About Me

I'm a fun friendly and outgoing individual, I’m a real people person I find I can build immediate relationships with new people and I’m very approachable and I have great communication skills. I’m very hard working and a very fast learner who can pick up new skills like second nature. I find it easy to work alone or in groups, being part of a theatre company has made me a great team player and very supportive to the people I work with. I am an optimistic, intuitive individual and I can easily adapt to new tasks and responsibilities. I’m not a quitter, give me a task and I’ll try my best to accomplish it to the best of my ability.

I finished College last summer where I was studying my A levels in English literature, English language and Drama and Theatre Studies, (Ossett Sixth Form College). I finished my exams gaining high grades. Instead of attending university immediately I’m taking a gap year working as an actor with a theatre company and auditioning to drama schools.

I dance, act and perform in my spare time and have been doing so for many years touring dance and theatre all over the country. I also have a love for fashion I enjoy sewing and customizing clothes, I think these qualities demonstrate that I’m a creative and committed person.

I do understand that acting is an extremely demanding profession but I’m committed and enthusiastic enough to succeed. I’m hard working and love learning new things, I’m not afraid to ask questions and I take criticism really well using it as an advantage to become a better actor. My life’s been devoted to performing since I was the age of three, taking part in countless performances around the country.

I knew I wanted to be an actor when I joined Yew Tree Theatre Company because I got my first taste of what it’d be like to be in a professional theatre company. When performing ‘A Vampire Story’ by Moira Buffini in National Connections 2008, I was 15 and one of the youngest in the cast, working alongside mature experienced actors inspired me to work hard to become as good as them, I love working with people as part of an ensemble. Yew Tree is a big part of my life, I’ve been educated on invaluable things from different practitioner’s approaches to acting exercises and techniques. I’ve just successfully auditioned to take part in my forth National Connections, In previous years I’ve received challenging interesting parts which have widened and improved my acting skills and I feel this year will be no exception. When I was 17, I got given a lead in 2009’s National Connections play ‘The Heights’ by Lisa McGee, It was a challenging role one that tested me as an actor but once I’d found the character and brought her to life whilst performing at The West Yorkshire Playhouse I just knew that this was what I wanted to do. We started rehearsals in December ’08 and finished performing in May ’09, after the final show I realised I didn’t want it to end. This is why I want to be an actor because to make that experience into a career would be amazing. I enjoy being other people and getting to know different characters, empathising and putting myself in situations I would never get into in my normal life. I understand that the world of performing arts is competitive but I’m dedicated and strong willed enough to succeed.

I love dancing as well as acting and have been taking ballet lessons since I was three recently gaining ‘distinction’ in my grade 8 Ballet. I attended ‘Angela Reynolds Ballet School’ but at the age of 12 I wanted to widen my dance experience so joined ‘The West Yorkshire Theatre Dance Centre’, where I spent the last 6 years continuing with ballet adding dance training in Modern-Jazz gaining highly commended at intermediate level, Tap (Grade 5), Irish/River Dance, Gymnastics, Contemporary and BCA Cheerleading. My dance school opened a lot of opportunities for me giving me performance experience not only in our yearly showcases but in events such as Young Performers 2008, when I danced at Shaftesbury Avenue Theatre. I also attended a specialist performing arts high school and took part in ‘Rock Challenge’ (which we won twice), various pantomimes and musicals and of course the talent shows which I also won twice. Working so hard within the arts for so long demonstrates my determination and commitment.

Last year I finished studying my a levels in Drama, English Literature and English language at Ossett Sixth form, I did A Levels as I wanted to have an academic foundation. I’m currently taking a gap year to gain more life experience. I’m working with Yew Tree where I volunteer assisting youth theatre sessions and in local primary schools, I love working with children. I’ve also had the opportunity to take part in a Theatre in Education tour; we toured primary schools acting and facilitating

Acting

Experience

Accents

Employment History & Experience

Yew Tree Theatre Company, Wakefield
2008 - present
Voluntary Teaching Assistant
Duties include planning and conducting planned lessons and operating workshops whilst motivating youth theatre members aged 10 – 17. I also Supervise inductions and deal with fee paying and registering youths.

Actor
Duties include extensive character research, memorising scripts to a deadline, adapting to momentary changes. Delivering high quality believable and relatable performances not only in theatre productions but in screen work, one film I took part in is currently being used as part of wakefield high schools citizenship lesson.


Yew Tree Arts Ltd.

•St Anne’s Diversity Training, Huddersfield : Paid Actor. – nov'10
•Heath View primary School Wakefield, Paid Workshop Facilitator – September – November 2010
•‘How Much are you worth’ written by Sarah Osborne,
Theatre In Education Tour around Wakefield Primary Schools
Paid Actor and Workshop Facilitator. – September 2009 – July 2010
•Clarke Hall Museum Film written by Sarah Osborne
Paid Actor – February 2010 – July 2010
•‘Tell’, an educational film written by Sarah Osborne
(part of the ‘Citizenship and PSE’ lesson) in all of Wakefield high schools, Paid Actor. – September 2008 – January 2009
•‘Listen’ – one of four actors delivering a monologue to the education council in Wakefield, Paid Actor - October 2008


Yew Tree Youth Theatre

•National Theatre Connections 2011 - Kendal
‘Shooting Truth by Mollie Davies’ – [played Leanne]
•Takeover Festival 2011 - York, Feb'11: ‘The Princess’ Blanket By Carol Ann Duffy’ Physical Theatre Piece
•‘The Twelve Dancing Princesses/The worn out shoes ’ - Castleford
(devised by the youth theatre and written by Sarah Osborne) - performed December 2010
•‘The Lost Happy Endings By Carol Ann Duffy’ – Physical Theatre piece, performed November 2010 at Nostell Priory and December 2010 in Castleford
•Selby abbey Miners Memorial Service (devised by the youth theatre), performed October 2010 in Selby
•Sandal Castle site specific piece, Battle of Wakefield Festival
Played Queen Margaret - (devised by the youth theatre and written by Sarah Osborne) , performed September 2010 in Sandal
•Barbra Hepworth Gallery performance , (devised by the youth theatre and written by Sarah Osborne) – Talking Heads/Physical Theatre. Performed July – August 2010 in Wakefield
•Nostell Priory Acting Summer School 2010 , ‘Alien’(devised by the youth theatre and written by Sarah Osborne)
•Clarke Halls Shakespeare Festival 2010, Othello – [played Emilia] Macbeth –[Devised witches Scene] performed June 2010
•National Theatre Connections 2010 - Kendal
‘Sparkle shark By Philip Ridley’- [played Carol]
performed March – May 2010
•‘The Musicians By Patrick Marber’ – [played first violin]
performed December 2009 in Castleford
•‘A Christmas Carol By Sarah Osborne’ (devised by the youth theatre)
performed December 2009 in Castleford
•York’s takeover Festival 2009 – ‘Conversations By Sarah Osborne’
performed October 2010
•Nostell Priory Acting Summer School 2009
‘Celebrity’ (devised by the youth theatre and written by Sarah Osborne)
Performed August 2009
•Clarke Halls Shakespeare Festival 2009
15 Minute Hamlet – [played Ophelia]
performed July 2009
•Wakefield Cathedral Miners Memorial Service
Performed September 2009
•National Theatre Connections 2009 – West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds
‘The Heights By Lisa McGee’ – [played Lillie-lee]
performed March – May 2009
•‘The Crysalids By’ – [played Mary]
Performed April 2009 in Wakefield
•‘After Juliet By Sharman McDonald’ – [played Livia]
performed December 2008 in Wakefield
•‘trust by Sarah Osborne’ - (devised by the youth theatre)
performed June 2008 in Wakefield
•Nostell Priory Acting Summer School 2008
‘choices’ (devised by the youth theatre)
performed August 2008
•National Theatre Connections 2008 - Kendal
‘A Vampire story by Moira Buffini – [played Debit]
performed March – may 2008


West Yorkshire Theatre Dance Centre


• ‘Fragments By Sarah Osborne’
performed April 2010 in Wakefield
• ‘Don’t Assume Anything By Sarah Osborne’
performed September 2006 in Wakefield
• ‘Who’s Pantomime is it anyway?’ by Sarah Osborne
Performed December 2005 in Wakefield

Modelling

Experience

Employment History & Experience

The Loft - Castlford Xscape. - Funky bass promotional work. dancing and modelling. - feb '11

Music

Vocal Skills

Dancing

Experience

Dance Skills

Employment History & Experience

West Yorkshire Theatre Dance Centre, Ossett
Dance Tutor (cover/supply)
Duties included planning and operating Ballet and Tap dance classes. The role involved working independently, motivating and directing youths aged 3-8.

Aviator Cheerleaders, Leeds
January – July 2009
Dance Tutor
Duties include planning and conducting of planned lessons in different locations. Planning and operating of workshops, along with choreographing dances of type; Cheerleading, Jazz, Supervising of workshops and lesson activities. The role involved working independently with up to 30 students at a time. All of which included working with, motivating and directing youths aged 8-10.


The West Yorkshire Theatre Dance Centre
Grade 8 Ballet
Grade 5 Tap
River Dance
Advanced 1 Modern Jazz
Jazz
Contemporary
Streetdance
Hiphop
Ballroom

WYTDC.
• Micheal Jackson tribute dance show
performed June 2010 in Wakefield
• Dance extravaganza
performed May 2009 in Wakefield
• BCA Cheerleading Dance competitions
performed September 2006 – July 2009 in Blackpool/Leicester/Sheffield/Loughton
• ‘Cinderella By Sarah Osborne’
performed February 2009 in Wakefield
• Young Performers 2008 at Shaftesbury Avenue theatre
performed September 2008 in London
• ‘the Lost happy endings By Carol Anne Duffy’
performed July 2008 in Wakefield
• ‘the Sea by Sarah Osborne’
performed July 2007 in Wakefield
• ‘Seasons dance showcase’
performed September 2007 in Wakefield

Entertainment

Extras Work, Partipant, Contestant

Languages Spoken

Experience & Qualifications

Qualifications & Training

A LEVEL
Drama - B
English Lit - C
English Lang -C

BTEC National Diploma
Performing arts(Dance, Drama& Musical Theatre): 4 x Distinction*

GCSE
Dance - A
Drama - A
Music - A
Musical Theatre - A
Maths - C
English Lit - B
English Language -C
Science - C
Science - C
French- C
RE - C
Expressive arts and history - C

Other Information

Relevant Skills

15 years experience of Dance Training.
6 years experience of actor training.

Interests & Hobbies

Fashion
Dancing
Acting
Socialising with friends
Reading