Following the departure of principal June Abbott in the summer of 2018, the Court Theatre Training Company is proud to announce the appointment of Hollywood grandee Alfred Molina as the new patron and Tim Gill as the new principal of the prestigious training organisation and theatre.
Alfred Molina says: “Acting and theatre have been the cornerstone of my professional and personal life. I was lucky enough to have a sympathetic mother, and a supportive and encouraging teacher, and some good fortune along the way as I made my life as an actor. But I have never forgotten or lost sight of the importance of study, training and the need for a creative space. The space might be a school, or a theatre group, or just the company of like-minded souls who share your passion and love for the craft. The Court Theatre Company provides so much of what an actor will need.”
New principal Tim Gill takes over from June Abbott, founder and original Artistic Director of the Finborough Theatre and the Court Theatre Training Company. June has had an extensive career in theatre, film and television, and adapted Ingmar Bergman’s film The Virgin Springs, which became the opening production of the Courtyard Theatre, King’s Cross, in 1989. In 2007, when the theatre moved to Hoxton, June became joint Artistic Director with Tim Gill, who now takes over from her as Artistic Director and Principal of the attached Court Theatre Training Company.
Taking over the role from June Abbott, Tim Gill will continue to uphold the core training ideals of practical learning in a working theatre environment and will build on and continue to tailor the 30 year ethos. Tim hopes to bring more contemporary texts to the agenda for student productions and assessments. There will also be a focus on the individual and their place within the industry, preparing graduates for employment using skills such as social media management and self promotion. Tim has also begun preparation for a post graduate degree in acting and performance alongside a number of shorter course options to compliment the degree programme.
With June Abbott’s departure, the June Abbott Scholarship Fund will become available for applicants to apply to for course fees. It will be awarded to applicants that show a great understanding and instinct for performance and learning, but also display that they have used every means available to them to pursue the craft of acting. The scholarship is worth £11,000 per year and the bursary award of £1000 per year will be offered to existing students in difficulty with their course fees. Further details will be made available in the Autumn.
