Obed Mayamona on Front Line

How it is to be part of a functioning Front of House team at a theatre and how they operate on a day-to-day basis.

I developed my communication and listening skills through working with other creatives in the room to engaging with the public whilst shadowing FOH members on a shift.

Analytically deconstructing performances at The Old Vic and feeding them back as a group and finding out what we enjoyed and didn’t.

How open I became to the workshops and working in a team, it allowed me to be outside of myself that much more – which benefited greatly in the long term – whilst on the programme.

It helped me to point out some of my weaknesses that may have been affecting some goals that I wanted to achieve. We then went on to work on solutions for these problems and ways I can improve on them, which was helpful once completing the programme and pursing other auditions and applying to jobs.

I was granted a pathway to applying at a job at The Old Vic. I’ve been involved in directing and facilitating workshops with Education Manager at The Old Vic, Euan, which have been extremely fun and rewarding. I’ve also had much more success at applying for external opportunities, due to the CV building workshops – and interview work we did whilst I was on the programme.

I was able to successfully apply and gain a full time job at The Old Vic with amazing help from The Old Vic’s Young Person’s Programme Manager, Naomi and the Education & Community Coordinator, Kate, with my CV. I have also been focused on becoming a better storyteller and actor – working with brilliant organisations such as Open Door, The Lyric Ensemble and the Stratford East originate programme. I am now currently studying at Guildhall.

Be brave, be open, listen and take everything you can – from the brilliant people and staff at The Old Vic. You wont regret it.