Jessica McKenna
Director Facilitator Educator Dramaturg Community ArtistShe/They
I am a theatre-maker, facilitator and educator who is passionate about the transformative potential that theatre has on both an individual and institutional level. I work collaboratively, and I’m interested in exploring theatre’s intersections with advocacy and activism.
I have worked with many communities across London, including young people (6-18), mental health service users, migrants, and individuals who have special educational needs. I currently facilitate educational workshops for Tender Education & Arts, and have recently been commissioned by C&T to create digital applied theatre work which celebrates LGBTQ+ identities. I have also worked with participation departments at the Almeida Theatre, the Arcola Theatre and the Donmar Warehouse. I am currently writing my MA dissertation at Central School of Speech and Drama on the ways in which applied theatre practices might support recovery communities.
Credits
Recent:Assistant Director, The Key Workers Cycle, Almeida Theatre, March 2022
Commissioned Artist, C&T/Prospero Digital 'Identities' Project, Jan-March 2022
Freelance facilitator for multiple theatres/orgs including: Tender; Arcola; and London Arts and Health.
Previously:
Director, The Bacchae, Tower Theatre, July 2021
Director, The Pleasure of Your Bedlam, Arcola Theatre, February 2020
Director, The Prophetic Visions of Bethany Lewis, Brighton Fringe, July 2019
Co-Artistic Director, Drift Shop, 2016-2017
Training
MA Applied Theatre, CSSD, 2020-22Location
LondonExperience
2-5 years
Art forms / Disciplines
- Comedy
- Crafts
- Literature
- Multi-disciplinary / cross art form
- New technologies / digital
- Theatre / Live perfomance
- Visual arts
What I do
- Creative Access
- Devising
- Directing
- Dramaturgy
- Facilitating
- Outdoor performance
- Physical Theatre / Mime
- Producing
- Puppetry
- Site Responsive/Immersive
- Street Theatre
- Teaching / Coaching
- Theatre making
- Verbatim theatre
- Working with disabled artists
- Working with disabled non-professional adults / children
- Working with learning disabled adults / children
- Working with learning disabled artists
- Working with young people
- Working with young people with special educational needs
- Working within a Community / with community participants
- Workshopping & Development
- Writing
Social
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