Emma Hele

Emma Hele joined RWCMD bringing nearly 20 years of experience as a Stage Manager. She trained at Rose Bruford Drama School, graduating with a BA (Hons) in Stage Management.

She has worked her way up from Assistant Stage Manager to Deputy through to Head of Department/General Stage Manager. Having worked on a diverse number of shows including Opera, Musicals, Plays, Children’s shows, Dance, Ballet and Circus with artists and technicians from around the world, working within the UK and Internationally.

Emma is currently External Examiner for Sharjah Academy of Performing Arts in the UAE.

She has also qualified for her PGCert in Developing Professional Practice in Higher Education and became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

After graduating from Drama School Emma joined Glyndebourne Opera as an Assistant Stage Manager, progressing to Deputy Stage Manager.

She worked for over a decade at Glyndebourne within the Festivals and Tours also taking opera to Paris, New York and The Royal Albert Hall Proms. She has also toured the UK extensively with Glyndebourne and other companies including Opera North as well as working with Pimlico Opera on prison projects working with offenders in prisons on productions including West Side Story, Les Misérables and Sweeney Todd.

Emma then went on to work for Cirque du Soleil, touring internationally in Canada and the USA, working alongside technicians and artists from over 24 countries.

She then took up the position of Head of Stage Management at the Royal Opera House Muscat in Oman.

Most recently she has worked as Show Operations Director on two of Cirque du Soleil’s shows across the Mediterranean.

While at Glyndebourne, Emma worked with creative teams including Sir Peter Hall, John Gunter, Jonathan Kent, Paul Brown, David McVicar, Paule Constable, Mark Henderson, Nick Hytner and Deborah Warner on new and revival productions including Albert Herring, Carmen, Don Giovanni, and Fairy Queen.

While in Oman she was able to work on a diverse number of productions enabling her to experience a broad spectrum of stage management styles from all over the world. Working with companies and artists including Diana Krall, Youssou N’Dour, The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma, Mariinsky Ballet, Arena di Verona Opera and Teatro San Carlo of Naples.