creativity first
Our focus is always creativity first.
Creativity - it has its roots in the Latin verb ‘to make’ creo - to create. Initial uses were spiritual, as in ‘divine creation’ but during the Enlightenment it became used more frequently in the field of art theory. By the 19th century its use was more diverse, relating to artistic endeavours such as writing. Creativity was still seen, however, as some kind of discretionary spiritual life force. Around the middle of the twentieth century, Creativity began to gain traction as a a concept of existence. In 1959, US Admiral Hyman Rickover predicted “a future dependent on creative brains”. Education, he said, promoted conformity. Through my talks with thousands of actors I noticed a recurring theme - actors tended to reject a conformist life preferring to focus on creativity.
Is it hyperbole to say we are heading towards a second Enlightenment? Look around; YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat - new mediums for creativity arise daily. We are all creating now, curating and documenting our lives. We are learning that creativity is not a discretionary spiritual force, a rare gift for a few people - creativity is within all of us, it is a natural state. In the words of Sir Ken Robinson, creativity is “as important in education as literacy and we should treat it with the same status.”
Actors are brimming with creativity. I want to work with artists who excite me, who are passionate about creativity and eager to explore it. I want to work with multi-platform artists who are taking their creativity to the next level and exploring all mediums. I want to nurture, develop and inspire creativity. This is JBR Creative Management.
about
While hardly “born in a trunk at the Princess Theatre,” JBR has, nevertheless, been in the industry for almost 40 years, having made their West End debut at the London Coliseum in 1985.
Interposed with a long career as a performer, JBR picked up degrees in Film, TV & Drama from Bristol University, a PGCE in English, Media & Drama from London Met and an MA in Performance from Mountview.
They have been Editor of The Drama Student Magazine, a theatre journalist for First Act Magazine, Musical Stages and The Irish Tribune. They have been a judge on the Olivier panel, the Amateur Stages playwriting competition, a recurring judge for the Stiles & Drewe New Musical Award and adjudicated on various film festival panels. They have also been a venue manager, a comedy host, a drag queen, a cabaret performer, a producer and a director.
After retiring from performing, JBR joined Simon & How Agency building their musical theatre book and developing the company as Chief Operating Officer.
With a wealth of industry experience across a number of fields JBR launched JBR Creative Management in 2019.
In 2021 Nick Hern Books published JBR’s first book, Getting, Keeping & Working With Your Acting Agent - a complete guide for actors which explains everything actors need to know about agents.
JBR also teaches at Associated Studios Drama School on the BA and MA Musical Theatre courses.
They became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2022.