Persephone Sextou

I always had a passion for theatre, stories and creative ways of connecting with audiences.

Theatre and Storytelling have run in my veins for many millennia.. My origins and my fortunate childhood offered me unforgettable theatrical experiences in Greece at the Hellenistic Theatre of Dion in Macedonia in Northern Greece, the amphitheatre of Odeon of Herodes Atticus under the Acropolis in Athens, and the iconic Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus in Peloponnese.

My first degree in Early Childhood Education (BA Hons University of Ioannina, 1987-1991, with Distinction) helped me to make the connections between theatre, dramatic play, children's expression and development.

I was fortunate to pursue my postgraduate Master's degree in Theatre Studies (Masters of Arts Lancaster University, 1991-1992). My MA dissertation was about Theatre-in-Education. Supervised by Professor Baz Kershaw.

Starting a Doctorate of Philosophy in Drama and Theatre in Education (Goldsmith College University of London) in 1998 was the beginning of a new life. As a Doctoral student, I was fully immersed in a research culture of critical enquiry, innovation and experimentation in the performing arts combined with education and pedagogy. Supervised by Brian Roberts. I was awarded my PhD in 2004.

Over the years my practice and research has explored the role of embodied and immersive performance in education, using the body as a tool for learning through audience participation, and the role of embodied and mediated performance in healthcare as a tool for normalising the experience of illness through connection and digital creativity.

My model of participatory bedside performance with digital assets explores the relationship between the audience (inpatient) and the actor, the physical being and their energy, the interaction of their bodies, thoughts, and actions within the protective fictional frame of a story.

My employment journey at a glance

Associate Lecturer in Drama and Theatre Education at Greek Universities and free-lance drama facilitator during the period 1992 and 2008.

Senior Lecturer in Drama at Newman University Birmingham U.K. from 2009 until 2015.

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy since 2010.

Entrepreneurship Award received from the Higher Education Council of England (HEfCE) to set up The Community & Applied Drama Laboratory (CADLab) in 2010 at Newman University as an innovative, self-governing ‘laboratory’ that connected the university with the third sector (schools and NHS hospitals).

Reader (Associate Professor) at Newman University from 2015 until 2020. I led the Applied Theatre programme and supervised PhD theses with completions.

Visiting Scholar at the University of Gdańsk, Poland, 2015-2017.

Nominated by Newman University for the National Teaching Fellowship status in 2018.

Adjunct Research Fellow at the Centre of Social and Cultural Change, Griffith University, Australia from 2019 until 2022.

Professor in Applied Theatre for Health and Well-being at Newman University from 2020 until 2021.

Professor and the Director of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health at Canterbury Christ Church University, 2021-2023.

Member of the Academic Expert Advisory Board for the Centre of Arts for Social Transformation Centre (CAST) at Auckland University in New Zealand since 2021.

Visiting scholar at theNational University of Theatre & Film, Bucharest (UNATC), Romania, since 2022.

Visiting Professor at the University of New South Wales UNSW Sydney, Australia, since 2022.

Professor Persephone Sextou

My Journey