EDUCATION
- After a rich training in theatre, I enjoy working as part of a team with young people or the community as a whole to integrate with other artists and art forms to create theatre. I have various credits for projects for London Philharmonic, London Mozart Players, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Oxford Playhouse, National Youth Music Theatre, Whitehall Theatre Dundee, Britten Sinfonia, Bournemouth Symphony,and Scottish Opera Orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic and London School of Puppetry.
- I developed puppetry initially as a more visual means of delivering the drama curriculum and for this work won awards. I have worked in schools, nurseries, in further and higher education, for Education Action Zones in London and Birmingham, for children and young people with learning disabilities, for people with physical disabilities, or with challenging behaviour.
- Along with my colleagues we infuse the carefully planned curriculum with the excitement and challenge of professional theatre giving to education the techniques and creative skills of the working artist. For us and many children, young people and everyone else with whom we work education becomes a unique adventure in music and the arts.
Teacher training and general note on experience
I gained my Teachers Certificate to teach drama from the old West Riding and taught at the Harrogate College of Further Education, and link courses in local schools including special schools.
“...this week we saw the new production by the Goldhay Group for people with learning disabilities. It was work developed by them based on shadows and their fears which started in their excellent workshop on shadow puppetry from Caroline Astell-Burt.”
Music in Peterborough.
“As far as my class was concerned it was a memorable, thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable experience and the creative written work which they produced as a result of the visit was most pleasing.”
Fiona C Jackson Deputy Head
Awards
Geoffrey Ost Award, Sheffield University (twice)for theatre work for people with disabilities. Arts Council of Great Britain, Calouste Gulbenkian, Cheryl Henson, Really Useful Group. (All for puppetry in education and training)
Publications
Puppetry for Mentally Handicapped People. 1980I Am The Story - The art of puppetry in education and therapy 2001
(both Souvenir Press. London) and drama/puppetry texts for performance.
Past work includes
The Plug commissioned by the Little Angel Marionette Theatre - text and design by Caroline Astell-Burt - a fantasy drama for a very young audience with spoken word and shadow puppets, bassoon and word setting by composer Andrew Watson.
The Ghost of Grassington street theatre, text and design Caroline Astell-Burt with scratch band and giant puppets for any age audience.
Antigone Legend (for adult audience) - designed and directed by Caroline Astell-Burt commissioned by Institute for Contemporary Arts text by Brecht for piano, soprano, shadow puppets (composer Frederic Rzewski) - Visually provocative.- Daily Telegraph - The puppetry was fluid and imaginative - Financial Times.
Mary Magdalene Becomes a Virgin(Designer Caroline Astell-Burt) for adult audience- cabaret-style music and sculpture with text by Sara Maitland:
“Besides the magical quality of the soft-sculpted figure itself and the work of the operators, the levels the work created were the most exciting- fine risk-taking work.”Lesley Ferris, co-editor Music Theatre Dance.
Warchild. National Youth Music Theatre (composer Richard Taylor) The mermaid symbol of Warsaw is beautifully evoked in the puppet designs of Caroline Astell-Burt. The Times.
History
2010
Currently with Creative Partnerships to produce collaborative work with writer Avaes Mohammad.
Teaching projects for the London School of Puppetry Events for the Girl Guide Association (World Thinking Day)
2009
Workshops in Schools - Puppet Drama for London School of Puppetry.
“Just to say that we loved the puppets, particularly because the children could have a go which is so rare. Thank you so much for including X(autistic) as you did - we appreciate your values. If you want to return in the future do contact us.”Anna Sutton Deputy Grafton PrimaryTraining puppeteers to work in schools, performing in schools.
Workshop Opera North OPUS project- 12-18 year olds. Marionettes.
Seminars in Copenhagen at the Vesterbro KulturHaus.
“She developed good rapport and worked very well with the children; hence they were able to relate with her warmly. The children really enjoyed working with her. She used varied creative approaches to bring out the best from the children.”
“With her support, encouragement and enthusiasm, the children created their own puppets and banana song to go with story of 'Deer Mouse' which was accompanied by the Gamelan instrument.”
“Caroline managed the children's behaviour in line with the school's behaviour policy; motivating them and using the reward system in place in the class.”
"She worked collaboratively as well with the class teacher and other adults involved with with the children."
"Caroline is friendly, hard working, organised, able to work under pressure and to deadline. I certainly recommend her for work with children.”
Justina Oduko-teacher
2008
Puppetry /Drama/Dance Workshops Aldecar School Derbyshire. KS3Schools Workshops at Rosemary Branch Theatre. London. Adults
Take Children to Work Day Accenture KS1 and 2
Buxton Festival performances -London School of Puppetry students.
2007
Workshop for Opera North Youth Project OPUS Shadow Puppetry KS3Facilitator (WaxBaby Productions) for Foundling Museum Event- Satire-Eyes incl.
Facilitating and devising solo work for Bath Puppetry Festival Performance workshop for KS3s
Performing for family concert with BBC Scottish Opera Orchestra using puppets with Ronnie Le Drew.
Designer for the Small Ballet.(Dance in education)
Designer for Southwark Splash Queen Elizabeth Hall.(Project with Eugene Skeef)
“In particular Caroline worked in collaboration with our gamelan tutor Sophie Clarke and students and staff from St James the Great Primary School to create a shadow puppet drama accompanied by live gamelan music, to hugely successful effect. The drama was an adaptation of a traditional Indonesian folk tale, but its realisation in terms of the puppetry and music created was truly innovative as well as remaining authentic. The young puppeteers, own shadows and movement were beautifully integrated into the presentation, and the storytelling throughout was compelling and clear.”
“Caroline was a pleasure to work with. Her ambitious vision was apparent and happily offered from the outset of the project, and the relationship she established with the school involved was clearly a warm and creative one.”
“ I would have no hesitation in recommending her for similar work.”
Neill Quinton South Bank Centre Education - Music Projects Coordinator
Workshop leader for puppetry/drama QEH with South Bank Gamelan.
“
Not only were her puppets extremely beautiful, but her gentle yet rigorous method of communicating with the children involved in manipulating them, resulted in a performance of delicate beauty that had the audience completely transfixed.
I believe that any creative project of whatever scale, diversity or artistic requirements would only be enhanced by Caroline's contribution as a shadow puppeteer.”
Eugene Skeef
2006
Designer Peckham Splash, Queen Elizabeth Hall. KS2 and 3Workshop leader two puppetry/drama projects with Peckham Schools for QEH.
Director The Amazing Thing - Lempen Puppet Theatre puppetry in education.
Facilitating Wax Baby Productions creating the iDOLL EYESevent - puppetry and live art- an evening of shorts at the Rosemary Branch Theatre.
Director of puppets /Creator and performer of shadow images for Menthorn (Channel 4) Doomsday Code Masoo (Make Shakespeare Our Own) for London Schools culminating in public performances at Rosemary Branch Theatre. Workshop leader Where the Wild Things Are. Early Years project with RPO.2005
Education Project - Magic Flute. Opera North.Performance workshops in Ipswich
Heathside and Belstead Special Schools with London Mozart Players.
Writing drama curriculum for
Early Years, KS1and 2 for Artis (Artist training for education)
Workshops for Lynkreach
(language and arts in education and the community)
Family concert
with Ronnie Le Drew for Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Dance/Movement/Music
project Dycorts School (severe learning disabilities) London Mozart Players.
Sarah Butcher, cellist. London Mozart Players
To the Max
School workshops for performance with London Sinfonietta, Purcell Room- Dance/Puppetry project to Songs of Hoy by Peter Maxwell Davis. KS2
I am The Story
Toy and Leisure Libraries Association Birthday event. (shadow puppets) Adults with severe learning diabilities
Peckham Education Action Zone project.
Giant angel puppets and designer for the overall project. KS2
Training puppeteers with London School of Puppetry.
2004
Workshops for Lynkreach. KS 1 and 2 Newham. East London. London School of Puppetry Workshops.
Shagathon- Peer education puppetry/drama project about sexually transmitted diseases incorporating drama, music, puppetry KS3
Soiled, Oiled, Boiled Science/Music Theatre project with Wendy Cook KS2 and 3
Poetry writing programme- Telling Tales for KS2 Puppet/Drama
Tree of Horribleness (Early Years Project)
2003
Family Concert, Bournemouth Symphony Concert.
Opera North Magic Flute- Puppeteer. Schools tour.
Maggot and the Butterflies (infant cantata) story with songs with composer Lin Marsh for Piper Publications published.
Holiday Project Compass Theatre Ickenham, Middx Puppet/Drama KS3
Teaching at London School of Puppetry (adults)
Directing Collaborators Theatre (Kendal) show for KS1 and 2
Directing Lempen Puppets (Skipton), show for KS1 and 2
Running Early Years puppet workshops for Barnet Council, London based on The Tree of Horribleness
2002
Puppet drama and literacy workshop The Tree of Horribleness EARLY YEARS
Teaching with London School of Puppetry
Working on Maggot and the Butterflies infant cantata with composer Lin Marsh for Piper Publications. EARLY YEARS- I put in the drama aspects and wrote the story Designer/puppet drama :Dance/puppetry residency with Our Lady Star of the Sea. Liverpool. Microcosm. EARLY YEARS, KS1 and 2 with Wendy Cook
Designer/puppeteer Peckham Splash. included KS2 EAZ workshops with Wendy Cook
Puppet drama/workshop leader with Albert and Friends (Circus) 5-15 year olds
Designer/puppet drama Tamlin (Pyramid Schools Project Dorset/Devon) KS2
2001
Designer/puppeteer Tongue-Cut-Sparrow for National Youth Music Theatre schools project. (including giant ghoul puppets and smaller pupppets) KS3
Schools tour The Tree of Horribleness. EARLY YEARS ( my own performance workshop)
Wrote book I am the Story - the art of puppetry in education and therapy. Souvenir Press
Designer/puppeteer Peckham Splash. included KS2 EAZ workshops with Wendy Cook (including 4 giant performing circus tigers)
Marionette carving project for London School of Puppetry training puppeteers to work in schools.
2000
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Family Concert.
A guest speaker Harrow Early Years Conference
Guest speaker- Playtime- Conference for Play Therapists
London School of Puppetry training projects enabling artists to work in schools.
Designer/puppeteer Song of the Earth (various creature type puppets) Merseyside Youth Arts and Microcosm - dance, puppetry, drama project.
"Designer/puppeteer Oxford Playhouse working with David Wood Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch. KS2 project music theatre "Shadow puppetry (own performance) Royal Armouries Leeds Snorting Pigs"Street theatre workshops for Summer Scheme in Leicester (John Field) All ages.
'And on the Eighth Day' Community Project - Southwark Cathedral for London Philharmonic- Puppet drama KS2 and 3 and overall designer. Music theatre project.