BIRD COLLEGE – DANCE, MUSIC AND THEATRE PERFORMANCE OPENS NEW BUILDING AND ANNOUNCES
STEPHEN MEAR AS PRESIDENT
Bird College – Dance, Music and Theatre Performance today announces the appointment of Stephen Mear as President after an official opening of the new college campus took place yesterday. Mear will be an advocate for Bird College and for the wider dance and musical theatre sector promoting the work of the college as will Gary Avis MBE who was recently announced as a new patron. Both will work alongside existing patrons Christopher Biggins, Baroness Tessa Blackstone, Lara Pulver, Liz Robertson and Dougie Squires OBE.
Principal and Chief Executive, Shirley Coen and Deputy Principal and Artistic Director, Luis De Abreu said today “Stephen Mear is an internationally renowned, award winning director and choreographer. We are so delighted that he has agreed to be the President of Bird College. He has a wealth of knowledge and extensive experience in dance and musical theatre as a performer, director and choreographer. No one better understands the complexities of recognising talented artists in the first instance and providing them with outstanding and multi-disciplined training which is at the heart of the College’s ethos. He is inspirational and highly respected, and we know that he will be a great support to us individually and the whole college community. It is such a privilege to have such a prestigious President and Doreen Bird, the College Founder, would be so very proud. As we are.’’
We are equally proud of internationally acclaimed actor Lara Pulver who graduated from Bird College in 2000 to play the lead role, Peggy Sawyer, in 42nd Street. This was just the start of her already glittering career. She and Stephen Mear have collaborated on a range of high-profile musical theatre projects including Gypsy, for which they both received great critical acclaim. They are currently working together on Guys and Dolls at the Royal Albert Hall. She has been a Patron of the College since 2010. Lara is equally at home on stage and screen.
The opening of the new campus took place in Doreen Bird Foundation Theatre on the 14 October and was an outstanding success. We were delighted that so many friends of the college came to share our special day. This included trustees and directors (past and present), staff and students, graduates, representatives from the University of Greenwich, the London Borough of Bexley (notably the Leader of the Council Teresa O’Neill OBE). It was very special to have so many key individuals from the theatre industry including members of our Employers Advisory Board who continually share their expertise with us. Stephen Mear and Lara Pulver were inspirational and there could be no better advocates for our college community.”
Stephen Mear said today “I am so delighted to become the President of Bird College. It is an organisation which I admire greatly, and I know how committed the team are to providing world class vocational training. I continually work with many of their graduates and I am always impressed by their professionalism, excellent technique and artistry and I am excited to be an advocate for this great College. I am delighted to be able to support Shirley and Luis in their work through which they ensure remains at the forefront of the dance and musical theatre industry. Through my own training in dance and musical theatre, I understand and value the importance of the work undertaken here and I look forward to mentoring emerging talent.
Sunday 14 October College marked the official opening of the College’s new Campus – which is the first time in its history that the college has been able to work from one site. It is a former school and it has been very significantly renovated and refurbished and this summer an entirely new teaching block was added. Following on from the college’s RIBA architectural competition, they worked very closely with award winning architects Gareth Hoskins. This exciting project was delivered, on time and on budget – an imaginative and innovative development. The Campus is now fully occupied, and it offers the college community an excellent learning and working environment.
The new campus provides:
- Extensive green spaces
- 12 Dance Studios, 4 Acting Studios, 1 Academic Room, 9 singing rooms
- Wellbeing block with Gym, Counselling room and Physiotherapist room
- Theatre Block 130 Seat (Doreen Bird Foundation Theatre) with dressing rooms, greenroom, production office, band room
- Production Block with scenery store, props Room, set workshop, Wardrobe and Laundry room
- Library and IT facilities, Common room, Refectory (interval cafe) and dressing rooms for all students