Stageworks Guest Teachers

Every week we welcome a guest teacher to the college to teach students studying for our Professional Performance Diploma. Our guest teachers are professionals who are currently working in the industry and are quite often in the middle of performing or rehearsing a show.

Nikki Trow

Nikki is a highly sought after Professional Dancer with 12 years on Global Stages having worked with a wide range of choreographers from all different styles of dance.
She has assisted top creatives on Live Music Tours, Films, TV and Fashion and was Assistant Creative Director for One Direction’s Take Me Home World Tour and saw Little Mix through their first ever tour! Nikki worked with Kylie Minogue for a chunk of her career and in 2011, on Kylie’s “Aphrodite Les Folies”, she coached Kylie one on one, adapting choreography to suit her for her shows and oversaw many projects for team Kylie.

Nikki has choreographed and created for, Britain’s Got Talent, Strictly Come Dancing, Ed Sheeran, 20th Century Fox, Dannii Minogue, X Factor, Let’s Sing and Dance for Comic Relief, Little Mix, Let it Shine, Vodafone, Louisa Johnson, Mollie King and more. In 2020, Nikki has been part of the Creative Team on The Greatest Dancer and just completed her 8th successive series on Britain’s Got Talent and BGT Xmas.

David Birch

David Birch training includes Bodywork, Cambridge Performing Arts, National Diploma in Musical Theatre.
Since stepping into the theatre world his credits include:
Boy in the dress, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, played Maudlin Captain, understudied Dad; Kiss me Quickstep, Queens theatre Hornchurch, New Wolsley Ipswich, Theatre Clwyd, played Justin; Matilda, Cambridge Theatre, Micheal Wormwood, understudied and played Mr Wormwood;
Half A Sixpence, Company, understudied and played the lead of Arthur Kipps & also Buggins/Carshot/Maxwell, Noel Coward Theatre; Groundhog Day, Chubby Man, Old Vic Theatre; Barnum, Wilton, understudied and played Tom Thumb, UK Tour; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Theatre Royal Dury Lane; Ensemble, Singin’ in the Rain, Palace Theatre, understudy & performed, Roscoe Dexter, R.F. Simpson, Cosmo Brown; Wizard of Oz, London Palladium, Featured Ensemble, understudy & performed Lion/Zeke; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, UK Tour, Ensemble, understudy & performed Goran; Mary Poppins, UK Tour, Ensemble. .

Richard Reynard
Richard trained at Laine Theatre Arts, graduating with distinction for his Teaching Associate in classical ballet. He then made his stage debut in the first ever UK tour of Fame The Musical.
His West End credits include: Cats (New London); Chicago(Adelphi); the original cast of The Witches Of Eastwick (Drury Lane and Prince of Wales); My Fair Lady (Drury Lane) and Pepper in Mamma Mia (Prince Edward).
After a season at Chichester Festival Theatre in My One And Only, Richard also appeared at the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park playing Mustardseed in Midsummer Night’s Dream, Prince John of Lancaster in Henry IV (part 1), Lord of Camelot in Camelot and Franklin in The Babysitter. More recently Richard played Jimmy Smith in the UK tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Cosmo Brown in Singing In The Rain (Courtyard Theatre – Hereford) and Albert Tufnell in the 1950’s play Sailor Beware! (Stevenage, Eastbourne and Worthing) and returned to Regents Park to play the lead role of Tony in The Boyfriend.
Other theatre credits include: Vocalist in Marti Webb’s Magic Of The Musicals(Demark); Eugene in Grease (Scandinavian tour); Billy Shears in Beatlemania(Gothenburg); Jamie in My Fair Lady (Cyprus and Malaysia).
Most recently Richard played Eddie in Blood Brothers at the Phoenix Theatre in the West End.
Alex Tranter
Alex Tranter is currently performing in &Juliet and carried out his training at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. His credits include 1st Cover Romeo/2nd Cover Shakespeare/2nd Cover Lance & Ensemble in &Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre), Jimmy/Ensemble in White Christmas (Curve Leicester), Assistant Choreographer/Dance Captain & Understudy Lex/Stock Jock & Ensemble in Eugenius! (The Other Palace), Ensemble in The Glenn Miller Show (London Coliseum and UK Tour), Ensemble and Understudy Will Parker in Oklahoma! (Grange Park Opera), Onstage Swing in Our House (UK Tour), Rob in An Evening of Dirty Dancing (UK and European Tour), Ensemble in Closer To Heaven (Union Theatre), Ensemble in Copacabana (UK Tour), Ensemble in La Trashiata (BBC).
Suzie McAdam
Suzie McAdam, has just finished a run in School of Rock in London’s West End.  Suzie studied Musical Theatre at the Dance School of Scotland. She then went on to win a Scholarship to study at Guildford School of Acting, were she graduated with a first class BA Hons Degree and was awarded the prestigious GSA cup for Musical Theatre.
Theatre includes: School of Rock (West End), Kinky Boots the Musical (West End- directed by Jerry Mitchell), Local Hero (West end- The Old Vic/ Lyceum) Legally Blonde the musical (West End, Original London Cast- directed by Jerry Mitchell); Hair (directed by Gary Lloyd- UK Tour); Cannibal Women of Mars (National Theatre of Scotland); My Fair Lady (Royal Albert Hall, BBC Proms); Miss Atomic Bomb (directed by Adam Long and Bill Deamer); Peter Pan (Beck Theatre, directed by Luke Shepherd); Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings Workshop (The National Theatre, directed by Rupert Goold).
Jason Robert Brown Master class (Soloist); Gavin Creel Master class (Soloist).
Hiba Elchikhe

Hiba is making her West End Debut as Pritti Pasha from ‘Everybody’s talking about Jamie’.
Her credits include Brooklyn in Brooklyn The Musical (Greenwich Theatre); Fiver (Southwark Playhouse); Antony & Cleopatra (National Theatre); Princess Jasmine in Aladdin (Australia); Mrs Santiago/Understudy Molly in Ghost the Musical (Asia); The Sound Of Music: Live (ITV); featured soloist in Friday Night is Music Night for BBC Radio 2 and Bend it Like Beckham (workshop).

Helen Rymer

Choreographer Helen Rymer comes with a wealth of experience most recently known for fantastic work at BIG, The Musical at the Dominion Theatre.
Associate staging Director: Sleepless, Troubadour theatre, 2020.
Choreography and Associate Choreography credits:
BIG, Dominion Theatre 2019, Elf A Christmas spectacular, arena tour U.K, 2018. Elf , 2017, Plymouth Theatre Royal and Salford Lowry.
Associate Director on the Sleepless workshop 2016. BIG the musical, 2016, Plymouth and Dublin.
Elf , Dominion Theatre 2015. Theatre Royal Plymouth, and Resident Director at the Bord Gais Theatre Dublin 2014.
Annie , New Zealand tour, 2014. The dreaming Union Theatre, London.2014.
U.K Associate Choreographer on White Christmas from 2009, setting up the show at the Dominion Theatre London, 2014.
Aladdin, theatre at the O2, Southampton Mayflower 2012/13 Peter Pan , Grand Canal theatre, Dublin, Southampton Mayflower.
2011/12 Assistant/Resident Choreographer/Children’s Director on Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, U.K Tour 2009/10.
Santa Claus and the Return of Jack Frost, 2009, and Cinderella, 2008, at Southampton Mayflower.

Kelly Ewins

Prior to  theatres temporarily closing Kelly was performing in Matilda.   Her theatre credits includes Dance Captain/Ensemble in The Merry Widow (ENO); Dance Captain/ understudy Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein (Garrick/Theatre Royal, Newcastle); The Bodyguard (Dominion); Swing/Dance Captain in I Can’t Sing (Palladium); Night of a Thousand Stars (Royal Albert Hall); I Gioielli Della Madonna (Opera Holland Park); Broadway Melody Girl/ Dance Captain in Singin’ in the Rain (Palace); Street of Dreams (Manchester MEN); Mamma Mia! (international tour); Dance Captain in White Christmas (Sunderland Empire); Havana Girl in Guys and Dolls (Kilworth House); Never Forget (UK tour); We Will Rock You (Dominion); Dance Captain in Fame (UK tour); Grease (UK tour); Fame (Aldwych).

Television includes: Olympic Handover, The Royal Variety Performance, Children in Need, The Generation Game, Surprise Surprise, Musicool, The National Television Awards

Ivan De Freitas

Ivan trained at Middlesex University and London Studio Centre where he won the Lia Williams Cup for best performance in a musical.

Ivan’s theatre credits include: Stand-by Jafar and Sultan in Aladdin The Musical (Prince Edward 2019); Bouncer in & Juliet Her Musical (original cast, Shaftesbury 2019); Alternate Wally Strand and Merv in Strictly Ballroom (original West End cast, Piccadilly 2018); Priest in Jesus Christ Superstar (Regents Park Theatre 2017); Razoul in Aladdin The Musical (original West End cast Prince Edward 2016); creating the role of the Dodo in Wonder.Land (original cast National Theatre/MIF 2015); Dance Till Dawn (original cast, Aldwych/UK Tour 2014); creating the role of Willie Lopez in Ghost the Musical (original cast, Piccadilly 2011/UK Tour 2013); creating the role of Dinero in Sister Act (original cast, London Palladium 2009); Never Forget (original cast,Savoy/UK tour 2008); Zorro the Musical (original cast, UK tour 2008); Saturday Night Fever (Asian tour 2007); Footloose (original West End cast, Novello and Playhouse 2006); Annie Get Your Gun (UK tour 2005); Saturday Night Fever (Apollo Victoria/Asian Tour 2004); Bombay Dreams (Apollo Victoria/St James Theatre Broadway NY 2003); The King and I (UK tour 2003).

Emma Williams

Emma made her West End debut as Truly Scrumptious in the original cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, winning the Arts Correspondents’ Award for Best Newcomer. In 2017 Emma received her fourth Olivier Award nomination, and won the Whatsonstage Award, for her portrayal of Helen Walsingham in Half A Sixpence , with previous nominations for Maureen in Mrs Henderson Presents, Luisa in Zorro and Jenny in Love Story. With such an extensive performance career on stage, in film and television we are delighted to welcome her to Stageworks Studios and share her experiences with our students.

Elizabeth De Rosa

Born and raised in the US, Elizabeth has lived in NYC for the past 14 years. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and Musical Theatre, and made her Broadway debut in Mary Poppins in 2009. In her 4 years with the production Elizabeth was fortunate enough to play the title role regularly! Elizabeth is currently starring as Mother Gothel in Tangled as the Broadway Guest Artist, for Disney Cruise Line.

Lauren Drew

Lauren trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts where she studied the 3 year Musical Theatre course from 2013-2016. Since graduating, her credits include cover Heather Chandler (dance captain) at The Other Palace, cover Nicola in Kinky Boots at the Adelphi Theatre, ensemble and cover Molly in Ghost UK tour.

Jess Parker

Jess trained at ArtsEd graduating with 1st Class BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre. As a performer, her credits cover numerous West End, UK and International tours – including ‘Kiss Me Kate’, ‘Evita’, ‘Seussical’ and ‘Avenue Q’.
Jess’ Creative Credits:
Associate Director: Avenue Q (UK Tour); Assistant & Resident Director: Wizard of Oz (Blackpool Winter Gardens); Assistant Director & Assistant Choreographer: ‘The Pajama Game’ (Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts); Choreographer & Associate Director: ‘Can’t Stop It!’ (The Other Palace); Assistant Choreographer: ‘20th Century Boy’ (UK Tour); Assistant Choreographer: ‘SIX’ (The Arts Theatre)
Assistant Choreographer: ‘Jersey Boys’ (International Tour); Assistant Director: ‘Posh: All Female’ (The Pleasance); Assistant Choreographer: ‘Promises, Promises’ (Southwark Playhouse)
Resident Director: ‘Avenue Q’ (UK Tour); Assistant Choreographer & Resident Director: ‘EUROBEAT – Moldova’ (Pleasance Grand/Edinburgh Fringe)

Nick Read

Nick is an actor, writer and casting assistant. Roles for TV include Incense in Red Dwarf (Dave), Snowden in Victoria (ITV) and Damo in Humans (AMC/C4). He has also appeared in numerous commercials over the years.

His comedy group Zazu have performed sell out runs at Leicester Square Theatre, SOHO Theatre and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for Pleasance, Underbelly and Gilded Balloon. In 2016 They picked up the Three Weeks Editors’ Award. Theatre includes the Guiness World Record holding sketch show Newsrevue which he has also directed, a European tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream playing Bottom and various new works at Hampstead Theatre and Southwark Playhouse. In 2017 he appeared in the lead role of Jason in the award winning short film Ewww (Best Comedy Crystal Palace International Film Festival.

As a Casting Assistant he has worked on campaigns for Amazon, Samsung, Duracell, Malteasers, Lidl and many more.

Oscar Conlon-Morrey

Oscar trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and is currently performing in Only Fools and Horses the Musical (Theatre Royal Haymarket).

His previous theatre credits include:

Mr Rye/Cover Mr Poppy in Nativity! The Musical (Hammersmith Apollo and UK Tour);
Simeon/Baker in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (Kilworth House);
White Dude in The Toxic Avenger The Musical (The Arts Theatre, Leicester Square and Edinburgh Fringe).

Simon Hardwick

Simon trained in Dance & Musical Theatre at Performers College. He recently Directed and Choreographed Legally Blonde for Bird College. He also choreographed Lin Manuel-Miranda’s 21 Chump Street (The Courtyard), Brass (Mountview), Aladdin (Hawth, Crawley) Tring Park’s Encore Dance Company.

His previous work includes: Associate Choreographer – Strictly Ballroom (Piccadilly); Jesus Christ Superstar (Regents Park Open Air Theatre & Lyric Opera, Chicago); The Lorax (The Old Vic); Drunk (Bridewell); Associate Director on Jekyll and Hyde (The Old Vic). Simon has appeared in numerous productions including; Miss Saigon (Prince Edward); Chicago (Curve, Leicester); A Chorus Line (Palladium); Wicked (Victoria Palace); Grease (Piccadilly); The Who’s Tommy; High School Musical; Footloose; Elton John & Tim Rice’s Aida.

Samuel Thomas

The Last Five Years (The Other Palace), Allegro (Southwark Playhouse), Floyd Collins (Wilton’s Music Hall), Death takes a Holiday (Charing Cross Theatre), 35mm (The Other Palace), Oklahoma! (BBC Proms- Royal Albert Hall), The Comedy About a Bank Robbery (Criterion Theatre), Honeymoon in Vegas (London Palladium). Workshops include: Emma- a New Musical (Thom Southerland), Super Ordinary (Jenny Lee) and The Illusionist (Thom Southerland) Concerts include: Scott Alan Live at Zedel (Zedel), Jason Carr Live at Zedel (Zedel), Crazytown- the music of Ryan Scott Oliver (The Other Palace). Samuel won the ‘Stage’ Debut Award for Best Actor in a Musical for Allegro last year and went on to Host the Annual Stage Awards this year with Best Actress in a musical Miriam Teak-Lee (Hamilton).

George Ure

George trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. He made his professional debut in the London company of
WICKED (Apollo Victoria Theatre) playing the role of Boq. He later reprised the role as part of the Original UK/Ireland Tour.

Credits include: Zacky in BIG FISH (Original London Cast at The Other Palace) Rusty in STARLIGHT EXPRESS (Redevelopment Workshop with Andrew Lloyd Webber & Arlene Philips) Tobias in SWEENEY TODD (Welsh National Opera / West Yorkshire
Playhouse), HAIR (European Arena Tour), THE GUINEA PIG CLUB (York Theatre Royal, BRITANNIA HIGH (ITV) and singing alongside Michael Buble and Kylie Minogue as part of ROD STEWART’S CHRISTMAS (ITV).

As a vocal and performance coach, George has lectured at some of the UK’s top conservatoires, including Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Bodywork Company, LAMDA and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He has also worked internationally with students in Italy and Belgium. In 2015 he was invited to work with award winning
actress Zoe Wanamaker in preparation for her performance in ZORBA (New York). His directing credits include A NEW BRAIN, BAT BOY, INTO THE WOODS, BAD GIRLS & NINE.

Michael Jean-Marain

Michael graduated from our Foundation Course and gained a place at The Urdang Academy. His theatre credits includes ‘The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe’ (West Yorkshire Playhouse), ‘3 Little Pigs’ (UK Tour), ‘Hetty Feather’ (West End and International Tour), ‘Saturday Night Fever’ (Silja Symphony), ‘The Gruffalo’s Child’ (USA Tour), ‘The Gruffalo’s Child’ (UK Tour), ‘Aliens Love Underpants’ (UK Tour and Leicester Square Theatre), ‘I’ve Seen Santa’ (UK Tour), ‘Peter Pan’ (Basildon Towngate).

His TV credits include ‘We Love Danette’ – Danette Yoghurt, ‘Fancy That!’ – Sports Relief, ‘Better Pictures Every Day’ – Nokia Lumia 925. Michael also appeared in River Island’s campaign for their Liz Black capsule collection that premiered at London Fashion Week August 2014.

Ellie Rutherford

Ellie trained at Arts Educational Schools, London where she studied for a degree in Musical Theatre. She is now the assistant Dance Captain of the MAMMA MIA! UK & International tour.

Other theatre includes: Swing and 1st Cover Lisa in MAMMA MIA! (International Tour), Ensemble in Rags the Musical – in Concert (Lyric Theatre, West End), Ensemble and Swing in Crazy for You and Mimi in Guys and Dolls (Upstairs at The Gatehouse, London), Ensemble in 42nd Street (London Palladium), Ensemble in Edges (Landor Theatre) and Ensemble and understudy Genie in Aladdin (UK Productions).

Lizzi Gee

Lizzi Gee who is a Choreographer, Movement Director and Practitioner whose work spans across all aspects of theatre, opera, film and television. Lizzi is an extremely versatile creative, having worked on large scale musicals and is able to adapt and collaborate easily across many different genres. She has a particular ability to put any performer at ease with her self assurance, energy and excellent social skills.

Lizzi’s credits include, The National Theatre, the Old Vic, the Young Vic, English National Opera, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Regents Park Open Air Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre, Sheffield Crucible, Nottingham Playhouse, and many West End and touring Theatres.

Laura Darton

Laura trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts where she was the recipient of the Peter Coxhead and Ian Fleming Awards. Laura is currently Swing in The Rat Pack Live from Vegas at Theatre Royal Haymarket, London.

Theatre: Charity in Enlightening the World (Royal Albert Hall), Sue in Dreamboats and Petticoats (UK Tour), Showboat (New London Theatre), Prince Charming in Cinderella (Cambridge Arts Theatre), Sue in Dreamboats and Miniskirts (UK tour), Laura/Anna Maria in Godspell in Concert (Lyric Theatre), Cinderella at The Key Theatre (Peterborough) and Nicole D’Artagnan/Cardinal Rich Tea in Barbershopera’s The Three Musketeers (South Korea and UK tour). Other: Emily in The Hired Man, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Mimi/Dance Captain in Guys and Dolls, The Last Day of Summer Original Cast Demo Recording. She was a finalist in the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year 2013 and sang the winning Styles and Drewe ward song, ‘That Once in a Lifetime Feeling’ by Tim Sutton.

Jennifer Harding

Theatre: Emma/1st Cover Fanny Brice, Funny Girl (Premier UK Tour); 1st Cover Tanya/Donna, 2nd Cover Rosie/Ensemble, Mamma Mia! (Premier UK Tour); Elle in Legally Blonde (Kilworth House Theatre; Constance in The Clockmaker’s Daughter (Landor Theatre); Lola in Copacabana (UK Tour); Rumpy Pumpy (King’s Head Theatre); Songs for The Playground (Union Theatre); Dancing Queen (International Tour); The Graduate (The Grand Theatre, Canada); Lily in the Secret Garden (Aurora Factory Theatre, Canada).

In Concert: So This is Christmas (Flying Musical /Carole Todd); The Clockmaker’s Daughter in Concert (St James Theatre/Robert McWhir); Blame Canada! (St James Theate/CMTWC); Irish Angels (Mandela Theatre, Johannesburg SA)

Creative: Writer, The Tour (Edinburgh Fringe 2015); Creator/Director, VOCE (Blackburn International); Creator/Director, Taimid Seanachai: A Celtic Evolution (Canadian National Exhibition 2014).

Nominations for The Clockmaker’s Daughter: 2015 off-West End, Best Female

Performance, 2015 BroadwayWorldUK Nomination, Best Lead Female in a New Musical

Ed Wade

Since graduating from Mountview Ed has worked as Associate Choreographer on Dessa Rose (Trafalgar Studios), Ensemble in Barnum (UK & Ireland Tour), Wonder.land playing the Mouse (Olivier, National Theatre), Cinderella (London Palladium) & Legally Blonde (Theatre de Monte Carlo).

Dominic Shaw

Dominic grew up in Jersey C.I. and trained at Performers College, Essex. He is now Associate Director for Kinky Boots on the West End. Other credits include:
As Director: A Memory For Forgetting (Arcola), Bubonic (Workshop ATG),Thoroughly Modern Millie (GSA). Catch Me If You Can (Workshop, ATG), Avenue Q (GSA), Silk Road (Assembly Venues, Edinburgh), Get Got (C Too, Edinburgh), Fan Fiction (Reading, The Other Palace), Forthcoming: Next Door (White Bear Theatre), Thirteen Days (The Other Palace).

As Associate Director: Kinky Boots (Adelphi Theatre), Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Savoy/UK Tour), Legally Blonde (Savoy/UK Tour/Australia/Vienna).

Staging for TV: Olivier Awards 2016 (Kinky Boots), 2015 (Beautiful) and 2011 (Legally Blonde), GStarRAW 2013 advertising campaign (Rankin Photography), News Years Eve Live 2012 (Sydney), Comic Relief 2008 (Hairspray), Tonight’s The Night (ITV).

Performing credits include: Elton John & Tim Rice’s ‘Aida'(Original German Cast), Saturday Night Fever (Capitol Theatre, Dusseldorf), Wicked (Original London Cast), Hairspray (Original London Cast), The Royal Variety Performance (2006/2007).

Lara Denning

Lara trained at Mountview Theatre School, London. Theatre credits include: Doreen/Miss Elf in THE SECRET DIARY OF ADRIAN MOLE AGED 13 3/4, Mrs Bucket & Children’s Assistant Director in CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (West End), Miss Honey in MATILDA (West End), Queen Rat in DICK WHITTINGTON (Bristol Hippodrome), THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (European Tour), GOTTA SING, GOTTA DANCE (UK Tour), TAP DANCE FEVER (UK Tour & Niagara Falls), HUMBUG (Workshop), ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR (UK Tour), YOU DON’T BRING ME FLOWERS (UK Tour), DIRTY DANCING IN CONCERT (UK Tour), CAN CAN (Sadlers Wells, London) and GREASE (Cyprus). Other work includes: Performer in GROUNDHOG DAY WORKSHOP, Narrator/Performer in MENTOS Commerical, Jane’s Voice in TOAST OF LONDON (Channel 4) and Lina in GLASS BODY (Short Film). For more information on Lara please visit: www.access-uk.com

Tim Hodges

Tim Hodges. Tim is currently performing in Half a Sixpence on the West End and this time last year he was on stage at the Old Vic playing Hyde in Drew McOnie’s dynamic dance version of ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ (pictured here). He has also performed in productions of The Car Man and Edward Scissorhands at Sadler’s Wells, toured internationally performing Swan Lake and featured in a number of musicals in the UK and abroad including Oliver!, Singin’ in the Rain, Dirty Dancing, Chicago, Cats and We Will Rock You.