What was your first job in the performing arts?
At 14, I worked as an usher in an arena that hosted everything from classical to pop and rock concerts. Being exposed to so many genres at such a young age planted a seed that eventually grew into a full-time career in the arts.
Who has been the most influential mentor or figure in your journey, and what did they teach you?
I’ve been largely self-taught. Every lesson came from experience — and plenty of mistakes — rather than from a single mentor.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
To be honest, I never really received advice early on. My best lessons came from trial and error, and even after 25 years, I’m still learning how to make fewer mistakes.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting out in the industry, what would it be?
Start as early as you can and learn the business from the ground up. Understanding the nuts and bolts gives you real insight into what makes a successful show.
What’s always at the bottom of your to-do list?
There’s always something — usually the less urgent admin tasks that somehow keep finding their way to tomorrow’s list.
What’s your favourite inspirational quote?
It’s more political than you might want to include, but at the moment, “Give me liberty, or give me death,” supposedly spoken by Patrick Henry in 1775 referring to King George III. Don’t take that as anything against the UK — it was a long time ago, and times have changed.
If you weren’t working in the performing arts, what would you have been?
A foreign service officer. I’ve always been fascinated by international affairs — sometimes more so than politics at home.
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