ELTJO DE VRIES

ACTOR

Eltjo is a Bridgwater based actor who has been performing, directing, tutoring and storytelling since graduating from The Guildford School of Acting in 1991.

His acting work includes appearances in touring productions of The Woman in Black, Sleep of Prisoners, Cold Comfort, Teechers, Murder by the Book, Alice in Wonderland and his one-man part scripted, part improvised version of A Tale of Two Cities.

For eight years he worked as part of the professional in-house team for Isle of Wight Theatres at Shanklin Theatre, appearing in and directing numerous shows, plays, musicals and pantomimes as well as facilitating workshops for adults and children. He then went on to feature for several years in Summer Seasons and Pantomimes produced by Spotlight (IoW) Ltd.

In 2013 he was asked to be a member of the tutoring/production team for First Act (a group set up for adults with disabilities and special needs).

Most recently he has played The Agent in a short film entitled Jacob’s Ladder which was shot in Bristol and is awaiting release.

Over the years Eltjo has also become an acclaimed Improv-Storyteller – taking old folk tales, myths and legends, which he re-interprets for an adult audience, to festivals, libraries and Arts Centres.

Julie Read

Designer

After graduating from the Wimbledon School of Art in Theatre Set and Costume Design, Julie’s first job was designing a schools’ tour of Pinocchio for Upstream Children’s Theatre. She went on to design for many small/mid-scale touring companies including The Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn, Avon Touring Theatre, Riding Lights and L’Ouverture. Julie also worked as assistant to the renowned designer, Yolanda Sonneband. After a very hectic career in London, which combined a busy career with a part-time teaching job at Mountview Theatre School, Julie took up the job of Theatre Leader for Cheshire. The job consisted of two elements: creating and running a Resource Centre for the County and designing the large-scale county productions. During that time Julie did designs for Christmas at Tatton and a teacher tour of The Merchant of Venice which went to Germany. She also supervised the design element of many student productions including Antigone, The Tempest, Joan of Arc and 2041.

In 1992 Julie took up a new post, Production Arts Lecturer at Yeovil College as part of her remit she designed many College productions which included: Cabaret, Sweet Charity, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Little Shop of Horrors, Sweeny Todd and Spamalot; she also continued freelancing and work included The Rain has Voices for Take Art and Marylin for Pretty Good Girl. Julie also completed her MED.

Since leaving Yeovil College Julie has designed Giants and Plays in the Park for Wassail Theatre Company as well as Defender of the Dead for Boiling Kettle Theatre Company.