Theatr Clwyd today announces that Francesca Goodridge and Eleri Jones will be joining the company as the first directors of The Theatr Clwyd Carne Traineeship for Directors in Wales funded by The Carne Trust, the Arts Council of Wales and proceeds from Sir Ian McKellen’s 80 at 80 performances at the theatre.
Inspired by the American system of internships and the belief that directors should have a fully rounded training experience in all aspects of theatre, the Theatr Clwyd Carne Traineeship for Directors in Wales offers these two aspiring artists a paid 18-month placement working alongside Artistic Director Tamara Harvey and the Theatr Clwyd team.
The programme aims to develop their practical, creative and professional skills, giving Francesca and Eleri the opportunity to work on productions and co-productions in the Anthony Hopkins Theatre, Emlyn Williams Theatre and beyond. Each trainee will spend one week with every department at Theatr Clwyd over the course of the 18 months to build an understanding of every aspect of creating and producing shows and running a building. The Traineeship will culminate in each trainee directing a full production of a play in the language of their choice at Theatr Clwyd.
Artistic Director Tamara Harvey said: “Wales has a long-established tradition of producing great actors and exciting contemporary playwrights but has in the past had little formal training for directors. We want to change that. As Wales’ biggest producing theatre, we are committed to nurturing, training and developing directors from an early stage in their career. Great directors, trained in Wales, will go out into the world and champion Welsh actors, writers and other artists, ensuring Wales continues to grow as a leading force in the cultural landscape of the UK. The Theatr Clwyd Carne Traineeship is a powerful step towards this goal and we look forward to working with Fran and Eleri as our first ever Trainees.”
Philip Carne from The Carne Trust said: “The Carne Trust has been supporting young drama students and professionals for over a decade and has a particular interest in developing directors of the future, especially those who are ambitions to run their own theatre space. Being Welsh, I am proud and pleased to be associated with Theatr Clwyd and the Arts Council Wales of Wales in funding this unique traineeship for young directors. I am sure Fran and Eleri will have an amazing experiences and I wish them every success in their future directing careers.”
