Aged just 21, Hannah Buckingham is already living her dream working on top West End shows.
The former Plymstock School pupil has always been drawn to creative subjects saying she struggled to feel motivated by tasks that involved sitting at a desk. In Year 10, just as Hannah was starting to consider her future, she developed an interest in theatre, which led her to a Year 11 taster session in performing and production arts at City College.
Hannah said: “It was the perfect course for me. I was learning valuable life skills whilst exploring something I was passionate about. I enjoyed being in a practical environment nearly every day. I could get stuck in with the building of equipment and sets whilst gaining the knowledge, skills and connections to be a good practitioner.
“Every term I completed a variety of job roles for different types of shows, from being the production manager for a concert to a show caller on a dance event. The opportunities were endless.”
Her time at the College allowed Hannah to realise that her passion was in production and Hannah went on to study for a degree in technical and production management at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
During her final year, Hannah started working part-time on West End shows such as Moulin Rouge and The Book of Mormon before being offered a full-time job supporting the automation department on the UK and Ireland tour of Beauty and the Beast. Hannah is now in a similar role on Disney’s The Lion King and will soon be travelling with the rest of the cast and crew around the UK, Ireland and Switzerland.
