Park Theatre Announces Lineup of Free Masterclasses For Arts Industry Professionals

Park Theatre and Getting In Formation are presenting seven free masterclasses for arts industry professionals and aspiring professionals from underrepresented groups, nurturing creativity and encouraging a more diverse industry. The sessions have been curated and produced by Holly Adomah Thompson, who will present the final class on theatre marketing, and include a Theatre Queers Networking Night hosted by Tabby Lamb, a session on activism and celebrating your heritage with Abi Zakarian, and a class in utilizing the subtext by Park Theatre Artistic Director Jez Bond. Each two-hour session can be attended in-person or online, and are for those that identify as working class, LGBTQI+, those who are deaf or disabled and those of a Culturally Diverse Heritage.

The line-up of classes are:

• Get Into Producing with Adrian Gardner: Whether you think you're a producer or not, by the end of this session you'll have covered everything you need produce an event that bangs.
• Get Into Theatre Queers Networking Night Hosted by Tabby Lamb: The brightest stars and emerging artists of the queer theatre and cabaret circuit come together to socialize, gossip and support each other
• Get Into Subtext with Jez Bond: This two hour workshop, aimed at actors, writers and directors, will start to unlock some of the key components of drama: from narrative structure, to exposition, to creating (and speaking) dialogue that rings true, to discerning the power of the subtext.
• Get Into Activism and Celebrating Your Heritage with Abi Zakarain: Intersected: how to combine activism in your writing and celebrate your heritage while navigating an industry built on privilege.
• Getting Over Fundraising Fears with Tania Dunn & Elisha Owen: Giving you a taste from their fundraising encyclopedias, Tania and Elisha will be sharing expert advice on how to write a strong application, managing galas, working with corporations, fundraising events and donor stewardship.
• Get Into Voice Acting with Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo: From corporates to video games, learn how you can put your voice to use as well as gaining insight into the voice acting sphere from Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo.
• Get Into Theatre Marketing with Holly Adomah Thompson: In this masterclass, you'll learn essential tips and advice on how to market your show, whether it's on-stage or via Zoom. Holly will take you through how to identify and target audiences, what resources are out there to support your campaign, not forgetting some all-important self-care tips.

Artistic Director Jez Bond said "Diversity is about ensuring that everyone gets not just a seat at the table but a voice as well. Theatre is at its most powerful when it celebrates a range of stories and cultures - and when it rejoices in our differences, for therein lie our strengths. London is a multicultural city and as meeting places, places of entertainment and places where debates take place, theatres have a duty to reflect this diversity on their stages. At Park Theatre we are proud to be presenting a series of workshops aimed at individual practitioners hitherto underrepresented - to make certain that they are afforded opportunities that might previously have been denied."

Holly Adomah Thompson, founder of Getting In Formation, added, "I've been working at Park Theatre over the years, as their previous Marketing Intern and on their Cafe/Bar and I'd like to say how excited I am to have curated and produced Park Sessions: Get Into It. At the foremost, diversity and inclusion need to and should be celebrated within our industry but also to allow and platform creatives on their journey and talents. I feel each of my masterclass leaders do so in their own ways and I cannot wait for them to share their wisdom to their audiences."

Park Theatre presents exceptional theatre in the heart of Finsbury Park, boasting two world-class performance spaces: Park200 for predominantly larger scale productions by established talent, and Park90, a flexible studio space, for emerging artists. In eight years, it has enjoyed eight West End transfers (including Daytona starring Maureen Lipman, The Boys in the Band starring Mark Gatiss, Pressure starring David Haig and The Life I Lead starring Miles Jupp), two National Theatre transfers, twenty-five national tours, four Olivier Award nominations, has won Offie Awards for Best New Play and Best Foodie Experience and won a Theatre of the Year award from The Stage. Park Theatre are grateful to all those who have donated to the Park Life fund, supporting the venue through the pandemic.

Holly Adomah Thompson is a Theatre Marketer based in South East London. After a Marketing Internship at Park Theatre, she eventually became the first and last Marketing Manager at The Bunker Theatre, working on shows such as My White Best Friend, and received the Social Media Presence and Activities OFFIE Award 2020. She's also worked on productions at The VAULTS Festival (2020) and is the founder of Getting in Formation, her events company which seeks to provide insight and information on the arts sector to emerging and entry level creatives. Holly is the co-creator of Creative Futures, an event series for the University of Greenwich to inspire their Drama students to pursue careers in theatre, and is the founder of Holly's Angels, a volunteer food distribution hub which works with theatre venues, including Park Theatre, the Albany and The Globe Theatre, to provide for local communities and freelance artists who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Classes run 19 July - 24 July.

Learn more and purchase tickets at www.parktheatre.co.uk or call 020 7870 6876.

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