THE FRONT LINE
Oxford Playhouse, 8th-11th November
Music by Leonard BernStein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Meet the team
We are thrilled to be working with a talented and experienced cast and crew to bring Voltaire's 'Candide' to life. With a company of over 60, this is one of the largest student productions to have taken space on the Playhouse stage in recent years. Have a browse of our cast and crew bios and find out more about the people involved.
Are you a student at Oxford or Oxford Brookes? Interested in theatre and looking to get involved behind the scenes? We're looking to expand our company by adding assistants to our lighting, sound, stage, marketing and costume departments. It's the perfect introduction to student theatre in Oxford, and you'd be working on one of the most professional level productions that the student drama scene has to offer.
Email contact@barricadearts.com to register your interest, and include a short paragraph outlining which department you'd like to be involved in and why you'd like to be involved.
CAST
Josh Blunsden - Candide
Joshua Blunsden is a fourth year Chemistry student at Corpus Christi College. Candide marks his fourth appearance on the Oxford Playhouse stage after playing the role of the Captain in Anything Goes (MT16) and performing in the ensembles of RENT (HT16) and Singin’ in the Rain (MT15). His other roles in Oxford theatre include Monsieur André in The Phantom of the Opera (O’Reilly, HT16), Herr Schultz in Cabaret (Pichette Auditorium, TT16), Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd (Queen’s College Gardens, TT16), the adult men in Spring Awakening (O’Reilly, MT15), Simon Stride in Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical (Pichette Auditorium, TT15) and the ensemble of Iolanthe (SJE Arts, HT15). Before coming to Oxford, he played the Headmaster in Alan Bennett’s The History Boys and had roles in other plays as well as the musicals Grease and South Pacific. Josh also sings with his college’s chapel choir, where he holds a choral bursary. They recently released a CD of Christmas music and this summer toured to Rome, where they sang in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Laura Coppinger - Cunegonde
Laura is in her second year reading Music at St Hilda’s College. Before coming to Oxford, Laura sang with professional touring company Opera Brava (Rigoletto [2015], Carmen [2015, 2016]) in venues across the South of England, in addition to principal roles with Glyndebourne Youth Opera, the most recent production being the world premiere of David Bruce’s Nothing [2016]. Since commencing her university studies, Laura has gone on to perform in a number of other roles including Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance [MT16], Angelina in Trial by Jury [HT17] and Amiens in As You Like It [TT17]. Off the theatrical stage, Laura has performed as a soloist with Newbury Symphony Orchestra and St Hilda’s College, is a member of Merton College Chapel Choir and Theatron Oneiron, and a recipient of the Joan Conway Scholarship 2017-18. This Autumn she will be singing in a masterclass with English Touring Opera alongside producing the newly composed operatic work A Sketch of Slow Time.
David Garrick - Pangloss
David is a fourth year studying Physics at Worcester College. He has performed as Mr Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors (Oxford Playhouse TT17), Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls (O'Reilly MT16), Captain Brice in Arcadia (O'Reilly TT16), Major Murgatroyd in Patience (St Barnabas HT16), Sir Marmaduke in The Sorcerer (Corpus Christi Auditorium MT14) and in the ensemble of Iolanthe (SJE Arts HT15). He also directed a production of The Gondoliers (Corpus Christi Auditorium MT15).
Amelia Gabriel - Old Woman
Amelia is in the final year of her undergraduate English degree at Lincoln college. This is her fifth appearance on the Playhouse stage, following recent performances as Audrey in 'Little Shop of Horrors', Canterbury in 'Edward II', Starveling in 'The Fairy Queen', and an ensemble member in 'Anything Goes'. Amelia particularly enjoys new-write musical theatre and this year premiered the titular role in Maria Shepherd's musical adaptation of 'Anna Karenina', and Sally in 'The Inevitable Quiet of the Crash' at the Edinburgh Fringe. She spent her summer on a two month tour of the UK with Leo&Hyde's opera/pop/musical theatre fusion 'The Marriage of Kim K', with which she opened the Grimeborn Festival at The Arcola Theatre and was awarded The Derek Award for Best Voice at Edinburgh Fringe 2017.
Jessica Bradley - Paquette
Jessica is a first year music student studying at Worcester College with a choral scholarship. At Oxford she has performed in the drama cuppers play ‘Meta’ (BT, MT16), ‘London Road’ (Keble O’Reilly, HT17) as well as other regular music concerts. She has been involved with music and drama throughout her time at school, working on productions such as ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ and ‘Les Miserables’. Previous experience also includes singing with the National Youth Choirs and producing several fundraising music concerts. Jessica is incredibly excited to join the cast of Candide for her first performance in the Oxford Playhouse.
Max Cadman - Cacambo
Max is a third year Historian studying at New College. Formerly known as the bad boy of musical theatre after a successful stint as chef/waiter/peasant/ station officer/ensemble in the critically acclaimed 'Anna Karenina: The Musical', he made the switch to classical theatre, starring as Hal in Henry IV Part 1 (O'Reilly TT17). At the Edinburgh Fringe 2017, Max dabbled in Dionysian frenzy in a production of The Bacchae, and also learnt the lead role for 'STOP - The Musical' in just two days when lead was absent. He also enjoys deep conversation, and long walks on the beach at sunset.
John Lee - Martin
Born in Singapore, John is a third year undergraduate music student at St Catherine’s College, Oxford. He debuted as Superintendent Budd in Britten’s Albert Herring (St Peter's College), and has performed as soloist in Haydn’s Creation (Oxford University Chorus) and Bach’s Ich habe genug (New Chamber Opera). He has premiered several works, including a long lost George Butterworth song on BBC Radio 3 in 2016 (then recently discovered by the Bodleian library). Since then, John has participated in several prestigious programmes, including Genesis Sixteen, The Sixteen’s young artists scheme, the Voces Academy Musical Leadership Programme, as well as masterclasses with Roderick Williams and Katie Mitchell. He currently directs the Holywell Consort, and is the Conducting Scholar of Schola Cantorum of Oxford. John is a recipient of a teaching scholarship from Singapore’s Ministry of Education to pursue music studies at Oxford.
Charlotte Pawley - Vanderdendur
Charlotte is in her third and final year studying English at St Hilda's College, and this will be her first performance at the Playhouse, and first musical in Oxford. She was last Music Scholar at St Hilda's 2016/17 and sings in the college choir, along with being a choral bursar at University College. She was previously a member of the Cantabile Girls' Choir who won both the BBC Songs of Praise School Choir of the Year, and several classes in the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. She now sings in choirs including University College Chapel Choir and has sung with the Arcadian Singers. In addition to her classical ensemble work, she sings with the a Capella group In The Pink, with whom she reached the finals of Voice Festival UK, and took a show to the Edinburgh Fringe in August; she also takes over as Musical Director of the group this year. Charlotte sings as a soloist and has performed several recitals across the university, singing both classical song and operatic arias. Outside of her work in Oxford, she has performed in two productions with the Eden Valley Opera Company, as Belinda in Dido and Aeneas (2016), and as Cupid in Venus and Adonis (2017). This year she will be performing in an English Touring Opera masterclass, as well as in a special performance for St Hilda's 125th Anniversary celebrations.
Alex Butt - Governor
Alex is a second year music student and choral scholar at St Peter's College. Previous experience in musical theatre and opera includes lead roles in Crazy For You (Gershwin, 2014), Kiss Me Kate (Porter, 2015), The Marriage of Figaro (2015), playing as a band member for a production of Britten’s one-act opera, Noye’s Fludd (2014) as well as musical director for Peter Weiss’ Marat/Sade (HT17, Keble O’Reilly). He is currently the president of The Oxford Gargoyles (joined MT16-), Oxford’s mixed vocal jazz group, with whom he performed at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe (August 2017). Alex is also a keen composer and arranger, having written music for several short films.
Alex Buchanan - Chorus
Alex is a 2nd Year Law student at St Hugh’s College. Over his time at Whitgift School, he played the title role in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest, Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast and Action in West Side Story, alongside directing and producing a series of short plays in the sixth form. He was thrilled to play the debonair Count Vronsky in a new musical production of Anna Karenina (HT17, O’Reilly) and to be part of the ensemble in Merrily We Roll Along (TT17, The Queen’s College), and has relished being typecast as villains in both Merlot & Royal (TT17, Tingewick Hall) and Cyrano de Bergerac (MT17, O’Reilly). He also recently performed in new folk musical About the Unsaid at the Edinburgh Fringe, and is the Drama Rep for St Hugh’s College. Alex is looking forward to treading the boards at the Playhouse for the first time!
Nils Behling - Chorus
Nils is in his forth year studying Materials Science at The Queen’s College; Candide is his fourth show at the Oxford Playhouse following performances as Moonface Martin in Anything Goes (MT16) and ensemble in Singin’ in the Rain (MT15) and RENT (HT16). Nils’ other appearances include Cinderella’s Prince in Into The Woods (Queen’s TT15), Pirelli in Sweeney Todd (Queen's TT16), Emcee in Cabaret (Pembroke Pichette Auditorium TT16), Dirty Linen (BT Studio MT14), Julius Caesar (Michael Pilch Studio MT15), Snout in the 2016 OUDS/Thema Holt International Tour production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, choreographer and ensemble for Guys and Dolls (Keble O’Reilly, MT16). Nils has a passion for dance and has performed in dance shows including Paradise (Old Fire Station HT16) and Illuminated (Keble O’Reilly HT17) and OUCD Showcase (HT16). Nils will be also be directing the up coming musical Sweet Charity at the Oxford Playhouse in late January 2018.
Harry O'Neill - Chorus
Harry is a second-year History student at Mansfield College. This is his first Oxford musical, having spent his first year performing with the all-male acapella group Out of the Blue, with whom he performed several shows in Oxford, including at the New Theatre (TT17) and the O'Reilly (MT16 and HT17). Alongside this, he sings with the college chapel choir, where he holds a choral scholarship.
Phoebe Mansell - Chorus
Phoebe is a third-year English student at Oriel College. She has enjoyed performing in many Oxford musicals such as Guys and Dolls (O'Reilly, MT16) and Anna Karenina (O'Reilly, HT17). She has also starred in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, as Tessa in The Gondoliers (Corpus Christi Auditorium, MT15), Josephine in HMS Pinafore (Magdalen Auditorium, TT16) and most recently as Nekaya in Utopia Limited (Brasenose Chapel, TT17). Aside from her musical and dramatic pursuits, Phoebe is a trained dancer in ballet, tap, jazz and contemporary - she was in the ballet corps of The Phantom of the Opera (O'Reilly, HT16), and she also performed in the contemporary dance show Illuminated (O'Reilly, HT16).
Frankie Bell-Davies - Chorus
Frankie is a third year studying Medicine at Lincoln College, where she is also a choral scholar. She has performed in several shows at Oxford including Guys and Dolls (O'Reilly MT16) and The Fairy Queen (Playhouse TT16). Before Oxford, Frankie was part of Glyndebourne Youth Opera and was a soloist in youth operas performed on the Glyndebourne stage. Outside of singing, she plays violin and is vice-president of Oxford University Amnesty International Society.
Julia Sandros-Alper - Chorus
Julia Sandros-Alper is a Swedish-American second year music student at University College, born and raised in Portugal. She started out as a dancer, taking classes in classical ballet and jazz dance since the age of 4, and moving into musical theatre through summer programs in New York, such as Summer Intensive at Steps on Broadway, and Broadway Triple Threat. With the Cascais Dance Academy, she has performed regularly on Portuguese television, both solo and in a group, and has also danced the role of Dido in an opera production of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. As an actress, she has performed roles such as Lady Macbeth, and Meg in Pinter’s The Birthday Party. She is currently a choral scholar of the Chapel Choir of University College. Candide will be her theatrical debut in Oxford, although she has already performed its orchestral Overture on the violin with the Oxford University Orchestra in Hilary term of last year.
Kerenza Hurr - Chorus
Kerenza is a second year Music student at St Peter's College. She has appeared onstage in The Pirates of Penzance (MT16) and Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro (HT17), as well as giving solo recitals at St Peter's College and New College. In addition to her choral scholarship, Kerenza sings with the female chamber choir Polyhymnia and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.
Sofia Kirwan-Baez - Chorus
Sofia is a third year Music student at St John’s College. She received most of her musical education in Dordogne, France where she discovered and developed her passion for piano. At the age of 16, her main focus turned towards lyrical voice and shortly after she began performing around the Dordogne region. Since her arrival at Oxford, she has performed in various student productions, such as in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience, Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, Britten’s Albert Herring and Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. She has also given several solo recitals around Oxford, and is a member of the St John’s Chapel choir as well as of Schola Cantorum. She has received Masterclasses from Katie Mitchell and Roderick Williams. Thanks to a scholarship awarded by the Music Faculty, she is receiving vocal tuition at the Royal Academy of Music.
Ella Ditri - Chorus
Ella is a second year History student at St Peter's College. As a drama scholar at her Sixth Form, she spent a lot of time directing younger students. Amateur performances from this period include 'How to succeed in business without really trying' (the role of Hedy La Rue) and 'Wildwood Tales'; she also played the role of Juno in 'Tales from Ovid' with KCS Company at the Fringe in 2015. Since coming to Oxford, she has performed in an expertly-directed version of 'Constellations' (Burton Taylor, MT16), 'The Optimists' (Burton Taylor, HT17), and 'A Midsummer's Night Dream' (St Peter's JCR, TT17). She is also one of this year's social secretaries for St Peter's College Chapel Choir.
Sam Lane - Chorus
Aside from playing Don Basilio in a questionable production of The Marriage of Figaro (HT, 2014), Sam’s performance experience in Oxford has essentially been confined to the equally questionable University Gilbert and Sullivan Society, with whom he has sung numerous roles, including Strephon in Iolanthe (HT, 2015), Bunthorne in Patience (HT, 2016), Captain Corcoran in HMS Pinafore (TT, 2016), Frederic in Pirates of Penzance (MT, 2016), and the Defendant in Trial by Jury (HT, 2017).
CREW
Jonny Danciger - Director
Jonny is a third year music undergraduate at St Peter’s College. Professional acting credits include Polly Findlay’s ‘Twisted Tales’ (Lyric Theatre, 2011) and in the ensemble of Steven Daldry’s ‘Billy Elliot’ (Victoria Palace Theatre, 2009). He has directed two of his own short plays in semi- professional studios: “I, a Clown?” (OSO, 2014) and “Room” (Edward Latymer Theatre, 2014). He studied contemporary ballet with the Rambert Dance Company for three years, and has had training in fight choreography through his work at the Lyric Theatre. Following participation in workshops with Frantic Assembly, Jonny also co-devised and performed in an original piece of physical theatre called ‘The Right to Be Forgotten’, staged in a black box studio in London. Oxford credits include Mercury Fur (Pilch HT16, director/sound), A Clockwork Orange (OSO London/O’Reilly MT16, director/sound), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (International Tour 2016, assistant director/sound), The Last Five Years (Pilch MT16, actor), Hamlet (O’Reilly MT15, actor), Spring Awakening (O’Reilly MT15, band), The Acid Test (BT MT15, actor), The Rivals (Peter’s Gardens TT16, actor), Orphans (Pilch TT16, sound), A Streetcar Named Desire (O’Reilly TT16, sound), The Tempest (Wadham Gardens TT16, sound/live voice actor), Ghosts (BT TT16, sound), XX (EdFringe 2016, sound), Cold/Warm (EdFringe 2016, sound), The Nether (Playhouse MT16, sound), Much Ado About Nothing (Pilch MT16, sound), Illuminated (O’Reilly HT17, sound), Edward II (Playhouse HT17, sound) London Road (O’Reilly HT17, sound), Marat/Sade (O’Reilly HT17, producer), Tender Napalm (Pilch HT17, sound), Bacchae (EdFringe 2017, composer and musical director) and Pomona (O’Reilly TT17, sound/lighting). Upcoming work includes directing a production of Animal Farm at the British Council School in Madrid. Jonny is the artistic director of Barricade Arts, and in addition to theatrical pursuits manages several bands in London, and has composed and mixed numerous soundtracks for film. He is also the OUDS college rep for St Peter’s, and the Other Societies rep for TAFF.
Joe Davies - Musical Director
Joe is a third-year music undergraduate and choral scholar at St Peter’s College. He has served as conductor of the Oxford University Chorus and the Oxford University Symphonic Band. With the former, he conducted performances of Haydn's 'The Creation', Rossini's 'Petite Messe Solennelle', Handel's 'Coronation Anthems', and Vivaldi's 'Gloria' in venues such as the Sheldonian Theatre. He is also Director of the Choir of the Wesley Memorial Chapel. Joe is the founder and current Musical Director of the Ripieno Players of Oxford, an ensemble which have performed with soloists such as Laura Van Der Heijden (BBC Young Musician, 2012), and are looking forward to working with Jess Gillam (BBC Young Musician Finalist, 2016) next year. He is also the founder and current Musical Director of the Eden Valley Opera Company, a venture which aims to bring together students from conservatoires and universities across the country in order to stage operas of a professional quality. With this company, Joe has so far conducted productions of Purcell’s 'Dido and Aeneas' and John Blow’s 'Venus and Adonis', and is looking forward to conducting Handel’s ‘Acis and Galatea’ this summer. He has also played lead roles in productions of 'Les Miserables' and 'Oliver!', and served as a 'cellist or bassist in the band for around twenty shows or operas.
Amy Thompson - Choreographer
Amy is an undergraduate classicist at St. Anne’s College. Before coming to Oxford, she graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance going on to teach ballet, modern, and tap dance in schools and professional colleges across the country. Since coming to university, she has taken on a number of roles within the theatre, creatively she was Choreographer on a period staging of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen (OP, TT16) and Dance Assistant on Jeeves & Wooster: In Perfect Nonsense (Simpkins Lee, MT16). Currently, she teaches an Advanced Tap class for the Oxford University Dance Society. On the production side, she has worked on A Streetcar Named Desire (ASM, O’Reilly, TT16), A Woman Killed with Kindness (Producer/PM, BT, MT16), Dates (PM, BT, MT16) Henry IV: Part One (Producer/PM, O’Reilly, TT17), Girls will be Girls (Producer, Olive Studio, Greenside @ Infirmary Street, Edinburgh Fringe 2017) and Bacchae (Producer, OP, MT17). Professionally, she worked on theatrical productions What if Women Ruled the World and 10000 Gestures created as part of the Manchester International Festival for 2017. She is greatly looking forward to future adventures with her theatre company FourSevenTwo Productions.
Naomi Chapman - Producer
Naomi Chapman is a second year undergraduate studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Worcester College. Since coming to Oxford, she has worked as a producer on Twelfth Night (TT16, Worcester College Gardens), Girls will be Girls (TT17, BT Studio), and for STOP, the OUDS National Tour 2017 (Pegasus, C Venues, Cockpit). She has also worked as an assistant producer on Anything Goes (MT16, Oxford Playhouse) and as executive producer for STOP (HT17, BT Studio). She was Secretary for the Worcester Buskins Drama Society, and is now Executive Producer for the OUDS New Writing Festival 2018.
John Paul - Executive Producer/Sound Designer
John is a third year undergraduate reading music at St Peter’s College. He has experience as a Musical Director at Oxford through Spring Awakening (O’Reilly MT15) and A Clockwork Orange (MT16), as well as school productions of The Threepenny Opera and Vanity Fair, the latter of which he composed original music for. John also has an extensive knowledge of the working of pit bands, having played in Rent (OP HT16) and Cabaret (Pembroke, TT16) at Oxford, Little Shop of Horrors at school and has also been to sit-ins on the guitar chair for Wicked and Lion King on the West End. John also has Musical Theatre and Opera acting experience from Dido and Aeneas (St Peter’s College Chapel, HT15), The Marriage of Kim K (O’Reilly HT16) and Queueue (Modern Art Oxford TT16), as well as experience in sound design and audio production through Richard II (O’Reilly TT16), Rhinoceros (Pilch Studio TT16) and the upcoming Splendour (BT Studio TT16) in theatre, the short film Bench (premiered TT16) and various recording projects. This summer, John composed and musically directed a new musical of Doctor Faustus in collaboration with Claude-Michel Schonberg (Les Miserables, Miss Saigon), which ran at the Edinburgh Fringe and the OSO Arts Centre in London. John’s producing credits include Mercury Fur (Pilch Studio HT16), A Clockwork Orange, running in both London and the O’Reilly last summer, and Tender Napalm (Pilch Studio HT17). He is also co-managing director of Barricade Arts Ltd and has experience handling large amounts of income through his business Libretto Holidays Ltd which operated music tours for schools and orchestras in his gap year, as well as managing his band Train of Thought through the release of their first album Give It All in 2014.
Lucy Hayes - Associate Producer
Lucy is a third year reading English at St Hugh’s College, Oxford. Since coming to Oxford she has directed The Trojan Women (BT Studio MT’16), The Optimists (NWF, BT Studio HT’17 and Edinburgh Fringe '17), and Pomona (O’Reilly TT’17). She has also produced Edward II (Oxford Playhouse HT’17) and executive produced The Little Shop of Horrors (Oxford Playhouse TT’17). She is currently directing Hedda (Oxford Playhouse HT'18). In the real world, Lucy has professionally directed Aladdin (Deco Theatre, April ‘17), and worked as an assistant producer at Brick Lane Music Hall. She is the artistic director of Peripeteia Productions, and is the President of the Oxford University Drama Society (2017/18).
Rebecca Carter - Production Manager
Becky is a third year studying Mathematics at Lady Margaret Hall. She has so far taken on the role of Production Manager for Edward II (Oxford Playhouse HT 16), Anything Goes (Oxford Playhouse MT16), Richard II (O’Reilly TT16) and a stage adaptation of Philip Pullman’s The Ruby in the Smoke, which toured in Oxford, London and the Edinburgh Fringe during the 2016 Long Vacation. She has also taken on the role of Stage Manager for Much Ado about Nothing (Pilch MT16), Phantom of the Opera (O'Reilly HT16), Constellations (O'Reilly HT16) and Breathing Corpses (O'Reilly MT15), and was Assistant Production Manager, and Assistant Stage Manager, for RENT (Oxford Playhouse HT15). She is also the current President of TAFF.
Georgie Botham - Company Manager
Georgie is a second year English student at St Peter's College. Prior to coming to Oxford, she acted in 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' (Buxton Opera House), 'The Golden Galosh' (New Mills Art Theatre), and 'The Red Shoes' (Sheffield Theatres) as well as directing for the National Theatre Connections Project in 2016 and 2015 with 'Hood' performed at The Lowry Studio, Manchester, and 'It Snows' at Derby Playhouse. Acting credits at an amateur level include ‘Cabaret’, ‘We Will Rock You’, and Berkoff’s ‘The Trial’. She has also studied as a playwright under Evan Placey at the National Theatre and has had training in physical theatre through workshops with Frantic Assembly. Since coming to Oxford, she starred in and directed St Peter’s cuppers production of ‘Constellations’ (BT MT16) as well as directing ‘Aristeas’ for the New Writing Festival (Pilch HT17). Acting credits also include ‘Marat/Sade’ (O’Reilly HT17) as well as the upcoming ‘Girls Will Be Girls’ (BT TT17 and Edinburgh Fringe 2017) and ‘The Optimists’ (Edinburgh Fringe 2017). She is directing a production of ‘A Girl in a Car with a Man’ at the Pilch Studio in 6th week, Michaelmas term 2017.
Jennifer Hurd - Lighting Designer
Jennifer is a fourth-year DPhil candidate at Exeter College, and holds a BA in English and Theatre from the University of Ottawa. She works as casual crew at the Oxford Playhouse, and has previously worked at Pleasance Grand, the New Theatre Oxford, and IATSE Local 471. She is a member of the TAFF committee and has worked on over fifty Oxford student productions during her time at the university. Recently, she has been the lighting designer for STOP (OUDS National Tour 2017), The Inevitable Quiet of the Crash (summer 2017), Edward II (Playhouse HT17), Anything Goes (Playhouse MT16), Copenhagen (Pilch MT16), The Hare and the Tortoise (Lunas Dance Project, 2016), Fahrenheit 451 (Pilch TT16), Doctor Faustus (O’Reilly TT16), and Yesterday (BT TT15); lighting and sound technician for The Tour (Spangle Entertainment, summer 2015); and assistant lighting designer for Living Together (Playhouse TT15) and Noises Off (Playhouse HT15). Jennifer was the technical director of TEDx Oxford (New Theatre 2017 & 2016), sound designer for Little Shop of Horrors (Playhouse TT17) and The Fairy Queen (Playhouse TT16), deputy stage manager for The Nether (Playhouse MT16), and stage manager for RENT (Playhouse HT16), Pentecost, (Playhouse MT15), and Singin’ in the Rain (Playhouse MT15).
Mark Riley - Assistant Lighting Designer
Mark is a third year undergraduate studying Computer Science at Univ. Mark has worked on several shows before coming to Oxford, and since arriving he has worked as assistant lighting designer on Pentecost (Playhouse, MT15), A2 on Singin’ In The Rain (Oxford Playhouse, MT15), Spring Awakening (O’Reilly, MT15) and RENT (Oxford Playhouse, HT16), and as audio systems technician on Phantom of The Opera (O’Reilly, HT16). He’s been the Sound Designer for The Marriage of Kim K (O’Reilly HT16), Cabaret (Pichette Auditorium, TT16), Doctor Faustus (O’Reilly, TT16), Anything Goes (Oxford Playhouse, MT16), A Woman Killed with Kindness (BT Studio, MT16), TEDx (New Theatre, HT17) and Anna Karenina (O’Reilly, HT17). He has also assisted on numerous Playhouse shows and is currently the Hires & Venues rep for TAFF.
Christina Hill - Set Designer
Christina is a third year reading Classics at St Hugh’s College. She has designed costumes for The Changing of the Guard (O’Reilly, HT16), RENT (Oxford Playhouse, HT16), Fahrenheit 451 (Pilch, TT16), Twelfth Night (Worcester Gardens, TT16), Anything Goes (Oxford Playhouse, MT16), The Nether (Oxford Playhouse, MT16), Pomona (O’Reilly, TT17), a new musical Doctor Faustus (Edinburgh Fringe 2017; OSO Arts Centre, September 2017), which she also production-managed. She has also been a costume assistant for The Phantom of the Opera (O’Reilly, HT16), an assistant stage manager for Spring Awakening (O’Reilly, MT15), and a dresser for Singin’ in the Rain (Oxford Playhouse, MT15). Earlier this term, she production-managed Bacchae (Oxford Playhouse, MT17), and next term will be designing costumes for Sweet Charity (Oxford Playhouse, HT18). She is also currently on the TAFF committee as Secretary, on the OUDS committee as Workshops rep, and is the Treasurer of St Hugh’s Arts Society.
Matthew Wooley - Master Carpenter
Matthew is a second year Engineering undergraduate at Oriel College. Matthew has been Deputy Stage Manager on Edward II (OP, HT16) and has been production manager in the upcoming performance of Hedda (OP, HT18), for The Nether (OP, MT16), Guys and Dolls (O’Reilly, MT16), The Marriage of Kim K (O’Reilly, HT16), for Dear Elizabeth (BT, TT16), Technical Director for The Prophetess (O’Reilly, MT15), and Lighting Designer for Fastest Clock in the Universe (BT, HT16). He was Stage Manager and technician at the New Writing Festival (BT, HT15), and a technician for Cuppers 2015 (BT, MT15). He was also Stage Manager for Fiddler on the Roof (Emanuel School, 2012), and the first UK performance of the musical Smile! (Emanuel School, 2013). Matthew has also been a follow spot operator for West Side Story (Oxford Playhouse, HT15), ASM on a promenade production of Henry V (Worcester College, MT14), and Set Designer for Conjure (BT, TT15).
Aisha Nado - Stage Manager
Aisha is a third year reading English at Hertford College. Before coming to Oxford, she trained and wrote plays as part of the National Theatre's New Views programme and the Royal Court's Young Writers programme. She has credits as the Assistant Producer and Producer of Suddenly Last Summer (Playhouse, HT17) and Suspiria (Pilch, HT17) respectively, but has largely undertaken the role of Stage Manager for a number of productions including the New Writing Festival (BT, HT16), The Fairy Queen (Playhouse, TT16), The Weir (Pilch, TT16), Fahrenheit 451 (Pilch, TT16), The Nether (Playhouse, MT16) and the recent summer OUDS Shakespeare Tour of As You Like It which included a run at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at the Globe. She is also the current Social Secretary of TAFF.
Issy Newell - Marketing Manager
Issy is a third year undergraduate reading Biomedical Sciences at Magdalen College. Since coming to Oxford, she has produced and performed in a cupper’s performance of Zinnie Harris’ ‘How to Hold Your Breath’ (MT15), was assistant producer and company manager for ‘Richard II’ (O’Reilly, TT16), and produced the highly successful production of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ (Magdalen Garden Play, TT16). More recently she has executive produced ‘London Road’ (O’Reilly, HT17) and produced the sell-out production of the newly composed musical ‘Anna Karenina’ (O’Reilly, HT17). In the summer term she was again involved with the Magdalen College garden play, in the role of executive producer. She has experience of marketing from all productions she has been involved in, most notably from ‘The Nether’ (Oxford Playhouse, MT16). Last year she acted as treasurer for the Magdalen Players, and worked to increase fresher involvement in Oxford drama through her role as an OUDS college representative.
Gwenno Jones - Marketing Associate
Gwenno Jones is a 4th year chemistry student at Jesus College, who has been very active in the Oxford University drama scene. She performed multiple times in venues such as the BT Studio, Keble O’Reilly, Oxford Playhouse and various college gardens, as well as spending the summer performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She was the Marketing Assistant for Anything Goes at the Oxford Playhouse, Co-Producer of Summer and Smoke at the BT Studio, and was the Marketing Director for the recent run of STOP. She also spent a term as the Marketing Director for the student science conference “IN[SCI]TE” and was the Entertainment Officer for the Oxford University Science Ball.
Maya Saxena - Marketing Associate
Maya is a second year studying Music at Queen’s College. She is a composer and violinist who has played all over the UK and in Belgium, Holland, Germany and China, including as part of the National Youth Orchestra and twice for The Queen and Her family. She performs regularly in Oxford in various orchestras and ensembles. Having played the violin in several school productions, she recently got a more all-round experience of musicals by being the Marketing Manager for Merrily We Roll Along (Queen’s Nun’s Garden, TT17). She is also the current President of the Eglesfield Music Society.
Juliet Flamank - Marketing Associate
Juliet is a third year PPEist at Balliol Colege. Since starting Oxford Juliet has got involved in production and event management both within her college and within the wider university. Juliet has been a stage manger for two productions, including Gruffdog Threate's Rhinoceros in TT16 at the Pilch, as well as producer of The Goat, TT16 and The Pillowman MT16 both also at the Pilch. Juliet has had two roles as assistant producer, with Knotworks Threatre's The Nether at the Oxford Playhouse MT16 and then also with Gruffdog Threate's Peer Gynt which had a UK tour in Summer 17, including a stint at the Buxton Fringe where they won Best Threate Show. Also coming up this term Juliet is involved as executive producer on Volpone which will be at Keble's O'Reilly. Whilst at Oxford Juliet, alongside one other student, runs Balliol College's Michael Pilch Studio, the only student run threate in Oxford. In terms of event management Juliet was part of the organising committee for Balliol College's Garden Party in 2016 and was also Ball President for their 2017 Ball.
Jacob Mackenzie - Philosophical Consultant
Jacob is a third-year Philosophy and Theology student at St Peter's College. He has a deep passion for Voltarian philosophy, and greatly enjoyed sharing his philosophical ideas with members of the cast and crew during this production process.
Matei Marin - Philosophical Consultant
Matei is a third year Philosophy and Theology student at St Peter's College. He has performed in several shows before and during his time at Oxford, and enjoyed combining his love of theatre with his love for philosophy whilst serving as one of two philosophy advisors for 'Candide'.