As she joins Stagetext, Melanie Sharpe looks back on those who have inspired her career.
Brian Bishop
I’ve always worked in the arts. After training at Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama and gaining a Diploma in Community Theatre Arts and Theatre in Education in 1983, I worked as a freelance actor/teacher for 10 years. Here I met my first Guru, Brian Bishop, who was then team leader of Theatre in Education at Belgrade Theatre Coventry and is now Education Director at Warwick Arts Centre.
I was 27 when I was successful in becoming a permanent actor/teacher for Belgrade. At the time, this was a major career goal. It was the one company I desperately wanted to work for. Their reputation as leaders in the field of devised age-appropriate T.I.E programmes was second to none, and I wanted to be a part of that legacy.
To say I was young and inexperienced is an understatement! However, Brian was the calm voice, the enabler who listened to your thoughts and opinions, who recognised some kind of spark in my performance and devising skills. Brian was and still is a passionate advocate of child-centred learning – of going on the journey with the child, not setting yourself up as the expert with all the answers, of asking open questions and listening to their answers. It’s a mantra still true today and a skill that applies throughout life, in all situations. He has become a friend that I still turn to both professionally and personally for that voice of calm. Everyone needs a BB!
Deborah Bestwick
After years of getting up at 5.30am and setting up in schools ready for a 9.15am performance, I chanced my luck and became a jobbing actress. It wasn't for me, I needed more control, more security, but, what to do? I had no proper skills, or so I thought.
In comes Deborah Bestwick – Director of Ovalhouse – to my rescue.
I was working freelance for several companies as a workshop leader/ director, as well as part time in a dress shop and attending auditions and castings – working, but nothing substantial or exciting. Deborah needed someone to assist her in the office. This was the opportunity that changed my life and my career, and I will be eternally grateful to Deborah.
The work place was changing; computers were becoming the norm. I had learnt to type at school but I didn't know anything about computers. Deborah sent me on a ‘Happy Computers’ course, where I learnt how to use Word, Excel and Sage. I helped the finance manager to process the wages, and managed the petty cash. I learnt office skills. It turned out I was quite good at these skills – who knew? Deborah did.
For the next five years, Deborah invested and encouraged me to tie my old and new skills together. I started to develop the workshops for young people within schools and pupil referral units. Five years on, I had built up an education department within Ovalhouse providing preparation work experience workshops, anger management workshops and Time Bomb 24-hour theatre challenges. This was one of the happiest and most creative periods of my career. The faith Deborah invested in me, the encouragement, care and, I will go so far as to say, love, enabled me to flourish and find a new career and passion. I will forever be grateful for her faith, then and now, in me and her belief that I had potential.
Jenny Harris, Chrissie Tiller and Sue Storr
I was on a journey towards understanding the importance of strong women enabling, supporting and encouraging younger women – hello Jenny Harris. Jenny was Director of Education at the National Theatre when I joined her new team to work at The Albany Deptford on the three-year Art of Regeneration project. Jenny, who now sadly is no longer with us, was a powerhouse of inspiration. She believed it was her duty to encourage, support and develop up-and-coming arts professionals, whatever their skills were. Her legacy to me was to surround yourself with young talent and let it flourish – the joy of knowing you have helped someone on their chosen career path gives you, in turn, a career boost.
It wasn't the easiest project, but Jenny developed and saw potential in me that I never even realised existed. This resulted in me being seconded to the Albany as Interim Director, whilst the refurbishment was underway. I learnt so many negotiation and management skills under the watchful eyes of Jenny and two other women, freelance consultants Chrissie Tiller and Sue Storr, who were also working on the Art of Regeneration Project at the time.
This trio of women continued to hold my hand and push me on, gently encouraging me when I moved on to become the Director of Jacksons Lane. This was a challenging period of my career, especially when the roof literally fell in and I was stretched to breaking point. These three gurus were always on hand with support, information, practical help, a hug and even a theatre visit as a treat in the tough times.
We lost Jenny three years ago, far too early in her retirement. But Chrissie and Sue will always be my ‘go tos’ for the professional voice you need to hear, a voice that cares and is genuinely interested in how you are getting on and what are you up to. I will be forever grateful to these women. They were and continue to be, truly inspirational.
Steve Mannix
Finally there is a man I have to thank for nagging me over the past thirty years, for his total belief in me and his generosity of spirit in sharing his knowledge. Thank you Steve Mannix, Executive Director at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester. He has hung in there with me since the early years at Rose Bruford, lived through highs and lows with me and always been there.
Thank you to you all – without you I would probably never have had the opportunity to be the CEO of Stagetext.
Of course there are also lots of other people who have influenced my thoughts and decisions along the way, too many to mention, and sometimes without even realising it. But we all need those people whose opinions we knowingly trust, those who don’t take you at face value, but act as a critical friend and reveal the talents, skills and knowledge that you can’t always recognise in yourself. We all need those Gurus in our lives.
Melanie Sharpe is Chief Executive of Stagetext.
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