About

I've been writing plays since 1992. I've had four main stage professional productions: two hour-long plays, The Same River and Inheritance (both Worcester Swan Theatre, 2001), and two full length plays: Red Skies Over the Severn (Worcester Swan Theatre, 2001), and Upside Down and Back to Front, commissioned and produced by artworcs in February 2005 (details below).

Another play, Growing Old Disgracefully, was written for the Swan Theatre while I was Pearson writer-in-residence there in 2002/3. Unfortunately the theatre was forced to close before the play could be finished and produced.

I was commissioned by Birmingham Repertory Theatre to write a play based on a 24 hour television news channel. This play was never produced but did have some stellar workshop shows.

I've written (or helped devise) several plays for young people. The most popular of these, now, has had several productions. I've also worked on, performed in and written large cast community plays.

In 2002/3 I was Pearson writer-in-residence first with Worcester Swan Theatre and then, after its closure, with New Theatre Works in Hereford where I worked on two site specific pieces, including writing a script based on company devising for It's a Cook-Up.

In 2004 I was a member of BBC Radio Drama's Sparks writers group. BBC Radio 4 then commissioned me to adapt Upside Down and Back to Front for their Afternoon Play slot. The play was recorded in May 2006 (credits here) and was broadcast on 14th November 2006. I was also commissioned to write a drama documentary about cycling and jazz called The Climb. It featured original music by - and an interview with - Soweto Kinch. It was broadcast on 4th July 2007.

In 2003 conceptual artist Sheila Farrell, arts administrator Deborah Rees, radio producer and theatre director Peter Leslie Wild and I co-founded the arts production company artworcs. artworcs commissioned and produced Upside Down and Back to Front - at The Number 8 Community Arts Centre, Pershore (February 2005). The play is inspired by photography and storytelling.

I have directed public rehearsed readings of plays by other writers including work by Mo Murrie, Rose Marshall, Nicola Jones and Martin Drury.

Education and training experience

I teach drama and playwriting at postgraduate, undergraduate and adult education level. I am on Birkbeck College's panel of lecturers for Creative Writing. Until recently I was a part-time drama lecturer at Birmingham City University. I am now a sessional lecturer at Brunel University, teaching Writing for Performance, and The University of Westminster, teaching computer programming.

I've been a youth theatre leader, a writing workshop leader and a mentor for an individual writer. I have been a script reader for several companies and playwriting organisations.

Education

2000: MA in Playwriting Studies from the University of Birmingham
1997: BA (Hons) in Drama (with IT) from University College Worcester (first)
2008: British Cycling Level 2 Cycling Coach

Publications

Woodman, L. (2010), now: a short play for young people, www.lulu.com (ISBN: 978-1-4457-3006-6)

Roberts, D. and Woodman, L. (1998), "A Corpus Linguistics Study of the Theatre Review: First Steps" in Studies in Theatre Production 18, pp. 6-28

Woodman, L. (2004), "Wall" (short story) in Raw Edge Magazine 19, autumn/winter 2004/05, p. 12

Woodman, L. (1999), "Web Sites for RIGS Groups", paper at the Second UK RIGS [Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites] Conference, University College Worcester