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    Surviving in the Theatre: A Biography of Michael Wheatley-Ward
    Surviving in the Theatre: A Biography of Michael Wheatley-Ward
    Surviving in the Theatre: A Biography of Michael Wheatley-Ward
    Ebook248 pages3 hours

    Surviving in the Theatre: A Biography of Michael Wheatley-Ward

    By Michael Flagg

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    About this ebook

    From the Largest Theatre Group in the World to The Oldest Stage in England and the Future of the Theatre

    Michael Wheatley-Ward has had invaluable experience of the theatre management business as the pages of this book will reveal. Here is a colourful entertainment all of its own of the risks involved in production management from the wings as well as front of house. A wealth of knowledge which has been gained through knowing and working with some leading actors, directors and producers in the theatre business over fifty years. From some of London's West End play houses, cinemas and provincial picture houses to the second oldest theatre in England, the Theatre Royal Margate. This centre was one of local controversy in 2007, which led to the creation of the Sarah Thorne Theatre in Broadstairs. For the reader the second purpose of this book, will be to gain an objective account of the events which actually took place, through the reports of some of those involved in the experience.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLegend Press
    Release dateJul 18, 2019
    ISBN9781789556780
    Surviving in the Theatre: A Biography of Michael Wheatley-Ward
    Author

    Michael Flagg

    Michael Flagg is a retired university lecturer who also dabbles in the theatre. He credits his hero Arthur Simms, with giving him his second chance in life, staying in touch with him right up until Arthurs death in 2003. Two years earlier, he made a promise to Arthur, his mentor and inspiration, that he would publish Arthurs story. This fascinating biography and memoir is the result. Geoff Felix, a leading Punch and Judy performer, maker of ventriloquial figures is also the author of two books: My life with Punch by Joe Beeby 1993 ISBN 0952137100 and Conversations with Punch edited by G. Felix 1994 ISBN 0952137119. Geoff undertook his own research on Arthurs father Quisto, a well known Punch and Judy performer to royal children at Buckingham Palace as well as a creator of ventrioquial figures, which had helped Geoff with his own ideas. Geoff has used his specialist expertise and his unique access to Arthurs account of assisting his father as a boy, to contribute to Chapter 1. The remaining thirteen chapters have involved considerable research over seven years by the biographer who was one of the many hundreds of Arthurs students at Portsmouth Highbury College Hampshire England. After gaining the then Membership of the Hotel Catering and Institutional Management Association Examinations and City and Guilds of London 151 certificate in professional cookery, Michael Flagg started as an Assistant Restaurant Manager for J. Lyons, Clifford Street Mayfair. At the Royal Garden Hotel (Oddeninos) Kensington W8 he was firstly a controller, night auditor and then sales executive, which required on-foot promotion of rooms and conference facilities to business houses and travel agents in the west end and city. He then moved to Gardner-Merchant Industrial Caterers as a Training Instructor for new unit managers, which led to seventeen years of full-time lecturing in hotel administration subjects at Westminster Kingsway College. After gaining two part-time degrees in Business Studies and in Human Resources Planning, he then entered higher education at the Polytechnic of North London (later London Metropolitan University), for a further eighteen years, during which time he was also a visiting lecturer at Schiller International, London Waterloo. Throughout his working life Michael has also followed his love of the theatre, starting with a two-year part time acting diploma at Mountview Theatre School Crouch Hill London and thirteen years with the Tavistock Repertory Company (London) at Canonbury Tower Islington. He also performed with other companies at The Cockpit, Webber Douglas, Rudolph Steiner Regents Park and the Kenneth More Theatre Ilford Essex including some directing. Now, living in Broadstairs Kent, he performs for the Dickens Players and the Hilderstone Players and has taken on professional engagements with Gordon Clarkson Productions at Margate. He is also part of the award-winning history of St Peters-in-Thanet Village Tour of costumed characters during the summer season, in the role of John Wesley.

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      Surviving in the Theatre - Michael Flagg

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