Final Year Central Students Perform in Digital Industry Showcases
Students from Central’s BA (Hons) Acting Collaborative and Devised Theatre and BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre Class of 2020 have performed in the School’s first-ever online Industry Showcases for undergraduate acting.
Both courses were due to present their Industry Showcases at theatres in London’s West End during the spring term. Due to lockdown restrictions resulting from the global coronavirus outbreak, these physical showcases weren’t able take place as originally planned… But owing to the innovation, dedication and resilience of the students and course teams, the showcases were quickly shifted online.
Videos were filmed by graduates at the height of lockdown, edited by staff and student teams from Central, and streamed to members of the Industry at specific showtimes.
That these arrangements were made during such an uncertain and challenging time, and to such a high standard, further highlights the commitment and vision of all those involved.
The BA (Hons) Acting Collaborative and Devised Theatre Online Industry Showcase was held on 23 June 2020 at 1pm and 7pm. It featured performances from Samuel Brewer, Filipe Cates, Joshua Griffin, Ayesha Griffiths, Jack Harrold, Ella Leigh, Billy McCleary, Aarian Mehrabani, Ryan O’Doherty, Chloe Palmer, Abigail Sherratt, Cedron Sion and Emma Tracey. In their final year the cohort, which also includes J. Sebastian Lee who was unable to perform in the showcase due to filming commitments, had most recently performed together in devised productions of Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit and Fahrenheit 451 in a season at Theatre Peckham in collaboration with Complicité Creative Learning, together with students from BA (Hons) Theatre Practice and featuring work from students the Puppetry course.
The BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre Online Industry Showcase was held on 15 July at 1pm and 7pm. It featured performances from Penny Ashmore, Harry Davies, Anya De Villiers, Doxah Dzidzor, William Huke, Gabi Lechtig Martinez, Stephen Louis, Amelia Kinu Muus, Imogen Opie, Jonty Peach, Alun Rees, Issie Riley, Ellie Ruiz Rodriguez, Harry Ryan, Eleanor Sayles, Maya Aelin Thompson and Deakin Van Leeuwen.
In their final year, the BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre cohort had performed together in Tristan Burnays’ Boudica – which played both at Central at toured to Leicester’s The Curve theatre – as well as in Urinetown, The Musical, both in collaboration with students from BA (Hons) Theatre Practice.
Final year BA (Hons) Acting students Simon Bigg, Amy Cotter, James Crouch, Khadie Fall, Jerry Iwu, Tasha Lim, Ashlynn Majewski, Alex McCaragher, Sam Meakin, Eamon O’Flynn, Phillip Olagoke, Amelia Pitcher, Georgia Sansom, Maddie Stoneman, Esther Tan, May Walker and Abigail Weinstock were most recently seen performing together in productions of The Faith Machine and After Mrs Rochester, working alongside students from BA (Hons) Theatre Practice. Their Industry Showcase took place on 25 January at 1pm and 3pm at London’s Royal Court Theatre.
Congratulations to Central’s BA Acting 2020 Graduating Class across all three courses. We wish you success in your careers as actors and theatre makers as you help to shape the future of our industries.
*If you are a member of the Industry and you would like to view either of the Online Industry Showcases, you can request a link up to a month after the original performance date by contacting industry.liaison@cssd.ac.uk where you can also get more information about all of our Class of 2020 graduating Actors.