Hanna Streeter, Executive Director at Orange Tree Theatre, reflects on the key influences on her career, including being inspired by theatre in-the-round and going full circle.
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It distresses me to read about the decline of arts in education. I vividly remember being encouraged by Mr Ford at East Sheen Primary and Ms Richardson at Shene Secondary to take drama, to dance and be loud and proud about joining the school orchestra even though I felt bloody uncool at the time. Through those subjects I learnt to make friends and form relationships, develop empathy and understanding, and most significantly to express myself throughout the difficult teenage years.
It was at both of these schools that I was introduced to Shakespeare in-the-round at the Orange Tree Theatre, which ignited my passion for plays and presented a future full of possibility. The Education and Participation team at the Orange Tree is incredible; they engage with around 10,000 school children every year across local boroughs. I’m so lucky to have had this opportunity and to now be working in the very institution where it all began for me.
