Help James remain in the industry!

Photos from our latest Production 'King of Hearts' where I played the role of the 'Duke' at The Birdewell Theatre.


                                                   ***Update***

So I got to accept my place, yay, but sadly I had to get a loan to help pay off the course, boo. I figured this was something I was willing to do to help me get a step closer to my dreams. I planned on working whilst studying as much as possible.... which I have done. Sadly, my mothers illness got a lot worse, basically on the first week of the course, meaning I couldnt work as much as I planned. 

I study Monday-Friday from 9am - till around 5:30 pm
I work 6pm till around 11pm
I always work friday-sunday and try to work added days throughout the week.

I decided to send out my gofundme page again, as with my current home life I was worried about graduating with this big debt and home life that I wont be able to work fully to pay it off. 

I hopefully wont have to drop out the course but plan on rewriting to the people I applied to help for before... with the hope of some more financial help.

Thank You for reading

James


To You reading this

I appreciate you taking the time out to open this page and read to this point. Please keep reading as the following lines are important to me and may decide the next step in my life.

I am a 27 year old, London born, Buckinghamshire University musical theatre trained actor who now finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place. To be more specific, I have just received the most wonderful news – after much auditioning and training, I’ve been offered a place to study at the prestigious London School of Musical Theatre for their 1 year course. The downside is that this comes with a hefty price-tag (£14,650 not including living expenses and travel expenses would be £2208 for a year zone 1-5 travel card) that I alone cannot match. This is why I have made this page!

You are probably asking yourself – “Why doesn’t this guy just get a loan?” Without trying to sound like an X-Factor auditionee, I grew up on a council estate and still live there with my parents and younger brother. After university, I needed to move back home to care for my mother during the day and work in the theatre as an usher at night. My parents are not in a position to support me, my wages are just enough to cover my modest living expense and the bank has declined my application for a loan. I have no other way of raising the capital required to secure my place on this course. Back in 2010, I found myself in a similar position, having auditioned and been accepted into the Central School of Speech and Drama’s MA course in Music Theatre. Not being able to secure the finances meant I couldn’t take up this wonderful offer. I don’t what the same to happen again this time. This is why I’m asking you for help. 100’s of people auditioned for a place on this course, only 20 were offered a place. The course normally takes 40 students but this year they cut this in half to focus more on students meaning it was even harder to gain a place. I’ve proven I have the talent and determination to succeed in this industry, and obviously it’s my passion – I’m just trying now not to lose this opportunity.

I also have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and this definitely held me back a bit and knocked my confidence, I find it most frustrating that no matter how hard I try to deal with this it always has a way of catching up with me. However theatre in general is my passion and makes me so happy and allows me an escape, which inspires me each day, making everything much easier to deal with. I was also told I have dyslexia and dyspraxia in my final year of university, which really made me question if I could survive the acting industry, yet I know I am so passionate and hardworking I refuse to let anything hold me back. It’s been hard to deal with all this and I didn’t know if I would bounce back but like I’ve said this is my strongest passion in life and I refuse to give up this place to study without giving my absolute all. I enjoy being surrounded by other people with the same passion to bounce off each other and use each other to better ourselves. Musical theatre for me is about creating a family who all rely on each other and therefore each individual needs to be the best they can be. I would love for LSMT to be my family next year.

Realistically I don’t think I’ll be able to live out and it’s also probably not very practically due to my mother’s health and I could be considered her full time carer. This isn’t an issue to me as I’ve known no difference and this has always been my norm. I think it’s more important to getting funding for the course, and travel, rather than worrying about where to live.

I am aware what a risk this industry is as profession but I refuse to look back at my life and say ‘what if?’ and would much rather say ‘I tried and gave my all’. Not giving my all to raise the money and train at LSMT can’t be a ‘what if?’ I know it’s a lot of money to raise but if you have any advice, or people you think could help me, or you could help me in any way I would be incredibly grateful. The arts are so important and should be something that continues forever, I would love to be part of this legacy however big or small. I would eventually like to give back to this industry whether it is though writing, teaching, direction… there is so many avenues I’d like to explore for myself being a link to others in the industry. On a selfish level I would like to do it for myself too – proving no matter how many knock backs you have in life or how hard it can be, hard work and passion can help you through anything.

I appreciate this is a long shot, but should you be willing to consider making a contribution towards my fees or if you could provide any financial guidance, I would be most appreciative. I am reaching out to a number of companies and people in the hope of securing the money required. And now I am writing to YOU... the reader. Needless to say all money would be paid to the school; none would come directly to me.

Thank you for taking the time and reading my letter – Of course when I win an Oscar/Tony award/Bafta and an Olivia Award in the future I won’t forget to mention you. Please feel free to ask my any questions.


Thanks Guys!!!


James Georgiou