with me

Chorus
We need each other, We need each other
We need each other, We need each other
We need each other, We need each other
We need each other, We need each other
We need each other, We need each other
We need each other

(Different beat)

We need each other, We need each other
We need each other, We need each other
We need each other, We need each other
We need each other, We need each other
We need each other, We need each other

We need each other, each other, each other, each other, each other
Like songs need words

There are two types of people.
Those who believe there are two types of people; and those who don’t.
At Chickenshed there is only one type of people: everyone.
We want to share this with everyone.
So less of the world has to wait.

small collage of pictures from Chicken Sheds work

Top five Resources

Top 5 Different Resources

The 5 main resources I have chosen are as follows:

The BBC I player http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/.

It’s a second television if you will that allows you to catch on 7 days worth of Television (T.V) and radio shows broadcasted by the BBC. I use it to watch dramas that may influence me in terms of my acting and to broaden my knowledge of different acting skills I see it almost as my mini theatre of T.V, I can watch what I like and skip to the parts I may find most influential to watch. Recently I watched “criminal justice” on the iplayer after seeing it on T.V. I am a big fan of Maxine Peake who I saw star as Juliet miller. It is a great opportunity to be able to study her acting without having to pre record.

As a young person I like to watch the “young shows” like 2 pints of larger and a packet of crisps; I find it debateable to say whether or not I actually enjoy these kind of shows but never the less it’s always handy to know what’s going on and what the “trend” is at the moment for young comedy. I find that comedy is one of my strong points in my performing skills and I find you should always go with what you are given but at the same time stretching yourself always to do more.

Being a student as well you do not always have the money to buy series or one off dramas so again this is a great way to stay in the know of what’s going on television, it keeps me entertained whilst educating me.
I found from watching the programme again on the Iplayer that i noticed more sublte things that are very clever. I gathjered from watching it for the second time Maxine Peake playing Juliet Miller looked down as a house wife yet classy and elegant, but after killing her abusive husband as criminal in prison, she was less classy but looked happier.

When watching something on the iplayer you also get a list of links related to the programme you have watched which is very useful if you wish to look into the matter further I know for me this made me delve into women’s rights, and action for prisoners families


Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/

I am one of the millions of people who thinks that you tube is probably the best thing since slice bread. I use it on a day to day basis whether I am looking up and watching different practitioners work or watching music videos. You tube is definitely something I use for my professional practise and my personal time pleasure.

In terms of my professional practise I watch videos that are updates by fellow students like myself and their performing skills. If I am in a BTEC class and we are focusing on a certain aspect I am briefed by the tutors and then I can go away and look further into the subject, for example Stomp ( a rhythmic movement based theatre show) came up in one my recent BTEC lessons You tube was fantastic in assisting me in this, and really upgraded my knowledge of Stomp and what the show is about and how complex routines can be which then made me work even harder with my BTEC students pushing them further to do the best they could and making sure they really stretch themselves after seeing what the Stomp performers can do using such basic materials such as brooms and their feet.

I also find interesting reading others oppinions of different videos, some of the feedback people leave can be very inspiring and trigger off different thoughts of my own.

I am currently creating a workshop about Augostas Boal to give to the foundation degree year one student. You tube has helped me in group discussions concerning what activities to deliver. The internet has millions of resources open to me and anyone who is willing to try and find them but you tube offers me Augostas Boal himself speaking directly about his work. I believe You tube to be one of the most reliable, influential safe websites to use as a student. And one of the biggest perks.. It’s free! You tube is also great because you are given related links after watching a video, it can start the ball rolling and the more links you watch you can get deeper into the subject you are researching.

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/

I would say I use facebook every day. It is my main social network where I keep in contact with friends that I cannot see on a day to day basis. It allows me to add photographs and share them with friends of mine. It allows me to join groups where I share a common interest with people. Simple things like jelly tots sweets to stand up comedy performers such Lee Evans. It keeps me updated on upcoming shows which benefits me in my area of study and leads me to other website links to book tickets.

Below is a invitation i was sent. Describing what kind of event it is and how many members it has. on the website you can click on the main link and it will explain about the show and then if deciding to you can join the group. Very straight forward and very benficial to use.
Name:
THE BOYFRIEND!
Type:
Entertainment & Arts
Members:
161 members
· Join Group

I find myself more often then not looking at my friends pictures on facebook who are performers. You can see other people’s shows at their universities or theatre groups. Myspace is also a very useful website to check out up and coming artists and their music. Music sharing is so basic and easy to do that almost anybody could do it. I am a huge music fan myself and always like to keep my myself updated with up and coming bands and styles of music. My space however is not something I would go on day to day; it is something I would purely use for musical entertainment which comes into my pleasure category.



The stage website and magazine

http://www.thestage.co.uk/

The stage magazine and website are useful for me to check on up coming auditions for theatre and television auditions. Also keeping me informed on news In the U.K concerning the performing arts world. I like reading reviews on shows and reading others opinions. The website is straight forward and easy to use and has useful links on the website, you can chat to other stage followers and take advice. As a performer who is also a student it is difficult to find auditions and this just keeps your knowledge healthy and up to date of what is going on when. You can also subscribe to the stage and get the magazine for a small fee which I am yet to do!

This website is the most vital of all my five resources as it is the main source of auditions in the U.K for students and people that cannot maybe afford agents. It has open auditions and other acting oppurtunities in there that i myself go to.

Google

www.google.co.uk/www.google.com

Google is the seed and flower to my internet use. I type in the text in the search box (the seed) and click search and it gives me dozens of different links to choose from (the plant)

I use Google for absolutley anything I need to research and it is always the first search engine I use because I find that it delivers the best links. Google also provides different categories. Web, images, videos, maps,news,shopping, mail and more. Clicking more will give another list of twelve different categories to help define my search.

Google has always helped me in terms of course work since secondary school, all through my GCSE's, BTEC, foundation degree and even now whilst i am studying my Honours. I anticipate google in the future for professional use and pleasure use.

C.V

Professional Curriculum Vitae

Stephanie Dye
08.10.1988

I would consider myself to be a proactive, confident and enthusiastic individual, who always goes the extra mile. I am definitely a team player who believes the best results stem from positive, constructive thinking. I am able to work as part of a team as well as an individual.My main focus is the performing arts; it has been a passion of mine for as I long as I can remember. My experience in this field goes way back to when I was a child. I have studied and trained at Chicken shed Theatre Company and incorporated this inclusive method to aspects of my everyday life. I am competent on the computer using different software such as MS Word, Excel.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Qualifications

National Pool Lifeguard Qualification
First Aid Qualification
Child protection
British Sign Language Level 1


Education

Foundation Degree in Inclusive Theatre (2007-2009): Distinction

National BTEC diploma In Performing Arts (2005-2007):
Drama: Distinction
Singing: Distinction
Dance: Distinction

GCSE (2003-2005)
English literature A
English language B
Drama A
Physical Education B
History C





Responsibilities included
Supporting groups of children and adults. Ages from 5-16
Supporting youth theatre members. 16-18
Delivering theatrical based workshops in an inclusive environment.
Assistant to open evenings for BTEC and Foundation degree nights.
Assisting in the delivery of such workshops.
One on one support with members.
Being part of various outreach projects.
Education support (supporting in Btec/foundation degree lessons).
Front of House management
Fire steward
Primary education assistant


Main artistic projects/performances

Alice in wonderland (Rayne theatre, 2005)
Grim nights and ever after days (Rayne theatre, 2006)
Vanity Fair (Rayne Theatre 2007)
Schlarafan Land (Rayne Theatre 2007)
A Christmas carol (Rayne theatre 2007)
Sea change (Rayne Theatre 2008)
Avocado Sweets (Rayne Theatre 2008))
A Fairies tale (studio theatre 2008)
12 days of Christmas (Rayne Theatre 2008)
Robin and the Hoodies (Bar performance 2008)
The Attraction (Rayne Theatre 2009)
Pinocchio 2009 (Rayne Theatre 2009)

Vocal Performances
The Royal Albert Hall (2009)
EMI records (2009)
Hard Rock Café (2009,2007)
Bentley show rooms(2008)
Private wedding function. St Mary’s Church High Gate Hill (2008)
Chicken Shed Theatre (2005,2006,2007,2008,2009)
Student performances:
My Space or yours? (Studio theatre, 2007) and Heads Or Tales (Studio theatre, 2009)

Tales from the shed
Morning performances on a weekly basis for children ages from 0-7, educational songs and improvisation based pieces make up the hour session. Dance routines, lyrics and different scripts learnt for each session.

As a development assistant
A term of workshops in connection with Home education network projects
Assisting in the creation for a workshop working with blind children
Team member of outreach project in Milton Keanes.
Creating and performing Tales workshop at Galliards School.
Creating a workshop in connection with Cheviot group children
Devising workshops for Youth Theatre sessions.


Behind the performance roles including:
Follow spot operating (under Sky lighting management as well as Chicken shed coordinators)
Dressing room rehearsal co-ordinating


From 1996 to 2005 I attended Sylvia Youngs theatre school where I studied Drama/improvisation, and street dance. Whilst there I worked in as follows:
An Inspector calls (Garrick Theatre Director Stephen Dawldry) 10 month stretch
Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets (2003 Director Christopher Columbus)
Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban (2004 director Alfonso Cuarón)
NHS stop smoking advert 2004
NHS stop smoking advert 2005