Joining me this week is the incredible Aisha Bywaters. We will be discussing all things casting, COVID, diversity & taking your questions   AISHA BYWATERS STARTED WORKING IN CASTING IN 2007. AISHA WORKED FOR SHAHEEN BAIG FOR 6 YEARS, SHE ASSISTED SHAHEEN ON NUMEROUS PROJECTS INCLUDING FILMS THE IMPOSSIBLE, STARRED UP, BLACK MIRROR AND PEAKY BLINDERS. IN 2015 SHE SET UP HER OWN COMPANY, HER CREDITS AS A CASTING DIRECTOR INCLUDE CYBERBULLY (STARRING MAISIE WILLIAMS), THE WATCHMEN (STARRING STEPHEN GRAHAM) AND ENTERPRICE (WRITTEN BY AND STARRING KAYODE EWUMI) FOR TV. HER FILM CREDITS INCLUDE DIRTY GOD AND THE LAST TREE (WHICH BOTH PREMIERED AT THE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2019). FOR HER WORK ON THE LAST TREE SHE WAS NOMINATED FOR A BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARD FOR BEST CASTING ALONGSIDE SHAHEEN BAIG. HER UPCOMING PROJECTS INCLUDE CHANNEL 4 COMEDY LADY PARTS WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY NIDA MANZOOR AND FEATURE FILM COUNTY LINES (WHICH PREMIERED AT THE LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 2019 AND WILL BE IN CINEMAS IN 2020). IN SEPTEMBER 2020 AISHA WAS NAMED ONE OF SCREEN INTERNATIONAL'S UK & IRELAND STARS OF TOMORROW.

This weeks Q&A is with Executive Director of HOME in Manchester Jon Gilchrist   Me & Jon will be discussing the difficulties of reopening a major venue over Covid, discussing in house producing, theatre marketing & questions from you. Jon is Executive Director of HOME, a multi-arts venue in Manchester which with 2 theatres, 5 cinemas and gallery spaces. HOME has a year-round international programme, and over 800,000 visits last year alone. It is one of few organisations in the UK to produce, commission and present visiting work across theatre, visual arts and film. Prior to this Jon worked as Executive Director of the Bush Theatre between 2014 and 2018. In this time he led on their major capital redevelopment, and helped expand the organisation’s reach as a centre of excellence for new writing. Before this he worked in marketing roles at theatres across the North West for ten years, including The Lowry in Salford, the Octagon Theatre Bolton, and the Dukes in Lancaster.

Our second Q&A of the week is with Curtis Brown literary agent Isobel Gahan   I talk to the amazing Isobel Gahan who is a literary agent at Curtis Brown. We talk what literary agents do, how to get 1 & of course taking questions from you Isobel Gahan works with Stephanie Thwaites at the Curtis Brown literary agency. Prior to that she worked at J K Rowling’s company Pottermore. She was long-listed for the 2020 Trailblazer award, which celebrates publishing professionals who demonstrate creativity and ambition. Isobel was nominated especially for her work with the Original Talent Green Team. She enjoys fantasy and plots with a mythical twist, for Middle Grade and YA readers, and a strong and distinctive writerly voice that will draw her into a child’s world.

To start this weeks double whammy I interview arts journalist Mark Shenton   This week I will be discussing with Mark how to get into arts journalism, the importance of reviews and more. MARK SHENTON has been a leading London-based critic, commentator, columnist, interviewer and broadcaster on theatre for the last two decades. He has variously served as chief critic for the Sunday Express, WhatsOnStage, The Stage (also Associate Editor), LondonTheatre.co.uk and What’s On in London magazine, and has written for The Guardian, The Observer, The Times, Time Out and Attitude magazines, amongst others. In the US, he was long-time London correspondent to Playbill.com. He has curated and conducted live interviews for the Theatrical Guild with guests that have included Judi Dench, Simon Russell Beale, Michael Codron and more, and hosted platforms at the National with Stephen Sondheim, Peter Shaffer and David Henry Hwang, at the Donmar Warehouse with Derek Jacobi and Helen McCrory, and at Crazy Coqs with Tim Minchin and Anne Reid. For the last eight years he has taught classes at ArtsEd London on the history and appreciation of musical theatre to their first year BA students. He has co-authored Harden’s London theatre guide. As theatre emerges from it’s COVID-enforced hibernation, Mark is determined to continue to fly the flag for independent but dependable critical content, via his personal website ShentonStage and twitter @ShentonStage.

Next up in our Actor Awareness Lockdown Q&A's is 1 of the country's leading casting directors in the incredible Shaheen Baig!   We will be discussing how shes earned her reputation of funding incredible emerging talent, casting in Covid, casting diverse talent & more. Shaheen Baig gained her first casting director credit on Alejandro Amenábar’s The Others starring Nicole Kidman, and established her own company in 2001 after assisting some of the leading UK Casting Directors for several years. Since then, Shaheen Baig Casting has earned a reputation for finding and nurturing new and diverse acting talent, as well as supporting promising new filmmakers and established directors in film & television. Based in London, SBC is Shaheen, Layla, Michelle, Jonny & Gabby..

This weeks Actor Awareness lockdown Q&A is with The Lowry Theatres producer & programmer Matthew Eames.   We will be discussing how 1 of the biggest regional theatres in the UK is dealing with Covid, how there needs to be more support for emerging producers & if you don't want to be an actor, how to get into the more behind the scenes roles. Alongside the questions you send in to. Matthew is Senior Programmer/Producer at The Lowry in Salford, programming theatre, dance, comedy and circus across all three theatre spaces, leading on the contemporary programme for the organisation. He also produces The Lowry’s biennial cross-art festival – WEEK 53 – commissioning shows such as Nigel Slater’s Toast and Le Gateau Chocolat’s Pandora, and leads on cross-organisational community and audience development projects such as Paines Plough’s Roundabout. Matthew has also worked in artist development and fundraising at The Lowry and remains passionate about supporting artists and theatre-makers at all stages of their career to develop and progress. Matthew trained in Musical Theatre at the Royal Academy of Music in London and worked as a freelancer in theatre for 11 years, firstly as a performer in West End and touring musicals and subsequently as a resident/associate director and director. He refocused his career within arts organisations in 2011 taking an MA in Arts Management at Goldsmiths University and joining The Lowry the following year. Matthew is a proud Midlander, hailing from brewery town Burton-on-Trent in Staffordshire where he grew up on the same estate as Paddy Considine. He was introduced to theatre thanks to the intervention of an inspiring teacher at his secondary school at the age of 13. He is still going and he hasn’t finished yet.

This week I have a chat with Artistic Directors of Salford Arts Theatre Scott Berry & Roni Ellis   We will be discussing how small venues stay afloat during this pandemic, the importance of local regional theatres & more Salford Arts Theatre is a charming 112 seater theatre in the heart of the Salford Community. Salford Arts theatre aims to make theatre accessible giving opportunity to the community and those who want to work with in the creative industry. We are the only independent theatre in Salford and are self funded. WHAT WE DO..... Salford Arts Theatre produce inhouse professional theatre under Salford Theatre Company. We aim to produce theatre that is accessible to those who wouldn't normally visit the theatre producing family friendly theatre to drama throughout the year. The theatre is available to hire for productions, meeting, rehearsals, childrens parties and much more...... HISTORY.... Salford Arts Theatre was originally build for The Salford Players a local group who gave opportunity to the community and aspiring actors. Many faces were part of the group such as Sir Ben Kingsley, and many more. The Salford Players were established in 1913 and performed out of many building in Salford until The Playhouse was built.... When the goup disolved the theatre was given back to Salford City Council who opened the space as professional theatre only the theatre then closed. Before Roni and Scott took over the space in 2007 many had used the space for a number of purposes. The theatre is open on a regular basis. Most recently we have been supported by Stephen Lord and Peter Hook who were both born in Salford.

Q&A with incredible casting director Nicky Bligh. We will be discussing COVID castings, industry tips & tricks & taking your questions.   Nicky is an experienced Casting Director both in TV and film, and has worked on many successful comedies and comedy dramas across various networks including the BBC, SKY, ITV and Channel 4. She has worked with many of the UK’s top production companies. Several shows have been nominated/won awards such as the Rose D’Or for comedy, BAFTA for Best Sitcom, British Comedy Awards, RTS and National Television Awards. She has worked with some of the UK’s best comedy talent. Recent credits include: Buffering, a new series for ITV2, Sandylands a new series for UKTV, After Ever After by David Walliams and the Dawson brothers for Sky, starring Sir Tom Courtenay, Celia Imrie and Sian Gibson, Stath Lets Flats (series 2) and a second series of critically acclaimed show, Home (Channel 4). It is written by actor/writer Rufus Jones (Stan and Ollie, W1A) and produced by Adam Tandy (The Thick Of it, Inside Number 9, The League Of Gentlemen) starring Rufus, Youssef Kerkour and Rebekah Staton. Other Credits include: Living The Dream (Sky/Big Talk), When Bowie Met Bowlan (Sky Arts/Lion Television), Ballot Monkeys (Channel 4), Drunk History (Comedy Central), Boomers (BBC1), Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie, Bad Education (BBC), Mount Pleasant (Tiger Aspect/SKY), Bluestone 42 (BBC), Psychobitches (SKY Arts), Psychoville (BBC), Crackanory (UKTV), Ideal (BBC), and Extras (BBC). She is a member of The Casting Directors Guild.

A Q&A with 1 of the top casting directors in the UK Kelly Valentine Hendry.   This Q&A is with 1 of the UK's top casting Directors Kelly Valentine Hendry. Her phenomenal CV includes Fleabag, Gangs Of London, Broadchurch & more. We will be discussing working class talent in the arts, the world of casting & tips on showreels & headshots. Kelly Valentine Hendry is a casting director working in Film and Television based in London. She is the founder and lead casting director at KVH casting alongside Alex Irwin, Lilly Hanbury and Cole Edwards. Together they love to work on international projects like The Spy, The Last Kingdom & Gangs of London . They recently completed casting on Sony/Amazon’s Wheel of Time fantasy series, Shondaland/Netflix regency drama Bridgerton and are currently casting Agbo/ Amazon's new spy action series Citadel. Prior to that, alongside fellow CD Victor Jenkins , Kelly was proud to work on Broadchurch, Fleabag (S1) and Episodes. KVH casting is committed to inclusive casting. Twitter @KVHendry IG : kvhcasting

After the huge success of our Actor Awareness Q&A's over lockdown we have decided to start them up again!   Over lockdown we ran Q&A's with some incredible industry role models such as Vicky Mcclure, Danny Brocklehurst, Nickie Sault & Shane Meadows, alongside many more. We had over 1000 people attend virtually, so due to the success we are ready to run them again! Kicking us back off is John McGrath who is the Artistic Director of Manchester International Festival. We will be talking festival changes during a pandemic, creating new work, best way to stand out when applying for festivals & much more. Please send in any questions you want me to ask John to [email protected] Here is John's Bio. John E. McGrath is Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Manchester International Festival. His first Festival in 2017 featured world premieres from leading international artists; a new digital direction for MIF; a series of participatory commissions in public spaces, and My Festival a year-round programme forging closer connections with Manchester communities. In 2019 John commissioned artists including Yoko Ono, Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Idris Elba and Tania Bruguera to make work for the largest ever edition of MIF. John was previously Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales, where he achieved a reputation for large-scale site-specific work, digital innovation and extraordinary community involvement. As Chief Executive of MIF John will also be responsible for The Factory, a flagship cultural space currently being built in the heart of Manchester, which will have a year-round programme of new work from the world’s greatest artists, offering a space to make, explore and experiment.