Jonathan Rainey Reid

This interview was conducted on the 30th of April 2024.

Course Studied:

BA (Hons) Actor Musician

Year of Graduation: 2023

Jonathan Rainey Reid (he/him) is a Leeds based actor musician hailing from Ireland who specialises as a composer, theatre maker and percussionist.

How important were the connections you made during your studies?

• Invaluable! At the end of first year wrongsemble did an audition workshop with us, and they then hired me for a tour a year later and have since hired me on another four contracts. Likewise, we had auditions with Northern Opera Group at the end of second year, and I’ve now worked with them on the creative team across their 2023 and 2024 festivals. Not to mention the other freelance companies who were brought in to mentor or teach us and have now continued to offer advice and support post-graduation, and the other students across courses who I’ve been able to work with outside of studies – like Joe Allen who I brought on as composer/musical director for a touring show with NOG.

You worked recently with Northern Opera Group as a Director; how did you utilise the skills gained from your time at Leeds Conservatoire in this role?

While at LCon, I found that movement is the most helpful discipline when it comes to making bold choices and developing characters – both in terms of physicality and understanding – so a lot of the styles and disciplines taught by Eilon, Christina and Max are things I draw on a lot, especially a book Max recommended – Playing the Mask by John Wright – which talks a lot about following your inhibitions and being comfortable with the uncomfortable. A lot of the disciplines Laura McIntosh taught about collaboration and storytelling really helped me prepare for this show too, as it relied on just two performers to tell the story.

What is your best memory from Leeds Conservatoire?

In second year, I started to help Katherine (Kaims) develop a passion project of hers after classes (and over pints in the pub), which led to us working with Deb(orah Jardine) to run some music workshops to develop the vocal arrangements and orchestrations – we had students from the muso course, folk, jazz & classical playing for us, and the wonderful Ruairi Rollins (Production Y3) producing the demos. Those sessions were hard work to put together but some of the most fun I’ve had collaborating on a piece. Then, last May we got to have two weeks of Research & Development with the then second year musos, expanding the characters & building the world, as well as arranging new pieces and staging part of the show. Working with two of my closest friends on what became a passion project for all of us has been an absolute joy and privilege, and something I don’t think would’ve happened anywhere else.