A Trent College student will follow in the footsteps of British acting stars such Benedict Cumberbatch and Colin Firth after winning a place in The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.
Year 12 Drama Scholar, Joe Goodhead, will take part in the Acting course as one of just 560 young people selected from over 4,100 that auditioned across the UK for NYT this year. Most recently Joe acted as MC for Trent College’s National Theatre Connection’s production of ‘The Edelweiss Pirates’ at the Derby Theatre, as well as taking the roles of Bob Cratchit in ‘A Christmas Carol’ and Mushnick in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’.
Now Joe is looking forward to showcasing his talents on a national platform. He said: “I first heard about the National Youth Theatre three years ago and have worked hard to gain a place in the organisation as it’s the biggest and most prestigious company in Great Britain, with a rich history and an impressive alumni.
“NYT is run by professionals working in the television and theatre industry and they will be able to impart first-hand knowledge of many of the skills I’ll need to further my acting career.
“Actors that inspire me are Benedict Cumberbatch, once an NYT member and a brilliantly successful stage and screen actor. Mark Strong who took a role in the National Theatre production of ‘A View from the Bridge’, a play I am studying at A/S level. I cannot leave out Johnny Depp because of his sheer versatility. He has always been an inspiration due to his incredible talent at adopting so many different roles.
“I like nothing better than performing! Whether it’s acting on a stage or playing my guitar and singing with my band ‘Insultana’. I never tire of the exhilarating feeling being on stage gives me.”
Joe caught the acting bug aged six after appearing as an orphan in a stage production of ‘Annie’. As well as his National Youth Theatre success, earlier this year he also auditioned for the Youth Music Theatre and has been invited to take part in a newly commissioned play called, ‘Dirty Stop Outs’ this summer.
Trent College’s Director of Drama, Donnaleigh Bailey, who starred as a series regular in the BBC soap ‘Doctors’ for five years, as well as having roles in ‘Holby City’ and ‘Dangerfield’ and a number of stage productions, believes Joe has the work ethic, determination, enthusiasm and talent to succeed.
Miss Bailey said: “This is one of the best opportunities for young people who wish to pursue a career in Drama and will be an amazing experience for Joe. As a department and school we are incredibly proud of his excellent achievement.
“Joe’s greatest strength is his ability to inhabit a character naturalistically and tell their story. He is a very gifted natural actor. Joe often asks myself and the Music and Drama departments to look at his audition pieces, be it monologues or songs. We all want to support him on his chosen career path and his recent achievements have inspired other students to audition and work towards national companies.”
Joe is currently studying for his Grade 8 in acting and has taken part in London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) examinations since starting at Trent College, gaining a distinction in each one.He admits the support from the school has been invaluable in realising his ambitions so far.
He added: “Trent College and the drama department have given me many opportunities to perform different roles and the staff have always been on hand to offer advice and support not only in school roles but in my out of school auditions.”
For more information about Trent College, including drama scholarships, please visit www.trentcollege.net – the school’s next Open Day takes place on Saturday 13 June from 9.30am. To book your place or for more information contact admissions@trentcollege.net or call 0115 849 4950.