EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT
“All the world’s a stage”
William Shakespeare
Education
Jack trained at leading international theatrical institutions arround the world.
East 15 Acting School and The University of Essex, London UK
MFA in Theatre Direction (2012 – 2014)
East 15’s MFA in Direction is a unique and renowned course designed specifically for those who are already practising as professional theatre directors. Teaching is by a wide range of leading directors and professional practitioners from the UK and overseas. The programme benefits from its close ties with the London theatre world.
Studies included Shakespeare, Contemporary British Drama, Physical Theatre, Techniques of Adaptation, and E15’s unique Artistic Director training.
Workshops and Lecturers included: Lucy Bailey (English National Opera, The Globe); Michael Pennington (Royal Shakespeare Company); Mike Alfreds (Shared Experience); Robin Soans (Talking to Terrorists); Will Pinchin and Dorie Kinnear (Grafted Cede); Allel Nedjari (Gecko Theatre, The Arab and the Jew); Jennifer Pearcy-Edwards (Infectious Theatre); David Jackson (Active Analysis); Aleks Sierz (Rewriting the Nation, In-Yer-Face Theatre); Tony Graham (Unicorn Theatre); John Caird (Les Miserables).
The Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS), Moscow RU
Stanislavsky System and Biomechanics
In depth study of contemporary Eastern European and Russian practices rooted in the later methods of Stanislavsky, Maria Knebel and the physical theatre of Mayerhold at Russia’s leading performing arts training institution.
The Indonesian Arts Institute Denpasar (SENI), Bali IND
Traditional Balinese Performing Arts | UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Practical study of traditional dance, drama, mask and shadow puppetry with a focus on techniques for cross-cultural performance creation at world renowned SENI.
Circle in the Square Theatre School, NYC, U.S.A.
Diploma (BA Equivalence),
Performance for Stage & Screen (1996–1999)
The only accredited training conservatory associated with a Broadway theatre with faculty is drawn from the finest working professionals and master teachers in NYC.
Voice & Speech: Andrea Haring
Dialects: K.C. Ligon
Dance: Nora Kasarda
Movement & Mask: Moni & Mina Yakim
Stage Combat: B.H. Barry
Shakespeare & Text Analysis: Ed Berkeley
Acting Technique & Scene Study (Adler, Meisner, Strasburg, Chekov): Allan Lagndon, Teresa Hayden & Jon Stix
Professional Development
Arène (Working Title), Quebec City, Canada (2023/24)
A new multi-disciplinary circus creation by Robert Lepage, Ex Machina, and FLIP Fabrique.
A two-part professional development residency – from early creation to application and production – observing the processes and practices of a internationally renown artist Robert Lepage, and two leading companies of different approaches and disciplines, of a different Canadian culture, and whose work has greatly inspired the philosophies of my own.
Passionsspiele Oberammergau, Germany (2022)
Exploring Sacred Theatre
The bubonic plague devastated Bavaria during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648). According to local legend, the Oberammergau villagers vowed that if God spared them, they would perform a play every 10 years depicting the life and death of Jesus. No one died of plague after that vow and the villagers kept their word.
Lead by prominent German director Christian Stückl (Artistic Director of Münchner Volkstheater, recipient of German Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations Buber-Rosenzweig-Medaille for service promoting Christian & Jewish inter-faith dialogue) since 1986, it is an incredible community effort. Over 2,500 performers, singers, musicians, and technicians – all nonprofessional residents of the village – perform in a 7hr spectacle on one of the worlds largest open-air stages in an act of spiritual and community devotion.
Theatre Wrede+, Oldenburg, Germany (2019)
flausen+ International Innovation Incubator Practices
A four-month professional development residency researching the artistic & adminsitrative structures, practices and theories underpinning the German Innovation Incubator Flausen +. Included Theatre Wrede+ (Oldenburg), theater im ballsaal (Bonn), Freies Werkstatt Theater (Köln), Theater neben dem Turm (Marburg), Theaterlabor (Bielefeld), International Flausen+ Co-Production with Residenza I.DRA (Brescia, Italy) and Life on Mars International Theatre (Milan, Italy).
I gratefully acknowledge the support of Canada Council for the Arts.
Theater HORA, Switzerland (2019)
Disability Arts
Established in Zürich in 1993 by the theater-pedagogue Michael Elber. Theater HORA’s goal is to support and promote the creative and artistic development of people with learning disabilities, and to give them the opportunity to exhibit their extraordinary abilities to a wide audience, at a professional level. One of the best-known independent theatre, dance and performance groups in Switzerland. The company the company regularly collaborates with important artists and collectives from across Europe and abroad and performs at local, national and international venues.
Shakespeare’s Globe, London UK (2018)
Directing Studio
Offered to a selected 10 professional directors, a masterclass series focused on Shakespeare’s plays in the Globe Theatre including original practice; actor’s voice and physical practice on the bare stage.
The Young Vic, London UK (2016 – Ongoing)
Genesis Director’s Network
As the only scheme of its kind in the UK, the Directors program provides proactive support for professional directors including skills workshops, peer-led projects and paid assistant directing roles.
Theatre503, London UK (2016)
Resident Producer
A residency with Olivier Award winning London new play development theatre. Key members of the producing team responsibilities included: producing; contracting; marketing and social media; and grant writing.
PAN CANADIAN ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MENTORSHIP (2011-2012)
National Artistic Director Mentorship
Three Provinces, Three Mandates, Three Companies
A series of Artistic Director mentorships across the Canada with three diverse companies with different mandates, leadership structures, goals and challenges.
- New Works, Translation & Development:
Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal, Emma Tibaldo (Montreal, QC) - Contemporary Intra Disciplinary and New Works Creation:
Theatre Conspiracy, Tim Carlson (Vancouver, BC) - National Festival/ Curation:
Magnetic North Festival, Brenda Leadlay (Ottawa, ON & Calgary, AL)
Canadian Opera Company, Toronto, CAN (2011)
Auditing Director, The Magic Flute & Nixon in China
A 2-month residency auditing the rehearsal process from first rehearsal to performance including chorus work, choreography, the move to the venue and tech with directors Diane Paulus and James Robinson.
Opera Hamilton, Hamilton CAN (2011)
Auditing Director, Rusticana and I Pagliacci.
A 2-month residency auditing the rehearsal process from first rehearsal to performance.
Director’s Lab North, Toronto CAN (2011)
An intensive hosted by Tarragon Theatre. Masterclasses included Daniel Brooks, Judith Thompson, Nina Lee Aquino, and Anne Cattaneo, Soheil Parsa, Michael Wheeler, Micheline Chevrier, and Linda Griffiths.
BASH Canadian Stage, Toronto CAN (2010)
BASH Emerging Director Residency
Canadian Stage’s program for professional directors to explore approaches to contemporary performance practice, production and administration. The 2010 focus was “directing large-scale works”.
The Centaur Theatre, Montreal CAN (2010)
Venue-Based Theatre Artist Director Mentorship
Venue Based Theatre Artistic Director Residency with Executive Artistic Director Roy Surette and General Manager Chuck Childs.
The Shaw Festival, Niagara on the Lake CAN (2010)
Neil Munro Directors’ Project
Each season, the Festival hires two promising professional directors in an extended residency. Along with Assistant Directing on two productions , responsibilities included Audience Outreach. The residency culminates in a directing project with members of The Shaw Festival creative and acting company.
