Bursaries

One of our principal objectives in transforming the Friends organisation into a Registered Charity (FESPA) was to focus our energies on supporting not only our Summer Theatres but also the future health of the performing arts scene in the East Suffolk area.

That means each year investing some of our hard-won funds into tomorrow’s talent, in the form of student Bursaries.

The Bursaries are designed to provide financial support and encouragement to deserving students of the performing arts who either live in East Suffolk or have strong local connections and who have already obtained a place at a recognised college. Each of the students is required to submit an application form and CV and specifically to explain how the bursary would be of help to them. References also have to be supplied.

2011

Lee Johnson

Lee is in the second year of an MA in Theatre Direction at the University of East Anglia which he is completing on a part-time basis. Lowestoft-born and bred, Lee got involved with theatre at a young age, working with the Seagull Youth Theatre and the Lowestoft Players. When he was 19 he attended college in the West Midlands and completed his degree at the University of Bedfordshire. He has worked with BBC Three Counties Radio where he produced a regional programme. Then it was back home to Suffolk where, with a college friend, Linda Hook, he launched his own touring production company ‘Nudge’ which he is running alongside his studies and his part-time work with the constabulary. You may have seen Nudge’s production of Joe Orton’s The Ruffian on the Stair at The Cut in Halesworth last year. For his final MA project he is hoping to work with David Thacker, the Artistic Director at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton or with the Mountview Theatre School in London. It is specifically to help finance this that Lee sought a FESPA Bursary. “I am really appreciative that FESPA has awarded me one as it will help me out whilst I am away from home.”

Will Jennings

Will has been accepted on audition by this prestigious acting school in spite of sporting a highly unconventional CV. Instead of the recommended requirements of five years’ professional experience or a theatre-related degree, he offered a 1st class MSci in Geology from UCL plus a departmental prize for the best presented research project of his year. Will could undoubtedly have a distinguished scientific career ahead of him but instead he is determined to fulfil a lifelong ambition to become a professional actor.
While at UCL he managed to involve himself in 20 theatrical productions as well as writing well-reviewed comedy scripts for the Edinburgh and Brighton Fringe festivals. In his third year, on secondment to Toronto University, he attended an open audition for a role in Midsummer Night’s Dream at Hart House Theatre – and got it! Then in his final year, Will landed a leading part in the UCL production of Anything Goes at the Bloomsbury Theatre and his was voted ‘Best Individual Performance’ by the University Union. The course Will is now embarking on attracts no funding so the FESPA Bursary will go a little way to covering the fees and expenses. One clear goal in his sights is to return to his native Ipswich one day and appear on-stage there as a pro!

Robert Houchen

Robert, a native of Carlton Colville, is starting his third year at Guildford. He attended Pakefield Middle School, Kirkley High and finally the East Norfolk Sixth Form College where he gained excellent A level results in Fine Art, Graphics, Photography and Maths. Performing Arts as a career didn’t even figure in his mind and he was all set to embark on a Graphics career. He even had the offer of a place at the elite Central St Martin’s College of Art. Then he happened to attend an ‘enrichment’ course in his final year at school which unlocked a hitherto unsuspected passion and gift for performance which he became determined to pursue. Guildford School of Acting accepted him at first attempt and over the first two years Robert has thrived, overcoming what he describes as his “small town mindset and lack of confidence” to being named as Male Singer of The Year in his second year. He says that taking the chance he did was the best decision he ever made. His senior tutor agrees, describing his progress as “prodigious”. However, despite student loans, a build-up of financial pressures was becoming oppressive. “This bursary will seriously help me cover some of the most worrying third-year costs, like costumes and theatre visits, not to mention rent! I'm rehearsing at the moment for Candide in which I was lucky enough to get to play the lead. It’s the first GSA musical in the new Guildford Ivy Arts Centre theatre (opposite our school), so I'm incredibly excited about that.”

Amy and James Field

Brother and sister James and Amy, are from Spexhall near Halesworth and have been unstoppable dancers/actors since they were toddlers. They both studied with Kay Goddard at Halesworth and at the June Glennie School of Dance in Lowestoft. Both immensely talented, they have followed similar trajectories. Amy was a Junior Associate of the Urdang Academy in Covent Garden at the age of 10 and commuted there monthly for two years. She and James won places on the Norfolk Scholars Programme and performed in the Wizard of Oz at the Theatre Royal, Norwich. Afterwards, for both of them, came places at the British Ballet Organisation in Hammersmith, studying modern/jazz dance (Amy) and ballet (James). Amy did a tap dance solo at the All-England Dance Festival and both have appeared at the London Palladium and even in Brian Fortuna’s ‘Strictly’ tour at the Lowestoft Marina.
Last year Amy won a 50% scholarship to The Centre of Performing Arts and has had a very successful first year, taking her first FDI in Teacher Training a year early. Hard on her heels, James has now joined Amy with a full scholarship. By the time you read this, both will have performed together in the Dance Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.
Unfortunately, the courses do not qualify for Student Loans so, without their scholarships the pair would not be able to attend. Even with the scholarships, the expenses for dancers are eye-watering. Amy’s pointe shoes alone cost some £500 per year! The FESPA bursary is thus a valuable contribution for both.
Amy writes: “I would just like to say how much the Bursary has helped me. Some of the money has already gone towards paying for my teaching exams. The college has moved from Woolwich to Rochester in Kent and we now have some fabulous studios and great new teachers, and access to the largest Gym in the UK. There are so many exciting things to look forward to this year. Thank you for helping me.”
James adds: “Four weeks into my first term I can’t believe how hard it is. We have to be in by 7.30am and finish at 6pm, and we have to go to the gym every day for an hour. But I am enjoying every second. I have met a great group of people and can`t wait to do the shows. The Bursary has helped me so much, and I have been able to get all I need to start college.”

Iona Godbold

Ipswich girl, Iona Godbold, has many strings to her bow – she excels in acting, dance, sports and, most of all, gymnastics. She has just completed a Foundation Year at Italia Conti in Guildford while also studying to be a gymnastics coach and qualified performing arts teacher. But Iona’s real passion is aerial performance and during the year she has been undergoing aerial training in London twice a week, using her earnings as a coach to fund her travel costs. She has also been funding singing lessons in the same way. Now, Iona is determined to spend the next three years training in a combination of gymnastics, movement and drama at Europe’s leading circus and physical theatre school, Circomedia. “My parents have already used their life savings to fund my foundation course,” explains Iona, and have no means of paying the £6,400 a year I need for Circomedia. But I have worked incredibly hard to get here and I’d be devastated if I have to give up for financial reasons”. We’re glad to report that, thanks to various donations, including a FESPA bursary, and her own earnings, Iona has started her first term at Circomedia.

Charlotte Sampson

Charlotte went to Farlingaye High School in Woodbridge and, later, the Colchester Institute. Ever since she was three years old, all she has wanted to do is dance and as she matured this distilled itself into an ambition – that one day she would have her own dance school. Last year, Charlotte applied to the Centre of Performing Arts (then in Woolwich, now in Rochester) and was thrilled to be offered a half scholarship. However, following her father’s redundancy, the family found it impossible to fund the other 50% of the fees, not to mention the other substantial costs and expenses. Sadly Charlotte had to decline the offer of a place. Instead, she decided to find a job and work as hard as she could and save as much as possible with the hope of applying again a year later. She took on two bar and waitressing jobs while also keeping up her dance classes at the Coral Stebbings School of Theatre Dance. In December 2010 she started the audition process again and was duly offered a 50% scholarship for all of the three-year course. There still wasn’t enough in the bank to cover the first year so Charlotte decided to mount a fund-raising dance event, with part of the proceeds going to charity. FESPA was pleased to be able to offer a top-up bursary and we are delighted to report that she has started her course.
She writes: “I am really enjoying my training. I have to say that I have never ached so much in my life, but as they say, no pain no gain. I have a part time job waitressing at a local hotel which, as you can appreciate, on top of everything, is very tiring. However, I wouldn’t have it any other way as I know that the reward at the end, is the realisation of my dream. Funding is very tight and I am hoping to put together a Christmas review show, with help from some of my locally talented friends to show everyone my progress, and raise some more contributions towards college,

Ross Carpenter

Off to Epsom to study Musical Theatre at the Laine Theatre Arts School is Oulton Broad-born Ross Carpenter. Ross was always heavily involved in his school productions at Kirkley High and was a keen member of the Lowestoft Players while also attending the Louise Elizabeth School of Dancing in Lowestoft. There he took exams in ballet, tap and modern Jazz dance and excelled with honours in all of them. Ross has always had to work hard at weekends and during school holidays to fund his passion for dance. He was a paper-boy, helped at an adventure play school, worked in McDonald’s and, this year, spent the summer working at the Holiday Camp at Great Yarmouth. Fortunately, Laine Theatre Arts have offered Ross an award guaranteeing him full funding for his training. But there is still accommodation, and expenses to find and it is to be hoped that the FESPA Bursary will help in some small way towards these.

2010

 

Yasmeen Khalaf
Yasmeen is from Lowestoft but went to Langley School in Norwich where latterly she was Head Girl, leaving with three excellent A Levels. Yasmeen has long had a fierce determination to make her career as an actress. So, alongside her school work, she has been studying towards her LAMDA qualification, finally gaining Gold Medals in both Scripted Acting and Devised Performance. Her tutor describes her as a student of “extraordinary talent”. She is a member of the National Youth Theatre and has worked as a volunteer at The Lowestoft Seagull Theatre. Whilst her acceptance by RADA is a huge tribute to her (there are more than 20 applicants for every place) the financial burden is overwhelming and, even after taking out student loans, Yasmeen is faced with an £8,600 bill. Thanks to further personal loans, money saved from weekend and holiday work and the FESPA Bursary, she has scraped the required sum together. “Nothing inspires and motivates me in the way acting does,” says Yasmeen. “Through it I have learned who I am and have grown because of it. This bursary will help me achieve a goal which I have set my mind on since I was fourteen.”

Florence Barker
Florence is one of just two students in her age group invited to join this year’s Royal Ballet Lower School at White Lodge, Richmond Park. It is an enormous tribute to the talent and determination of this young dancer from the Suffolk village of Mendham. Florence went to the village primary school and then on to Hartismere School in Eye. She was described by her teachers as one of the brightest pupils in her year. But, even at the age of three it was in dance that she really shone. When she was nine she went with other girls in her class to a charity dance school called ‘Norfolk Scholars’ and was spotted by a teacher from the RBS who just happened to be visiting. Days later, the RBS phoned to invite Florence to attend a class at their Covent Garden Studios following which she was offered a place on the School’s Associate Programme and thereafter attended regular Saturday classes in London. In her first attempt to join the Royal Ballet School itself, at the age of 10, she narrowly missed being accepted. She was determined to try again and embarked on extra formal training at the Saxtead School of Dance. This year, the hard work paid off. A generous proportion of Florence’s fees will be covered by the Government’s Music and Dance scheme but there is a hefty residual parental contribution of £5,500 a year – well beyond the resources of Florence’s parents, Toby and Lorraine. The FESPA Bursary has, therefore, been a timely addition to the coffers. When we last heard from Toby, he told us: “Florence seems to be settling in well. The training is, as anticipated, very tough indeed.... but she is thriving and enjoying herself hugely, and doesn't seem to be missing home much - if at all... which is good ....I suppose!”

Corall-Jay Blowers
Masters is one of the leading colleges in the country for intensive career training in dance and musical theatre. For Corall, whose family home is in Carlton Colville, the offer of a place there was a dream come true. Her mother Claire tells us that Corall has lived for dancing since she was eight – ballet, tap, modern, street – you name it! After passing her GCSEs at Kirkley High in Lowestoft she enrolled in a foundation course at The Venue of Performing Arts in Oulton Broad where, for a year, she has been coached in preparation for entering the world of musical theatre. The principal there, Libby Hawkins, remarks how “at home” Corall is on stage: “She lights up for any audience and is a joy to watch.” The course which she is now embarking on carries fees which her parents describe as “huge” and Corall has been working part-time as a waitress throughout her foundation course to contribute to the cost. “The bursary will help take pressure off my Mum and Dad. They have always done their best to support whatever I have wanted to do.”

Alexandra Rowles
Since her first taste of acting at the age of four, Alex has never seen herself on any other career path. Neither has her mother, Debbie, who “knew from the start that she was destined to be a real drama queen one day”. Born and bred in Leiston and educated at Leiston Middle and High Schools, Alex fulfilled predictions by excelling in drama and theatre studies at every stage. Her Head of Drama, Donna Burch, says: “From the moment she arrived, she made a large impact within the school community, becoming involved in all the Christmas productions and school concerts.” She was Molly in Annie, Puck in Midsummer Night’s Dream and Oliver in Oliver. In this, her final year, she was awarded the Jane Zarins Drama Student of the Year Award for her contribution to Performing Arts. In the last couple of years Alex has been working as a waitress in her spare time at the Thorpness Brasserie & Emporium and The Lighthouse at Aldeburgh. She has loved the work and valued the small income it generated. Ideally she would have liked to continue with similar part-time work in Northampton in order to supplement her grant. However she realises that the intensity of her course work will make this out of the question. “This is where the FESPA Bursary will benefit me so much,” she says, “giving me that little extra security as I start university life.” Alex’s mum is pleased it’s Northampton… “As a close family, we know that it’s far enough away for her to have to do her own washing but close enough to bring her home to us every so often!”

Daniel Walker
Daniel, whose family home is in Lowestoft, already has an impressive portfolio of performance skills to his name including playing the piano and guitar, singing, dance – even juggling and slapstick! But his main love is acting. In this he has proved his adaptability in a wide range of contrasting roles both in school productions and with respected local companies. This year alone he has worked with Yakety Yak (playing Laurie in Little Women), Shoestring Productions (Ralph in Bouncers) and Nudge Productions (Wilson in Joe Orton’s The Ruffian on the Stair). Daniel was recently accepted as a member of the prestigious National Youth Theatre where he attended a two-week workshop this summer. He describes his acceptance by East 15 as “a fantastic opportunity in which I intend to learn and develop as a performer. I come from a low-income household and my parents support me in any way they can. I myself work as many hours as I can to help fund these opportunities. I would like to say thank you to everyone at FESPA. The generous bursary I have received has changed my life, and I am very grateful.”

2009

Charlotte May Barker
If the face looks familiar, you are probably from the Lowestoft area and remember 18-year-old Charlotte’s ‘coronation’ as the Lowestoft Journal’s Carnival Queen 2009. Charlotte, from Carlton Colville, describes herself as having a “passion for drama” and being “fascinated by the creative process”. For as long as she can remember she has been determined to be an actress whilst also excelling academically in a wide range of subjects.

At school she took every opportunity to participate in theatre and music projects and was also an active member of the Gorleston-based drama group, Dasmagrik.
Having successfully completed her A levels at East Norfolk Sixth Form College, Gt Yarmouth, this summer she was amazed and “absolutely ecstatic” to be offered a place at RADA on their one-year Foundation Course in Acting.

“I almost didn’t make it to the second audition. The tubes and buses were down due to heavy snow and I had to walk from Liverpool Street to Gower Street with my boots falling apart in the slush. After seeing the quality and talent of some of the other 800 applicants for the 30 places, I didn’t dream I’d make the third round of auditions, never mind the fourth. However, whilst backstage at a Hamlet production at college, I had a call from my father saying the head of the course at RADA had rung to offer me a place without even having to attend the fourth round.”

No happy ending in sight yet, though! Charlotte is not from a greatly moneyed family and course fees, payable up-front were an eye-watering £11,000; that’s before you take the cost of living in London into account. Charlotte herself put all her personal savings into the pot as well as taking out a student loan and her father helped heroically by selling his beloved motorbike and caravan. It was still touch and go and FESPA has been delighted to help Charlotte finally attain the total required.

Emma Louise Bennett
Emma is no stranger to the performing arts scene of East Suffolk having worked first as Student Stage Manager and then as Assistant Stage Manager at Southwold and Aldeburgh Summer Theatres in 2007 and 2008. These were her final sixth form years at Queen’s Gate School, South Kensington which culminated with ‘Straight As’ in Drama and Theatre Studies, Religious Studies and History. Her Head of Drama describes her as “one of the most energetic, motivated and committed students that I have taught.”

Her energy extended beyond the stage into sport; she excelled at kayaking and scuba diving and gained a Silver in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
A gap-year followed during which Emma gained work experience with the BBC, working with the post-production team on Doctors, taught English in Thailand and did a variety of bar and waitressing work. Then, this September she started her first year on the Drama course at Exeter University.

“The FESPA Bursary is going to be a considerable help,” says Emma. “The combined teaching and self-study time in the first year is over 40 hours per week. The money will allow me to focus on my academic work whilst easing the worry of living costs without relying on a part-time job.”

Our 2008 - inaugural Bursary recipients

Francesca Rose Currey, Aldeburgh
Francesca is in her second year at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, reading for a BA in Stage Management and Technical Theatre. After her all-girl schooling, her first year represented a rude awakening from her dream of uni as a world of freedom, boys and parties. She found herself working solidly 9am to 6pm every weekday while helping to lug sets around at weekends.

In spite of this, Francesca loves it, describing herself as “happy to be doing something that makes me fulfilled and gives me a sense of purpose.” But life is a continuous financial struggle. For the past three summers she has been working as part of the stage management team of the Summer Theatres but during term there is simply no time to fit in a part-time job to help pay the bills. Francesca says the bursary “will really help to ease the burden from my parents.”

Alun Vaughan, Walberswick
By coincidence, Alun is also on the Bristol Old Vic BA Stage Management Course where he has just begun his first year. He has been actively involved in drama since he was seven and studied it at A level at Mill Hill School. Alun has worked with Julia Sowerbutts’ theatre company in Walberswick and with Jim Laws Lighting Company but it was when working as ASM with the Jill Freud Company that he decided that stage management was for him.

Alun has many leisure and sporting interests including fly-fishing, music, tennis, swimming, cricket and rugby in which he played for his school’s First 15. He was ‘Head of House’ at Mill Hill where he also held the rank of Colour Sergeant in the school CCF.

Alun sees his FESPA bursary as a prestigious boost to his career as well as a valuable practical contribution, “enabling me to cut down substantially on my part-time work outside of course hours of which there are 52 a week!”

Maxim Calver, Gorleston
This exceptionally talented eight-year old cellist who has been a pupil at Corton Primary School, has won a place at the elite Yehudi Menhuin School in Surrey and started his first term there this September. Maxim has been playing the cello since he was four. His mentor, Dr Ioan Davies, Director of Music at the Pro Corda School at Leiston Abbey, says of Maxim: “I have not encountered anyone with such an intense artistic energy… not only an exceptionally gifted musician, he is blessed with a technique that is so apt for cello playing that leaves one with no other conclusion than to predict an absolutely stunning future for him as a performer. I look forward with immense excitement at following his progress.”

Maxim has already won many awards at local and national music events. Although his studies at the Yehudi Menhuin School are part- funded by grants, it is obviously important that a young man of his age should spend weekends at home. The FESPA award will go some way to helping with his considerable travel costs.