About
Out Of Character
Hello! Welcome to our theatre company!
We devise, write, perform and collaborate on projects both in York and beyond. Some of our work is about mental health, but not everything. We often create very personal pieces specifically for audiences interested in mental illness; we have devised site-specific durational performances; performed scripted works and collaborated with York Theatre Royal, Intar, Love Arts, Arts & Minds, the Wy-Fi project, the NHS, Ripon Theatre Festival and many medical schools and universities.
The company grew from an inspiring initiative at York St. John University to provide introductory theatre courses to mental health service users. The course was initially led by Nick Rowe with support from York St. John students and focussed on arts' practice rather than health. It formed the basis for Converge, an initiative established by Nick Rowe and Gemma Alldred, which now includes courses in dance, music, choir singing, writing and art. In 2013 Converge received national recognition by being shortlisted in the Times Higher Education Awards.
Out of Character was awarded the Excellence in Equality and Cultural Diversity Prize at the York Culture Awards in 2018.
Find out more...
Each year we receive a number of enquiries about our work from students and other interested individuals. Please find our responses to the questions we’ve been asked in the past here.
Creative Team
Hannah Munro
Assistant Director
Kate Veysey
Artistic Director
Kate Veysey
our Artistic Director
Hannah Munro
Hannah's journey to joining OOC began in 2019 when she embarked on her Applied Theatre MA at York St John University. She began as a student volunteer, went on to become company administrator and then finally Assistant Director.
In her previous lives Hannah has been a primary teacher, university lecturer, local village panto director and sometime amateur actor. Being part of Out of Character is never dull, always surprising and hugely rewarding. She currently works as Producer at Ripon Theatre Festival.
Trustees
Juliet Forster
Chair
Juliet Forster is Creative Director for York Theatre Royal. Her career in the theatre has been varied; from creating a theatre company, directing on national tours, lecturing and writing original work. Juliet often supports Out of Character by lending her theatre expertise to productions.
Professor Nick Rowe
Treasurer
Nick is the founder of Converge out of which Out of Character developed. Nick says 'Engaging in theatre has made a valuable impact in my life and so I love being part of Out of Character, supporting its development and celebrating its remarkable work.'
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Matt Harper-Hardcastle
Vice Chair
Matt is a Theatre-Maker in its broadest sense - A Youth Theatre Practitioner for York Theatre Royal, an acting member of Playback Theatre York, and the Founder and Artistic Director of Next Door But One.
After being a supporter of Out of Charter since its inception, I was honoured to join its board of trustees; to support more people to engage in theatre, to showcase the fantastic work the company create and overall be the loudest applause that Out of Character deserve!
Simon Procter
Simon Procter is the director of Converge at York St John University and Professor within the School of the Arts. He is a musician (sometimes in theatres), a music therapist and a music sociologist: most of his academic work has been in relation to mental health and the ways in which engagement in creative processes (such as theatre) can be powerful for people in all sorts of (often unpredictable) ways.
Dianne Wilcocks
Dianne Willcocks is a respected academic leader and social scientist who served as Vice-Chancellor of York St John University. She led the institution to university status in 2006 and championed widening participation, arts engagement, and community inclusion.
She is an advocate for ageing, education, and cultural development and works with many charities in and around York.
