SHARP PRODUCTIONS: EDUCATION

HEREFORDSHIRE OUTREACH

Janine’s work continued in rural Herefordshire, beautiful countryside but challenged by social isolation. Funded by Life long learning she provided Saturday morning sessions for parents learning Drama together with their children. She runs The Golden Valley Youth Theatre for 11-14 yr olds often performing their shows to the elderly at the local day care centre. After school Drama clubs became much in demand so she joined all of these together and funded by Elmely grants through The Courtyard Theatre began The Golden Valley Junior Youth Theatre where all the local 6-11 year old children can attend. She also works in the City of Hereford and in the past has run classes for single parents at a referral unit and at a centre for drug users in recovery. The Courtyard Intermediate Youth Theatre for Year 10s and 11s is led by Janine every Wednesday night her two groups of 20 teenagers do a showcase each year in the studio theatre. This year’s performance is Walking with Shadows by Ben Myers.



	ABOUT CAREER SHOWS DIARY PRESS & REVIEWS EDUCATION CONTACT
	EDUCATION AND THEATRE As a qualified Drama teacher, Janine Sharp offers Workshops in performance skills to anyone aged 5 to 105. She fully admits that under 5 are not her forte and over 90 she has not as yet had the pleasure. People of any ability are welcome, it is always rewarding enabling people who for some reason believe they are unable. Confidence is the key and that comes with feeling safe with whom you are working. As an experienced practitioner Janine holds that key, and structures her workshops so that she can pass it on to her students. “Unlock that creative child within you and a whole heap of very interesting and creative ideas come tumbling out.”
	CREATIVITY IN THE CURRICULUM Using Drama as a method to convey other subjects is also her practice. Teacher inset sessions with demonstrations in the classroom include subjects such as Science, Maths and History. “Bringing Books Alive” is her new project funded by The Courtyard Theatre, promoting reading in Primary schools, see Diary. Numerous projects have already been funded for her to enhance creativity in the curriculum and promote literacy and creative writing through drama.
	WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS Based in London for 28 years, apart from teaching in numerous schools and leading Theatre workshops for The Unicorn Children’s Theatre and Arts Centre Great Newport Street Janine began Drama workshops for Adults at Lewisham Art House, a co-operative of artists of which she was a part, as well as running her own professional performance Group, Celtic Chaos writing and performing 3 multimedia shows a year involving non professional members of the community who had attended her workshops or who just wanted to perform.
	ADULTS CHALLENGED WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES Moving to Kent, Janine worked as a Drama teacher on a permanent part time contract at Folkestone Grammar School producing a show a term. For the other 2 days a week she taught all subjects to 3 children in a home education environment and one to one sessions in the evenings to a variety of adults. However she initiated a weekly drama club for adults challenged by learning difficulties funded by Kent Adult Education Authority and continued this area of work at the Rare Breeds Centre, a farm for rare species of animals worked by people with moderate to severe learning difficulties who also resided on the farm. Moving to rural Herefordshire she worked with New Theatre Works and The Hereford college of Technology and funded by The LSC put on a phenomenal show at The Courtyard Theatre called This is it holding a cast of 36 students with moderate to severe learning difficulties.
	HEREFORDSHIRE OUTREACH Janine’s work continued in rural Herefordshire, beautiful countryside but challenged by social isolation. Funded by Life long learning she provided Saturday morning sessions for parents learning Drama together with their children. She runs The Golden Valley Youth Theatre for 11-14 yr olds often performing their shows to the elderly at the local day care centre. After school Drama clubs became much in demand so she joined all of these together and funded by Elmely grants through The Courtyard Theatre began The Golden Valley Junior Youth Theatre where all the local 6-11 year old children can attend. She also works in the City of Hereford and in the past has run classes for single parents at a referral unit and at a centre for drug users in recovery. The Courtyard Intermediate Youth Theatre for Year 10s and 11s is led by Janine every Wednesday night her two groups of 20 teenagers do a showcase each year in the studio theatre. This year’s performance is Walking with Shadows by Ben Myers.
	THE HAY LITERARY FESTIVAL The Hay Winter Literary Festival employed Janine to write an adaptation a children’s book called The Last Wolf and run a two day workshop where the children aged 4-11 perform the show at the end of the weekend. It was a huge success, so Janine is at present adapting The Adventures of Tom True Heart by a new children’s novelist Ian Beck featured in this year’s summer festival. Book early for a place see diary.
	THEATRE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS In 1984 Janine worked with, performed in and wrote 2 shows for Age Exchange Theatre, it delights her now that Music Pool also based at The Courtyard Theatre Hereford now employ her to run occasional drama sessions for The Courtyard Club which aims their work at people over 60. She would like to do more of this work as older people hold so many fantastic stories that need documenting and that make great play material.
	TEXT STUDY Janine has been a visiting practitioner at Universities, Goldsmiths, Rose Bruford, Central School of Speech and Drama tutoring voice, devising and improvisation but more often contemporary English playwrights to degree students. She recently tutored at Hereford college of Art and Design contrasting Harold Pinter, Mike Leigh and Brian Friel. The Courtyard Theatre run a course called The Reading Room so she was employed to tutor sessions on The Irish playwright Brian Friel contrasting and comparing two of his plays Translations and Dancing at Lugnasa.