ROBERT MARSDEN
Director
Recent professional work (2008-2011) includes Voices of Arran (Scotland); They Called It Passchendaele (Belgium); King Macbeth (National Tour); The Savonarola Debate (Florence, Italy); Jack and the Beanstalk starring Lynne McGranger (Home and Away) and Frazer Hines; Silent Anger (Tour as Producer);Dave Simpson’s new play Cock Tales and Cry Havoc (Manchester); Journey to the East (Buffavento Castle, Cyprus); Sleeping Beauty (Halifax and Reading) with Cbeebies’ Justin Fletcher and Emmerdale’s Leah Bracknell.
In repertory, he has worked at the Yvonne Arnaud Guildford, Stephen Joseph Scarborough, Bolton Octagon, Southwark Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse and Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
Robert also spent 5 years at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle under Lyme as an assistant then associate working on over 25 productions for all departments including mainstage, studio, education and Borderlines outreach. Productions in rep ranged from working with Sir Alan Ayckbourn on his play Sugar Daddies (National No 1 Tour) and productions such as Harvest (devised), Some Enchanted Evening, A Broadway Songbook, Carmen, Cabaret, Outside Edge, Sweeney Todd and Romeo and Juliet.
Commercially, he has been Staff and Associate Director on The Extra Factor with Kevin Kennedy and Antony Costa (Blue); The Naked Truth with Lisa Riley and Julie Buckfield and Over the Rainbow (all National Touring) as well as summer season productions for Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Since 1999, Robert has been heavily involved in pantomime, and has written and directed several productions in Stoke on Trent, Ammanford Miner’s Theatre, South Wales, Wrexham, Ickenham (London) and Belfast. Since 2007, Robert has worked for producer Stephen Boden at Wish and then Imagine Theatre Ltd. Pantomimes for Imagine have been at Crewe (2 years), Porthcawl, Halifax as well as Loughborough and Reading.
He is also Creative Director of Reveal Theatre Ltd. where he has produced and directed over 15 productions in the Midlands, London and touring including King Macbeth (National Tour); Am I Not a Man and a Brother? (National Tour and re-launch in association with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse), Singin’ in the Rain, Sticks and Stones (Tour) Hitting Town, Trench Kiss, Two, the documentary play On The Home Front, Charley’s Aunt and Teechers, and secured Arts Council and Home Office funding for touring productions and projects. He is also director of ‘Under Wraps’, a new initiative for new writing in North Staffordshire.
Robert combines his professional directing work with lecturing and guest directing at Universities and Drama Schools. As well as Staffordshire, he has worked at The Arden School of Theatre, Expressions Academy, Manchester Metropolitan, Keele University and Aberystwyth University.
Writing has included A Sense of (re)Direction and The Story of Mrs M (New Vic) as well as numerous pantomimes. He is a member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain and has had articles published in Direct magazine and The Stage and has worked for BBC Radio 4 Drama and Television.
ector
AMY CARROLL
Designer
Amy is a Theatre Designer and Stage Manager based in the West Midlands. She graduated in 2008 with a 1st Class Degree in Theatre Design and Production from Trinity College and since then has been working on production all over the UK and abroad. She is Artistic Director of Big World Theatre Company and was the Executive Producer for musical theatre writer Chris Passey’s debut album ‘Self Taught; Still Learning.’
Her theatre credits include Designer for ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ (National Trust) ‘Into The Woods, Cabaret, The Mikado, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, A Little Night Music and Lord of the Flies’ (Stagedoor Manor, New York) Design Assistant for ten productions at Northumberland Theatre Company and Production Carpenter/Metalworker for twelve productions at Birmingham Rep.
TV and Film credits include Art Director for ‘Wasters’ (Rotunda Films), ‘Self Help’ (PageBoy Pictures) and Assistant to the Director for ‘The Measly and Titch Show’ (Royce Productions)
Most recently Amy was Deputy Stage Manager for ‘Aladdin’ in Halifax for Imagine Theatre Company.
She can also sometimes be seen hanging around in the background of such BBC shows as ‘Casualty’, ‘Doctors’ and more recently Series 3 of ‘Landgirls’
Amy is delighted to be working with Robert Marsden again and is thrilled to have been asked to work on one of her favourite shows!
PETER GOLDING
Musical Director
Peter trained as a pianist, conductor and composer at the Guildhall School of Music, London. Whilst there he worked with many distinguished musicians, including extensive work with Leonard Bernstein, who became his mentor and was the first person to fire his interest in theatre. On leaving the Guildhall, Peter began the first of several concert tours throughout Britain, which were followed by offers from around the world.
Over the last twenty years, Peter has decreased his schedule as a concert pianist as his ever-increasing involvement in the theatre takes over, as Musical Director for shows such as Sweeney Todd, The Sound of Music, Oh! What a Lovely War, Me and My Girl, The King & I, Into The Woods and Cabaret. He has worked with many stars, including Bradley Walsh, Liza Minnelli, Michael Crawford, Gary Wilmot, Michael Elphick, Shane Lynch, Stephen Gately, Vicki Michelle, Shaun Williamson, Elton John and Sheila Ferguson. In 1996, Peter was Musical Director for the record-breaking run of Cinderella at the Crewe Lyceum, starring Wayne Sleep, Peggy Mount, John Challis and Sonia; since then he has been involved in countless pantomimes around the country.
In 2002, Peter was Musical Director for the hugely successful production of The Wizard of Oz at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury. He was invited back a year later to M.D. Peter Pan, with Brian Blessed. In 2004 Peter wrote the score and conducted the Mystery Plays in Canterbury Cathedral. This starred Edward Woodward and Daniel MacPherson. In the same year as the Mysteries, he conducted Oliver! starring the legendary Ron Moody as Fagin. He has subsequently become Mr. Moody’s personal Musical Director and has done many shows with him, including a successful London run of his one-man show.
In 2005 Peter worked on Mary Poppins, which opened at the Bristol Hippodrome to tremendous acclaim, and subsequently transferred to the Prince Edward Theatre in London’s West End.
In November 2009, Peter was honored to be asked to M.D. the Memorial Concert at the Palace Theatre, London, in memory of Stephen Gately, a wonderful friend and colleague. Appearing with him on that star-studded night were Sir Ian McKellen, Tony Hadley, Shayne Ward, Maria Friedman, Beverley Knight, Christopher Biggins and Lee Ryan, to name but a few.
During August 2011 Peter was asked to M.D. Fame at the Regent Theatre in Stoke with only a weeks rehearsal and a cast of 110! In the same year Peter was approached to write the incidental music for King Macbeth, a new play by acclaimed playwright Deborah McAndrew. The score was built up during the rehearsal process and the play then toured to Derby, Stoke, Scone Castle and Ipswich, to name but a few venues, and to great reviews.
Peter is currently a guest lecturer at the University of Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, and has also lectured at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (schedule permitting). His work with the students there has included Edward Bond’s Restoration, Stiles and Luckham’s Moll Flanders and Brecht’s Mother Courage.
At present, Peter divides his time between conducting engagements, vocal coaching at theatre academies in the UK, doing arrangements and compositions for various companies, private coaching and running musical theatre workshops in Switzerland and the UK for students.
LAURA ANN-SMITH
Movement Director
Professional credits include Gotta Sing Gotta Dance, Da Beat, Dance, Rhythms of the City, Glamour, The Century Sings, Lights camera Action, Shake Rattle and Roll, Give My regards, The Cotton Club, Ports of Call All for Princess cruises. UK Theatre credits include: Ensemble in Mother Goose, (Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock), Dance Captain and Ensemble in Mother Goose, Aladdin and Cinderella (Regent Theatre, Stoke) for First Family Entertainment , UK Tour of Spirit of the Dance, Spirit Productions, Ensemble Beauty and The Beast, Grand Pavillion, Porthcawl for Imagine Theatre. Laura has also featured in various music videos, fashion shows and corporate events.
Choreography Credits include, Oliver, Back to Rock You and Rent for Stage Productions. Assistant Choreographer for Fame for ATT Productions, One night of Robbie Williams UK and European tour for EMR Productions, Beauty and The Beast, Grand Pavillion, Porthcawl, Snow White, Crewe Lyceum and Sleeping Beauty, Victoria Theatre Halifax all for Imagine theatre.
Alongside performing and choreography Laura-Ann has been awarded her diploma in teaching Classical Ballet and is a fully qualified Fitness, Zumba and Bokwa Instructor and runs her own Dance and fitness Studio in Tunstall, Barlaston and Newcatsle-Under-Lyme “Defy Gravity Dance” www.defygravity.co.uk
ALEX SHEPLEY
Assistant Director
JONATHAN COOKE
Company Stage Manager
ALEXANDRA TAYLOR
DSM
STEPHANIE BYSOUTH
Costume Supervisors
SOPHIE BROWN
Set Support
JO FOY
ASM
With Thanks To;
Birmingham REP, Bitesize Theatre Wrexham, Paul W Jones, Drama, Performance and Theatre Arts, Ben Smith
