Richard Cheshire
Credits
Year | Job Title Project Type |
Project Name Director / Company |
Location |
---|---|---|---|
2017 |
Director
Theatre |
Snow White and Sleeping Beauty PHA Associates |
Pomegranate Theatre Chesterfield and Marina Theatre Lowestoft |
Education
Year | Qualification | Where |
---|---|---|
1978 | P.G.C.E | University College of Wales, Aberystwyth |
Equipment
My Equipment/Kit:
I can use:
About me
I am an experienced freelance theatre director and university lecturer who has recently moved to Staffordshire univesity where I lecturer in Drama and Theatre Arts. I m currently also working for Paul Holman Associates as a pantomime director and won an HEIF award to work closely with the Garrick Theatre, Lichfield, exploring the possibility of establishing closer ties between the Garrick and Staffordshire University. I am looking for further exciting freelance directing projects, particularly in England. Travel is not a problem and I have flexibility to undertake freelance work away from Staffordshire University built into my contract. My main areas of interest and expertise - directing a wide variety of classical and contemporary texts; pantomime and musicals and short courses in Perorming, Directing, Pantomime, Shakespeare, Restoration and Musical Theatre.Richard Cheshire
Richard is an experienced University Lecturer and theatre practitioner and is currently lecturing in Drama and Theatre Arts at Stafffordshire Univerity. He was Curriculum leader for Drama, Theatre and Performance in the Department of Theatre, Film and Television at Aberystwyth University where he has designed and taught key critical and creative practice modules in Acting, Directing, Shakespeare, Production Analysis, Applied Theatre, Musical Theatre and 17th Century Neo-Classical French and English Restoration Theatre.
He was resident Artistic Director for the annual Schools’ Shakespeare Project at Aberystwyth Arts Centre and has directed many student productions of classical and contemporary texts: His Dark Materials, The Country Wife, The Winter’s Tale, Macbeth and Complete Female Stage Beauty being amongst his most recent successes. He recently won a grant from the European Social Fund for Aberystwyth University to deliver work-based learning courses at MA level in professional mentoring for theatre arts and creative company development.
As a freelance professional theatre director Richard’s work includes two site specific productions of The Importance of Being Earnest and She Stoops to Conquer at Nanteos Mansion and Calendar Girls, Noises Off and Nicholas Nickleby at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
As an associate director at the Royal Theatre Northampton, Richard’s directed Congreve’s The Way of the World; John Godber’s Teechers; Langford Wilson’s Talley’s Folly and Phil Young’s Crystal Clear. He directed a national tour of Salad Days and a Welsh tour of Tennessee William’s The Glass Menagerie and David Wood’s Nutcracker Sweet. He also directed a highly successful production of Moll Flanders in Virginia (USA).
Richard has been instrumental in establishing and developing the professional summer seasons at Aberystwyth Arts Centre and has directed many of their successful productions including Godspell, Annie, Singing in the Rain, Oklahoma, South Pacific, Oliver, Me and My Girl, Crazy for You and The King and I. He played Max in The Sound of Music, the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz, Cornel Pickering in My Fair Lady and Billis in South Pacific.
He has led many short courses in the performing arts at many universities in the UK and for the Drama Association of Wales. Last year co-taught a summer course on Directing for the Theatre at Staffordshire University.
Richard is no stranger to pantomime. He has just directed Jonathan Ansell, Nicky French and Phil Green in Snow White at the Pomegranate Thetare Chesterfield and Rusty Lee, John Lyons and Asa Elliott in Sleeping Beauty at the Marina Theatre, Lowestoft. Last year he directed Camilla Dallerup (Strictly Come Dancing) and Asa Elliott (Benidorm) in Cinderella at the Pomegranate Theatre in Chesterfield for Paul Holman Associates and Aladdin at the Rose Theatre in Rugeley for Reveal Theatre Company as well as playing Dame Dolly Dumplings in Snow White at Aberystwyth.
He has directed and performed in pantomimes at leading theatres in England (for Kevin Wood). These include Puss in Boots with Melvyn Hayes and Jenny Powell at Buxton Opera House; Jack and the Beanstalk with Trevor Bannister at the Wyvern Theatre Swindon and with Barry Howard, Lucy Benjamin and Kristian Schmit at the Orchard Theatre Dartford. At the Devonshire Park in Eastbourne he directed Aladdin with Christopher Timothy and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with the late Ted Rodgers. At the Royal Theatre Northampton Richard played Ugly Sister in their centenary production of Cinderella and the comic Muffin in Mother Goose. In 2013/4 he played Sarah the Cook at the Victoria Theatre Halifax for Imagine Theatre.
He has been external examiner at Staffordshire University and is currently external examiner at Bath Spa. He was Director of Learning and Teaching for the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies at Aberystwyth University. He has taken (very early) retirement/voluntary severance from Aberystwyth University to concentrate on his freelance professional career.
Additional skills:
My main areas of interest and expertise - directing a wide variety of classical and contemporary texts; pantomime and musicals and short courses in Acting and Performing, Directing, Pantomime, Shakespeare, Restoration and Musical Theatre. I also work as an actor.
Industry awards:
HEIF award (see above) Jan 2016.
Award from the European Social Fund to establish MA provision in creative company engagaement and mentoring for theatre pratitioners.
Referees:
Available on request.
Rob Marsdon, Staffordshire University.
Lee Waddingham, PHA Associates.
Louise Amery, Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
Additional information:
I am a good team player, organised and engage well with professional actors, student and community theatre groups.
License & Passport
Driver's License: | Yes |
Skills
Secondary Job Title | Artistic Director |
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Job Titles | Director, Creative Director, Teacher |
Years in industry | 6+ years |
Organisations / Memberships | Equity (UK) |