Mark Woolgar

Mark holds an English Honours Degree and Diploma of Education from Oxford University, is a qualified teacher and a  member of the Institute for Learning.

After 3 years as a schoolmaster, teaching English and developing Drama in a new secondary school, Mark entered the theatrical profession via a trainee director-ship with the Bristol Old Vic Company, where he directed 13 productions and developed the Company’s education and outreach work.  Since then he has directed over 250 productions from Greek tragedy to pantomime, Shakespeare to musicals, Orton to Gilbert and Sullivan in locations from San Francisco to Aberdeen,Enniskillen to Bury St.Edmunds.

For 7 years he directed the Derby Playhouse, moving the company to a new theatre, more than doubling attendance figures and transferring his production of The Seagull to the West End. For another 7 years Mark was Head of the Postgraduate Course at Guildford School of Acting.

He was the first Senior Moderator for the National Qualifications in Professional Acting, Dance, Musical Theatre and Production Skills, has been Artist in Residence at Charterhouse School, Wellington College and Trent College, and wrote a Foundation Degree in Acting for Thames Valley University.  Mark runs the Richmond Drama School within Richmond Adult and Community College and teaches Drama Courses for the London centres of 2 American Universities.

He has acted on stage, TV and radio, adapted novels for the stage, and is the co-author of a book on Theatre Studies. Mark has taught and directed as a guest for many educational organisations including 13 leading Drama Schools and 2 of the main Theatre Design courses. He toured his own Oscar Wilde show extensively, including 3 visits to the U.S.A.

Mark has always been an enthusiastic attender at performances of all kinds, first visiting London theatres in 1951 and Stratford in 1956.