UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 15 MARCH
Final-year Acting student Shreya Lallu has won a Carleton Hobbs Bursary Award for her “individual talent and ability in the art of acting for radio”.
Shreya is one of three award winners this year, who will receive a five-month contract with the BBC’s Radio Drama Department, as members of the Radio Drama Company. Her contract is due to start in July 2024.
This BBC bursary award scheme, specifically for voice actors, has been run by the Radio Drama Department since 1953. It is open to one pair (two final-year students) or two pairs (four final-year students) from Acting schools that are members of the Federation of Drama Schools, such as RBC.
The bursary award scheme has a two-stage selection process: The submission of pre-recorded solos, and a live online audition of duologue and sight-reading. Shreya’s audition included a solo piece and a duologue with fellow final-year student Charlotte McDaid, who was also a finalist.
Shreya said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been awarded the BBC Carleton Hobbs Bursary Award and cannot wait to begin the contract in July! I have loved every second of working with Charlotte and will forever value working with Director of BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Archers’ Peter Wild throughout the process – thanks to him for his guidance, support and drive. The overall experience was thoroughly enjoyable, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to expand my skills further as I join the Radio Drama Company later this year.”
Charlotte said: “I’m really grateful to our tutors for making this process so enjoyable and to the BBC who run the Carleton Hobbs Bursary Awards for offering this incredible opportunity. I’m so happy to have reached the final with Shreya and I can’t wait to see where this takes us both!
Danièle Sanderson said: “It’s a super result. I’m immensely proud of both Charlotte and Shreya who are two of the most lovely, hard-working young women you could meet. It is well deserved.”