Leonarda Sep

I'm

About

Hi, I'm Lea (), born and raised in Croatia, counting 5 years of living in England. Recently graduated from University of Portsmouth. After one year of BA Musical Theatre, I have transferred to BA Drama and Performance which resulted in graduating with First Class honours. Over the years, I have worked on several theatre projects, gaining experience in different roles such as director, assistant director, performer, playwright, singer, musician, and a tehnician. I have developed strong multifaceted skills in theatre making, as this is my main inspiration and current ambition — to contribute on creative projects through art while expanding my knowledge and meeting passionate people along the way.

Theatre Maker

  • Name: Leonarda Sep
  • Preferred name: Lea Sep
  • Nationality: Croatian
  • Current location: Brighton, United Kingdom
  • Freelance: Available
  • Contact: leonardasep55 @ gmail . com
  • Birthday: 4 December 1998
  • Age:
  • Degree: Bachelor's
  • Languages: Croatian (native)
    English (full professional proficiency)

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Drama & Performance

2018 - 2021

Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre

2017 - 2018

Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Professional Experience

RECENT

NATIONAL DAY OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (2023)

Commemorating National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Performing a song from Unisex for the promanade in the city of Pula, rising awareness and standing for women rights.
YouTube


PINA COLADA (SUMMER 2023)

Performed with a musical duo Pina Colada as the guitarist and lead singer. Played at various locations in Istria with a focus on beach bars and outdoor venues. Had fun covering songs in different genres ranging from pop and rock to blues, jazz, and classic oldies.

Pina Colada on tour:
  • Lost Bay, Štinjan
  • Cadena Beach Bar, Rakalj
  • Old City Pub, Pula
  • Camping Olivia, Rabac
  • Arboretum Pub, Fažana
  • Garaž Bar, Poreč
  • Street performance, Rovinj

CAN I BE BORED NOW? (2023)

Pebble Trust and Bird&BlendTeaCo bursary winning play 'Can I Be Bored Now? is a theatre piece in which, through dialogues, music, and movement, two performers lead the audience on a journey using a visual art installation with projected drawings on a screen. The aim is to bombard the spectators with multiple information, displayed in a similar way that social media platforms incessantly convey endless (un)related posts and news. The unease around it brings queries and doubts about everyday decision making regarding covering boredom with social media. What happens when we put ourselves in the virtual world of social media? Are we seeking to escape from boredom or reality?
Review

Can I Be Bored Now? on tour:
  • Brighton Fringe Festival, June 3rd and 4th, Latest Music Bar

FEMFEST (2023)

Brighton's only Fringe arts festival made by and for women, NB + trans people. With our shows we were raising money for survivors network & lgbt Switchboard. Working alongside women on the project for a big cause was one of the most honored works to perform my feminist piece.
Website

FemFest on tour:
  • The Actors pub in Brighton on March 12

UNISEX (2022)

Unisex is written, directed, and performed by Leonarda Sep. One woman show that explores the shifting concepts of feminism through lens of comic, unapologetic, and vigorous story telling. This production is part of the New Culture ConneX initiative and supported by Brighton & Hove Pride's Cultural Development Programme. Nominated for the Unbarred Best Local Artist Award.
Review

Unisex on tour:
  • Brighton Fringe Festival from 09 May to 10 May, 28 May and 02 June 2022 at Cellar Bar, Brunswick pub
  • Istrian National Theatre, Pula, 23 Sep 2022
  • KSET, Zagreb, 30 Sep 2022

REBEL BOOB (2021/2022)

Assistant director and technician; post-verbatim multimedia performance about breast cancer recovery produced by Speak up! Act Out!
Performers: Angela El-Zeind, Laura Careless, Aurea Williamson
Choreographer: Katie Dale-Everett
Website

Rebel Boob on tour:
  • The Cockpit, London, from 15 Jun to 22 Jun 2022
  • Amsterdam Fringe Festival, Amsterdam, from 09 Sep to 11 Sep 2022
  • The Clifftown Theatre, Southend on Sea, 14 Oct 2022
  • New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, 18 Oct 2022

DEATH AND THE MAIDEN (2021)

Assistant director and technician; this play was made as a house performance installation. It is written by Ariel Dorfman, an immersive theatre production, fresh from its debut in Hove in the Summer 2021 where it received the status of “groundbreaking” work by Fringe reviews.
Performers: Matt Turpin, John Newcombe, Fenia Giannopoulou

Death and the Maiden on tour:
  • Lantern Theatre ACT Brighton, 19 Nov 2022
  • Lantern Theatre ACT Brighton, 20 Nov 2022

CAROUSEL (2021/2022)

Director, songwriter, and drama pedagogist in this alternative play for children based on dynamics through elements of games and counters. This is a story about the challenges of socialization for youngsters.
Website

Carousel on tour:
  • Istrian National Theatre, Pula, from 3 Nov to 4 Nov 2021
  • Rovinj, 16 May 2022
  • Rijeka, Assitej Festival, 14 Sep 2022
  • Istrian National Theatre, 4 Nov 2022

THE AMAZING LIFE OF MARGOT HEUMAN (2021)

Assistant director on the documentary theatre about jewish lesbian survivor of the holocaust. The script, co-authored by Erika Hughes and Anna Hájková, a historian of the Holocaust, is based on interview testimony that Heuman gave to Hájková over the course of several months.
Website

The Amazing Life of Margot Heuman on tour:
  • San Francisco, USA
  • Hamburg, Germany
  • Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

During University

MAJOR ACADEMIC PROJECT: 'FOR ME' (2021)

Video editing, directing and acting. This short film explores theatre and archaeology while maintaining the authenticity of the project, as it is filmed on actual places the actress experienced love. However, now, these are the very places she experiences nostalgia and uncommunicable thoughts and feelings.
Short Film

    OTHER PERFORMANCES AT UNIVERSITY

    • 2019., MAIDS, Jean Genet, playing the lead Solange
    • 2019., THE RACE, Video editing, sound editing, and directing of a short film
    • 2017., MUSICAL TRANSPORTED, Singer and performer in a minor role of a prostitute

    Before University

    CLASS ENEMY (2017)

    Nigel Williams, leading role Cobra, directed by Luka Mihovilovic

    Class Enemy on tour:
    • Istrian National Theatre, Pula, 05 Sep 2017
    • Winners of the 5th Juventafest Festival, Sarajevo, 14 Sep 2017

    WE ARE CLOSING (2016)

    Inspired by Pina Bausch Caffe Muller, dancing part in an ensemble directed by Andrea Gotovina

    We Are Closing on tour:
    • Istrian National Theatre, Pula, 7 April 2016
    • Winners on the Festival ASSITEJ, Bjelovar, 11 April 2016

    OTHER CREDITS AT INK (Istrian National Theatre, Pula)

    • 2019., LJETOPIS, historian croatian play, part of the ensemble
    • 2018., THIRTEEN, play based on Ocean's eight, part of the dancing ensemble
    • 2016., THAT IS NOT LOVE, Theatre of the oppressed, sound design and directing
    • 2016., THEATRE WORKSHOPS, Augusto Boal, Theatre of the Oppressed, Lisbon
    • 2015., THE WIZARD OF OZ, part of the ensemble
    • 2015., ROBIN HOOD, part of the ensemble
    • 2014., GLAGOLJAŠI, istrian cultural play, role of Luce