BA (Hons) Musical Theatre Performance

Lyndsay’s credits include: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Mayflower Theatre); Betwixt! (Trafalgar Studios); Venus and Adonis (Turner Sims Concert Hall); Nicholas Nickleby (Chichester Festival Theatre, Gielgud Theatre); Godspell (Hanger Farm Arts Centre); TheThreepenny Opera (BADA); Alice in Wonderland (Queen’s Theatre); You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Network Theatre); Hello Again (George Cecil Wood Theatre); The Threepenny Opera (Nuffield Theatre); Jesus Christ Superstar (Bournemouth Rep); Liar (Nuffield Youth Theatre), and Much Ado About Nothing (National Theatre).

Educationally, Helen holds a PhD in Surveillance Performativity/ Immersive Performance from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, where she was a recipient of a Research Bursary under the tutelage of Professor Stephen Farrier. She holds an FHEA through Trinity Laban, an MA Performance Practices and Research, also from RCSSD, and a BA First Class (Hons) Acting from Bretton Hall.

Helen’s directing credits include Amour, The Beggars Opera, Company, Electra, The Dreaming, The Pirates of Penzance, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Anything Goes, Epsom Downs, Zombie Prom, many industry-showcases and various devised and research-related, personal works. As a guest director for The Dot Collective – a theatre company ‘[…] with access needs at its core, reducing isolation for those with additional needs and dementia’ – Helen has, most recently, collaborated in research and development for Project Portmanteau, in addition to co-directing the 2023 tour of Alice’s Adventures in Aerieland.

Helen has several practice-based research avenues, including, Meisner Technique for Neurodivergent Student-Actors, Immersive Performance, and Surveillance Performativity in Public Space, about which she has presented a number of papers at a variety of academic conferences.

Helen continues to work as an actor. Her theatre acting credits include, classical (mostly Shakespeare) and contemporary non-musical and Musical Theatre (the latter, including Les Misérables, Singin’ in the Rain and the UK premiere of Lippa’s John and Jen). Helen’s experience in television – much to the amusement of her students – includes roles in BBC’s BAFTA winning Trapped and the BBC-British Museums collaboration Relic: Guardians of the Museum (also BAFTA winning).

Research interests:

• Neurodivergence-inclusive Acting and Performance Practices
• Surveillance-Performativity/ Social Performance
• Flâneurie, historically and contemporarily, as surveillant practice
• Politics and Aesthetics of immersive theatre participatory practices

After gaining an MA in Music Performance from the University of Southampton, Rhona trained at the Guildford School of Acting, where she was awarded the Professional Development Award on completion of her studies.

Theatre Credits of note include: The Light In The Piazza (Royal Festival Hall / LA Opera / Chicago Lyric Opera); Flowers For Mrs Harris (Chichester Festival Theatre); Moonfleet (Salisbury Playhouse); The Addams Family (Original UK Cast); Oliver! (The Watermill Theatre); Saturday Night Fever (UK Tour and English Theatre, Frankfurt); Grease (Ljubljana International Festival, Slovenia); Legally Blonde the Musical (Original UK Tour); Billy Elliot the Musical (Victoria Palace Theatre); Chess (Oslo Spektrum, Norway); The Pirates of Penzance (inaugural performance at the Kilworth House Theatre, Leicestershire); 42nd Street (Nuffield Theatre, Southampton).

Rhona has also performed extensively as a soprano soloist. Concert experience includes: Britten’s Hymn to St Cecilia (Wells Cathedral); Ravel’s Sheherazade (Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton); Haydn’s Nelson Mass; Charpentier’s Te Deum; Vivaldi’s Gloria; Mozart’s Coronation Mass; Handel’s The Messiah, and she has also been a soloist at Westminster Abbey.

Television and radio credits include: Tonight at the Palladium (ITV); Harbour Lights (BBC); the recording of the theme for The Ashes (BBC Radio); Soap and Glory (commercial).

Finally, Rhona is also an accomplished pianist, saxophonist and bass player and has performed in many bands, pit bands, with a Rock n’ Roll group called The Daisy Chains and on stage as an actor-musician.

Verity is also an experienced session and concert singer and has sung backing vocals for Dionne Warwick and Josh Groban, performed in three Proms and a national tour with the John Wilson Orchestra, and was a featured vocalist in a collaboration with the English National Ballet at the Royal Albert Hall entitled Strictly Gershwin.

Initially developing dance and theatre school provision, Victoria moved swiftly into further education and apprenticeships in performing arts and sport, with programmes receiving external recognition such as ‘Outstanding’ judgements (Adult Leaning Inspectorate), Beacon status for teaching and learning, and professional industry acknowledgement. This led to partnerships with higher education providers, and the development of the musical theatre provision at Trinity Laban.

As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Trinity Laban Senior Teaching Fellow, Victoria is committed to access and participation, and the development of teaching and learning environments that support progression and achievement. Most recently, she has utilised her MSc in psychology to research the area of mental health and wellbeing in tertiary musical theatre education settings, identifying how programmes and interventions can be established to support the development of good mental health in educational setting, and when transitioning into employment.

Victoria believes that the student is the absolute centre of the learning journey, and that it is important to support personal development beyond the core curriculum outcomes, fostering the unique individual and personal identity within the learning community.

Victoria is a Trustee for a growing Multi Academy Trust in Kent and External Examiner for other Musical Theatre programmes across the UK .

Creative Outputs

Performance credits include: Aladdin, Cinderella and Humpty Dumpty (Millfield Theatre), A Chorus Line (MYT), Fran in A Christmas Carol (Terry Hawes Productions), Aida, MTV, Dream Team (Hewland International), 100 Years of Cinema (Mermaid Theatre), Lead vocalist and dancer for various cabarets.

Choreography Credits include: Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Bugsy Malone, Oklahoma, Little Shop of Horrors, Dick Whittington, Wizard of Oz, Oliver, Corporate Events, Cabarets and College Showcases.

Jess trained at Guildford School of Acting. Her theatre credits include: The Merry Wives of Windsor (Royal Shakespeare Company), The School for Scandal (Royal Shakespeare Company), As You Like It (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Vortex(Chichester Festival Theatre), Orlando (Michael Grandage Company/West End), Hamlet (National Theatre); A Christmas Carol, The Tempest, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Open Bar Theatre). Jess’s TV credits includes: Showtrial, Buffering, and I Hate Suzie.

Previously, Tom led the Widening Participation and Outreach provision at Guildford School of Acting, where he developed a funded outreach project. This nationwide inclusion initiative, run in association with the Federation of Drama Schools and Get Into Theatre, was designed to support and inspire young people from backgrounds currently underrepresented in the creative industries.

Tom trained at Guildford School of Acting, graduating with a first-class BA honours degree, and subsequently on the MA Actor Training and Coaching at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where he was the recipient of the Embassy Scholarship.

My name is Jenny Coyle and I am a Music and Performing Arts Specialist based in Liverpool. I am a musician and singer, and I have extensive experience in Higher Education, specialising in Performing Arts and Vocational Training. I have a Masters in Musical Theatre, gaining the Research Excellent Prize from LJMU in 2019, I also have a PGCE in Further Education and Training, and BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre from The Arden School of Theatre.
I am also the Course Leader of the BA (Hons) in Professional Practice (Top-Up), the Masters in Creative Arts Practice, and the Masters in Creative Arts Education at Italia Conti.

Outside of my educational work, I am a musician and producer, and I also work with a variety of artists, creatives, and musicians on their professional development, providing guidance, mentorship and consultancy for projects and their career pathways.

Performing roles include: Social Worker in The Enfield Poltergeist (Apple TV); PC Rook in Wonder.land (National Theatre); Fellowship / Senses and Wit: TOUCH in Everyman (National Theatre); Ms Mason in Cool Rider (Lyric Theatre); Clare in Bare (The Greenwich Theatre); Sister Berthe in The Sound Of Music (Regents Park); Mamma Mia (Prince Of Wales and Novello); Maxine in Stepping Out, The Play (Union Theatre); Billy Elliot (Victoria Palace Theatre); Shenshen in Wicked, Original London Cast (Apollo Victoria Theatre); Mrs Bixby in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (UK Tour); The Full Monty, Original London Cast (Prince Of Wales Theatre); Judith in Elegies (Bridewell Theatre); The Narrator in Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour); Mona Kent in Dames At Sea (Prince Regent Theatre).

Other roles include: Madame Delila and Mrs Thatcher in Dr Who – The Ultimate Adventure (Audio, Big Finish Productions); Mother in Little Women (Workshop).

Recordings: Muppet voiceover artist for Sony PS3, Little Big Planet (Sony), Love Never Dies (Really Useful Group); Elegies For Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (Okai Collier)

Recently, Billy has been involved in the development of new musical works, including THE CREAKERS by McFly’s Tom Fletcher, and SYREN, penned by Olivier Award nominee Anoushka Lucas and Jess Edwards. He played opposite Sir Ian McKellen in MOTHER GOOSE and in the role of Nicholas in the Old Vic Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. Billy workshopped the choreography and appeared in the Netflix musical film MATILDA, directed by Matthew Warchus and choreographed by Ellen Kane. Billy’s screen debut was playing the role of Hector in Russell T Davies’ IT’S A SIN for Channel 4/HBO.

Billy originated the lead role of Alex in the critically acclaimed world premiere of LEAVE TO REMAIN at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, a production written by Matt Jones (Doctor Who) and Kele Okereke (Bloc Party). He also understudied the role of Seymour in  the Olivier Award nominated production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and played the role of Mark Cohen in the 20th Anniversary production of RENT (London/UK Tour).

Following his graduation, Billy’s stage career varied with roles such as the Mad Hatter in ALICE IN WONDERLAND (European Tour), Moritz Stiefel in SPRING AWAKENING (UK Tour), and Jesus in GODSPELL (Union Theatre). His West End debut came in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of MATILDA THE MUSICAL at the Cambridge Theatre, followed by CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY under the direction of Academy Award winner Sam Mendes at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Billy gained a Broadway World nomination for understudying the role of Jesus in the Olivier Award-winning production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

In addition to his stage work, Billy is an accomplished recording artist having release two studio albums. His recent releases have been featured on BBC Radio 2, and he has been recognised as a BBC Introducing artist, collaborating with prolific songwriters and producers in both London and New York City. His creative talents extend to choreography, where he has directed music videos for MTV, Urban Outfitters, and other notable artists.

Billy has also assisted with the casting process for West End shows such as Matilda the Musical, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Hairspray and many more.

His long association with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has seen five CD recordings including Food of Love, Christmas Classics and Very Best of Rodgers & Hammerstein and many concerts such as the annual Christmas Cracker at Cadogan Hall and Best of Broadway at Royal Albert Hall. His other recordings include Simply… Michael Dore, and he is featured on numerous albums for Readers Digest, four albums with the BBC Concert Orchestra, Steve Mackey’s Grammy award-winning Dreamhouse and three recordings of Berio’s Sinfonia.

Michael’s work with the Variety Club Children’s Charity has included co-hosting and performing for the Iowa Variety Club Live Telethon in the USA and his Michael Dore Sings the Musicals and More concert in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Theatre roles have included West Side Story (Riff) with Sir Simon Rattle, Jesus Christ Superstar (Peter) with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Guys & Dolls (Benny Southstreet) and Candide (Maximillian) with the BBC Concert Orchestra. He created the role of Rupert Brooke in the premiere performances of Young Apollo and played Lieutenant Barri on the original London cast recording of Sondheim’s Passion.

He has performed Shakespeare on stage with Dame Judi Dench, worked alongside Dame Diana Rigg, and his singing partners have included Sarah Brightman, Nell Bryden and Lorna Luft.

Other appearances have included Kurt Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins in the UK, Spain and Ireland, the Cathcart Spring Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, and Best of the West End at Hampton Court Festival, along with UK tours of West End Nights, Broadway Lights and Fascinating Rhythms, Wonderful Town in Berlin, The Magic of Broadway in Scandinavia and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

He has conducted vocal workshops and masterclasses in Europe, South Africa and North America and coached in the UK on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Any Dream Will Do series (BBC TV), Hairspray – the School Musical, Grease – the School Musical 2 (SKY TV), Popstars (ITV) and The X Factor.

Michael’s busy studio recording schedule has included many film soundtracks such as Shrek 2, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, Star Wars, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. He worked with Adele on her Bond track ‘Skyfall’, is often featured on BBC Radio 2’s ‘Friday Night is Music Night’, has guested on TV shows including Songs of Praise and regularly appears at London’s major concert halls, performing contemporary, semi-classical, Broadway, Jazz, Christmas and intimate Cabaret evenings at venues such as The Crazy Coqs.

While successfully auditioning for the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre: Aspiring Dance Mentoring Scheme, Under the direction of Liz Dale – Director of Dance at ISTD – and Hannah Dye – Head of Programming for Breathe Arts and Freelance Producer for English National Ballet – André was scouted to join the Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) Programme at The Place: London Contemporary Dance School. After nearly 3 years, André graduated from The Place: CAT accepting a fully funded place at London Studio Centre (LSC). During his time at LSC André took some time out to attend The Ailey School – the training ground for the world renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre – Summer Intensive in 2013, before returning to LSC where in 2014 he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree.

Following graduation, André joined the ensemble of The Lion King, Germany where he was trusted with the responsibility of teaching Company Class. On returning to the UK André joined the West End Production of Wicked in the prestigious Ribbon Boy Track before going on to play Paul in Kiss Me Kate at The Watermill Theatre choreographed by Oti Mabuse – for which André was the Dance Captain and was nominated for the BroadwayWorldUK: Best Supporting Actor Award.

Having worked in the Arts industry for two decades, André has danced, taught, assisted, created work and been mentored both nationally & internationally. Working with world class artists, theatres and organisations including: Richard Alston, Denzil Bailey, English National Ballet, Thea Barnes (1952-2018), James Bennett, the Southbank Centre, the Olympic Ceremonies, Royal Academy of Dance, Artistry Youth Dance, Nikolai Foster, the Royal Albert Hall, Rebecca Howell, Richard Jones, Ellen Kane, Trinity Laban, Paul Liburd, Oti Mabuse, Mandy Montanez, Alex Parker, Joan Peters, Richard Roe, Jane Sanig, Tamara Saringer, David Shrubsole, Judine Somerville, Christian Storm, the CDMT, Disney Theatrical Productions, Eric Underwood, Antoine Vereecken, Buddy Watkins, Nikki Woollaston and Sadler’s Wells. Which André continuously utilizes to inspire his work in the studio, on stage and off stage.

He now brings a wealth of experience as an educator, teaching singing to industry professionals, (many of whom are in current west-end, UK and International touring productions) drama school undergraduates and post-graduates. He has also directed award-winning choirs and musicals, workshops and summer schools alongside the esteemed UK vocal coach, Julie Gossage.

Together, they are proud to represent Vocal Balance UK, an exciting clutter-free vocal pedagogy which, according to their students’ testimonials, is ‘creating waves’ within the vocal arts industry. www.vocalbalance.co.uk

IG: @VocalBalance | Linkedin: Vocal Balance | FB: @VocalBalance

CJ has starred in countless West End plays and musicals including 42ND STREET (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), SMALL ISLAND (Olivier, National Theatre), 101 DALMATIANS (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Royal Exchange), OLIVER (Cameron Mackintosh Tour), RENT (Duke of York’s), PIAF (Donmar/Vaudeville Theatre), WOMAN IN WHITE (Palace Theatre), THE THREE MUSKETEERS (Rose Theatre), CHESS (Oslo), THE KING AND I (tour), SINATRA WITH THE NELSON RIDDLE ORCHESTRA (UK tour and London Palladium), JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Frankfurt), ZIPP! (Duchess Theatre).

Workshops include HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, PINOCCHIO (NT), & JULIET, PUMP UP THE VOLUME, THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE, THE BUTTERFLY LION, THE IRON WOMAN, THIS IS A LOVE STORY, HEEL, LITTLE BEASTS, THE PIED PIPER.

As a singer, CJ has toured globally as a soloist, including Tokyo, Shanghai, Macau, San Francisco, Paris, Dubai, Milan for clients such as Swarovski and David Beckham. She has appeared with opera band Amici Forever and Incognito Artists. She also sang for the QUEEN’S GOLDEN JUBILEE (Buckingham Palace).

Her TV and film credits include CALL THE MIDWIFE (BBC), THE MYSTERY OF MARILYN MONROE (NETFLIX), GALAVANT (ABC), SMALL ISLAND (NT LIVE), BEYOND THE FENCE (SKY ARTS). She starred in the short film MOUSIE (set in 1936 Berlin and starring as Katharina) winning several film festival awards including BEST ACTRESS at the SOCIAL FILM FESTIVAL ARTELESIA. She plays Stina in new award-winning comedy TV series THE PLAYERS. She appears in the RICHARD RODGERS CENTENARY GALA (BBC4/Theatre Royal Drury Lane).

As a recording artist, CJ appears on THE LIGHT PRINCESS Original Cast Recording (Universal/Tori Amos) and has recorded demos for BBC and SKY including OTHERWORLD and PSYCHOBITCHES. Her vocals were also used for THE HURLY BURLY SHOW (Garrick Theatre). As a voiceover artist, CJ has a list of credits including the voice

of ITV PLAYER, narrator for YOU ARE AWAKE (Channel 4) and playing characters for BILLIE AND THE GHOST (DISNEY).

She is also a qualified yoga and meditation teacher and loves to bring an essence of mindfulness to all of her teaching.

Training: ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC (PGDip), Winchester University (First Class BA (Hons) Drama, Theatre and TV); Estill Voice Method Levels 1&2 (Anne-Marie Speed); Meisner technique (Actor’s Centre, London); Yoga and Meditation instructor (200hr East & West RYS Yoga Alliance).

Since her time at RAM, Charlie-Jade has maintained both a steady performance career and a successful teaching career. She is currently the Associate Teacher of Singing at LAMDA, and teaches across the BA & MFA Professional Acting, MA Classical Acting and MA Musical Theatre programmes. She also teaches on the BA Musical Theatre programme at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, and prior to these appointments taught on the BA Actor Musicianship programme at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and on the BA Musical Theatre programme at Laine Theatre Arts. She runs her private studio for professional voice users, The Practice by Charlie-Jade, teaching singing and supporting singers’ health. She adopts a person-centred approach to her teaching and continues her own professional development collaborating with specialist clinicians, including a voice specialist ENT, and observing them in clinic.

Her experiences as both a student, singer and teacher, alongside a keen interest in singers health and psychological perspectives on the voice inspired her to accept a place to study the MSc in Performance Science at the Royal College of Music from which she graduated with Distinction in 2023. Her MSc research investigated experiences and perceptions of health and wellbeing within a drama school context and the findings inspired her to pursue doctoral research. Supervised by Professor Aaron Williamon and Dr Anna Detari, Charlie-Jade’s PhD research will investigate health literacy in drama school students, staff, and graduates, before working with her own research findings, current literature, and clinical experts to develop a health intervention for this educational context.

He holds an MA Theatre and Performance and a BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance. Blair’s research interests include queer utopian performance, trauma and voice, Bourdieu’s theory of practice and education, disability in performance and rehearsal and has presented his research at the 10th Estill World Voice Symposium in 2021, the Voice Geek Conference 2019 and has published a chapter in The Bloomsbury Handbook of Popular Music Education: Perspectives and Practices. Blair is a performance artist and songwriter, releasing his first album in 2014, and writing and performing a solo stand-up experimental cabaret in 2018. He is currently working on combining live art with rock music in an experimental performance exploring queer magick and mythology. He has worked as a Vocal Director on a range of shows and is currently the Vocal Consultant on a number of fringe productions in London. Blair is passionate about working with and coaching queer, trans and non-binary performers and has extensive experience of facilitating a safe learning environment for clients and colleagues from the LGBTQIA+ community.

Peter Knapp has been singing all his life, initially as a Cathedral chorister at St Albans, and then as a choral scholar at St John’s College, Cambridge, where he read English. He studied singing privately in London and Italy, where he worked with the distinguished Italian baritone, Tito Gobbi, and made his professional solo debut as Count Almaviva in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with the Glyndebourne Tour. With English National Opera at the London Coliseum, he sang the title roles in Don Giovanni, and at Sadler’s Wells, King Roger in Szymanowski’s opera, under Charles Mackerras. With Kent Opera he sang the title roles in Monteverdi’s Orfeo (filmed by BBC Television), Eugene Onegin and Don Giovanni, as well as Germont in La Traviata. Success in international competitions led to his singing roles abroad, including Nabucco, Macbeth and Rigoletto, Di Luna in Il Trovatore, Ford in Falstaff, Marcello in La Bohème and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. In Italy, he sang Orfeo again in the Maggio Musicale, Florence, and in Venice sang operas by Britten and Handel, while back in the UK he created the role of Maxim in Joseph’s opera Rebecca for Opera North. Musical theatre work has included Weill’s Happy End (BBC Television) and Porter’s Kiss Me Kate, and he also presents his own cabaret-style shows, All You Ever Wanted to Know About Opera and Can’t Help Singing! As a concert singer, he has appeared with many leading orchestras and conductors, including the Berlin Philharmonic, and as a recitalist, he has given numerous broadcasts of German, French and English song on BBC Radio 3.

Always dedicated to training new generations of performers, he was Director of Opera at the Royal Academy of Music, set up British Youth Opera and created his own touring company, which presented opera and musical theatre throughout the UK, including London seasons at Sadler’s Wells and the South Bank and Barbican Concert Halls.

He has taught at Trinity Laban for over 20 years and has also worked at The Drama Centre at Central St Martin’s and as a voice and language teacher at the Universities of Cambridge, City and Sussex.

Zoe also works extensively in Theatre including productions for the Birmingham REP, Lyric Hammersmith and West End Credits including Dr Semmelweis (starring Mark Rylance) and Matilda the Musical (RSC) where she works currently as part of the Voice department. Zoe also has a roster of private clients, who she works one-to-one with to help prepare them for auditions, TV, Film and Theatre productions. 

Performance credits include: 

Theatre: Songs from Sondheim (The Lowry, Manchester), Masterclass (English Theatre Frankfurt), Sweeney Todd (West End and Chichester Festival Theatre), Laugh and Be Happy (Minerva Theatre, Chichester), Coco (Sadlers Wells), The Vaudevillains (Charing Cross Theatre and The Lowry), State Fair (Finborough and Trafalgar Studios), First Lady Suite (Union Theatre), Me and My Girl (London Palladium), Back to Broadway (UK and Mexico tour), Dust (Tricycle Theatre), Tiny Shows (The Copenhagen Interpretation), The Dots (Touring Cabaret). 

Opera: La Rondine, Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera Holland Park), The Clothesburger (Southbank Centre), Dancing on Armistice Day (UK/France tour), Hear Them Roar, Walk Out of Yourself (The Voicings Collective for Opera Harmony-final shortlist) 

Film/Television: Hope and Glory (BBC), Interference (Short Film) 

Workshops: The Hills of California, Hallowed Ground, The Miller’s Wife, The Ruby Necklace, The Man in the Room. 

Voice artist work: Tubby and Enid (BBC), Sweeney Todd (West End Cast Recording), Cool Rider (West End Cast Recording), Singleton Whiskey (Advert), Ronseal (Advert) 

I was a founder member of the New D’Oyly Carte Company at the Savoy: Yeoman of the Guard (Sgt Meryll), Iolanthe (Private Willis), Mikado (Pish Tush) and Pirates of Penzance (Sergeant of Police) (last one recorded), and spent several years at the Coliseum with English National Opera playing in Pacific Overtures (Shogun’s Mother) – coached by Stephen Sondheim! died and went to heaven!, Die Fledermaus (Frosch), Street Scene (Harry Easter) (there was a lovely young song and dance girl called Catherine Zeta Jones in the cast – I wonder what happened to her?), and Orpheus in the Underworld (Mars). All of those recorded as well.

Trips abroad include: Paris for Curlew River; the Batignano Festival in beautiful Tuscany, singing Il Ritorno D’Ulisse in Italian to an Italian audience (brave or what!), United States and Ludwigshafen with ENO, and Opera Omaha and Portland Opera for My Fair Lady (Col Pickering). Short National Theatre season at the Royal National Theatre in a new opera, Baby Doll as Archie Lee. With Modern Music Theatre Troupe I had some quick changes in Stephen McNeff’s The Waste land at the Covent Garden Festival (also in Hay-on-Wye where it rained so hard we couldn’t hear the orchestra in the big plastic tent!). Lots of great stuff with Music Theatre London Don Giovanni, Marriage of Figaro, Cosi Fan Tutte, Boheme, Falstaff, touring the Netherlands, and seasons at the old Drill Hall, London.

With Lincoln Theatre Royal I did Annie as well (Daddy Warbucks) and took that and Peter Pan (Captain Hook) to Malaysia, 6000 feet up a mountain. Also with them I was in a comedy called Five Blue Haired Ladies on a Green Park Bench (Marvin, William Morris and Richard) which did a season and a tour.

At the Players’ Theatre Club I was a Music Hall Turn and was often the Chairman, introducing the acts and interacting with the audience.

Most recently I’ve been working with Charles Court Opera, a vibrant young company, doing Pantos, Gilbert and Sullivan and avant-garde concerts, and had three summers in Buxton at the International G&S Festival As Mikado, Private Willis and Adam Goodheart (not all at the same time, though!).

I’ve got quite a long recording catalogue; and on TV Crackerjack (Crackerjack!)in which I was a jewel thief disguised as Cyrano de Bergerac, Get Well Soon (Doctor Waxman), and Cambridge Spies (Sir Clive Woodham).

Films for Capriol Films include Falstaff on location at a derelict Golf Course in Norfolk; La Boheme on location in a newly redeveloped part of Greenwich; Warlock: Some Little Joy (Augustus John), and Draw on Sweet Night (Anne’s Father). For Porterhouse Productions, Out of the Shadows (Dr Winston), this one with a Red Carpet Gala.

I’m on the Vocal Faculty at TrinityLaban Conservatoire in glorious Greenwich. Many of my past students have gone on to success in the West End and International stages, and in films and television. I still teach privately.

I’m so lucky having been able to meet and work with the greats of the entertainment industry, Sir Tom Allen, Leslie Crowther, Arthur Askey, Sir John Tomlinson, Lynda Baron, Michael Ball, Keith Warner, Anthony van Laast and Kenn Oldfield, to name but a few!

As choreographer / movement director: The Way of the World, and dances for The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (National Theatre), La Traviata and Masquerade, (Opera North), Eugene Onegin, (Scottish Opera), The Wizard of Oz (Opera House, Zurich), Jesus Christ, Superstar (York Theatre Royal), The Innocent Mistress (Derby Playhouse), Dead White Males (Nuffield Southampton), The Last Yankee (Mercury Colchester) Metamorphosis and The Wind in the Willows (Everyman, Cheltenham).

Karen is particularly interested in working on new musicals and plays, and recent projects have included a musical adaptation of I Capture the Castle, and Monsters from Hollywood, about McCarthyism in the American film industry.

Steven comes to Trinity Laban after being Head of Department for Creative Industries at Kingston School of Art, Kingston University and the Course Leader for Musical Theatre at the London College of Music, University of West London as well as teaching courses, guest lecturing and delivering masterclasses in Canada, Holland, Lithuania and South Africa.

He was also the Associate Executive Director of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. As a performer his credits include Scrooge (West End – Palladium and multiple tours), Doctor Dolittle (UK Tour), Flora the Red Menace (All Star Productions – Landor), 13 Days (Grimeborn Festival – Arcola Theatre) as well as many concerts, cabarets, operas, film and TV. Recordings include Dracula and an album of Sondheim duets, It Takes Two.

Steven is the founder of The Thriving Creative offering business and marketing training and coaching for creatives. He’s published in academic journals (Journal of Arts Entrepreneurship Education, Journal of Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance) and in the press (The Stage, Drama Student Magazine) and is writing a book for Routledge on freelancing the creative economy.

He holds a PhD in Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship from Goldsmiths, University of London and is a certified Mindfulness Teacher (UK College of Mindfulness Meditation).

Tilly directed As She Likes It by Chloe Wade for a UK tour, opening at Greenwich Theatre in January 2024.   A Better Woman by Simon Mendes de Costa at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, and The Greater Game at the Southwark Playhouse.  For MTA she directed Ting Tang Mine by Nick Darke, at the Courtyard, By the Bog of Cats by Marina Carr, Welcome to Thebes by Moira Buffini, and Tess of the d’Urbervilles all at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre, and Boy’s Life by Howard Korder, The Love of the Nightingale by Timberlake Wertenbaker and Our Mutual Friend at the Tower Theatre.  She also directed New Year’s Date by Simon Mendes da Costa, The Man From Clare by Jaki McCarrick, and Harry Is Asking by Katharina Rodda, all for Omniwrite at the Omnibus Theatre.  She’s directed many play readings for RADA and Women@RADA and is a director on the RADA Contemporary Drama Summer School since 2011.  

She was a writer on Paul Merton’s Radio 4 series Late, and her short film Domestic Flight played in festivals from LIFF to Palm Springs. She adapted Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens for the stage. She has written a full- length original screenplay The Angel and the Shark developed with Leopard Films.  She is currently working on a screen adaptation of a children’s novel.  

Tilly teaches acting at Trinity Laban on the foundation course and screen-acting at LSMT since 2001. She has also taught screen-acting at NYT, CPA, and was head of acting at MTA from 2013-2021.