Pat O’Toole
Course Director Foundation Acting
Summary
Having trained as an actor, she moved into teaching and directing and then joined the College in 1999 on the BA (Hons) Acting and Actor Musicianship programmes as an Acting Teacher, Director and Professional Development Coordinator. Pat started her own theatre company in the early 1990s, producing and developing new writing. Pat continues to work as a personal development coach and trainer for business, education and the arts, working with individuals and organisations, and she is also a freelance theatre director.
Pat works across many programmes at Rose Bruford College delivering professional development workshops and classes as well as being a Mental Health First Aider. She also runs workshops in managing stress and anxiety and building resilience and is a mental health ambassador, speaker and campaigner in the performing and backstage industry.
Teaching
Research
Teaching Area
Acting (Stanislavski), Directing, Professional Development (presentation skills, networking, emotional intelligence, building resilience, managing stress and anxiety)
Qualifications
Diploma in Drama
Postgraduate Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling
Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching
Higher Education (Performing Arts)
MSc in Social Sciences
Qualified Coach and Counsellor
Memberships
UCU (Health and Safety Rep)
International Coaching Federation (ICF)
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Professional Practice
Freelance director; coaching and training.
External Duties
External Validation Panel Member: new BA and MA courses, University of Chichester
External Panel Member: BA Musical Theatre, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Publications
O’Toole, P. (2018). Must The Show Go On? Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Arts Industry. In: PLASA Conference. London and Leeds.
Research Interests
Mental health and the performer; health and wellbeing.
Additional Information
Pat has been an advocate and spokesperson for The Mental Health Charter for The Performing Arts (adopted at Rose Bruford College in 2016), which aims to use the collective potency of drama schools, producers, agents and arts organisations to stamp out the stigma around mental health and proactively tackle improving health and wellbeing across the sector.