It's a situation that many who dream of working in a theatre will know all too well: they have passion and dedication in spades, but what they really need is advice on how to get their foot in the door. Enter Theatrecraft.
TheatreCraft is an annual career fair held in central London giving 16-24 year olds the opportunity to engage with theatre professionals and explore the various backstage careers available in the industry.
In recent years, the event has been held at the Royal Opera House however, due to ongoing work as part of the Open Up project, this year’s event will be hosted by The Waldorf Hilton and nearby West End theatres and will run from 9.30am-4.30pm on Monday 14 November. The fair is free to attend.
Throughout the day attendees will be able to interact with people currently working in the industry, discuss their career opportunities, ask experts for advice and make valuable contacts.
There will also be a range of workshops led by creative industry professionals providing a first-hand insight into various backstage careers. Staff from the Royal Opera House will run workshops giving insights into the Scenic Art, Armoury, Learning and Participation and the Lighting Visualization departments.
Starting a career in the highly competitive theatre industry can be challenging but many young people find jobs after their experiences at TheatreCraft.
‘One of the reasons TheatreCraft proved so useful to me in securing my apprenticeship was because I was able to speak to people already working in technical theatre', says Alex Dillon-McQueen, a Technical Apprentice at the ROH. 'I also really enjoyed the workshops; you’re sat in a room full of people your own age and all of them are interested in the same particular element of theatre as you. It was really inspiring!’
Similarly, Lucy Rahim was able to use the contacts she made on the day to help get her job in the Marketing Department at the Society of London Theatre (SOLT):
‘A friend already working in theatre encouraged me to attend TheatreCraft, assuring me that it would be essential in finding my first job – I’m so glad I listened! While I was there I attended two workshops and put my name down on every jobs mailing list going. During my ‘Ask The Experts’ session I discussed my CV with a member of staff from the Royal Opera House who gave me some crucial tips on the best way to present my skills and experience. Subsequently, I applied for jobs through the contacts I made on the day which resulted in two interviews and my current job at SOLT.’
Booking is now open for TheatreCraft 2016. Places are free but attendees must register beforehand.
TheatreCraft was created by Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust and is now run in partnership with Society of London Theatre, the Royal Opera House, Mousetrap Theatre Projects, and Creative and Cultural Skills.
Find out about employment and work experience opportunities at the Royal Opera House.
