: : ? 35 This was an interesting one for me, as I had always been a mover – never quite a dancer. I did it…and loved it! That year, UJ Arts & Culture had decided to revisit a work that they had performed in their formative stages (still RAU) – Westside Story. Accompanied by a full orchestra. WOW! I knew I had to audition. I knew that I would be a “cool” Baby John. Casting was complete, the list went up, and I was going to be playing Tony – at 1.68, probably the shortest one in history. UJ Arts & Culture provided me with extensive on-the-job training. Better than any textbook. It offered me the platform to learn the crafts that I love. It gave me the space to feel safe and able.  Tell us aboutwhathappened afteryourcompleted yourstudies and whatyou are doing rightnow? So during my final year, the typical questions arose… What now?  What next?  How very Beckett of me. Honestly, I did not know. The pull of the arts was so strong. It just so happens that I had met Paul Warwick-Griffin during my Westside Story stint, and he was casting a show for Pieter Toerien – Hair. I was invited to audition and the rest was history. I was hooked – consumed by the world of musical theatre. I landed some incredible shows and had the privilege of playing some incredible roles, both locally and abroad. I knew that I needed to continue pushing myself. Crawford College Sandton offered me a post in teaching dramatic arts. I grew into the world of education. Yet again, no formal training. I saw myself as an Edutainer. I realised that I loved working with young adults and pushing them to grow their, at times un-acknowledged, potential. After a few fantastic years at Crawford Sandton, I was offered an opportunity to work at Redhill School as their Director of Visual and Performing Arts. Joseph Gerassi was the brainchild of this new and almost foreign role. The idea of a Creative Director in Education? Redhill being the progressive school that it is, it saw the need to develop a strong focus on creativity both in and out of the classroom. Creativity not for sake of being creative, but rather for harnessing the power of its ability in collaborating, communicating, fostering care, promoting process and allowing for experimentation. Redhill has allowed me carte blanche to play, experiment and fail (safely). It is our goal to develop a full-time art’s stream and to be acknowledged as a centre of arts excellence. Tell us aboutyourcreative projects. I am working on a massive collaboration with Gemma and Matt Marinus (Born to Perform) – watch the space – directing 70 odd students in a production of Footloose, producing two productions for the Festival of Excellence in Dramatic Arts (FEDA), constantly looking at fresh and exciting ways of integrating the arts into the curriculum across other subjects, co-designing a production curriculum in a “behind-the scenes” production for grade 9 students and, alongside Carly Graham, I am creating a space for professional development opportunities with working actors. In addition to this, I sit on the Naledi Theatre Awards panel. This is awesome, as I get to witness the magic of at least 95 productions staged throughout Gauteng every year. Whydidyou startRedFest? Joseph Gerassi (Executive Head of Redhill School) shares a deep passion for the arts.  He always jokes and remarks that I have his continued >>