Introducing our New Producer
Katherine has worked in the arts sector for the past 14 years primarily focussing on site-speciifc, immersive and interactive experiences. Katherine has presented work in cathedral ruins, shopping centres, empty shop units, dilapidated buildings and The Tower of London, alongside this she has delivered a number of community outreach and educational projects. Find out more about some of her experiences below:
What project are you most proud of?
You Can Do It was a cross-curriculum educational project that culminated in a run of performances at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, and was a project I produced whilst working for Imagineer Productions. In collaboration with a school in one of the City’s most deprived neighbourhoods I worked with a group of twelve students from years nine and ten, primarily from the school’s PRU, to deliver a project aimed to re-engage them with education, build their confidence and transform their relationships with the education system, the school and their teachers.
You Can Do It comprised of two key strands of activity: to write a business plan for a well known celebrity dance troupe, and to produce and deliver a production that would run for a week. The combination of these two strands ensured the integration of subjects including maths, english, drama, art/design, and computer skills. In addition the project looked to develop soft skills such as communication, listening, time management, and commitment.
All twelve students saw the project through from start to finish, and I witnessed first hand the relationships between them and the school transform. This project helped the students understand the importance of subjects they were not necessarily interested in by demonstrating that each had a role to play in whatever career they were seeking to go in to. The importance of this project has stayed with me as it had a profound impact on the participants lives - all of whom went on to achieve at least 5 GCSE’s graded A-C; it challenged everyone involved but demonstrated to me the lasting impact artistic projects can have.
What excites you about site-specific/immersive work?
For me, I find the more boundaries are broken down the greater, more impactful the experience.
I enjoy stepping into other worlds, be they fantastical or real, they provide me with more profound and lasting experiences. This style of work offers a connection that is often missing from traditional theatre and through this my perceptions have been challenged in a deeper more meaningful way.
Being part of a team and process that can create these experiences for other people - truly connecting with them, presenting places and stories in new lights and creating conversations - is something I am really passionate about.
Tell us about your most memorable experience on a production?
During the People's Revolt at the Tower of London I was locked underneath the Tower! I was three floors below ground level after the Tower had closed for the day and all the lights were off as we prepared for a dress rehearsal - it was both incredibly spooky but exciting at the same time!
Where would you most like to stage a production?
A disused empty lift shaft. I feel there are so many possibilities of how you could dress and interact wth the space, as well as so many stories that could be told.
What production has had the greated impact on you?
Before I Sleep by dreamthinkspeak significantly impacted my desire to focus on this style of work, the show beautifully balanced installation, live performance, interactive elements and promenade performance.
I have always loved installation work - the opportuity to explore and examine artwork and stories at your own pace, absorbing and interpreting pieces connecting with them in your own way. Combining this with interactive and performance elements where not everyones experience was the same created a unique adventure for each audience member.