Work Experience Blog
10 August 2018Anna from Kesgrave High School joined Eastern Angles for a week as part of her work experience. She's written us a lovely blog, telling us about her experience and work on POLSTEAD...
My name is Anna Churcher, and I’m a year 10 student and I spent my first week of work experience with the inspiring theatre company: Eastern Angles. I worked with each member of the Eastern Angles individually which gave me a real insight into each job and its different areas: Marketing, General Management, Stage Management, Development and Communications Management, Artistic Directing, Theatre and Outreach Management, and Box Office.
On my first day, I was greeted by and introduced to the company members of Eastern Angles located in Ipswich.
Helena Quarmby (the Marketing Officer) introduced me to the world of theatre marketing. She showed me previous and current work, and how marketing is used in social media. We scheduled a tweet and post on Twitter and Facebook to promote their oncoming show: POLSTEAD...
I finished the day feeling buoyant because Helena shared a lot of her own experiences with me. The people at Eastern Angles are welcoming and friendly, they treated me as part of the company. I was fascinated and excited to learn more about the world of theatre creation and production.
On Tuesday, I worked with the amazing Theatre and Outreach Manager, Jon Tavener, who is not only a writer, but also a director! He learnt that I aspired to work in this field and shared with me some of his stories and his experiences from previous work.
In the day, I was allowed to watch a staggered run through, which gave me a real insight in not only the actors’ work, but also in the director’s work and stage management in rehearsals. During this time, actress Elizabeth Crarer (playing Maria Marten) came and talked to me about how she got into acting. Elizabeth Crarer is a truly inspiring actress whose kindness I will never forget.
On Wednesday, I had an introduction to the General Manager’s job. Jess Baker showed me how to find and book appropriate theatre venues for when the production is touring. I also helped the wonderful Hazel Hicks (in Box Office) managing the letters to the Copperfielders, members who regularly donate towards Eastern Angles’ spring tour and other smaller venues.
In the afternoon, Helena and Jess took me to the Spill Festival launch. Spill Festival is an adventurous international festival of contemporary arts, which will be held between the 25th of October and the 4th of November this year. It is a lovingly crafted packed programme at sites across the town.
I started my fourth day working with Karen Goddard (the Development and Communications Manager) and we sorted through photos for the press. Karen was great at explaining why we picked certain photos to represent what the play is about.
I met the inspiring Artistic Director Ivan Cutting, and with him and Karen, I went to the marquee where I watched and assisted with a workshop for Ipswich Academy’s year 9 soon to be GCSE Drama students. I learned how Eastern Angles engages students and teaches them about theatre, for example traverse stage. They were taught key skills to act and execute a scene from POLSTEAD, before they watched the evening’s performance. I watched the show with them. Afterwards, Penny (the Stage Manager) showed me some of the stage management done after the show to set up for the next performance.
Karen looked into the Box Office program with me, she taught me about its functions. Then I wrote a review of the play POLSTEAD which I saw the evening before. This was published on the Eastern Angles website!
We then went down to the marquee and prepared for the night ahead. We served drinks to those on the guest list. The evening had a wonderful atmosphere. I was allowed to watch the show again, I had loved it so much the previous evening that I had to see it again! I enjoyed working with the company and seeing the show massively. I had so many great experiences and was able to appreciate many different areas of theatre. I simply loved being immersed in the world I have fallen in love with!
This was not only my last day, but Karen’s last day with the company too! I wish the best to Karen.
I had an amazing week at Eastern Angles, the company are truly inspiring, welcoming and amazing. A massive thank you to Penny, Helena, Jess, Jon, Karen, Ivan, everyone else in Eastern Angles, and the cast of POLSTEAD!