Interview with Alex Ferris!

Hi all!

I’m very excited to announce Theatre Stop’s next victim/interviewee is Mr Alexander Ferris – Head of Community at Old Vic NewVoices.

This guy - *pretty inspirational.  

Let me, in brief (I say in brief now, because I’m going to give you a longer spiel when the interview goes up. This is the teaser so to speak.) tell you why I’m of this opinion. This will most likely embarrass him, but, here we go. The OVNV does incredible things for emerging theatre practitioners and it has a few components - two of these are Education and Community.  The Education department work with schools giving workshops, inviting them to shows, training and advice while the Community reaches out to people of all ages and backgrounds, running workshops and professional quality productions that anyone can participate in as cast or crew. It’s theatre with a purpose, and demonstrates how theatre can affect lives in a very real and positive way. To do this kind of role, you have to be in it for the love of it, pretty selfless, dedicated, and I imagine, very organised. So, as overseer of these two sections, he must be a pretty decent – and busy - gent. As well as this, Alex directs the projects, as he did with the musical Epidemic, OVNV’s  2012 Community  production. It was staged down in the Old Vic tunnels and had a 120 member strong company. That’s no mean feat. And on top of this – he’s really nice.

So, not as brief as I’d hoped (honestly, is anyone surprised?) but hopefully I’ve communicated why you should be rearing to read his interview when it appears shortly so you can hear more about Alex and OVNV. Inspiring, dedicated, talented, interesting and genuinely kind – Alex Ferris is the kind of guy you want to bump into on the street, work with in the theatre, and who you want to have as an interviewee on Theatre Stop.

*Pretty big understatement.

Have a great day everyone!

Fi 

Old Vic New Voices

And a very early Good Morning to Sydney and Good Afternoon to London!

Image credit: www.theatresonline.com

The Old Vic New Voices (OVNV) is an incredible and unique scheme that is about encouraging emerging talent, this generation of theatre makers and those to come. I don't think there is anything quite like it. (Although if there is, and I'm just shrouded in ignorance, please let me know!)

The investment the Old Vic has put into OVNV is impressive, and they in turn have deeply invested in all those they endeavour to develop by offering practical and financial support, resources, training from professionals and some off-the-wall brilliant opportunities.

Go on, head over to Your Stop and have a look - truly, you only stand to gain by getting involved with the OVNV - in several lovely ways!

And now, please excuse the short post (everyone is actually breathing a sigh of relief) but I feel it's mostly covered under Your Stop and I'd quite like you just to head straight on over there instead of me rattling on here.

Now, to bed. Good Night/Morning/Afternoon to you all - I hope it's a lovely one!

Fi