Drama lecturer is ready to take centre stage at Stroud Theatre Festival

Karen Benjamin, Senior Lecturer in Drama, Performing Arts and Play at the University of Gloucestershire, enjoys nothing more than preparing her students for a rewarding career in the theatre.

As Academic Course Leader for Drama within the School of Arts, she relishes the opportunity to pass on the benefit of her own experience and expertise to potential future stars of stage and screen on the BA (Hons) Drama and Performance Practice programme.

But this month, Karen’s very own work will be appearing in front of a live theatre audience at the Stroud Theatre Festival (10-12 September).

As well as being on stage with her comedy improvisation troupe, Box of Frogs, a monologue written by Karen has been chosen to be performed on the second day.

Karen said: “Performing professionally with Box of Frogs provides me with lots of new ideas and refreshes my skills that I’m able to put into practice while teaching drama programmes at the University of Gloucestershire.

“Having written plays regularly all my life, recently I decided to attend the Writers Lab at The Everyman Theatre in order to develop these skills and keep up to date with the latest developments.

“Paul Milton, the Creative Director of The Everyman, set everyone at the Lab a brief for the writing of a monologue with the opening line ‘I can’t get hold of Anthony’, to be staged at the Stroud Theatre Festival.

“I was absolutely delighted to find out that my monologue was among the four chosen and that it will be performed by local actor, Jacquie Crego, at the festival.

“I’m really excited about appearing at the Stroud Theatre Festival and look forward to seeing some of my former and current students and University colleagues among the audience.”