Jenny Stephens

Artistic Director

Biography

Jenny Stephens is a theatre director, radio producer and writer and has been the Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School since 2012.

She was the Artistic Director of the Worcester Swan Theatre for eight years and has directed for a number of companies including Bolton Octagon, GB Theatre and Great Eastern Stage. As a radio drama producer she has directed numerous new plays for BBC Radio 4 and was a frequent guest director of The Archers.

Credits as writer include Jefferson 37, Project Raphael and Project Archangel (Radio 4). The Speckled Monster and Wounded (Birmingham Rep Theatre).

Productions for BOVTS include: Tartuffe, The Man of Mode, The Country Wife , Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Time and The Conways, A Funny Thing Happened on The Way To The Forum, Alice In Wonderland, The Heresy of Love , The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, The Innocent Mistress, Love for Love, Treasure Island, How To Disappear Completely and Never Be Found.

Professional Acting MFA*

I’m constantly delighted by the talent, commitment and drive of our students. Their curiosity and joy in the work gives us all energy and keeps me on my toes! My goal is to ensure that their voices serve their acting - both in theatre and recorded media. They need to be able to project, learn accents, respond to a wide variety of texts and have a voice that is healthy and be able to sustain long tours and tough filming schedules. This involves them working extremely hard – but having fun as well. When the new students see the final year students in production for the first time I know they’ll come into class the next day fully understanding the high standard they’re working to achieve. Carol Fairlamb, Head of Voice