Sue Passmore Retires

In 2005, Sue Passmore celebrated 50 years in the theatrical profession. After thirty three years in vocational education at Bush Davies Schools and Bird College, preceded by seventeen years as a professional artist, Sue Passmore is retiring from her post as Principal and Chief Executive at Bird College.

She joined Bird College in 1988 as Artistic Co-ordinator and Head of Drama, becoming Artistic Director a year later. Upon the retirement of Doreen Bird in 1998, she was appointed Principal and Chief Executive.

Sue Passmore’s strategic and committed support of Government funding of theatre training is impressive and shown not least in the legacy of a flourishing BA (Hons) degree in Dance and Theatre Performance validated by the University of Greenwich and the National Diploma in Musical Theatre validated by Trinity. Under her leadership the College has achieved a double grade 1 from OFSTED in 2004 and developed a Foundation Degree in Acting commencing September 2005.

Alongside her work in supporting the aims and objectives of the DaDA award scheme Sue Passmore’s professional profile has encompassed Theatre in Education in the UK and abroad ranging across educational, state and private sectors. In her role as Artistic Director she has been a prolific producer. To her credit she has in excess of three hundred plays, dance and musical theatre productions in the vocational sector and twenty-one professional productions. Most recently, she was Producer for the Gala Centenary, 100 Years of Dance, presented by the ISTD Dance Examinations Board at Sadler’s Wells.

She founded the Bird Theatre Company in 1991, which has toured in the UK and internationally with staff and students. In this capacity Sue Passmore has taken guest workshops and created productions in America, Austria, Canada, Greece, Holland and Portugal. In addition to her collegiate and artistic achievements she has held directorships of Bexley Music Centre, the Executive Council of the ISTD and Dance UK. She also contributes to many dance, drama and theatre related Boards including South East Arts and the Accreditation board, Schools Committee and Council for Professional Dance Schools of the CDET.

While Sue Passmore is retiring from Bird College she is not, she says, retiring per se. Inter Vivos, meaning between lives, may be a better way to describe the concept of change which she embraces as, selecting from her many areas of interest and expertise, she decides where her next venture will be.

Sue pays tribute to the many remarkable artists and teachers who have informed and inspired her career, in particular: Ruth Conti, Joyce Percy and Doreen Bird amongst many other colleagues and friends. Moreover, she would like to thank the many talented students that she has had the privilege to work with.