As part of the COAL tour, Gary Clarke invites groups of women from local coal mining communities from all over the UK to perform in the touring production of COAL.
“It felt wrong to make a piece of work about communities and not involve them. It is important that these women have a strong connection to the mining industry or trade unionism ensuring that authenticity is at the heart of the work.”
– Gary Clarke
Together with COAL Associate Artist and ‘Head of Pit Women’ TC Howard, the women are brought from remote areas surrounding each tour venue via Working Men’s Clubs, Community Meeting Groups, Unions and Institutes.
Initial meetings are set up for the team to meet the women where they gain an insight into the work and find out more about the production. 4 women are then selected to spend an intensive weekend working with the cast of COAL and are brought into the work to represent members of Women Against Pit Closures and the wives of the miners.
The experience is life changing for some of these women, many of whom have never performed before and some have never had access to the arts.
Please meet the COAL 2016 Spring and Autumn Tour women…
Heather Albrighton
Age: 45
Occupation: Mother and Baker
COAL performance: Dance Xchange, Birmingham Hippodrome
Michelle Burgess
Age: 48
Occupation: Office Manager, University of Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit
COAL performance: Dance Xchange, Birmingham Hippodrome
Lindsey Michelle Richards
Age: 30
Occupation: Hairdresser
COAL performance: Dance Xchange, Birmingham Hippodrome
Jeni Bennett
Age: 51
Occupation: Foster Carer
COAL performance: Dance Xchange, Birmingham Hippodrome
Nicola Evans
Age: 45
Occupation: Primary School Teacher
COAL performance: The Civic, Barnsley
Michaela Short
Age: 50
Occupation: Sheffield City Council in Social Services and Actress
COAL performance: The Civic, Barnsley/Newport, The Riverfront
Michelle Clegg
Age: 29
Occupation: Mother
COAL performance: The Civic, Barnsley
Leanne Crowther
Age: 27
Occupation: Music Teacher
COAL performance: The Civic, Barnsley
Emma Telford
Age: 32
Occupation: Adult Mental Health for the NHS
COAL performance: Doncaster, CAST
Kim Leighton
Age: 33
Occupation: Cleaner
COAL performance: Doncaster, CAST
Sarah Robinson
Age: 41
Occupation: Teacher
COAL performance: Doncaster, CAST
Kelly Leighton
Age: 37
Occupation: Cleaner
COAL performance: Doncaster, CAST and The Place, London
Jackie Hindson
Age: 61
Occupation: Theatre teacher/Musician
COAL performance: The Place, London and Lighthouse, Poole
Mary Cox
Age: 63
Occupation: Teacher
COAL performance: The Place, London
Bonnie Adair
Occupation: Actor/Personal Trainer
COAL performance: The Place, London
Carole Ann Nixon
Age: 48
Occupation: Display Coordinator
COAL performance: Dance City, Newcastle
Liz-Anne Worrall
Age: 42
Occupation: University Policy Advisor
COAL performance: Dance City, Newcastle
Caroline Dean
Age: 41
Occupation: Airline Administrator
COAL performance: Dance City, Newcastle
Jaene Davies
Age: 49
Occupation: Higher Level Teaching Assistant
COAL performance: Dance City, Newcastle
Wendy Gerrard-Tarpey
Age: 54
Occupation: Healthcare
COAL performance: Nottingham Playhouse, May 2016 and June 2017
Claire Hale
Age: 36
Occupation: Performance Manager for Nottingham regeneration charity.
COAL performance: Nottingham Playhouse, May 2016 and June 2017
Maggie Burrows
Age: 55
Occupation: Retired Teacher
COAL performance: Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham
Janette Adams
Age: 48
Occupation: Principal Primary Teacher
COAL performance: Glasgow Tramway
Janet Parkins
Occupation: Supporting adults with learning disabilities
COAL performance: Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
Jenny Goodman
Age: 55
Occupation: Singer/Arts engagement specialist
COAL performance: Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
Catherine Gray
Age: 48
Occupation: Textiles Teacher
COAL performance: Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
Pauline House
Age: 59
Occupation: Community Champion, Tesco
COAL performance: Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
Georgie Bainbridge
Age: 46
Occupation: Psychotherapist
COAL performance: Canterbury Gulbenkian & Brighton Dome
Moya Munro
Age: 70
Occupation: Retired
COAL performance: Canterbury Gulbenkian & Brighton Dome
Nicola Carter
Age: 52
Occupation: Semi-retired
COAL performance: Canterbury Gulbenkian & Brighton Dome
Sue Risby
Age: 50
Occupation: Project Manager
COAL performance: Canterbury Gulbenkian & Brighton Dome
Judith Downing
Age: 46
Occupation: Content Solutions Director, Global North East
COAL performance: Durham Gala Theatre
Veronica Naisbitt
Age: 59
Occupation: Administrator
COAL performance: Durham Gala Theatre
Hazel McGregor
Age: 64
Occupation: Retired headteacher
COAL performance: Durham Gala Theatre
Bethany Elen Coyle
Age: 30
Occupation: Community Musician
COAL performance: Durham Gala Theatre
Carol Woodford
Age: 57
Occupation: Movement to Music Session Leader
COAL performance: Blackwood Miners Institute Caerphilly
Clare Potter
Age: 44
Occupation: Poet
COAL performance: Blackwood Miners Institute Caerphilly
Elizabeth Pipe
Age: 47
Occupation: Mother
COAL performance: Blackwood Miners Institute Caerphilly
Miriam Wild
Age: 43
Occupation: Early Years Storytelling Practitioner
COAL performance: Contact Theatre, Manchester
Susan Kearney
Age: 47
Occupation: Counsellor/Hypnotherapist & Psychotherapist.
COAL performance: Contact Theatre, Manchester
Danielle Kavanagh
Age: 36
Occupation: Hair and make-up artist teacher
COAL performance: Liverpool LEAP Festival
Kirstie Burton
Age: 39
Occupation: Volunteer at the Amy Winehouse Foundation
COAL performance: Liverpool LEAP Festival
Gilda Possibile
Age: 65
Occupation: Teacher/Trainer/Vocalist
COAL performance: Liverpool LEAP Festival
Paula Stewart
Age: 35
Occupation: Talent Manager/Marketing
COAL performance: Liverpool LEAP Festival
Emma Cartwright
Age: 33
Occupation: Full time mum
COAL performance: Blackpool Grand Theatre
Carol Asbridge
Age: 48
Occupation: Front of house at Winter Gardens Blackpool
COAL performance: Blackpool Grand Theatre
Christine Bradley
Age: 52
Occupation: Senior Cabin Crew
COAL performance: Blackpool Grand Theatre
Helen Fairhurst
Age: 57
Occupation: Mum and financial administrator
COAL performance: Blackpool Grand Theatre
Patricia Kneale-Buxton
Occupation: Recreational Therapist at a nursing home
COAL performance: Leicester Curve
Sylvia John
Occupation: President of the Leicester Ladies WI
COAL performance: Leicester Curve
Katie Adkins
Age: 40
Occupation: Social Worker
COAL performance: Leicester Curve
Tara Cousins
Age: 46
Occupation: Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist
COAL performance: Leicester Curve
Alison Loydall
Age: 48
Occupation: MA Publishing Student at the University of Derby
COAL performance: Derby Theatre
Kate Phillips
Age: 40
Occupation: Research assistant/PhD student researching Arts for Health at Derby University
COAL performance: Derby Theatre
Jill Henderson
Age: 43
Occupation: Social care worker
COAL performance: Derby Theatre
Sarah Cooper
Age: 38
Occupation: Delivery & Development Coordinator for Leicester Adult Learning Service
COAL performance: Derby Theatre and Lighthouse, Poole
Jo Guess
Age: 51
Occupation: Volunteer Youth Group Leader and a Porter on Swanage Railway
COAL performance: Lighthouse, Poole
Jacqueline Reining
Age: 64
Occupation: Retired Teacher
COAL performance: Lighthouse, Poole
Suzanne Barlow
Age: 64
Occupation: Retired Teacher
COAL performance: Nottingham Playhouse
Lisa Chamberlain
Age: 47
Occupation: Marketing & Communications Officer
COAL performance: Nottingham Playhouse
Kathryn McAuley
Age: 52
Occupation: Freelance Marketing Manager
COAL performance: Nottingham Playhouse
Cathy Robinson
Age: 36
Occupation: Vice Principal
COAL performance: Nottingham Playhouse
Amanda Gerrard
Age: 63
Occupation: Retired teacher and part time commercial artist
COAL performance: The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
Julie Gambrill
Age: 55
Occupation: Artist
COAL performance: The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
Julie Keen
Age: 57
Occupation: Nurse & Mother
COAL performance: Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
Katy Kitchingham
Age: 41
Occupation: NHS Highland Infant Feeding Support Worker
COAL performance: Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
Morag Barron
Age: 57
Occupation: Nurse practitioner
COAL performance: Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
Amanda Luscombe-Smith
Age: 47
Occupation: Drama Worker
COAL performance: Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
Jane Nelson
Age: 52
Occupation: Architect
COAL performance: Macrobert Centre, Stirling and The Byre Theatre, St Andrews
Sally Young
Age: 59
Occupation: Retired Nurse
COAL performance: Macrobert Centre, Stirling and The Byre Theatre, St Andrews
Linda Armitage
Age: 48
Occupation: Health Development Director
COAL performance: Metropolitan Arts Centre, Belfast
Emma Copeland
Age: 42
Occupation: Lawyer
COAL performance: Metropolitan Arts Centre, Belfast
Nickie Fell
Age: 42
Occupation: Marketing Director
COAL performance: Metropolitan Arts Centre, Belfast
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