In our profile series, Tell Us In 10, we ask cast and creatives of top London shows to tell us all about themselves in just 10 questions. This week, we’re adding a crew member to the series as we talk to Aimée Tither, Head of Automation at The Prince Of Egypt which will be returning #BackOnStage at the Dominion Theatre from 1 July.
Aimee’s department is responsible for the shows moving scenery and creating and controlling a complex sequence of scene changes that happen on stage. Aimee is ultimately responsible for the daily running of the department and its ability to efficiently deliver a safe and reliable system throughout the production.
Find out more about Aimée and her life backstage at The Prince Of Egypt.
1. My route into theatre was…
Northbrook Met and gained a BA (Hons) Degree in Stage Management and Technical Theatre. I worked onboard The Queen Mary 2 for 2 1/2 years gaining experience in Stage Management, Automation and Production Management before moving to London to progress in Automation.
2. The thing I love the most about my job is…
Each show is different in the way Automation is used. The potential is endless, the kit is ever evolving Therefore the learning never ends. New shows, new design ideas and different venues all present challenges and opportunities to learn. I have worked with Absolute Motion Control a lot recently and their ethos and level of knowledge is contagious.
Luke Brady and Liam Tamne in The Prince Of Egypt. (Photo credit: Tristram Kenton)
3. My favourite show (that isn’t one I worked on) is…
In the Heights or Come from Away. They are both such powerful shows that transport you with the story line and sense of community.
4. A misconception about my job is…
That it is just pressing buttons. The nature of my job is Technical but it is multifaceted. You need to be skilled in many areas from understanding Schematic diagrams and being able to provide pastoral care and guidance. Your team is very important and when putting a show together these dynamics must be taken into consideration. You need brains and know-how but also how to conduct yourself in a show situation.
The Prince Of Egypt. (Photo credit: Matt Crockett)
5. The hardest part about my job is…
I would say for me personally it is the work-life balance. You do learn ways to make sure you navigate this as you progress through your career, however I wish I had told my younger self to slow down and enjoy the now rather than pushing constantly.
6. The career moment I’m most proud of is…
Working on shows that have stories and narratives I wanted to help tell. To work with cast, technical, creatives and producers that help make the West End a progressive and inclusive place to work. When applying for a show, this is very important to me.
Centre, left to right: Silas Wyatt Burke, Alexia Khadime, Luke Brady and Christine Allado in The Prince of Egypt (Photo credit: Matt Crockett)
7. On my days off I like to…
I like to travel. I love nothing more than buying an new Lonely Planet book and discovering where I would next like to go and explore with my partner. We love nothing more than exploring new cites and happening upon local business, soaking up the culture and trying local cuisines.
8. My daily work rituals include…
We have a lot of specific show checks that need to be done and procedures to follow to make sure the show is safe and ready, but personal rituals I would have to say are pretty simple. I like changing into my show blacks and heading to the Desk at the half to hear the audience milling around and listen to the band warming up. I like to give myself sometime to decompress before the show begins.
Aimee Tither
9. My inspiration is…
My life inspiration is my family especially grandparents. Being able to make them proud of me achieving and thriving in an industry that is so far from what they knew. And now being able to show the younger members of the family that you can achieve great things with hard work.
The Prince Of Egypt. (Photo credit: Tristram Kenton)
10. Working as Head of Automation at The Prince Of Egypt is special because…
The Prince of Egypt is the first large scale musical I have been a part of from the beginning. It was a privilege to witness all the creative ideas and designs develop and go from page to stage.
Transforming a very well loved DreamWorks classic animation that I watched as a child come to life on stage for audiences to enjoy again and again. The music is incredible and nostalgic. It is a pleasure to work with such passionate professionals in each department and I think this is evident in the end product, as each element of the show compliments the other. The Earth Piece is a pretty epic piece of engineering and makes operating Automation exciting. It pushes the boundaries of what we can do on a stage with such advancements in control and engineering paired with endless creativity.
We’re already huge fans of this musical extravaganza and after speaking to Aimee, we’re even more excited about the shows return #BackOnStage.
If the above hasn’t got you booking tickets already, be sure to check out our Theatre Chat Live episode with Debbie Kurup who plays Queen Tuya in the musical. Debbie chats to us about her lockdown habits – from bread-making to completing a whole new degree, how she feels about being reunited with the company, returning #BackOnStage and more!