For more information about the Old Scardeburgians Association, please visit the association’s website.
START YOURJOURNEY
START YOURFor more information about the Old Scardeburgians Association, please visit the association’s website.
Current role / occupation: Freelance stage manager, working nationally and internationally with companies such as Nottingham Playhouse, the National Theatre, Sadler’s Wells and Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal.
What is your favourite memory from your time at SC?
Definitely performing in/ making our own theatre shows, whether it was Mr Scott’s musicals or the series of student led Shakespeare plays directed by Rob Hastie and Oliver Herford. I remember laughing a lot, forming friendships and learning so much. A specific memory is the tradition of writing our names and the name of the production on the back wall of the theatre.
Who was your favourite teacher?
It’s very hard to pick a favourite! Mrs Mack and Mrs Peart both stand out as a big on my introduction to theatre and drama (the yearly English department trips to Stratford were a formative experience!). I met one of my best friends when we were sat together in Mr March’s third year maths class, and while I wasn’t the best at maths, I remember really enjoying being in his class. I was also taught violin by Mr Quick, who I remember being very patient and encouraging, despite my not very accomplished violin playing!
What is the biggest lesson you learned at SC that has helped you in future life?
It’s a bit cliched, but learning that it was ok to believe in myself and be myself, even if that didn’t always fit into the mainstream idea of what was ‘cool’.
How has your experience of performing arts at SC helped in your future career?
I think being able to be involved in student productions solidified my interest in performing arts, which was then supported when I decided I wanted to pursue it as a degree, despite it not being as much of an ‘academic’ choice as some people may have expected from me. The opportunity to take theatre studies at A-Level let me explore both performing and backstage options, and I’ve now been working as either a theatre technician or full time stage manager for 23 years.
Can you tell us about your early years in Scarborough and how you first got into performing?
Growing up in Scarborough, I followed in my mum’s footsteps starting ballet at the Susan Richards Ballet School when I was three years old. Alongside that, I spent over a decade with my mum’s school – Shannon Irish Dancers, and The YMCA Showteam, so performing has always been a huge part of mine and my family’s life.
What are some of your fondest takeaways from your time at Scarborough College?
Some of my best times at Scarborough College come from the lifelong friendships I’ve made and the independence I developed while balancing academics with my dance and theatre training outside of school. I also captained several sports teams, which taught me about teamwork and leadership. One standout memory is the 2000 CCF trip to Nanyuki, Kenya, where we spent time working with and supporting a local orphanage, while also exploring the region’s culture, history and landscape – visiting Joy Adamson’s house and Lake Naivasha.
How did your training and education in the performing arts continue after school?
After completing my A-levels, I auditioned and was awarded a scholarship to train in Musical Theatre at the Urdang Academy in London’s Covent Garden. This was a pivotal step that gave me the formal training, industry exposure and structure to continue building my professional career in the performing arts.
Your career has taken you to so many incredible places. What have been some of the highlights?
It’s been a real mix so far.! Every experience has taught me something different and I continue to wear many hats – from choreographer and performer to casting director, body-double and project manager, I’ve worked both nationally and internationally across the West End, TV, Hollywood films, Opera and cruise ships.
Some standout moments include projects such as Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Avengers: Age of Ultron and English National Opera and lead in Spirit of the Dance. I’ve also loved working with Disney Studios on films including Pinocchio, Maleficent, Artemis Fowl and The Muppets, and choreographing for BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, Disney’s Pinocchio, A Royal Night Out and Scottish Ballet’s 50th Anniversary Gala. Being a specialist in Lindy Hop, Charleston and motion capture I have also coached era-specific movement for actors such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Benedict Cumberbatch.
What are you working on now?
In 2022, I relocated to Florida after receiving my EB1 Green Card for sustained international achievement in the arts. At the end of 2024, I performed at the London Coliseum in English National Opera’s Rigoletto.
Right now, I’m in Miami with Celebrity Cruises as Casting Associate and New Build Entertainment Project Manager. I oversaw the creative from production through to launch on Celebrity Ascent in 2023, and I’m currently preparing the entertainment for our upcoming flagship, Celebrity Xcel, which is due to set sail in November 2025. Alongside that, I continue to cast, perform, give workshops and adjudicate around the world.
Looking back, how do you feel Scarborough College shaped your journey?
Scarborough College gave me a strong foundation, not only academically, but also in terms of determination, resilience and teamwork. Whether it was on the sports field or travelling abroad with the CCF, those experiences helped build the drive and self-belief I continue to carry throughout my career.
Current role / occupation: Non-Scripted Executive Producer at Tuesday’s Child. Credits include Release the Hounds, Killer Camp, Apocalypse Wow and most recently The Fortune Hotel.
What is your favourite memory from your time at SC?
So many happy memories, but getting the opportunity to perform at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Alan Bennett play Forty Years On was pretty special. It was the first play to be performed in the studio space after the renovation, and we were able to experience firsthand what it was like to work in the theatre.
Who was your favourite teacher?
It’s a tie between Anna Mack and David Woodhead, with an honourable mention for Tim Kirkup. I loved English and Drama at school and these three all helped feed that passion.
What is the biggest lesson you learned at SC that has helped you in future life?
At college, I was given remarkable support in putting on plays and pursuing other passions like music. The lesson I learned was that you need to be bold and proactive in taking on these endeavours. At school, university, at the Edinburgh Festival and beyond I was always motivated and fortunate to find mentors and partners to help me make my goals a reality.
How has your experience of performing arts at SC helped in your future career?
At SC we were encouraged to be ambitious. Directing a play at school and executive producing a multimillion-pound TV show might seem like worlds away, but I hope the same core principles of enthusiasm and attention to detail are evident in both.
I always feel fortunate and grateful to have had the opportunity to explore my love of Music and theatre at Scarborough College. I was introduced and encouraged by my teachers there to pursue a career in the backstage industry. With their support I secured a place at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where I trained in Production Arts and discovered a wide variety of roles within the industry.
Since graduating, I have worked on various projects as a freelancer in Theatre, Live Events and TV – jobs that have taken me all over the UK. I have worked with Marks & Spencer on Fashion Shows at Wembley, as a Coast Coordinator for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, and as an ASM Book Cover on Jersey Boys in the West End.
I am currently part of the Stage Management Team at the New Vic Theatre, Staffordshire. A lovely regional venue, with close ties to the Stephen Joseph Theatre – keeping me connected to my Scarborough roots.