USF CVPA School of Theatre & Dance

When the artististic directors, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg, Lisel and John Gale and Denis Calandra first discussed the idea of the British International Theatre Program (BRIT), little did they anticipate the success it would turn out to be. With the financial assistance of Hinks and Elaine Shimberg, Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Dan Doyle and the State of Florida Matching Grant Program, the BRIT Program has now become an established annual event and is the envy of many universities in the U.S.A. and even some conservatories!
For years The British International Theatre Program has sought out professional directors and choreographers, leading actors in theatre, television and film, voice and speech experts and top rate designers. These artists have brought their knowledge and experience in British classical theatre and contemporary cutting edge theatre to the students at USF in the form of hands on master classes and workshops. From William Shakespeare to Howard Barker, USF students are immersed in the best that British Theatre offers.
A passion for teaching and artistic excellence are the driving forces behind the British International Theatre Program (BRIT Program). Since 1991, USF School of Theatre and Dance has been carefully designing an undergraduate curriculum which integrates guest artists' skills into the everyday activitiy of each Spring semester. At 25 years of age, the film and theatre director Sam Mendes was our youngest teacher; at 90, dramatist Christopher Fry our eldest. As this suggests, British classical theatre is a living force, spanning generations and styles. We are privileged to have our students partake of the classical and contemporary training, and we are eager to work with our British cousins on the continuing development of this marvelous tradition.

Romeo and Juliet, BRIT 2006
2007
The Birthday Party
by Harold Pinter

Marc Powers | Director
John McEnery | Actor
Tim Woodward | Actor
Jo Cameron Brown | Vocal & Dialect Coach
The BRIT Program also presented
A Pinter Workshop: Revue Sketches

2006
Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare

Tamara Harvey | Director
Tim Carroll | Master of Verse
Siân Williams | Choreographer
Yolanda Vazquez | Master of Voice
2005
The Golden Ass
by Peter Oswald
adapted from Roman author Apuleius

Tamara Harvey | Director
Tim Carroll | Director
Siân Williams | Choreographer
Laura Hopkins | Designer

Tamara Harvey and Siân Williams
during rehearsal of The Golden Ass

Laura Hopkins in leading a design lecture
2004
The Tempest
by William Shakespeare

Margarete Forsyth | Director
Julian Forsyth | Actor
Mel Churcher | Voice Coach
Simon Williams | Actor

Julian Forsyth with BRIT student Aisha Duran
2003
Inferences
Scenes by Howard Barker

Jane Bertish | Actor, Director
Melanie Jessop | Actor, Director
Brendan O'Hea| Actor
Sian Phillips | Actor
Tim Carroll | Director

Jane Bertish working with BRIT students in rehearsal
Putting Across a Song

Sian Phillips working with students during "Putting Across a Song" masterclass.

Tim Carroll with students in BRIT class
2002
The Comedy of Errors
By William Shakespeare

Matthew Francis | Director
Keith Baxter | Actor
Sir Donald Sinden | Actor
Sheridan Morley | Theatre Critic
Stephen Wrentmore | Director

Matthew Francis with BRIT students

Sir Donald Sinden presenting a lecture

Stephen Wrentmore with BRIT students
2001
As You Like It
By William Shakespeare

Philip Wilson | Director
Rachel Kavanaugh | Director
Ian Talbot | Actor
Maria Aitken | Actor
Mel Churcher | Voice Coach
2000
The Beaux Stratagem By George Farquhar

Lucy Pitman-Wallace | Director
Heather Davies | Musical Director
Barbara Houseman | Voice and Text Specialist
Maria Aitken | Actor - Acting High Comedy
Elizabeth Seal | Actor - Acting Musical Theatre

Director Lucy Pittman-Wallace discusses fight choreography with Jeff Norton
1999
Turgenev To Chekhov
Peter Barlow | Director, teacher, producer
James Roose-Evans | Director, writer
Bill Bryden | Director
1998
A Midsummer Night's Dream
By William Shakespeare

Rachel Kavanaugh | Director
Dominic Hill |Director
Keith Baxter |Actor
Denis Quilley |Actor, Director
1997
Shakespeare on Tour

Simon Williams | Actor
Richard Clifford |Actor
Bill Bryden |CBE Director
Joe Harmston |Director
Patrick Garland |Director
Matthew Gale | Producer

Simon Williams directing a scene with BRIT students
1996
The Winter's Tale
By William Shakespeare

Edward Hall |Director
David Acton |Actor
John Gale |Producer
Lisel Gale |Producer
Susan Date |Speech, Voice

Edward Hall in rehearsal

BRIT Artist David Acton
1995
Golden Girls
by Louise Page

Peter Barkworth |Actor
John Gale |Producer
Lisel Gale |Producer
Joe Harmston |Director
Ronald Harwood |Playwright
Louise Page |Playwright

Playwright Louise Parks lecturing to BRIT guest about Golden Girls

Golden Girls Publicity Photo
1994
Twelfth Night
By William Shakespeare

Matthew Francis | Director
John Gale |Producer
Lisel Gale |Producer, Actor
Joe Harmston |Director
Leigh Howard |Voice, Speech

1993
The Importance of Being Earnest
By Oscar Wilde

Lisel Gale |Producer, Actor
Matthew Francis |Director
Roger Moss |Actor
Leigh Howard |Voice, Speech
Tony Britton |Actor
David Conville | Director

Artistic Director John Gale talking with BRIT students
1992
The Boy With a Cart
By Christopher Fry

Christopher Fry | Playwright
Dorothy Tutin |Actor
Brian Rix |Actor
Peter Rice |Designer
Leigh Howard |Speech, Voice

Playwright and guest artist Christopher Fry

1991
Much Ado About Nothing
By William Shakespeare

Sam Mendes | Director
Patrick Garland | Director, Author
Amanda Root | Actor

	When the artististic directors, Hinks and Elaine Shimberg, Lisel and John Gale and Denis Calandra first discussed the idea of the British International Theatre Program (BRIT), little did they anticipate the success it would turn out to be. With the financial assistance of Hinks and Elaine Shimberg, Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Dan Doyle and the State of Florida Matching Grant Program, the BRIT Program has now become an established annual event and is the envy of many universities in the U.S.A. and even some conservatories! For years The British International Theatre Program has sought out professional directors and choreographers, leading actors in theatre, television and film, voice and speech experts and top rate designers. These artists have brought their knowledge and experience in British classical theatre and contemporary cutting edge theatre to the students at USF in the form of hands on master classes and workshops. From William Shakespeare to Howard Barker, USF students are immersed in the best that British Theatre offers. A passion for teaching and artistic excellence are the driving forces behind the British International Theatre Program (BRIT Program). Since 1991, USF School of Theatre and Dance has been carefully designing an undergraduate curriculum which integrates guest artists' skills into the everyday activitiy of each Spring semester. At 25 years of age, the film and theatre director Sam Mendes was our youngest teacher; at 90, dramatist Christopher Fry our eldest. As this suggests, British classical theatre is a living force, spanning generations and styles. We are privileged to have our students partake of the classical and contemporary training, and we are eager to work with our British cousins on the continuing development of this marvelous tradition. Romeo and Juliet, BRIT 2006 2007 The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter Marc Powers \| Director John McEnery \| Actor Tim Woodward \| Actor Jo Cameron Brown \| Vocal & Dialect Coach The BRIT Program also presented A Pinter Workshop: Revue Sketches 2006 Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Tamara Harvey \| Director Tim Carroll \| Master of Verse Siân Williams \| Choreographer Yolanda Vazquez \| Master of Voice 2005 The Golden Ass by Peter Oswald adapted from Roman author Apuleius Tamara Harvey \| Director Tim Carroll \| Director Siân Williams \| Choreographer Laura Hopkins \| Designer Tamara Harvey and Siân Williams during rehearsal of The Golden Ass Laura Hopkins in leading a design lecture 2004 The Tempest by William Shakespeare Margarete Forsyth \| Director Julian Forsyth \| Actor Mel Churcher \| Voice Coach Simon Williams \| Actor Julian Forsyth with BRIT student Aisha Duran 2003 Inferences Scenes by Howard Barker Jane Bertish \| Actor, Director Melanie Jessop \| Actor, Director Brendan O'Hea\| Actor Sian Phillips \| Actor Tim Carroll \| Director Jane Bertish working with BRIT students in rehearsal Putting Across a Song Sian Phillips working with students during "Putting Across a Song" masterclass. Tim Carroll with students in BRIT class 2002 The Comedy of Errors By William Shakespeare Matthew Francis \| Director Keith Baxter \| Actor Sir Donald Sinden \| Actor Sheridan Morley \| Theatre Critic Stephen Wrentmore \| Director Matthew Francis with BRIT students Sir Donald Sinden presenting a lecture Stephen Wrentmore with BRIT students 2001 As You Like It By William Shakespeare Philip Wilson \| Director Rachel Kavanaugh \| Director Ian Talbot \| Actor Maria Aitken \| Actor Mel Churcher \| Voice Coach 2000 The Beaux Stratagem By George Farquhar Lucy Pitman-Wallace \| Director Heather Davies \| Musical Director Barbara Houseman \| Voice and Text Specialist Maria Aitken \| Actor - Acting High Comedy Elizabeth Seal \| Actor - Acting Musical Theatre Director Lucy Pittman-Wallace discusses fight choreography with Jeff Norton 1999 Turgenev To Chekhov Peter Barlow \| Director, teacher, producer James Roose-Evans \| Director, writer Bill Bryden \| Director 1998 A Midsummer Night's Dream By William Shakespeare Rachel Kavanaugh \| Director Dominic Hill \|Director Keith Baxter \|Actor Denis Quilley \|Actor, Director 1997 Shakespeare on Tour Simon Williams \| Actor Richard Clifford \|Actor Bill Bryden \|CBE Director Joe Harmston \|Director Patrick Garland \|Director Matthew Gale \| Producer Simon Williams directing a scene with BRIT students 1996 The Winter's Tale By William Shakespeare Edward Hall \|Director David Acton \|Actor John Gale \|Producer Lisel Gale \|Producer Susan Date \|Speech, Voice Edward Hall in rehearsal BRIT Artist David Acton 1995 Golden Girls by Louise Page Peter Barkworth \|Actor John Gale \|Producer Lisel Gale \|Producer Joe Harmston \|Director Ronald Harwood \|Playwright Louise Page \|Playwright Playwright Louise Parks lecturing to BRIT guest about Golden Girls Golden Girls Publicity Photo 1994 Twelfth Night By William Shakespeare Matthew Francis \| Director John Gale \|Producer Lisel Gale \|Producer, Actor Joe Harmston \|Director Leigh Howard \|Voice, Speech 1993 The Importance of Being Earnest By Oscar Wilde Lisel Gale \|Producer, Actor Matthew Francis \|Director Roger Moss \|Actor Leigh Howard \|Voice, Speech Tony Britton \|Actor David Conville \| Director Artistic Director John Gale talking with BRIT students 1992 The Boy With a Cart By Christopher Fry Christopher Fry \| Playwright Dorothy Tutin \|Actor Brian Rix \|Actor Peter Rice \|Designer Leigh Howard \|Speech, Voice Playwright and guest artist Christopher Fry 1991 Much Ado About Nothing By William Shakespeare Sam Mendes \| Director Patrick Garland \| Director, Author Amanda Root \| Actor
	© 2007 TheatreUSF