ALISON ALEXANDER
C.V.
EDUCATION
Degree
BA (hons) Theatre: Design For Performance
Wimbledon College of Art (UAL) graduated July 2009
Professional Development
Apprenticeship In Puppetry with Lyndie Wright at the Little Angel Theatre
Supported by the Arts Council England. June 2012-September 2013
WORK
Puppets and Props
Set/Costume
Film and Television
Event
Workshop Leader
Technical and other experience
Artistic Director/ August 2009 to 2016
Genius Sweatshop is a design-led devising company based in London. As the artistic director Genius Sweatshop my role involves researching and running rehearsals alongside the everyday organisation, building relationships with performing arts venues and negotiating rehearsal space, organising travel within UK and Europe for the company, writing proposals and funding applications, and ensuring health & safety legislation is adhered to. www.geniussweatshop.com
Other Courses and seminars attended
C.V.
EDUCATION
Degree
BA (hons) Theatre: Design For Performance
Wimbledon College of Art (UAL) graduated July 2009
Professional Development
Apprenticeship In Puppetry with Lyndie Wright at the Little Angel Theatre
Supported by the Arts Council England. June 2012-September 2013
WORK
Puppets and Props
- Pinocchio/Nearly There Yet at Stockton Arc/Puppet and Set Designer-Maker/Christmas 2017/Director Kaveh Rahnama
- Kika's Birthday/Orange Tree,Little Angel and Wizard Presents co-production/Puppet, Set and Costume Designer Maker/Christmas 2017/Director Samantha Lane
- Goblin's Peter and the Wolf/Touring/Puppet, Set and Costume Designer Maker/Summer 2017/Director Matt Borgatti
- Red Riding Hood and the Wolf/The Little Angel/Puppet, Set and Costume Designer Maker/Spring 2017/Director Jimmy Grimes
- Taming of the Shrew/The Globe/Designer Michael Pavelka/Feb 2017/Puppet Maker
- London New Years Day Parade Float by Marcelo Camus for St Christopher’s Hospice/Oct-Dec 2016/Puppet designer-Maker and workshop leader
- Sleeping Beauty by Hackney Empire/ Oct 2016/Thorn Puppet Maker
- Daedala by Oliver James Hymans for Uniqlo Tate Lates/ Oct 2016/ Puppet Maker
- Emily Rising/Little Angel Theatre/Autumn 2016/Puppet Designer and Maker/Director Oliver James Hymans
- Let's Fly/Little Angel Theatre/Autumn 2016/Puppet and Set Designer-Maker/ Director Samantha Lane
- Recycled Rubbish/Theatre Rites/Summer 2016/Stage manager for international and UK tour/ Director Sue Buckmaster and Elgiva Fields
- Al Madad Foundation Gala/Spring 2016/Puppet Designer and Animator/Director Marie Sennyey
- The Forest Angel/Puppet Corner/November-December 2015/Designer and Puppeteer
- Light Show/Oily Cart/Spring 2015/Maker/Designer Claire De Loon/Director Tim Web
- Lab Rat/Genius Sweatshop/Spring 2015/Designer, Maker and Puppetry director/ Director Kaveh Rahnama
- Giant Dreidle for JW3/Dec 2014/Props maker
- There was an old woman by Oily Cart / Nov-Dec 2014 / Props maker/Designer Claire De Loon/Director Tim Web
- Recycled Rubbish by Theatre Rites / Sep 2014 / recycled puppet maker and Set adaptation for touring
- The Little Prince by Lux and Vox/ Jul-Aug 2014/ Puppet and Set Designer-Maker/ Director Marie Sennyey
- Dead Dog in a Suitcase by Kneehigh Theatre / Mar-Apr 2014 / Puppet and mask maker/Designer Lyndie Wright/Director Mike Shepherd
- Betty Blue Eyes, a Mercury Theatre Colchester, Liverpool Everyman, Salisbury Playhouse and West Yorkshire Playhouse Co-production / Feb 2014/ Puppet maker/Designer Sarah Wright
- Moomin Summer Madness by Little Angel Theatre, Polka, Royal and Derngate/Jan 2014/Puppet Maker/Designer Lyndie Wright
- In The Beginning by Liat and Co for JW3/September 2013/Designer-Maker
- Lab Rat by Genius Sweatshop/Summer 2013/Designer-Maker, devisor, performer
- Beegu for artsdepot and Puppet Centre Trust/2013/Initial Concept and designer for R&D
- We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Little Angel Theatre/2012-13/Assistant puppet maker
- The Engineer's Thumb by Dotted Line Theatre/ Designer-Maker puppets, set and costume /Jan-March 2013
- Charly and Fay/based on Flowers for Algernon/Short performance/designer-maker, director and puppeteer/Autumn 2012
- King Harald Saga by Rachel Warr and Lucy Drever for Puppet Centre Trust/Sept-Nov 2012 (Designer-Maker puppets/set)
- The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings by Little Angel Theatre and Knee High/November 2011/Making assistant
- Cinderella by South Hill Park/ November 2011/Puppet designer-maker
- Gemini by Ocean Youth Theatre/ May-October 2011/Puppet designer-maker
- The Conductor/ Self/ 2010-11/ Marionette designer-maker
- Polar bear/R and D for Genius Sweatshop/2011/ Puppet design
- Alice in Wonderland/Little Angel/ 2010/ Props making assistant
- Fallen by Upswing/ August - October 2010/ puppet designer
- His Dark Materials/ Group 64/2010/ Puppet designer-maker and workshops
- The Kapok Tree/ Eye Spy Arts/ 2009-10/Puppet: designer-maker
- Petruska/Little Angel/ Autumn 2009/ Props making assistant
Set/Costume
- Pinocchio/Nearly There Yet at Stockton Arc/(Set Designer)
- Kika's Birthday/Orange Tree,Little Angel and Wizard Presents co-production (Set and Costume Designer)
- Goblin's Peter and the Wolf/Touring/(Set and Costume Designer-Maker)
- Red Riding Hood and the Wolf/The Little Angel/(Set and Costume Designer-Maker)
- Emily Rising/Little Angel Theatre/Autumn 2016 (Costume Design)
- Let's Fly/Little Angel Theatre/Autumn 2016 (Set and Costume design)
- House of Smutter/Liat&co/Feb 2016 (Event Art Direction)
- The Forest Angel/Puppet Corner/November 2015 (Set and Costume Design)
- Tate Modern Family day/Tate Modern/Summer 2015 (Event Design and Construction)
- Jabberwocky by Little Angel Theatre/ November 2014 (Costume sourcing and dying)
- Fantastic Mr Fox by Little Angel Theatre/August 2014 (Costume remakes and dying)
- Under the Vaulted Sky, June/July 2014 (costume assistant for large scale production)
- Bounce by Oily Carte, May 2014, (set builder)
- Assistant to designer Michalis Kokkoliadis/ July 2013 (set and dance costume assistant)
- The Engineers Thumb by Dotted Line/ (Set and Costume design)
- Fairy Tales by Green Shoes Arts/ June-September 2011 (Costume Designer)
- She Walks in Beauty by The Ophelia Project/ January 2011 (Designer Costumes and Film and Assistant Director)
- Wyrd Sisters by Davenant Foundation School/ November – December 2010 (Set Designer)
- Fallen by Upswing/ August - October 2010/ (assistant set and costume designer)
- The Man Who Wasn’t There by Genius Sweatshop / August 2009 – current (Co-Designer and deviser)
- Under The Skirt by Aerial Dupla / June 2010 (Costume designer/maker)
- Out of Sight by Frantic Assembly and the London Youth Circus / January – July 2009 (Set and Costume Designer)
Film and Television
- Petruska/Wimbledon Film Festival and Little Angel Theatre/2012/ Puppet Assistant and makeup
- We’re Puppeteers/Nickelodeon and IRG Media/June-July 2011/ Art Direction and Puppet costume maker
Event
- Made in London, JW3, June 2014, interactive bus designer-maker
- Immersive room, JW3, April 2014, designer-maker
- Interactive exhibitor the opening of JW3 (Jewish Community Centre) for Blue Ribbon Events/September 2013/Designer-Maker
Workshop Leader
- Design Mentor/Central School of Speech and Drama - BA Puppetry pathway
- Recycled Rubbish/Theatre Rites/ Family and School Recycled puppet workshops
- Liat & Co/open public workshops
- Hoxton Hall arts club/ ages 8-11
- Swiss Myths for House of Fairy tales/Swiss Embassy
- Jewish Community Centre for London (ages 4+) various textile, animation and craft workshops at events and in schools
- Ocean Theatre/ Gemini (ages 12-18) puppet operating workshops
- Green Shoes Arts/Fairy Tales (Ages 9-16) design workshops
- Spid/Puppetry residency with their youth theatre in Kensal Rise (ages 10-12 year)
- Group 64/His Dark Materials: puppet design and workshop leader – working with the cast members of make and operate the puppets for their Christmas show. (ages 10 – 18)
- Puppet Centre Trust/TARA arts: workshops with Children in schools and youth drama groups, (age 12-21) with the aim to teach puppet construction skills and develop character.
- Swaffield primary school (age 4 – 9) in Wandsworth for their Arts week looking at shadow puppets.
- Circus Space summer university Design workshop for the Circus Space’s summer university in conjunction with Hackney Council for children aged 10 – 16.
Technical and other experience
- Stage Manager for UK and International Tour/ Recycled Rubbish Theatre Rites 2014 - 2016
- Lighting and sound design for Genius Sweatshop 2009 to present
- In-house technician (occasional)/ Little Angel Theatre/ 2010 to 2014
- Touring Stage manager/ Little Angel Theatre/ Various tours 2009-12
- Box office/Little Angel/2011
Artistic Director/ August 2009 to 2016
Genius Sweatshop is a design-led devising company based in London. As the artistic director Genius Sweatshop my role involves researching and running rehearsals alongside the everyday organisation, building relationships with performing arts venues and negotiating rehearsal space, organising travel within UK and Europe for the company, writing proposals and funding applications, and ensuring health & safety legislation is adhered to. www.geniussweatshop.com
Other Courses and seminars attended
- Exploring Fairytales master class/Norwich Puppet Theatre/August 2015
- Manipulate and Play Masterclass: Professional Development Summer School with Liz Walker/Norwich Puppet Theatre – August 2013
- Voices for Puppeteers with Dolly May/ Puppet Centre Trust - October 2012
- Punch and Judy with Martin Bridle / Norwich Puppet Theatre as part of the Big Grin Festival - May 2012
- Puppetry Master class with Philippe Genty/ Manipulate Festival Edinburgh – February 2011
- 10 steps to setting up a performing arts company/ Independent Theatre Council - Sept 2010
- Marionette carving course/ John Roberts at the Little Angel – June 2010
- The Big Dance Funding seminar/ Sadler’s Wells – May 2010
- Puppetry Manipulation course/ Blind Summit Theatre – January 2010
- Introduction to Circus skills / The Circus Space - May 2009