Alumni - Joey Jepps | SELCS - UCL – University College London

BA Comparative Literature, 2020 Production Coordinator, London Theatre Company

While I was at UCL, I spent a lot of my time with the UCL Drama Society and UCL Musical Theatre Society. I wrote, produced and directed shows for both societies. In my second year I was UCL Drama Society Treasurer and in my third year I was Students’ Union UCL Arts Office. I always stress the importance of joining societies while at University as you learn a whole new set of skills from different people with different life experiences, on different courses, that can come in handy in your future career.

After graduating from UCL, I was accepted onto the MA Text and Performance course taught in partnership by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and Birkbeck College. During the tail end of the course, I applied for the Production Assistant job at London Theatre Company to develop a career in large scale, commercial producing. I landed the job and am where I am today! I am currently working on the hit musical Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre. The most enjoyable part of my job is having a hand in creating high-end pieces of theatre. I love seeing the audiences’ reactions to our shows. You need top-notch communication skills in this job. Balancing budgets, planning ahead and working in a team of many people can be difficult at times. But I also get to spend my days liaising with actor’s agents, drafting contracts and gossiping with other departments in the theatre.

I still occasionally write and direct theatre. The critical eye I developed on the Comparative Literature course at UCL comes in useful with my freelance work, which I still do alongside my full-time job at the Bridge Theatre. My advice is to take risks while at university! Write that play, put on that show, audition for that musical. You will regret not doing it in the future.