The Department
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Rikki Jackson - Director of Drama
Rikki studied Theatre at Warwick University graduating in 1992 and upon realising that his future was not going to be spent playing for the England Cricket team he opted for teaching. Previously the Director of Performing Arts at Wanganui Collegiate School in NZ he joined Dauntsey's as Director of Drama in 2001. Since then he has enjoyed seeing the department develop, grow and fully establish itself as a major part of school life. He still enjoys playing cricket reasonably, golf erratically and skiing with little grace and getting frustrated by England’s various sports teams as they continue to fail to live up to the promise!
An avid movie fan and lover of music of most types, he is married with two children and dotes on Poppy, his ever so slightly neurotic Labrador and attempts to control Archey, his son’s ludicrous Spaniel.
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Naomi Wilson - Drama Teacher
Naomi has always wanted to teach and has vivid memories of reading story
books to a class of teddy bears, Barbie dolls and other various stuffed animals at about the age of five. She
graduated from Reading University in 2004 with a first class degree in Theatre Arts, Education and Deaf studies. This
training has left her with a huge passion for physical and visual theatre; she is most inspired by the
Spanish playwright Lorca.Having previously worked as head of department at Salisbury college and workshop leader at Salisbury Playhouse and Stagecoach theatre school she has taught a huge range of ages (6 - 60!) Now she is excited about working in the drama department here at Dauntsey's and watching students develop throughout their entire school career. She loves French wine, good food, and spoiling her mischievous cats Gulliver, Muddiford and Jessie James rotten!
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Fiona Bardsley - Drama Teacher
Fiona is a graduate of Durham University and Mountview Theatre School and
since leaving the latter, has worked extensively in theatre, TV, radio and as a voice over artist throughout Britain,
Eire and the US. She is now very much looking forward to being part of the vibrant and exciting drama department at
Dauntsey's.Fiona loves strong coffee, good wine and late night jazz (especially Bill Evans) and is a firm believer in the restorative powers of Green and Black's chocolate.
She is married to actor/director Garth Bardsley and they have two children.
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Matthew Herring - Production Manager
Matthew first started work at the Swindon Arts Centre while on work experience
(his first paid job was doing sound for the world-famous Italian
performance artist 'Ennio Marchetto'). Since then he first
became technical manager of the Arts Centre and then technical
manager for the whole of Swindon Borough Council's Arts Services
department. Between 2001 and 2006 he Production Managed the
Borough's annual street festival and Mela festivals.As a freelancer Matthew's work has included stage managing shows at the Edinburgh Festival, at the Arc Theatre (Trowbridge) and at the (then) Green Room Club (London); done make-up for two Summer Youth Productions and has worked on the Longborough Festival Opera in the Cotswolds. He has also designed lighting for dance, plays, cabaret shows and conferences. Matthew is also very proud to be a serving member of the Association of British Theatre Technicians' H&S Committee.
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Kirsty Glynn - Dance Teacher
Kirsty is a graduate of the University of Surrey: Roehampton
where she studied Dance with Theology and Religious Studies. Since graduating she has taught a mixture of
Dance and Cheerleading to a range of students aged 3 to 50! Kirsty’s main area’s of training are in Ballet
(RAD) Modern Jazz (IDTA) and Musical Theatre (IDTA) and has been training since the age of 9. More recently
Kirsty became involved in the crazy world of Cheerleading and has completed her coaching levels 1-4 and has
competed at many National competitions.Kirsty is very excited to have joined the Performing Arts department at Dauntsey’s school and is looking forwards to all of the forthcoming productions. Kirsty is also a tutor in Evans house and loves Rose wine, shopping and anything pink!
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Josh Cramond - Gap Student
My start in theatre was in my seventh year of school, where I
fell in love with the performing arts after doing an improvisation game with my class. My death in the scene
was abrupt and painful as I said the line “tell my wife I love... peanuts”. Following on from that, my first
audition for a school musical “Guys and Dolls” was in 2006. I didn’t get in. In the following two years I
again tried out for the schools next two school productions and managed to get in to both “Pirates of Penzance”
and “Grease”. In 2009 I gained my first leading role in a musical as ‘Gaston’ in “Beauty and the Beast” and in 2010
I was gifted with the opportunity to play ‘Pharaoh’ in Kristin school's “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor dreamcoat”.I am absolutely infatuated with theatre and have been especially so ever since Kristin school's 2010 year 13 production of Arthur Millers’ “The Crucible” where I played John Proctor. My theatre classes were the highlight of all my school schedules and I now look forward to sharing what I can at Dauntsey's school during this amazing opportunity that this school has so graciously given me.