Devising Masterclass

Elevate your practice!

Join us at the King Street Art Centre (KSAC) for a two-day masterclass program with established industry professionals Rachel McMurray and James Berlyn.

The program will explore different approaches to devising, including physical, textual and conceptual; and will give an over all understanding of the theatre-making process.

Aimed at those in the company's Juniors and Seniors age range (15-26), this masterclass is for anyone wanting intensive training and keen to boost their theatre-making toolkit.
When: 6-7 July, 10-4pm
Where: WAYTCo Studio, 1st Flr, KSAC
The Sunday program includes a panel event hosted by Artistic Director, Amelia Burke, with the following panellists:

• Frances Barbe (Assoc. Dean Peformance WAAPA)
• James Berlyn (Former WAYTCo Artistic Director, Independent) &
• Zendra Giraudo (Dancer and emerging theatre-maker)

Grab your two-day pass for just $165 (youth members) or $220 (general admission). This is world class training at affordable pricing!!

This event proudly heralds the Act Belong Commit health message.

Rachel McMurray

Rachel is a theatre director, writer and facilitator, with a passion for creating theatre for, and with, a variety of communities and individuals. She is committed to directing and devising theatre which rouses conversation and stimulates social change. Rachel has a first-class honours degree in Performing Arts from The University of Salford and an MA in Applied Theatre from The University of Manchester, and is currently undertaking a practice-led PhD at WAAPA in contemporary theatre practice.

In the UK, Rachel was artistic director and co-founder of a small new writing theatre company, Fine Comb Theatre from 2013 until 2022. She is an experienced arts practitioner with a passion for creating thought-provoking, innovative and high-quality productions, working with such companies as The Lowry Theatre, The Royal Exchange Theatre, Oldham Coliseum, Theatre in Pr*son and Probation and more. For several years, Rachel was an associate lecturer at Staffordshire University, and residency supervisor at The University of Manchester. Since permanently emigrating to Boorloo/Perth in 2022, Rachel has worked with such companies as West Australian Ballet, Black Swan Theatre, WAYTCo and Barking Gecko Theatre. Recently, she was Assistant Director on Black Swan Theatre’s production of The Pool in association with Perth Festival. Rachel is currently a member of the FORGE Writers Group at Black Swan Theatre. 

James Berlyn

James is a multi-award-winning performing artist, director, choreographer, curator and teacher of more than thirty-five years’ experience. Former Artistic Director of WA Youth Theatre Company, carrying out a remarkable 6-year tenure, James saw the company re-emerged as the peak body for youth theatre and performance in WA. Under his artistic guidance, WAYTCo won numerous awards for its devised, site-response works which have been presented at FRINGE WORLD and Perth Festival over consecutive years.

Some of the many awards by WAYTCo, with Berlyn at the helm, include: 2023 FUSE International, Best of Children & Families (ARCO Jnr); 2019 Museum and Galleries National Award (REST); 2019 Martin Sim’s Award (REST) and two-time winner of Fringe World’s ECU Performing Arts Award (2028, YOUR SEVEN; 2020, ARCO).

As an independent artist, James has toured his work to most of the major Australian arts festivals and overseas. He was instigator and co-founder of Proximity Festival and co-founding director of Tracksuit Dance company for DADAA. James was a recipient of the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award for 2021.

Host or Publisher WA Youth Theatre Company