Two New Genesis LAMDA Scholars

Thursday, 16 August 2012

The Genesis Foundation is delighted to announce two new Genesis LAMDA Scholars, Oliver Cudbill and Joanna Nicks who will begin their studies on LAMDA’s Three Year Acting Course in September 2012.

20 year-old Oliver is from Nottingham. His interest in acting grew from a love of story-telling, and at the age of ten he began taking classical violin lessons before joining the Nottingham Youth Orchestra. This allowed him to understand the similarity between the two crafts, and at the age of 15 he began exploring how to take his acting career to the next level. Following a successful audition to the Inspire Academy in Nottingham, he worked professionally in stage and film and signed with an agent. He has also worked as an actor in London with companies including Red Rose Chain Film and GB Open Air Theatre Company, playing several roles including Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet and Feste in Twelfth Night. Oliver is currently performing in Shelter with the Tristan Bates Theatre.

22-year-old Joanna is from Wakefield, West Yorkshire and has always wanted to pursue a career in acting. She began by taking part in school productions and studying a BTEC Performing Arts and A level Media Studies. While at college Joanna joined Yew Tree Youth Theatre’s 17+ theatre group and worked as an actor for Yew Tree Arts Ltd, where she was involved in a site-specific piece, Encounters, at the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield.  Keen to get as much acting experience as possible, Joanna took a few years out after college to work in Theatre in Education (TIE). Performing in numerous TIE productions gave Joanna a taste of the life of a touring actor. She took part in More Like Me, a play that looks at issues surrounding mental health, and Yearbook, a piece exploring positive decision-making in schools.

Genesis LAMDA Scholars have their tuition fees paid in their entirety over three years of study and also receive a substantial contribution towards their living expenses.

The total number of Genesis LAMDA Scholars the Academy will train on the Three Year Acting Course in 2012/13 will be five. Oliver and Joanna join Abu Salim, who is entering his second year, and Sam McAvoy and Ryan Donaldson, both entering their third and final year of study.

Click here to read more about the Genesis Foundation’s partnership with LAMDA.