Work Experience

The power of ancient drama to tell stories both well-worn and recently unfolding has been a guiding force throughout my creative and academic journey. And, since working with aod, I have had the opportunity to see this power at work in ways far bigger than myself. From cutting-edge scholars and theatre-makers, to students meeting the cast of the ancient stage for the first time, to exist in a community built on the common experience of finding something inspiring, connecting and deeply stimulating in these timeless characters and their equally timeless tales, is a true privilege. The greatest privilege of all however, has been the opportunity to open this community up to new voices and new stories; stories that are far too often left untold. I, like many others, have found joy and reassurance in using this rich canon of work to refract and reflect upon my own experiences, and, in times that can often feel devoid of colour, to move through this canon not led by words, facts and figures, but by the movement, dynamism and play that comes with championing a theatrical approach, is to do so in full brightness. This has been the most empowering thing about working with aod, to spread this brightness, and to inspire others to keep playing just a little longer.

I first came to work for aod in 2021 as part of a work placement while studying theatre at the University of Bristol. I was very interested in contemporary performance of Greek drama and was very excited to work with a company who had been staging ancient drama for nearly 30 years at that point. After I graduated aod asked me if I wanted to come work for them in an admin role. I learned so much while working for aod, both about Greek drama and about running a theatre company. From aod I gained skills in fundraising, grant application writing and project management as well as being supported developing my own creative practice. One of the highlights of my time with aod was writing and performing in a children’s show about Greek myth at the Brighton Fringe and Elderflower Fields Family Festival. I also had the opportunity to work with aod’s Education Officer, helping to develop and deliver workshops in schools across the country. Finally, through aod I had the opportunity to meeting so many amazing creatives and academics who are interested in the performance of Greek drama on the modern stage. This was all hugely beneficial for my future career as I went on to secure a fully funded PhD and teaching post in the Theatre Department at the University of Bristol.

Katherine Sturt Scobie initially joined AOD Actors of Dionysus in 2019 as a volunteer before becoming our General Manager. Prior to that she worked for Clean Break and subsequently at Little Angel Theatre as she just loves puppets! She also runs her own company called Bee in my Beanie.

I initially worked with aod as a volunteer assistant director on the production Lysistrata, it was a fantastic work experience alongside my MA in Directing and my first foray into Ancient Greek theatre/ directing in a professional setting. I really enjoyed working with Tamsin and the team, so when the opportunity came up to join aod as an Associate Director and General Manager I jumped at the chance. Working as General Manager enabled me to garner an array of skills that have (and will continue) to serve me very well in a sustainable theatre career through fundraising, budget management, customer relations and creative leadership. These experiences enabled me to run the community strand at Little Angel Theatre, developing creative projects and building an accessible and welcoming programme of community based events and productions for hundreds of families in Islington and beyond. I’ve since started working as a Director and Production Coordinator for a company abroad, where the combination of artistic and operational skills have been invaluable – thank you aod for that first jumping point and for your continued mentorship and friendship.