Tom Gorman

Tom Gorman is an academic and theatre director currently based at Coventry University. Tom studied English Literature and Language at Queen's University Belfast before going on to complete a PhD in Theatre at the University of Ulster researching the history of non-naturalistic dramaturgy especially the concept of the 'play within a play'. In 1990, after working for some time as a freelance actor, Tom co-founded Sightlines Theatre Company, Belfast and worked with them as Artistic Director for six years. During this period he also worked as a freelance actor, writer and director with numerous theatre companies throughout Northern Ireland and as a writer for Radio Ulster. From 1997 onwards he worked as Strand Leader in Drama at the University Of Birmingham, moving on to become Course Director of the BA Drama Studies degree at Bath Spa University. From 2007 onwards he has been working as Senior Lecturer on the BA Theatre and Professional Practice Degree at Coventry University.

Tom co-founded Sightlines Theatre Company in 1990. Sightlines were a small-scale independent touring company, based in Belfast, offering an alternative to the rather insular theatre scene at the time. Focusing on international work and performances that involved the audience on a physical and intellectual level, the company were a regular feature at Belfast international festival. Described by the Ulster Newsletter as 'the most exciting company in Ireland' in 1995, the company eventually disbanded in 1996.

He is currently engaged in a research project in conjunction with the University of Tampere, Finland, using videoconferencing technology, projections and sound design to create immersive virtual rehearsal spaces. This project, now in its fourth year, was the recipient of the Gold Award for most innovative Arts and Humanities project at the 2016 Reimagine Education Awards. In December 2018 it recieved the Gold Award for best Arts and Humanities project and the Gold for Hybrid Learning at the 2018 Reimagine Education awards and was one of the 10 highest scoring projects out of 1,184 entries,

In 2019 he will collaborate with Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan and Purdue University, Indiana on new iterations of the telepresence project.

Directing ; Robert Wilson ; Actor-Training ; Bertolt Brecht ; Thornton Wilder ; American Theatre ; Renaissance Theatre ; Theatre History and Theory ; Contemporary Irish Theatre ; Early 20th Century German Theatre, Telepresence, Distance Learning, Virtual Mobility