vanessa ostick

Touring around schools in Coventry performing to Year 6 students addressing the different pressures, challenges, worries and issues a child might face when heading to a secondary school. Whilst this post is an acting job it also had facilitation factors, with the intention to provide confidence and wellbeing to year 6 students. Facilitating them to articulate their thoughts and opinions on dealing with change and growing up.

Working and devising with a group of international 16 – 17 year old A-level students. I worked to assist the director on sessions, lead exercises and warm ups that encouraged the participants to focus, work as an ensemble and to facilitate creative aims during the devising and rehearsal process. This also required me to train and couch these young people in public speaking.

* Producer/Deputy Stage Manager * Creating a four month rehearsal/production schedule with cast and creative company members. * Budgeting the company’s finances and dealing with petty cash. * Organising rehearsal spaces, construction site for building the set and transportation of company and set to Edinburgh for the Fringe festival. * Attending rehearsals, compiling the book, being ‘on book’ for prompting actors. * Organising and scheduling the paper tech, the ‘Get In’ as well as the ‘Get Out’ and the technical rehearsal at the venue with the technical manager. * Calling the show (15 performances with nearly 200 cues per performance, a highly visual show) * Collecting and buying the correct props to suit the aesthetics of the show.

During my time with the NHSBT it was my job to support the nurses and donors carers on session and actively monitor each donor’s wellbeing. I was required to meet and greet donors on the front of house 'Welcome desk' in a polite, friendly, professional manner and provide a tidy and fully stocked refreshment area for the post donation donors. Whilst this was primarily a hospitality role it was also crucial to identify signs for unwell donors, react quickly and calmly to solve the problem, take the correct measures and reassure the vulnerable donor. As well as hospitality duties I performed clerical duties, such as booking future appointments for donors and handling sensitive and confidential material under the NHSBT’s standard operating procedures. To add as this is a mobile team I was required to be flexible and work in different locations around Coventry, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.

Working in a live studio environment I was employed to work closely with Talent, Contestants, BGT Researcher’s, Crew and Chaperones; The main emphasis was to communicate clearly and effectively with contestants, escorting contestants to their dressing rooms (this included escorting large groups, E.g. of 30). To be aware of their location, should they suddenly be needed, and to make sure they had been given breaks and were fed. Furthermore this was a fast paced job, should a problem arise I was able to think on my feet and be able to solve it.

Rise (2017) is an all-female cast play exploring issues that young women face growing up in the 21st century. Directed by Justine Themen my role as Assistant Director was to work supportively towards the project, to organise and manage a six week rehearsal schedule, attend rehearsals, contribute creative ideas, lead workshops/ warm ups with a cast of 11, provide the correct documents and materials for rehearsals, assist in the promotion of the project by partaking in radio interviews and communicating effectively and clearly with the director, production manager and cast.

AD for the production of "Theatre in the Theresienstadt Ghetto: Newly Discovered Works". This role consisted of scheduling cast, assisting rehearsals, communicating with the performance venue staff and other building managers and recruiting a stage manager.

March 2016 Producer of Early Modern Production "George Dandin" May 2015 Director of Verbatim Project "Connections" (collaboration with the National Railway Museum) Feb 2015 Production Manager/AD "Theatre in the Theresienstadt Ghetto: Newly Discovered Works" 2014-2015 Platform Committee Activities and Societies: Platform Committee Member (Press and publicity) 2014-2015

Performances include Actor: The Recruiting Officer by George Farquhar (Sylvia) Actor: Woyzeck (Doctor) Director: a Handbag by Anthony Horowitz Actor: Cagebirds by David Campton Actor: 4:48 Psychosis by Sarah Kane