Curriculum vitae

Curriculum vitae

Personal details
Name: Lois Jo Minihane Penniston
Age: 22
Date of birth: 29th of September 1983
Nationality: British
Marital status: single
Email: galaxylol@hotmail.com

Qualifications:
11 G.C.S.E’S grades A to C
A level
Art C, Psychology D, History D, General Studies E
Diploma Art and design with a merit

Work experience

2006 designing and making Helios the centaur for an installation at Nottingham Trent University.

2006 Devising, designing, props and puppetry making and performing in ‘The Icarus Project’ for SPaCES at Nottingham Trent University .

2005 Corsetry design and realisation inspired by Moll Flanders at Nottingham Trent University.

2005 Props and textile prop making for ‘the Children of the Crown’ at Nottingham Playhouse

2005 Devising, makeup design, costume making and maintenance for ‘Reaching for the Moon’ for SPaCES at Nottingham Trent University.

2004 Props and costume prop making for ‘Merlin and the Cave of Dreams’ at the Library Theatre Manchester

2004 Set construction for ‘Oliver Twist’ at the Theatre Royal Nottingham

2004 Prop making for the ‘Palace of fears’ at the Leicester Haymarket


2004 Working with children for Nottingham Arts week at Jessie boot primary school

1999 to 2004 Prop making and performing in ‘Tom the Pipers son’, ‘Aladdin’ ‘Beauty and the beast’ and ‘The Third Great Course Acting Show’ at the Dales Music and Drama group.


Hobbies and Interests

During my spare time I act, or work as a stagehand, I am also a committee member and I make front of house displays for shows at the Dales music and drama group. I enjoy singing; I was in the Nottingham education choir for three years and performed at the Royal Concert Hall as well as many smaller venues around Nottinghamshire. I was also in a "plays and play going group" which helped me learn more about theatre and language. I enjoy socializing and being with my friends. I also write poetry in my spare time and enjoy going to the theatre on a regular basis.

The Sad Fairy

Merlin And The Cave Of Dreams

Props and costume prop making for ‘Merlin and the Cave of Dreams’ at the Library Theatre Manchester - 2004

Rationale - Lois Penniston

My portfolio has been influenced by my skills in making. It is strongly based on the practical crafts work I do. It involves the design process through the devising of shows for performance and through the process I use to create finished products for shows, whether that is costume, props or scenery.


This has become particularly evident through my work in the third year as I have designed and made a corseted costume. I was also involved in the devised show for teenagers called ‘the Icarus project’ which involved working closely with young people as well as scientists and theatrical professionals, to produce a piece of the theatre about genetic modification. I was head of props and puppetry throughout this process, this role meant I had to keep an aesthetic overview of people’s individual designs and also help with any practical matter which arose. I also made a lot of the scenic props, which increased my skills at making furniture and sourcing materials where possible due to time constraints in the making process. I had my own puppets to make including a small scale Icarus based on the design of the human scale character. I also made human sized wings for Icarus. I’m currently working on a large scale costume prop for an installation called ‘Helios’ a Centaur. My abilities lie strongly in these practical projects. I also consider my organisational skills very important in the production of good quality work.

Realistically I would like to be involved with a theatre company which devises its work; I would love to be involved in creating a show and building props for a show, through the devising process. I am very interested in working with young people, I also have experience with working with people with special needs. My interests lie in developing these links and helping people of all ages and all walks of life to find theatre accessible.

My action plan after graduation is to gain a greater experience of devised theatre through offering myself to companies that work in this way, even if it could only be as an observational position. I would also like to work more closely with links I have in education. And hopefully earn a little money too!

Reaching For The Moon

Devising, makeup design, costume making and maintenance for ‘Reaching for the Moon’ for SPaCES at Nottingham Trent University - 2005.

Corsets and Structures

Corsetry design and realisation inspired by Moll Flanders at Nottingham Trent University - 2005.

The Icraus Project

Devising, designing, props and puppetry making and performing in ‘The Icarus Project’ for SPaCES at Nottingham Trent University - 2006

Children Of The Crown

2005 Props and textile prop making for ‘the Children of the Crown’ at Nottingham Playhouse

My portfolio and interests for the future

My portfolio has been influenced by my skills in making. It is strongly based on the practical crafts work I do. It involves the design process through the devising of shows for performance and through the process I use to create finished products for shows, whether that is costume, props or scenery. Listed below are some of the projects I have completed

• Children Of The Crown
• The Icraus Project
• Corsets And Structures
• Reaching For The moon
• Merlin And The Cave Of Dreams
• The Sad Fairy