What are you looking for in your students?
Theatre Design at RWCMD encompasses design for all performance
forms. There is so much variety, which makes it a fascinating
profession and one which I am fortunate enough to have been
involved in for over 25 years. I guess we look for students with a
natural flair for design and a desire to work collaboratively to
create performance. We also need students who are able to cope with
the high demands that the course will put on them. The course is
incredibly intense and over the three years our students will cover
a huge range of classes, projects and productions, and be
introduced to areas of performance design which they may have never
considered before. We need students with imagination, curiosity and
dedication, who are able to respond to the challenges of the
training. In so doing, they will receive what I consider to be one
of the best experiences available in the country.
How many places are available on the
course?
We look to recruit 18 students each year. Competition for these
places is extremely intense but if you make it onto the course you
will be rewarded with fantastic, vocationally based training. The
small class size enables us to manage each student relationship and
ensure that each student matures into the professional they want to
be. Students will quickly find themselves working closely with the
staff and fellow students at RWCMD to produce work of a
professional standard. The experienced teaching staff will help to
identify specific areas of interest and areas for improvement, and
to develop career focussed opportunities over the duration of the
course.
What makes this course different from others like
it?
Personally I think the unique environment here at the RWCMD is
one of our strongest attributes. We are a small, efficient
conservatoire offering superb education in a number of different
but complimentary subjects. My colleagues in Stage Management,
Acting and Music all work with some of the most promising students
in their particular fields. As a department, I'm pleased to say
that we work closely with the other courses, and by working
together we have produced some fantastic performances. I think it's
fair to say that RWCMD has successfully built a reputation for
producing both traditional and dynamic, alternative
performances.
The college enjoys an excellent reputation for student
retention, student satisfaction and student employment. Our
graduates continue to impress the industry and a quick look at how
our alumni are progressing makes me feel confident in the training
and preparation we are giving our students.
The course at RWCMD would appeal to me for the level of support
that is available to students, both from the tutors from fellow
students. There is a real sense of community amongst the students,
academic staff, and our alumni.
I think Cardiff itself also has so much to offer students. The
college is set in beautiful parkland in the heart of the city
centre. There seems to be a real buzz around the city at the moment
with the likes of Doctor Who and Torchwood, the
new £10 million BBC Drama Village in Cardiff Bay which is home to
Causualty and Sherlock, the Dragon International
Film Studio and venues like the Wales Millennium Centre (WMC).
Ultimately though, people choose us because of the course. In my
opinion, we are able to offer such an exciting, demanding and
completely vocational training in performance design that studying
at RWCMD would definitely be my first choice.
What kind of performance based opportunities are
there?
Every year RWCMD produces 15 productions held at the college's
venues and at other venues including the Wales Millennium Centre
(WMC), the Sherman Theatre (Cardiff), Chapter (Cardiff) and the
Royal Court in London. There are opportunities to design for
theatre, opera, musical theatre, dance and site specific
performance.
What other sorts of opportunities are available to
students?
In spring of 2011 the college was host to the
Society of British Theatre Designers National Exhibition of Design
for Performance. The college's new facilities housed the work
of over two hundred UK based designers. In September 2013 the
college will host the World Stage
Design. During the ten day event Theatre Design students will
be work side-by-side with leading practitioners who are exhibiting
their work.
Personally, I have also had the great privilege working as
project leader and exhibition curator for the Prague Quadrennial
Scenofest. Scenofest is a celebration of all areas of performance
design, set, costume, puppetry, lighting, sound, technical theatre
and theatre architecture involving many of the world's major design
schools, leading educators and designers. Scenofest 2007 attracted
more than 3,000 active participants and over 20,000 visitors over
its ten day duration. RWCMD students were able to work in a variety
of production roles as part of their course and in so doing gained
incredible practical experience.
What opportunities are there for students after
graduation?
The Theatre Design Course at RWCMD produces students who
consistently find employment in Cardiff, Wales, London and beyond.
Our Graduate Exhibition in London is acknowledged by the profession
as a significant recruitment opportunity. Our course provides
training of internationally recognised excellence. If you have the
talent and desire to make it in Theatre Design, then all I would
say is come and have a look at what we have to offer here at
RWCMD.