Unlike most kids I always knew what I was going to do when I grew up. Although I flirted with other career choices, being a teacher of some description always seemed to be my calling. At primary and secondary school I wanted to be a History teacher. At Sixth Form I wanted to be an English teacher as well as a writer. As I have said before I am somewhat greedy, as by the end of university I had decided I was going to be an English teacher who writes, directs and works (in some capacity) within local theatre.

Since university last year I have gained a lot of work experience both in schools and in different areas of the theatre production from working the tech desk to stage management to cycling on a BMX like a madman across London to get props to a location (long story). I have done a lot of work that I have considered ‘paying my dues’ that has lead to me gaining more knowledge and expertise in different areas of the production process.

Yet what I have not yet seen and what I would like to gain from my work experience placement for the Future Producers Plus scheme is a better idea of how a production company and/or venue run and put theatre events and programs together. Since I have seen how the different departments are run and work as a clog that keeps an entire show running, having the chance to get an overview of how the process itself is created and kept in motion. It is something of late that I have been considering,later down the line when I am an experienced teacher and theatre-maker of running my own production company.

Two weeks ago I decided that this was what I wanted to gain from my work experience, a knowledge and better understanding of how productions are formed and run everything in-between that contributes towards making a successful show for both company and venue. I have also decided that I would look to do my work experience placement with an organisation that I have not yet worked with as a way to better gain need contacts and also learn in an environment that I am unfamiliar with.

I have emailed several theatre companies and venues who I have considered volunteering with in a different capacity before, although I the timing had not been right until now. I found out about each organisation earlier this year and with each I have been able to also get help from my friends who have been involved with these groups before and who have helped point me in the right direction of who is best to contact. Those who I have contacted include the ACTA Centre in Bedminster, where I have almost applied for a job with them (twice), the Wardrobe Theatre where I seen several shows and have worked with many actors who love the venue and a new theatre company called Make Shift Wings who I found out about through friends who are involved with the group.

Whichever place I am able to get a work placement with I hope I will be able to gain invaluable experience through being able to shadow and work with the different professionals and people who form and make decisions about how their group is run. I hope I may be in some way allowed to help in their work process and learn about not only the creative aspects related to producing a show or program but about the administrative process and finical side of the business.

Whatever tasks that I am set I always ask questions and what to know about their roles, why they do what they and even why they make certain choices rather than others. It’s these kinds of questions and their responses which I will put into the notebook I am currently using for the Future Producers program to record all my notes and thoughts. I am also recording at the moment possible questions and issues I might want to discuss with whoever I work with and I hope to be able to record our conversation on a recording device that is built into my phone. I will then transfer my notes and reflections onto a blog like this which I hope to use for future reference and to remind myself in later times about what I have achieved.

At the moment I am left playing the waiting game until the organisations get back to me, or at least until I begin making phone calls.