Class of 2025: Alex Stroming

For Alex Stroming, the opportunity to study abroad and learn about different theatre practices made East 15 Acting School the perfect place to study her Masters.

Now, the talented theatre director and producer, whose thesis project has been picked up by a London theatre, is graduating with an MFA Theatre Directing.

“The theatre bug bit me when I was very young and I was fortunate to have some incredible teachers in my undergrad training who encouraged me to pursue my love of storytelling and leadership skills through directing,” Alex explained.

“I knew that an MFA Theatre Directing would allow me to explore my artistry, grow in confidence as a director, and, practically, give me the qualification to teach at universities and drama schools,” added the Washington State native who hopes to pursue a career in teaching.

The international nature of the School and opportunity to study abroad were further draws and Alex spent time studying theatre practices in Bali, Indonesia and Poland as part of her studies.

For her graduate thesis project, she chose what she describes as a “brilliant, funny, gut wrenching” play by British playwright Miriam Battye.

Scenes with girls follows three young women in their 20s as they navigate their friendship, sex, boys and the patriarchy. As a young woman herself, it was a story that resonated with Alex.

“The play asks us to consider the power of platonic love, and the importance of the friendships that can determine our early life experiences. Instead of waiting for ‘girl to meet boy’ it asks ‘what if the story is already happening?’”

She’s now directing and producing it for the Golden Goose Theatre in Camberwell, London where it’ll run for two weeks.

“The production began at East 15. After about a week of rehearsing, I realised we were onto something special. I can't wait to step into the rehearsal room with my actors again and collaborate with my designers and the rest of the team. I am committed to a human-first approach in my work, and these humans are pure magic,” she said.

Alex explained how her East 15 education helped prepare her for self-producing: “I dove into it with the perfect balance of courage and blissful ignorance: courageous enough to give it a try, and ignorant enough of the challenges to prevent me getting cold feet. My time at East 15 gave me a great deal of perspective. If I'm not enjoying telling stories for a living, I'm doing it wrong, and buoyancy and fun are just as essential as perseverance and hard work.”

Alex is currently a guest tutor at East 15’s Southend Campus and has several creative projects in the pipeline.

Her advice to theatre students is based on the advice a former teacher gave her: “Pursue your big, crazy ideas with courage and curiosity, because even if you fail, you will learn. And, you just might succeed.”