Hello, you lovely lot.
If you're voting in these committee elections there's a strong chance you know me already, but I'll introduce myself just in case. I'm Tom, a masters student currently in stage 1 of a 2-year MA in Music Therapy, and I would love to be your secretary for the 2022/23 academic year. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Musical Theatre this year and I'm eager to step up into this role so I can play some part in helping the society continue to grow.
I believe my relevant experience can be summarised in three categories:
Admin experience
I'm no stranger to forms, booking systems, policies and procedures. In the time between leaving my undergraduate university and starting at Derby, I had 4 solid years of experience in paid administrative roles. My first was in a construction firm, where my jobs included arranging support for machinery breakdowns, booking HGV transport on a daily basis, and processing paperwork for on-site staff around the country. Following this, I worked for a couple of other companies, the most recent of which was in a creative/academic field. I was responsible for facilitating the ongoing recruitment, training and standardisation of 300+ worldwide music examiners at the Trinity College awarding body, which included mass-mailing of materials, booking accommodation and transport, and leading the management of the annual conference. Timeliness and organisation were paramount in these jobs, and are skills I can bring to the role of secretary.
Committee experience
At Newcastle University I was Head of Stand-Up as part of the Comedy Society. Stand-up was in some ways a subdivision of the larger society, meaning I often took on presidential, secretarial and social responsibilities. For the most part, this meant booking the rooms for our weekly writing and performance sessions. I also had a principal role in our live performances: booking the venues and equipment, designing and printing flyers, and compèring the shows. For the shows that featured the trinity of stand-up, sketch and improv, the whole committee worked more closely together. The most significant example was the trip to the annual Student Comedy Festival in Edinburgh, where accommodation and travel were added to the list of jobs.
Above all, my time on this committee was rewarding because of the opportunity to encourage new members, who often had little to no comedy experience, and watch them develop into bonafide, natural performers. Many have gone on to perform at larger comedy clubs, reach the finals of national competitions, and take their own shows to the Edinburgh Fringe.
Theatre experience
I have been involved in music and drama since childhood, and experienced many of the different aspects of live theatre. From 11-18 I was a member of my local youth theatre, to which I owe all of my confidence and relational skills. I performed in two shows per year, one of which was always a summer musical, and by the time I was in the sixth form I was being cast in lead roles, most notably Fagin in Oliver. On four occasions I went to the Edinburgh Fringe with the company, most recently to play in the pit band. I learnt a great deal about marketing during the trips to the Fringe; every day we were sent out onto the Royal Mile to find creative ways to sell our show to members of the public.
I have been Musical Director twice. In the first instance, I returned to the youth theatre in 2017 to MD their production of Bugsy Malone. This was a brilliant opportunity to give back to the group that did so much for me, and offer the same support to the next generation of thespians. I rehearsed with the whole ensemble as well as soloists, and booked musicians for the live band which I conducted throughout the four-night run. My second experience as Musical Director is still happening as we speak, in this very society's production of Seussical! This is my first time doing a sung-through musical with little dialogue, and I'm incredibly grateful to my co-MDs who are also doing a sterling job (this isn't brown-nosing to get you two to vote for me, but also it would be cool if you did).
I have also written and directed theatre, in the form of a one-act play that was selected out of many by the committee of the Newcastle University Theatre Society. I led a cast of nine, who brought my writing to life and made it their own. I had a lot of fun exploring possibilities, allowing my cast to find humour where I hadn't considered it, and learning a lot about theatre from a position I had not experienced previously.
I've also played minor parts in theatre tech and other backstage roles.
Summary
I believe that the culmination of my experiences make me an ideal candidate for secretary. This time two years ago I didn't expect to be back at university. Now I'm here, and I only have one more chance to throw myself into something like this, so that's what I'm doing!
As your secretary, I promise to:
- Keep on top of all society activities to ensure everybody gets the best experience
- Process paperwork and bookings in a timely fashion
- Work well with my fellow committee members and compromise ideas if I need to
- Draw upon my theatrical background to assist the president, director and creative team in producing fantastic performances
- Continue to encourage new & existing members
- Promote welcomeness & inclusivity
Thank you for taking the time to read my manifesto. I hope I can count on your vote!