Drama Success Publication

Drama Success Celebrating our pupils’ Drama Achievements in and out of School

April 2021

Nurturing Potential

Inspiring Subject Passion

Celebrating Talent

CONTENTS *

3

HEADMISTRESS, ALEX WILSON

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30 & 31

A LEVEL STUDENTS

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5

HEAD OF DRAMA, MRS ASBURY

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32 & 33

ALUMNI & TEACHER ACTORS

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6 & 7

DOUGLAS - YEAR 7

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34

RACHEL BARNES

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8 & 9

IMOGEN - YEAR 8

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35

HANNAH SMITH-LEVY

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10 & 11

WILLIAM - YEAR 9

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36

HANNAH JOHN-KAMEN

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12 & 13

EDWARD - YEAR 9

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37

GABRIEL WINTER

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14 & 15

LOUIS - YEAR 9

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38

BEN HUNTER

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16 & 17

MOLLIE - YEAR 10

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39

ALEX MELTHAM

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18 & 19

JOYCE - PRE SIXTH

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40

ALICE GOLD

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20 &21

TABITHA - PRE SIXTH

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41

ANNIE KIRKMAN

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22 & 23

CHLOE - PRE SIXTH

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42

JESSICA DUFFIELD

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24 & 25

CONOR- SIXTH FORM

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43

ALICE PALMER

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26 & 27

SCHOOL PRODUCTION PHOTOS

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28 & 29

SCHOOL PRODUCTION PHOTOS

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HEADMISTRESS ALEX WILSON

Welcome to this ‘Drama Success’ publication highlighting the range of talent of our pupils throughout the School and amongst our alumni community.

Examination success is only part of the picture. Drama creates a vibrant atmosphere and helps all pupils to flourish and enjoy their time at School. The transformational power of performance cannot be underestimated and, therefore, we believe in providing drama for all, whether pupils are trying something new, or taking part in regular school productions.

In this publication we celebrate the achievements of pupils who have been successful in drama in School and outside within their various drama clubs and productions. We also celebrate achievements of several alumni who have achieved success in film and theatre.

Our connection with East Riding Theatre means we can offer a wide variety of drama workshops delivered by professional actors and support pupils in their continued success outside School.

We nurture the potential of those involved in drama through encouraging training outside of School and even through flexibility of timetabling to allow additional training for our very top budding actors.

The discipline, persistence, hard work and determination to succeed demonstrated by each pupil represented here is to be admired. I hope you enjoy reading about their journeys and we look forward to watching them all continue to flourish.

totus mundus agit histrionem acta est fabula

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DRAMA ‘The true purpose of arts education is not necessarily to create more professional dancers or artists. It is to create more complete human beings who are critical thinkers, who have curious minds, who can lead productive lives.’

Kelly Pollock (Head of the Centre of Creative Arts/Eisenhower Fellow) I began this written statement with the above quotation because I believe that it captures the ethos of the Drama Department at Hull Collegiate School. We have, over the years, helped to create many successful actors who have gone on to shine in the spotlight in the world of professional theatre and we are extremely proud of them and their achievements in this competitive and challenging industry. But we also value those pupils who grew in confidence, self-esteem and pride from taking part in Drama in the school. The skills that we learn in Drama, such as creative thinking and problem solving, team work, development of emotional intelligence and the ability to present with confidence, are transferable skills that can be used in all subject areas and will become even more valued as we move into a more computerised world where AI and algorithms can do the jobs that used to be done by people. As Kevin Roose writes in his recent book Futureproof ‘In an age of advanced robotics and AI it will be human skills that can make all the difference’ (Pub: John Murray Press 2021). I hope that you enjoy reading these articles from past and present pupils and staff. We are very proud of them and of their accomplishments.

Mrs Asbury (Head of Drama)

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Dougl as - Year 7 Douglas was never going to be a sportsman due to having a medical condition. With this in mind his parents looked at different clubs he could join in the area. He started at Northern Lights Drama and then moved on to the Pauline Quirk Academy in Hull.

Last year he auditioned with an award winning agency in London (Jessica Elliot Management) and gained a place on her books.

Unfortunately the pandemic then hit. This obviously put his acting/singing career on hold.

Here he found his passion for acting along with his singing. Douglas has private singing lessons with a local tutor (Becky Cass) and is currently working on his grade 5.

Douglas has performed at the York Opera House and even at Her Majesty’s Theatre in the West End, London.

His favourite acting job so far was when he auditioned for the role of Benji in the Priscilla Tour UK. He auditioned in London alongside the producer Jason Donovan and main star Joe McFadden. Douglas got the role of Joe McFadden’s son Benji.

Locally Douglas has performed at Hull New Theatre in Made in Dagenham gaining the role of Graham. He has also done local pantomime for the Hessle Theatre Company.

Douglas loves singing and was part of the G4 young voices choir performing in their Christmas concerts.

Douglas’ parents said, ‘‘We looked at local schools in the area that would support his acting/ singing and chose Hull Collegiate as it had a good reputation for its Drama and choir. Douglas joined HCS in September in Year 7 and unfortunately due to Covid 19 he has not had the opportunity to perform in any school productions or choir. Douglas is super excited to get involved as soon as the Covid restrictions are lifted.’’

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Imogen - Year 8 Imogen’s parents said ‘‘From a very young age we had a good idea that Imogen was going to be attracted to Musical Theatre and Drama. She would happily swap CBeebies for the “Sound of Music” or “Calamity Jane”. Soon, she knew every word to every song from several different musicals.

After trying out various local dance and drama groups, at the age of 7 Imogen started to find her feet in the acting world when she joined Northern Lights Drama and more latterly Stagecoach. It was Hannah Levy of Northern Lights Drama who realised Immy’s talent for acting and after successfully completing various LAMDA exams, suggested she should put herself forward for some auditions.

Imogen has had some fantastic opportunities, performing in Bill Kenwright’s “Joseph & his Technicolor Dream Coat” and his production of Evita in which she played the young Evita, both at the Hull New Theatre.

She has also been lucky enough to perform with some fabulous local theatre companies.

Playing Sharon in “Made in Dagenham”, produced by the Hessle Theatre Company at the HNT, Marta in the Sound of Music, produced

by One Off Productions at The Hull Truck & Tessie in Annie, produced by the Brigg Theatre Company at the Plowright Theatre, Scunthorpe. Alongside this Imogen has performed in some smaller productions & pantomimes.

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2020 was also due to give Imogen a full theatrical diary, having bookings at Hull Truck and various music festivals. Unfortunately, due to the hard-hitting Coronavirus pandemic, the industry sadly ground to a halt. Nevertheless, Immy has continued her commitment by having regular lessons online with her wonderful singing and drama coach Steph. This has enabled her to keep progressing resulting in the successful completion of more LCME examinations.

Fingers crossed for 2021, the theatrical wheels will once again begin to turn, and Imogen can resume rehearsals for a July show at the HNT. Imogen has shown immense hard work and commitment, at times rehearsing most nights before shows, and great dedication to learning lines, songs and choreography.

The industry has also taught Imogen to become more resilient, take criticism and rejection. It has certainly built her confidence.

In return, she has met some fabulous people along the way, some who have remained firm friends and has had some unforgettable experiences. I would certainly encourage any child who has an interest to seek out a local drama group, we are sure they would find it very rewarding.’’

Imogen said, ‘‘I love being able to express my feelings fully in drama. It’s a place where I really let go and have fun. One day I would love to be an actress, although it’s very hard to get into.

Mrs Asbury is a great teacher. She has really helped me and makes the lessons fun. I was meant to be in last year’s school production, Our Day Out, but it was cancelled due to Covid. I’m looking forward to being part of next year’s show.’’

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William - Year 9 Will has been at Collegiate since joining the Nursery and has been fortunate enough to enjoy the great drama teaching and facilities since a young age.

Naturally it was in school that he found his passion for drama, participating in lots of school plays: The Grimm Tales, Who’s Your Mummy?, Lord of the Flies and most recently Our Day Out. He’s really appreciated the support from Mrs Asbury, Miss Duffield and Mr Whitfield throughout. He believes that it was his performance in Who’s Your Mummy? that inspired him to consider a career in the performing arts, as he had so much fun really developing his character and enjoying the experience.

Alongside the opportunities he’s been given in school, he has pursued his passion in his extracurricular time. He was a member of Hull Truck Youth Theatre appearing on stage there in several productions and has spent the last few years enjoying StageEd’s West End Summer Schools - this is always a challenging and exciting opportunity as students have to learn and perform several West End hits.

It really stretches them as actors and performers. Before coronavirus hit, he also attended Sylvia Young’s School in London participating in drama and theatrical performance classes there, which he also really enjoyed and felt like he learnt a lot from.

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Will would credit his drama teachers as inspiring - they’ve been so supportive since he started - and he loves lots of comedic actors like Matthew Perry, Jim Carrey and the Mischief Theatre Company.

He is an avid theatregoer and has been from a young age. His favourite plays are: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Les Miserables and Hamilton - to name but a few.

His future goals are to be an actor, director and screenwriter. He’d like to be able to write a play or movie that he could also perform in.

Will said, “I’ve always loved acting and I always will. Hull Collegiate is helping me realise my potential and has provided me with opportunities that I am very grateful for.”

Will’s parents said,“We’re really proud of Will’s accomplishments so far in the performing arts and incredibly appreciative of the support his teachers have given him. They’ve gone above and beyond at times to help him.”

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Edward - Year 9

Edward got into acting by accident. He was a keen dancer and a student at NAPA and LWHS School of Dance but it was when he got into Musical Theatre that he started to take an interest in acting.

Five years ago Ed auditioned at Hull City Hall for one of the Darling brothers in the Peter Pan Pantomime where he landed the part of an understudy for John Darling. This was his first taste of a big script, long days and costume fittings. Edward joined NLD and started LAMDA acting classes where he trained four nights a week and every Sunday in Leeds at Northern Ballet.

Edward has attended Stage Ed for the past three years and last year gained a summer place at Bird Performance Art College in London and an Easter place at Hammond Performing Arts College near Liverpool but due to Covid he never got to attend.

In 2018 a local audition came up for a small part in a film called The Last Trip. At the time Edward’s mum was having surgery so Mrs Maynard, his music teacher and form tutor, took Edward to the audition where he landed the part of the younger skipper followed by more scripts to learn. The film involves the Hull Fishing Heritage and the Triple Trawler Tragedy. Edward is honoured to be in this film because his grandad was from the area where filming took place.

Edward was offered another year scholarship at Northern Ballet in Leeds and was picked for a role in Cinderella at Hull New Theatre. This was a dancing, singing and acting role, working with Anita Dobson who sent him a get well video after Edward fell backwards off the stage!

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Edward is currently working towards his GCSEs. Lockdown made him look at things differently. His dance classes were all on Zoom with Northern Ballet but he did gain a distinction in his LAMDA exam with NLD Drama.

His dream is to be on the West End and dance and act all over the world on cruise liners. His ambition is to gain a place at a Performing Arts University and learn about jobs and productions behind the stage. He also wants to join athletics at school and he is also learning acrobatics to get fitter after a year of lockdown and be in the best physical condition for landing future roles.

Edward said, “Covid and lockdown made me realise how much I’ve missed school drama productions. I’m looking forward to being part of future shows and show support to the school that has supported me.’’

Edward’s mum said, ‘‘Hull Collegiate School have allowed Ed to do so much, they have supported his singing lessons and supported him by allowing Ed to leave school early to get to dance classes and allowed time off in December to perform in Cinderella.’’

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Louis - Year 10 Louis showed a love of performance at an early age where his imagination and creativity was clearly evident. He started his journey in acting with Stagecoach at the age of 5 where his confidence grew through role play. He then attended NAPA in Hull where he developed his acting skills and stage performance.

His first real break was with the Richard Green Academy, where he played ‘Laughing Boy’ in Bugsy Malone at Hull New Theatre. He loved the whole process of backstage preparation and performance where his love of acting really grew. He took lessons with Richard Green and attained distinction in Trinity London Grade 2 examination which included acting and mime.

He was one of the first pupils to join Northern Lights Drama which was based at Hull Collegiate School. There he learnt new skills and took part in workshops which helped develop his acting ability further. He also joined Park Street Performing Arts where he appeared in several musicals such as Joseph and his Technicoloured Dream Coat at Hull Truck, Wizard of Oz and Christmas Carol at ERT. Louis was also involved in pantos, Aladdin and Jack and the Beanstalk with ‘Middle Child Theatre Company’ at Fruit (Hull) where he loved the comedic roles he played. His inspiration has been with a variety of actors such as Christian Bale, Tom Hardy and Jim Carrey, where they have portrayed gritty or comedic characters which Louis has taken to help develop his own skills and versatility.

Whilst with Northern Lights, Hannah put him forward for an audition with a top London agency, Mark Jermin Management, where he was successfully taken on their books. He has now been with them about 4 years and has had many auditions for Disney, Ackley Bridge, Matilda, School of Rock and Netflix ‘The Alienist’ where he was down to the last two.

He also auditioned for a part in Richard III for the Royal Shakespeare Company who built a temporary ‘Round Theatre’ in York in the summer of 2018.

Louis’ parents said, ‘‘We are so proud of what Louis has achieved in drama and music, both in and out of school. Hull Collegiate School has given him the opportunity to develop his acting and performance skills and we thank the school for their continued support and understanding with Louis’ commitments. It proves with hard work and dedication you really can achieve your goals.’’

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Whilst with Mark Jermin Management, Louis landed a role in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ at ERT Beverley over Christmas 2018, which enabled him to work with professional actors which gave him valuable experience . He also attended summer workshops where he felt his love of drama, rather than musicals, was what he preferred to focus on.

The last role he was involved with was for Dubai Expo 2020, which sadly couldn’t go ahead due to Covid. However, he got to meet Chris Hemsworth (Thor) who was also involved in the project, which was a bonus!

Louis has continued to work hard in drama and has been involved in the school productions such as ‘Lord of the Flies’ which he really enjoyed. He still loves performance, his love of music and guitar are his passion and his journey in acting has given him the confidence and ability to enable him to develop and achieve any role he wants in the future.

Louis said, ‘‘What many people don’t realise is that drama can be so much more than just acting. At HCS the drama department helps pupils to develop their creativity and build confidence not just for performance, but for a variety of careers where ‘thinking outside the box’ and good communication skills are essential.’’

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Mollie - Year 10

Mollie started at a local dance school at the age of 3 and enjoyed those early years of dancing and having fun with her friends; it was from here that she also got her first experience of musical theatre, drama and singing. It was at this dance school that Mollie got to experience performing on stage for the first time. Mollie was quite shy at the dance class but as soon as she got on the stage in front of an audience it was clear this is where she was her happiest.

Hull Collegiate have been pivotal in Mollie’s early experiences of performing and when she was in the Prep School she got the opportunity to audition for the senior school production of The Sound of Music. Mollie successfully auditioned for Gretyl and it was after this production that Mollie really decided that performing on stage was what she wanted for her future. This gave Mollie the confidence to perform at various events at various venues, including Middleton Hall, Hull City Hall and the Royal Theatre in London.

Mollie also successfully auditioned for the role of the orphan Kate in Annie for York Musical Theatre and this show was performed at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre in York. The following year Mollie was thrilled to get the role of Annie in the School Production. This production was an amazing experience for Mollie and really cemented her desire to be on the stage and become an Actor. In the following years, Mollie has done various local performances, including playing Alice in Alice The Musical.

Mollie has been travelling to Leeds once a week on a Monday evening for five years to train with Stagebox Musical Theatre, this was by audition entry and they provide bespoke musical theatre training. This has given Mollie a great grounding and understanding of the acting profession and these classes compliment the local weekly classes she also attends.

Mollie is currently studying GCSE Drama and is thoroughly enjoying it and hopes this will help to fulfil her dream of going on to a Performing Arts University and ultimately following her dreams of becoming a performer.

Obviously, this last year has not allowed Mollie to perform but during this time she has continued her classes on Zoom and has been fortunate enough to take part in workshops with actors and dancers from the West End and Broadway, which has been fantastic and is one positive that has come from this pandemic.

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Mollie’s parents said, ‘‘We are so proud of Mollie’s work ethic and commitment and especially of her resilience during the last 12 months. She has chosen a very difficult and competitive career path, but we know she will give it 100% in all that she does in her journey to fulfil her ambitions and as parents we will do all we can to support her to achieve her dreams. The school have given Mollie many opportunities and we know they will continue to guide and support her on her journey.’’ 17

Joyce - Pre Sixth When Joyce joined a ballet school in York at the age of 4, she demonstrated talent and a great interest in performing arts. One year later, when she moved with her parents to Hull, one of the first things that her mum did was to enrol her in a performing arts school. This is when she joined the S.J. Arts performing arts school, where she is still a student eleven years later. In S.J. Arts school Joyce joined all performing arts activities the school had to offer, including dance, musical theatre and drama. In the past few years, Joyce had more than 10 hours of training per week.

At Hull Collegiate School, Joyce was taught drama since she joined in Year 7, learning the theory of drama and what goes on ‘behind the scenes’, which made her interest in drama grow and flourish.

Joyce’s drama performances include plays such as Bugsy Malone, Alice in Wonderland, Wicked and Hairspray.

She has never failed to take part in any school production since reception, and when she joined HCS in Year 7, she has been involved in every production, including Grimm Tales, Annie, Our Day Out and her favourite: Lord of the Flies. Combining her S.J. Arts performances and the HCS performances, Joyce has taken part in around 50 shows, including singing performances, dance shows and theatre productions, some of which have taken place as competitions at national level.

Joyce said,“Drama has given me the opportunity to express myself, and I’ll never get tired of the thrill and exhilaration of being on the stage. I’m so grateful for everything the school has helped me with, especially my drama teachers who encourage and support me every step of the way.”

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When it came to choosing her GCSE subjects, it was only natural that she would choose drama as one of her subjects. The teachers in the Drama department have complemented Joyce’s talent with knowledge and skill, providing her with the support that she needs to excel with her theatrical studies.

In addition to her drama lessons in school, Joyce takes theatre classes with Achieve Arts, doing LAMDA exams in Drama and Musical Theatre. Over the past year, not even lockdown could stop her from continuing to follow these sessions virtually, doing her most recent set of exams online.

Amongst the numerous opportunities that Hull Collegiate School has given her, one of them is taking part in the East Riding Theatre (ERT) Summer Schools, where she learnt invaluable techniques and skills to enhance her drama.

From studying scripts to devising their own pieces, Joyce was encouraged to have her own creative outlook, while developing her skills in teamwork as herself and her peers worked together to create outstanding pieces of theatre.

The most notable opportunity was the chance to audition for the National Youth Theatre (NYT) in March 2020 – the biggest youth theatre in the UK. The school arranged regular rehearsal sessions with Joyce, working on audition technique and her own monologue.

These sessions, together with Joyce’s determination and talent, helped her through the audition process: performing her monologue in front of a NYT representative and a workshop with other auditionees. After this competitive process, she soon found out that she was successful, being awarded a place as a member of the NYT. This was a fantastic achievement, especially due to the fact that Joyce was one of the youngest of thousands of candidates auditioning across the UK. This would not have been possible without the support of the amazing drama teachers and drama department, who saw the talent in Joyce and put her forward for such an exceptional opportunity.

Being on the stage from a very young age has greatly shaped her personality as an avid performer as well as a confident and outgoing character. Her love for drama was sparked by her watching a production of The Little Mermaid when she was four, and decided that one day, she wanted to be up on that stage, doing what she loves most. This passion for theatre continues to grow as she develops as a performer. The skills she has learnt and the experience she gained through this journey so far have not only helped her as an actor, but have shaped her personality and character.

Joyce’s parents said, “Every time Joyce goes on stage, she makes us so emotional and proud of the person she is becoming. We are impressed with how she finds the right balance between her academic work, where she is doing very well, and her passion for drama and performing arts, where she spends long exhaustive hours.

While we are not sure what path Joyce will decide to take in the future, we are sure that the skills she has learnt from performing will make her excel in any career she chooses.’’ 19

Tabitha - Pre Sixth

Tabitha said, ‘‘Thanks to Mrs Asbury and the HCS drama department’s unending support and enthusiasm, I truly feel as if I have been able to develop my acting skills to the fullest of my ability. Not only have they encouraged and pushed me to be the best I can be but they continuously offer me opportunities, such as workshops and live theatre, to enrich my artistic experience. I am endlessly thankful for the acting support I have been offered during my journey here.’’

Tabitha’s mum said, ‘‘It’s truly been a pleasure to watch how much Tabitha has enjoyed her drama journey at Hull Collegiate School.’’

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I’ve been acting as long as I can remember, ever since primary school where my first role was a rainbow fish and now I’m planning to pursue drama right through A Level and quite possibly further.

I’ve always been passionate about taking part in school productions right through my entire school experience. When I first took drama as a subject at secondary school I immediately knew that it was going to be a big part of my school life. It was the first subject that I was certain I wanted to study at GCSE level and beyond.

My love for drama really comes from the variation it has from traditional academic subjects; for me drama lessons offer a break from stress and class work and allow me to just relax and enjoy it, as well as form amazing connections with my peers.

Moving from a large school to the smaller more intimate atmosphere of HCS really gave me the opportunity to showcase my skills, for example when I was given the opportunity to play my biggest leading role as Jack in Lord of the Flies.

Collegiate have also provided me with lots of drama opportunities outside of school. For example, they helped me to get a place on the fantastic week long drama workshop with East Riding Theatre and also supported me with my National Youth Theatre application and audition.

The extensive help I have received from the school and Mrs Asbury really allowed me to become more confident in my abilities and take my passion for acting to an entirely new level.

It’s also allowed me to develop key skills, allowing me to work well with others and talk confidently in front of a crowd, skills that I know will help me through the entirety of my life and future career.

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Chloe - Pre Sixth

Chloe said, “This is how I express myself and it was the thing that got me to come out of my shell, it’s good fun, a good escape and it is nice to be someone else. Don’t let anyone discourage you and you won’t regret it; it has many life and communication applications you don’t have to specifically want to be an actor.”

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I have loved performing arts almost my entire life; it has become more than just an enjoyment and I spend most of my spare time doing it, being in an endless number of shows. All this experience in performance has guided me to find that this is my true passion and is the path in life and career I would like to follow.

I auditioned and was accepted as a member of the British Youth Music Theatre and I spent three weeks during the summer working on a project with them which culminated in performing a show and in doing this I achieved my Trinity Grade 8 in Musical Theatre in production. I have private drama lessons and I am about to take my Grade 5 Trinity exam in speech and drama and I also have private singing lessons and I am about to take a Grade 5 Trinity exam in singing.

I currently attend Park Street Performing Arts Centre where I have played many roles from chorus to leading roles and have performed at both Hull Truck and Hull New Theatre with this company. I have also performed at these theatres through One Off Productions and have also toured with Green Ginger Productions.

Along with this I have taken part in the school productions every year and Hull Collegiate gave me the chance to perform in ‘Shakespeare for Schools’ at Hull University as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

In dance I have taken part in many local festivals and competitions, I also reached the finals of Dance Design Events National Troupe competition.

I would like, after college, to continue my education and go to a university or a Performing Arts/Drama school to continue studying performing arts, drama and acting. This is my passion in life and my true ambition, and so is the area I would like to have a career in, namely an actress. So therefore, this is why each of my chosen courses relate to this and are connected to the studying of the performing arts.

Hull Collegiate gives you the opportunity to take part in a school production every year, both plays and musicals; you have the chance to take part in workshops with professionals and this gave me the opportunity to audition for National Youth Theatre and helped us all throughout the entire process.

Chloe’s parents said, “We are so proud of Chloe’s achievements as she has always worked hard, shown great commitment and given up a lot of free time to take part in various productions. We have seen her confidence blossom through Performing Arts which will be a great asset to her wherever her life takes her.”

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Conor - Year 12 Written by Conor My first ever production was playing Oliver in Oliver Twist at East Riding Theatre and to be honest the idea of even auditioning in front of strangers really scared me, especially trying to make some kind of bearable noise with my voice, also known as singing. However, since taking that opportunity, I have been provided with many more parts and auditions and the original fear of performing in front of people became enjoyment for me.

At school the opportunity doesn’t stop either with shows every year ranging in many different types of genre from The Sound of Music to The Lord of The Flies and the amount of effort that goes in from the Drama department and all the other adults involved is like no other, not to forget the amount of effort the pupils involved put in.

Conor’s parents said, “As parents, it’s been a highlight for us to watch Conor’s performances - seeing his confidence grow and his acting develop. The opportunities and encouragement the school Drama department has given him have been brilliant. He’s gained skills which will carry forward to any chosen career.”

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For me, I decided that it wasn’t a career path I was going to take but the skills of confidently talking in front of people and working well with large groups are ones that you take for the rest of your life no matter what job you do.

Being in the Sixth Form now and having things like personal statements to write, acting is one of those things that can pull people in who are reading your statement as you stand out a little bit more with unique experiences.

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School Productions 1. Grease 2. The Sound of Music 3. Accrington Pals 4. Annie 5. The Strange Musician 6. Our Country’s Good 7. Kindertransport 8. Flint Street Nativity

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School Productions

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1. Annie 2. Flint Street Nativity 3. Alice in Wonderland 4. Punk Rock 5. The Sound of Music 6. Lord of the Flies 7. Accrington Pals 8. A Year and a Day

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A Level Students Joseph said, ‘‘Drama and theatre studies is a big part of my school life. It allows me to be creative and express myself in ways that other subjects don’t allow. I feel my confidence has grown immensely having taken both GCSE and A Level drama and theatre studies and that has helped me to progress in my other subjects. I have had a huge interest in film since I was young and this subject helps to expand my understanding of acting and the choices directors and actors make when creating a piece of drama. In many ways, drama at Hull Collegiate has embraced my interests and helped me mature as an individual."

Eleanor said, ‘‘Drama has always been a massive part of my life; from a young age I was always on stage and performing. When I perform, I am happy, and it is what I love to do. In Year 8, I took part in my first Senior School production of the Grimm Tales. One of my favourite school productions that I took part in was Annie in 2018, where I played the role of Pepper. I loved playing Pepper, as we have very contrasting personalities, and I found it very enjoyable to portray someone who is completely different to who I am as a person. Drama is something that means a lot to me. Mrs Asbury and all my peers are very supportive, and as soon as I joined the A Level class, all my worries of not having taken the GCSE melted away. We are currently preparing for our devised drama which will be based on the London Riots which took place in the summer of 2011. I am thoroughly enjoying studying Theatre Studies at A Level, it is making me into a well-rounded person, as well as making me more confident. I would thoroughly suggest that people take Theatre Studies as an A Level, it provides you with so many important skills, as well as being really fun!’’

Emily S said, ‘‘I chose Drama at A Level as I thoroughly enjoyed the GCSE course, and it has been so helpful to me, not only with supporting my Film Studies, but with my confidence. Due to the small class size and extremely encouraging teacher, we are able to be comfortable and judgement free with each other, which allows me to take leaps and do things I wouldn’t normally do.’’

Emily P said, ‘‘My passion for Drama blossomed when I first joined HCS in Year 7. I took part in my first school production of Grimm Tales in Year 8. I chose to pursue Drama at GCSE combining my passion for drama with my love for English Literature, history and art. A moment I feel defined my journey within the drama department at HCS was taking one of the lead roles in the school production of “Lord of the Flies”. Whilst it was hard work, it was simultaneously incredible fun and very rewarding. Now in Year 12, I fully appreciate the foundation that all those years of work and support have provided, as I progress throughout A Level Drama.’’

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Eleanor

Emily P

Emily S

Joseph

Rehearsing devised drama based on the London riots in 2011 31

Alumni & Teacher Actors Head of Drama, Mrs Asbury Before becoming a teacher I spent my secondary education training at the Arts Educational School followed by the three year acting course at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. I then spent twenty years in the acting profession working across the theatrical spectrum from the London fringe and regional repertory theatre to the West End and The Royal Shakespeare Company, during which time I was lucky enough to work with some amazingly talented actors and directors such as Vanessa Redgrave and Sam Mendes.

A car accident heralded a change in career and following a late University Degree I finally came to land at Hull Collegiate School (then known as Tranby High School for Girls) where it has been my privilege and honour to teach ever since.

Hannah Levy and Terrie Oakshott who went on to found Northern Lights Drama Company were amongst some of my first pupils and it has been a pleasure to watch them grow and develop their careers to the point where they are now able to inspire the next generation of performers.

From my background I am very aware of the importance of making links between the subject of Drama and its application in practice in this challenging profession and therefore we aim to employ young and talented practising actor/teachers in the Drama Department at HCS. Last year pupils were able to see both Miss Duffield and Miss Kirkman perform in the debut play Beryl (written by Maxine Peake) at the East Riding Theatre (ERT) before taking the production to London where it was performed to critical acclaim.

HCS’s connections with ERT have allowed pupils access to the expert professionals that work there. Adrian Rawlins (Artistic Director of ERT and Harry Potter’s Dad in the films) has been in school to run a Q&A with pupils, and we have had visits from set designers, lighting designers and other actors during the last five years, since ERT began. A number of our successful alumni started their professional careers at ERT in small roles working alongside professional actors and we are very aware of the privilege of this connection.

Every few years we have a pupil who leaves HCS and goes on to achieve real success in the acting profession but we also have many other pupils who move into other areas of expertise with tremendous success helped in part by the skills they learnt here at HCS. I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.

Oscar Wilde

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East Riding Theatre and She Productions www.eastridingtheatre.co.uk

Bottom left - The lighting team on a school production including Charlie Johnston (middle) who left York St John Universtity and had his first job at ERT. Bottom right - Four HCS Alumni and teacher in a rehearsal break at ERT. 33

Rachel Barnes Rachel realised her love for theatre aged 14 when she was encouraged by Mrs Asbury to audition for the National Youth Theatre.

On successfully getting in, she trained and performed with NYT throughout her teens and set her sights on a career in acting. Over the next few years she studied Drama GCSE and A-Level and performed leading roles in school productions. She went on to graduate in Acting from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and is now enjoying a fulfilling and varied career.

In theatre, Rachel has recently starred in acclaimed shows Joan of Leeds (New Diorama), Sugar Coat (Vaults), and Canary and the Crow (Arcola Theatre) for which she recently won an Offie (Off West-End) Award.

Rachel has also just finished filming a short film and is due to appear in the BBC series Ladhood later this year. She also works regularly as as a voice actor for Netflix and Sky animations.

Rachel enjoys writing her own work and is a company director of local theatre collective She Productions which she co-founded in 2015.

Rachel said, ‘‘I owe so much to Mrs Asbury and the drama department at Collegiate. I was constantly encouraged and challenged by her and learnt so much through drama lessons, devised shows and productions. I saw some incredible theatre on school drama trips that I otherwise would never have been inspired by, and I was able to study a whole range of theatre companies and styles. The A-Level drama course also teaches you how to make your own work which is so important in today’s acting industry as you’ve got to be independently creative and proactive, so that has been invaluable to me.

Even if you don’t want to pursue a career on the stage, there is so much to learn from this subject! Drama teaches you to be be confident in your own skin and stand firm on your own two feet; invaluable skills whichever path you want to go down.’’

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Hannah Smith-Levy Theatre is the art of looking at ourselves (Augusto Boal) My most fond memories of Hull Collegiate School are performing in the annual school productions and studying Drama and Theatre Studies at GCSE and A Level.

Studying Drama at school was in part about the in-depth exploration of the core skills and techniques needed to become a more confident and well-rounded performer, but it also taught me how Drama can be used as a transformative agent for action, reflection and change. I still remember how Mrs Asbury facilitated inspiring classes in which we used Drama and Performance to openly discuss and challenge topics such as the Refugee Crisis following the Bosnian War, Votes for Women and Gender Equality.

I went on to read Drama at The University of Manchester, specialising in Applied Theatre in the community, prisons and places of war. I came to understand how drama can be used to make the world a better place by aiding the personal, social, political and learning development of individuals and communities. I also continued my training as an actor at university, appearing in productions at The Edinburgh Fringe, Manchester Library Theatre, Contact Theatre and John Thaw Studio during my three-year degree.

I am also a founding member of She Productions, and now sit on the Board of Trustees, supporting the talented all female theatre collective and company in residence at East Riding Theatre.

Following university, I co-founded Northern Lights Drama Theatre School with fellow HCS Alumnus, Terrie Oakshott, providing high quality teaching and support to talent across Hull and East Yorkshire and outreach work within the local community. 35

Hannah John-Kamen Hannah took both the GCSE and A Level in Drama at HCS as well as appearing in numerous school productions, most notably as Rizzo in our production of Grease.

During her final A Level year, Mrs Asbury helped her to prepare her audition monologues for the National Youth Theatre and for Drama School and we were very proud and excited when she won a place on the NYT programme and was accepted at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

Hannah worked very hard during her three year course and almost immediately went straight into the starring role of Viva in the newly written Spice Girls Musical Viva Forever. Pupils from HCS went to see Hannah in her starring role in the West End where she showed them around the backstage areas and her dressing room. The pupils were starry eyed after their visit.

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Following this, Hannah’s career has gone from strength to strength. She has appeared in the series Killjoys, Game of Thrones, as Ghost in the superhero film Ant Man and The Wasp and most recently in the film SAS Red Notice, to name but a few. She also played the lead role in The Stranger where she appeared on a billboard in Madison Square Gardens.

We are very proud of Hannah and her achievements.

Gabriel Winter From advising me on drama school auditions, to introducing me to working professionals in the industry, to giving me a space to rehearse and perform plays both scholastic and extra-curricular and helping me hone my craft, the Drama department at Hull Collegiate, and Mrs Asbury in particular, played a huge part in helping me get my foot into the creative industry. I trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama on the three-year acting course and have since gone on to perform in many theatre shows both in London and in the North.

I now live in London and I recently cowrote and starred in a film that shot in Barcelona over the summer and two pilots I co-wrote have been optioned by production companies. The start to your career of choice, the teachers and support mechanisms around you are so important - and the drama department at Hull Collegiate gave me the best possible space and encouragement to begin that journey.

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Ben Hunter Ben was an outstanding student of Drama at HCS. He took the GCSE and A Level in this subject as he moved through the school. During the A Level course Ben successfully auditioned for the role of Danny in the musical Calendar Girls, which took him on a national tour and then straight into the West End. His whirlwind success did not end there. Within a few weeks of opening the musical in the West End he was nominated in the ‘Best Supporting Actor in a Musical’ category at the 2017 Laurence Olivier Awards. We could not have been more proud. Since then Ben has continued to develop his career having appeared in a number of television series such as Dr Who and most recently Gentleman Jack for the BBC. Ben said, “I became interested in acting when I joined the school in Year 7, and thanks to Mrs Asbury, I very quickly fell in love with it. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help and guidance of Mrs A. She inspired me to pursue it as a career and taught me all that I know. She offered me countless opportunities and I owe everything to her.”

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Alex Meltham I’ve always had a passion for theatre, so studying Drama through to A Level at Hull Collegiate School was an easy decision for me, and it was a natural fit for the English Literature degree I aimed to pursue after leaving school. Drama gave me a unique range of skills that I wouldn’t have learned as quickly or as easily elsewhere – speaking confidently in public; working under pressure as a team; improvising when things don’t go to plan, and doing it all with a smile on your face!

When I left Hull Collegiate for St Andrews, my Drama A -Level gave me a very different perspective on the plays we had to study. Students without a theatre background often read them purely as texts, whereas having practical theatre experience gave me a much more complete set of tools to approach them with.

I graduated from St Andrews with a First Class Honours degree in 2012, and joined Ernst and Young’s graduate programme. I’m now a manager in their Business Consulting team, working on high profile client accounts from national governments to Premier League football clubs, and I put my Drama training into practice every day.

When I’m pitching for work or giving a presentation, I’m deploying the public speaking and storytelling skills I developed in our devised drama module; if a client puts us under pressure or moves the goalposts, I can respond quickly and calmly because I’m used to dealing with the unexpected on stage. Before lockdown, I even had to put my sound-mixing and lighting skills back into practice, when one of our technicians was ill before an important conference!

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Alice Gold Managing the department in this way also means that there are excellent opportunities to work with and connect with professionals throughout your time at school, making your transition into the industry much easier. As I write this, I have finished the ‘tech week’ and filming performances of Babe the Sheep-Pig, the first of my public performances at the renowned Guildford School of Acting. Skills I learned from Mrs Asbury (including how to manage my energy in the long days) really supported me through this intense process.

Through my life as a pupil, university student, and actor, my time in Hull Collegiate’s Drama department has been an invaluable resource.

I hold a First-Class degree from the University of St Andrews. I found that the rigour and discipline instilled in me through Mrs Asbury’s professionalism meant that my work was thorough, wellplanned, and executed to the best of my abilities.

Stating the obvious, presentations never phased me, and the imagination fostered in me during my time at HCS ensured I was able to confidently take risks in my research, meaning my work was brave, creative, and unique!

Whilst I appreciate there are after-school opportunities, I know I would not be as ‘industryready’ were it not for the superb level of training at HCS. Mrs Asbury is a trained actor who worked in the industry and she does an amazing job at ensuring staff are all industry professionals who can go above-and-beyond for their pupils, and ensure the pupils fully understand the work and relentless nature of the industry.

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Similarly, techniques and practitioners I encountered within the Drama department still inform my work today, and having such embedded and good knowledge means I can confidently explore other practitioners and always improve my abilities in new, exciting ways. I have been able to turn my hand to plays, musicals, and, more recently, short films and - soon! - television. I also felt able to join the team of the award-winning company The Grad Fest, which was founded in 2020 to give opportunities to theatre graduates across the UK, and has grown into a respected producing company, whose most recent endeavour is a live-streamed concert filmed at Cadogan Hall in the heart of London’s theatreland.

The Drama department at Hull Collegiate goes well beyond the syllabus, truly preparing pupils for any path they might choose, and giving them ‘the edge’ to emerge into any career but, especially, the world of theatre with panache and bravery aplenty.

Annie Kirkman Born and bred in the East Riding with a passion for the Arts was tricky to navigate 15 years ago when I was looking to develop my skills as an actor. Local arts’ training was scarce when it came to Sixth Forms and colleges, so I ended up moving away to boarding school and onto drama school.

After graduating with a degree in Musical Theatre, I slowly migrated back up North as I soon realised the vibrant and exciting creative scene slowly expanding close to home.

Seven years on, I have been privileged enough to follow a steady career in the Arts industry through performance, theatremaking, teaching and most recently in helping to re-build a stronger and more resilient sector by supporting local organisations.

Hull Collegiate has one of the best drama departments in the area which I was lucky to be part of for three years. I have worked with many of the school’s budding actors not only in the classroom but on stage as well, working alongside them in shows including A Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist at East Riding Theatre and seeing them move onto drama schools and professional careers.

I feel very fortunate to work in an industry that I care so deeply about, and I would encourage every young person to challenge their creativity and discover what this incredible sector has to offer.

The Arts isn’t just about being an actor, the possibilities and opportunities are endless. My working week includes writing funding applications and balancing accounts for my theatre company, She Productions; self-taping for auditions and recording voiceovers as a freelance creative; and connecting with other local artists.

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Jessica Duffield From an early age, theatre has been a huge part of my life and has offered unique opportunities and experiences for which I am truly grateful. Having studied Drama and French at University, I then trained as an actor at drama school in London, where I met wonderfully inspiring people who helped continue my journey into theatre.

Through acting jobs I have travelled the country on tours, which has not only enabled me to get to know places I might not have seen, but I have learnt to live with very little, materialistically.

Co-founding the theatre company, She Productions, and becoming company in residence at the East Riding Theatre has been hugely rewarding and challenging, and has required not only drama skills, but business skills in setting up a company, which has been a success thanks to the superb team.

We have written, produced, marketed, directed, acted, staged and toured our own plays and, most recently, filmed an online animated series during lockdown. This is clear proof that there is a world of opportunity within the theatre, and that studying Drama can lead you to anything – the creative and collaborative skills developed are invaluable.

It is through ERT that I was lucky enough to be in the production of Beryl, which transferred to London’s Arcola Theatre for two sell-out runs in 2019 and 2020. The opportunity to tell such an inspiring, story about the incredible Yorkshire-born cyclist, Beryl Burton, in London was very special!

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Skills developed in Drama have also helped me in teaching – both languages and Drama – and to work with young people at HCS is a real privilege, which I thoroughly enjoy.

Teaching Drama enables me to share my love of the subject with others in order to encourage them to experience something I couldn’t imagine living without, and to develop essential skills for life.

Alice Palmer My name is Alice Rose Palmer, I am an Actor and founding member of Beverley based Theatre company She Productions. As a company we have had the opportunity to run workshops with Hull Collegiate pupils with a range of themes such as Consent and Storytelling. Pupils have always been very engaged and open to these workshops, which makes a brilliant environment to be creative and develop at the same time.

I also have had the pleasure of teaching/working in the Drama department of the school.

We have also previously worked with talented ex-pupil Alice Gold on our production The Three Kingdoms. We are grateful for our continuing connection with the school; we have grown as a company through the school’s support, openness and of course its pupils. It is not very common for such an established relationship with a theatre company and school to exist, it allows a unique opportunity for pupils to see the working world of theatre and acting in practice and opens opportunities for future work experience.

In 2019 as a company, we were able to rehearse our family Christmas Show The Fairy That Fell Off the Christmas Tree on school grounds, this meant we could share parts of the rehearsal process with pupils and allowed us to share a sneak peek before the run of the show started. It is incredibly important to us as a company that we can use drama to inspire creativity in all its forms and inspire the next generation of theatre-makers.

There have been several trips from the school to see our shows, the most recent being Bombshells a one woman show at the East Riding Theatre. As a company it was fantastic to see drama pupils so engaged in a performance. Then the next week I was able to breakdown the elements of my performance as an actor and the whole process of bringing it to the stage with pupils in a drama lesson.

As a company we have many connections with Hull Collegiate, our company was formed in 2015 with ex-pupils Hannah Levy and Rachel Barnes as two of the five founding members. Hannah is now a Trustee of the company and Rachel continues to work with us as a company member, currently on our animated series The StorytEllas.

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