Creative industry names share their career journey

A panel of creative industry professionals took to the stage at Rugby School’s Macready Theatre to share their journey with students.

The free event, which also included students from other local schools as part of Rugby’s community outreach, starred Nikhil Vyas, Ciara Lynch and Alex Moran.

They discussed their journey from education to their career today, sharing how they navigated the sector and gave insights that interested the young audience keen to break into the industry.

The theme explored was independence and intention; how do you forge your own path in a dynamic, and sometimes challenging, arts environment? How do you incorporate your values into your creative practice?

30 of Rugby’s Performing Arts Scholars and APP students met with the guests afterwards when they practised their networking skills.

Nikhil Vyas 
Nikhil is a theatre director & maker, born in Mumbai and raised in Croydon. His work spans developing and directing new plays with writers, making collaborative performance with other artists, education and facilitation roles, and dramaturgy. He has developed and presented projects at the Young Vic, Soho Theatre, Park Theatre, Wardrobe Theatre, Camden People’s Theatre, and Siobhan Davies Dance. He is currently acting as Resident Director on Bhangra Nation at Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

Ciara Lynch 
Ciara is a creative producer with experience managing a wide range of dance productions. Her producing portfolio includes projects for small- and large-scale theatres as well as participatory work, touring productions, festivals, and films. Ciara is currently Producer of Digital Stage & Studio at Sadler’s Wells where she works with globally renowned choreographers such as Akram Khan, Crystal Pite as well as with local communities. She has also produced dance productions for Dance Umbrella Festival, Victoria & Albert Museum, and independent artists in the commercial sector as part of her freelance practice.

Alex Moran 
Alex is a multi-award-winning actor from Yorkshire, and Artistic Director of the acclaimed, pioneering theatre company Thunder Road.
Alex appeared in the global tour of War Horse (National Theatre), the national tour and London run of A Clockwork Orange (Volcano), and boyhood club Liverpool FC’s international skincare commercial (Nivea).
Theatre credits include: Quality Street (Northern Broadsides/New Vic); Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin (Georgian Theatre Royal); Seeds (Oldham Coliseum); Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Invisible Man, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and The Body Snatcher (Harrogate Theatre); The Secret Garden (Halifax Square Chapel); Scrooge (Bury MET); One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (Customs House) and Tales From The Blackjack, for which he won the Manchester Evening News Award for Best Performance (The Lowry).

He graduated from UCLAN with a first class acting degree (hons) and the Jane Horrocks Award for Outstanding Achievement.