Tag: Speech and Drama

Working in the professional theatre, television and cabaret, Carol produced her one woman show. She teaches presentation skills in commerce and industry and has taught ESL, SEN and drama at schools and colleges including Guildford School of Acting, Grandison College and, for 22 years, at Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts and, until 2007, Croham Hurst School, Croydon.

Carol is an adjudicator for The British and International Federation of Festivals and examines for LAMDA throughout the UK, Ireland and worldwide. Writing “The Discussion” 1&2 for LAMDA, she contributed to its Musical Theatre syllabus and “Musical Theatre – Exploring The World Through Song”. She was a trustee of Voice Care Network UK.

Drama and performance have been Ann’s life’s passion. She made her first stage appearance at the age of five and has since performed in many leading roles. She studied Speech and Drama at the Royal Academy of Music for three years. She then pursued a career in teaching and lecturing in Drama Colleges and schools in London and Southern England. Her forte is directing plays and musicals for adults and children.

Ann is a member of the LAMDA Board of examiners. She has examined all the disciplines in the syllabus throughout the United Kingdom and in Australia, America, Dubai, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Singapore, South Africa, Spain and Sri Lanka. She has been on several LAMDA syllabus committees and edited some of their publications. She runs her own training company specialising in Public Speaking and Presentation Skills for business people.

She strongly believes that it is so important to encourage young people to communicate verbally and confidently. This is a life skill for their future. Festivals give them such a valuable opportunity to develop this skill

As a member of the British and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech she has adjudicated throughout England, Northern Ireland, Eire, Guernsey and Hong Kong.

Ann has spent her working life in education teaching in secondary and primary schools, theatres, university and therapy teams, as well as examining drama and theatre studies. Ann ran her own drama school for many years, and has worked in mainstream education as a drama and English teacher, a SENCO and specialist teacher for pupils with SEN.

Ann trained to teach under John Hodgson at Bretton Hall, his major influence was the importance of improvisation. Ann continues to be an enthusiastic teacher of improvisation for developing all performance skills.

She believes strongly in the inclusive power of drama, that it offers confidence building, team work, and the discipline of controlling body, voice – and nerves. Combining that with her love of the written word, her first degree was English; she counts herself lucky to spend her life talking about what she loves.

Currently Ann combines her teaching with doctoral research into teaching maths to young people with complex special needs. She is also an adjudicator for The British and International Federation of Festivals. Drama skills are never far away in her strategies whichever subject she is teaching. In her spare time Ann still attends ballet and tap classes, a lifelong passion, and enjoys theatre going and precious time with her family.