Episode 22 Moonbeam Theatre, graduate theatre company

Olly Double interviews Kent Drama graduates Elyse Hall, Colette McLoughlin and Jess Pattrick about how they set up Moonbeam Theatre – which is one of the University of Kent’s Graduate Theatre Companies. This was recorded while they were touring a show around Kent and Essex and preparing longer term for their first national tour. They talk about their three successful applications for Arts Council England funding, the importance of networking with other companies (like Square Pegs and Frozen Light), and how Covid helped them decide to commit to starting their own company. They also explain in detail how the Graduate Theatre Company scheme works and reflect on how the modules they took prepared them for becoming professional theatremakers – at one point using the memorable phrase, ‘What would Roanna do?’ Finally, there’s a bit of bonus fun with an audio clip from before the interview started.