Park Theatre and Getting In Formation are presenting seven free masterclasses for arts industry professionals and aspiring professionals from underrepresented groups, nurturing creativity and encouraging a more diverse industry.
The sessions have been curated and produced by Holly Adomah Thompson, who will present the final class on theatre marketing, and include a Theatre Queers Networking Night hosted by Tabby Lamb, a session on activism and celebrating your heritage with Abi Zakarian, and a class in utilizing the subtext by Park Theatre Artistic Director Jez Bond. Each two-hour session can be attended in-person or online, and are for those that identify as working class, LGBTQI+, those who are deaf or disabled and those of a Culturally Diverse Heritage.
The line-up of classes are:
- Get Into Producing with Adrian Gardner: Whether you think you’re a producer or not, by the end of this session you’ll have covered everything you need produce an event that bangs.
- Get Into Theatre Queers Networking Night Hosted by Tabby Lamb: The brightest stars and emerging artists of the queer theatre and cabaret circuit come together to socialize, gossip and support each other
- Get Into Subtext with Jez Bond: This two hour workshop, aimed at actors, writers and directors, will start to unlock some of the key components of drama: from narrative structure, to exposition, to creating (and speaking) dialogue that rings true, to discerning the power of the subtext.
- Get Into Activism and Celebrating Your Heritage with Abi Zakarain: Intersected: how to combine activism in your writing and celebrate your heritage while navigating an industry built on privilege.
- Getting Over Fundraising Fears with Tania Dunn & Elisha Owen: Giving you a taste from their fundraising encyclopedias, Tania and Elisha will be sharing expert advice on how to write a strong application, managing galas, working with corporations, fundraising events and donor stewardship.
- Get Into Voice Acting with Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo: From corporates to video games, learn how you can put your voice to use as well as gaining insight into the voice acting sphere from Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo.
- Get Into Theatre Marketing with Holly Adomah Thompson: In this masterclass, you’ll learn essential tips and advice on how to market your show, whether it’s on-stage or via Zoom. Holly will take you through how to identify and target audiences, what resources are out there to support your campaign, not forgetting some all-important self-care tips.
Artistic Director Jez Bond said “Diversity is about ensuring that everyone gets not just a seat at the table but a voice as well. Theatre is at its most powerful when it celebrates a range of stories and cultures – and when it rejoices in our differences, for therein lie our strengths. London is a multicultural city and as meeting places, places of entertainment and places where debates take place, theatres have a duty to reflect this diversity on their stages. At Park Theatre we are proud to be presenting a series of workshops aimed at individual practitioners hitherto underrepresented – to make certain that they are afforded opportunities that might previously have been denied.”
