Rebekah Tunnell (Stage Management)

Biography

What's been your highlight during your time at Guildhall? 

I have worked on a lot of brilliant shows so far in my time at guildhall but my favourite by far has to be as Deputy Stage Manager on Spring Opera Scenes 2024. It was such a busy and exciting show to call with lots of live scene changes and automation. I had the opportunity to learn so much about how to can run the rehearsal room alongside the creative team and I was able to grow so much within this role in such a short amount of time. Working along side a wonderful creative and production team in a role I love doing was such an amazing experience. 

What's been your highlight in the industry? 

One of my highlights in the industry so far has been working with the community opera ‘Our Town’ at Catford Broadway Theatre this summer. I joined the project as an Assistant Stage Manager as they moved into the venue from the rehearsal room and so much was achieved in such a short amount of time to put on a beautiful performance involving so much of the local community that was accessible both on stage and as a member of the audience and I am very proud to have got the chance to support this even if very briefly.

What other passions and projects have you enjoyed exploring during your time at Guildhall?

One of my greatest passions is access and outreach to theatre, specifically production arts. Ensuring everyone regardless of background, location and prior exposure to theatre has the opportunity to consider a career path backstage is so important in sustaining and furthering our industry. I am incorporating this into my Graduation Project, researching and writing a dissertation on discrepancies in access and outreach for production arts within different regions of the UK and how that effects progression to drama schools as well as supporting local arts outreach programmes in my hometown. 

What's something you've learned that you feel will help you when you graduate?            

I think some of the big breakthroughs I have had is gaining a confidence in my ability and skills whilst learning in such a practical way during my time so far here. Seeing how much difference this makes to the way I can collaborate and engage with a production is so motivating to continue with this positive trajectory even further into my career.

What are you most interested in working in after you graduate?

My interests mainly lie in Deputy Stage Manager work and calling shows because nothing beats the rush of adrenaline calling cues under the pressure of show conditions and the instant gratification of seeing the product of your hard work instantly in front of you. The cross-departmental working of the role adds so much, getting the opportunity to work with so many different people in different roles is such a good way to get stuck in and achieve someone’s creative vision as a team. I also have a keen interest in stage managing for music and festivals for the similar rush that occurs in the set up and in between acts. The organisation that this requires to allow it to happen as smoothly as possible and so that each artist gets everything they need to perform to the best of their ability is something I am really keen to evolve over the span of my career. 

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