Emma Zadow studied BA American Theatre Arts, and graduated in 2015. We caught up with Emma and asked her to share her experiences of studying at Rose Bruford College and how her education has helped her to succeed in the industry.
What did you like most about studying at Rose Bruford College?
I enjoyed the collaboration between courses, which you don’t always get in other drama schools. Courses can become very secular, that just isn’t the case at Rose Bruford. Everyone mixes and peers from other courses are your peers. I devoured the acting classes in American approaches to acting with Uta Hagen techniques, improv and Musical Theatre and the chance to prepare for professional industry standard audition rooms whilst still studying. In addition, the opportunity to perform in the USA was incomparable. I was exposed to American methodologies to actor training in Kentucky which directly affected my practice as an actor who writes and directs. The staff supported me in my own journey and didn’t want to mold me into a cookie cut of the school etc. They saw my potential and only endeavoured to push, question and encourage me in my unique style. I did not feel pushed to fit a type of actor for them.
How has your course helped you to get to where you are today?
American Theatre Arts (ATA) allowed me to explore writing, directing, devising, movement and experimenting with my ideas as a theatre maker and film maker. Moreover, multimedia and performance come hand in hand with ATA. Collaboration, connective skills and the space to explore your own personal stamp as an artist and business, is what stood out to me with this course. One’s individual style can be exemplified even further and pushed to it’s boundaries by the staff, modules and course outline.
What has been the highlight of your career to date?
I won the Fringe Encore Award for my performance in the one person show SHELL SHOCK (Smokescreen Productions) at the Soho Playhouse, New York, 2017. This led to further Edinburgh, Adelaide and national touring opportunities with the show. As a result, I was able to develop my actor writing skills and therefore gained a commission from Mountview to write a play for Theatre 503. As a BBC New Creative, I won Best Actress in my self-penned short film with Screen South, “JIGGING”. It won Best Actress at Sydney & Kosice Film Festivals, and Best Short and Experimental at a list of festivals. The film is still on the BBC iPlayer. My plays have been published by Renard Press as well, and are available at the Royal Court Samuel French Book Shop. I am an alumnus of the Soho, Criterion (West End), Mercury and Menagerie Playwrights Groups. I am a BBC New Creative and ITV Creative Access Mentee Alumnus and a McClaren Racing Bursary Winner 2024. I have received Arts Council Funding for two projects; environmental and social.
How have you stayed connected to Rose Bruford College since graduation?
I have collaborated with several of my peers including actors and technical/creative teams in full length productions of my plays as an actor/writer. Furthermore, there has been a cross-collaboration between ATA and the Actors Programme which has blossomed into long standing collaborations for me.
What would you say to a student who is thinking of applying for your course today?
Creating your own work as an actor is a vital set of skills to learn for actor training going forward. AMERICAN THEATRE ARTS, which combines actor training, a semester abroad in the USA in actor disciplines rooted in Rose Bruford College’s teachings, and then returning to RBC Campus in third year for showcases to the public, allows for actors with ideas, objectives and moreover, questions about the industry and business, to develop their own voice as artists. And the industry is desperate for actors with these at the forefront of their work as artists.
Pick three words to describe Rose Bruford College
Provocative, challenging and inspiring
Find out more about Emma
Website: https://www.emmazadow.co.uk/