Alison Avis FISTD Examiner
Alison is Head of Enterprises at GSA and one of her roles is to Manage both GSA Saturday School and Junior Conservatoire. Alison started dancing at the age of 4 and knew that this was a career path she wanted to follow. Once graduating from college with her ISTD teaching exams in Ballet, Modern and Tap Alison set off travelling the World as a Jazz dancer. Alison was part of a stadium tour of China and worked on a variety of Cruise ships including Costa and Celebrity as well as being Dance Captain for a Guildford Pantomime of Mother Goose. After retiring from professional dancing Alison then started teaching as a full-time career, she has taught at many full-time vocational colleges studying musical theatre diploma’s and degree, including GSA, Italia Conti Arts Centre, Italia Conti Academy and Redroofs. She has entered numerous students at the Imperial Classical Ballet awards where there have been many placings. Before joining GSA on a full-time permanent roll in 2018 Alison was Head of Ballet at Italia Conti Arts Centre. In 2015 Alison qualified as an Imperial Ballet Examiner Grades and Intermediate. Alison has taught and adjudicated at The Imperial Classical Ballet Awards, Junior and senior.
Alison absolutely loves running the GSA Saturday School and particularly enjoys watching the students develop and the joy that performing brings them.
Alison is also GSA's safeguarding lead for under 18s.
Mitch Harper AISTD: Mitchell trained at Laine Theatre Arts. Performance credits include; Dancer for Bonnie Langford in Ten; A Decade of Dreams (London Palladium) Ensemble u/s Hook in Peter Pan (Theatre Royal, Newcastle) Ensemble u/s Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk (Kings Theatre, Edinburgh) Toy Soldier in Nutcracker (MAC, UK & Ireland) Playlist Performer (Carnival Cruise Line) FT Ensemble in Snow White (Bristol Hippodrome) Ensemble u/s Prince Charming in Cinderella (New Theatre Cardiff) Ensemble u/s Robin in Robin Hood (Theatre Royal Plymouth). Television includes; Handsome Bell Boy in Dr. Who (BBC) Dave in Being Human (BBC). Mitchell has modelled for Spa Experience, Rhys Giles, Burton, Bound To You, Chisel Cheeks, Barry M, Ynad Javier, L’Oreal and Smirk Teeth Whitening. Creative credits include; Choreographer Beauty and the Beast (Aylesbury Waterside Theatre) Movement Director Falstaff (The Grange Festival) Choreographer Le Nozze Di Figaro (The Grange Festival) Choreographer Dick Whittington (Lighthouse Poole) Choreographer Around the World in 80 days (The Union Theatre) Choreographer Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Grange Festival) Offie Nomination; Best Choreographer Twang!! (The Union Theatre) Choreographer HMS Pinafore (UK Tour) Choreographer The Mikado (UK Tour) Associate Director Fabulous 50 (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre) Choreographer Goldilocks (Ivy Arts Centre) Choreographer Loserville (Ivy Arts Centre and Electric Theatre) and Choreographer Jack and the Beanstalk (Freshwater Entertainment). Mitchell is part of the casting team at UK Productions for their Christmas productions. He will choreograph Cinderella this Christmas at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, followed by The Pearl Fishers at Kentish Opera and The Barber of Seville at Santa Fe Opera. Mitchell has taught at GSA Saturday school for many years and also teaches/choreographs for the degree and Foundation at GSA, as well as Hurtwood House.
Erin Scout Morton
Erin has been a passionate dancer and performer from a young age after taking part in performances at Chichester Festival Theatre. Whilst at secondary school, Erin was keen to teach voluntarily at her local dance school to gain experience and fell in love with the art of teaching. Erin continued to study Performing Arts at Chichester college alongside completing her ISTD DDE Teaching Qualifications in Tap and Modern Theatre. Erin then continued her training at Italia Conti studying a BA (hons) in Musical Theatre. Erin has rich experience previously teaching Tap, Modern, Jazz and Contemporary professionally in various dance schools. Erin absolutely loves teaching through musicality and rhythm and is excited to inspire the next generation of performers!
Dance Teacher Lucy Elcox began dancing at the age of three at the Susan Robinson School of Ballet. She completed her training at London Studio Centre, where she gained a diploma in Performing Arts. Since graduating, Lucy has worked professionally overseas, as dance captain for various production shows. Back home she performed in residential shows in Blackpool as dance captain, toured the UK and performed in various UK pantomimes and corporate events. Lucy then took the natural progression from professional dancer to teacher over ten years ago. She really enjoys helping the children with their technique and watching them grow in confidence and is delighted to teach the students at GSA.
Jill trained as a dancer and began her professional career with Danny La Rue in Queen Passionella at the Saville Theatre, London and is now well known as a choreographer for musicals, opera and pantomimes. In the opera world she has worked for the English Bach Festival, Central Festival Opera, McEvoy Productions and Crystal Clear. Films include My Country, My Love and Invitation To The Wedding when she had the privilege of working with the late Sir Ralph Richardson. To date Jill has choreographed over 100 musicals which include My Fair Lady, Girl Crazy, West Side Story, Privates on Parade, Pippin, Philby - A Kind Of Game, Melancholy Baby, the National tour of Deadline starring Max Wall and The Great American Backstage Musical starring Marti Webb (London). For 14 years she worked as choreographer and children’s director on the critically acclaimed Yvonne Arnaud Theatre pantomimes. Alongside choreography Jill works as a freelance dance teacher. She regularly runs national and international musical theatre workshops, and is a Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing.
Adam Reeves Bachelor of Arts. As an actor, Adam was trained at the School of Drama & Creative Industries of Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. This vocational and accredited course covered an array of practitioners including Hagen, Laban, Berry, Rodenburg, Lecoq, Boal, Meisner and others. This led him to professional acting work in theatre, TV, voice-overs and film both in the UK and overseas. He also went on to direct several productions of new writing and some classics at various theatres in and around London. He began tutoring acting and facilitating workshops and shows in 2010 and has been doing this at GSA Saturday School since 2017. He covers one-to-one acting tutorials and group acting classes for both young people and adults. Wearing his other professional hat, Adam heads up a business that delivers training workshops in presentation and communication skills and public speaking in corporate environments.
Adam is an actor and tutor from Salford, Greater Manchester and started his training at Pendleton College in Manchester. Adam then moved on to train at The Guildford School of Acting on their BA Acting course, graduating with a First in 2017.
Acting Credits include: Les Misérables UK & International Tour 2019 -2023, Julius Caesar UK Tour (Royal Shakespeare Company), The First Team (BBC2/Fudge Park), A Midsummer Night’s Dream & Much Ado About Nothing (Berkeley Castle/Blenheim Palace/Verona). Commercials for brands including Google & Tesco. Adam has recently finished shooting on ‘Not Going Out’ Starring Lee Mack for BBC2/Avalon Productions.
Adam has taught for establishments including The Guildford School of Acting, The National Film and Television School, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Birmingham School of Acting, East 15, BFI, The Royal Shakespeare Company and also The Actors Centre.
Shaun graduated from the Birmingham School of Acting now part of Birmingham Conservatoire.
Theatre includes: Joseph And the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Bill Kenwright tour, and New London starring Stephen Gately), Max Kirkhov in Ten Times Table ( Mill at Sonning), Mr Perkins in Seven Bides for Seven Brothers ( UK Productions tour) and Baker cover Beast, Gaston & Monsieur D'Arque in Disney's Beauty and The Beast ( UK Productions UK and International tour). Shaun took over the role of Beast for the 2009-10 UK and International tour.
Factory Foreman/Brujon and first cover Javert in Les Miserables (Queens Theatre). Part of the Olivier Audience award-winning company of Les Miserables in 2012.
Gerhard in Eugenius The Musical (The Other Palace).
Hooch cover George and Don in Kinky Boots (UK and Ireland tour 2018-19).
The Pirate Queen (London Coliseum).
Workshops: Karl The Giant in Big Fish The Musical by Andrew Lippa and John August directed by Nigel Harman. Gerhard in Eugenius The Musical concert performance at the London Palladium directed by Ian Talbot.
Pantomimes: Prince in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at Woking Theatre, The Bristol Hippodrome & Richmond Theatre and prior to that at The Milton Keynes Theatre directed by Warwick Davis. All for First Family Entertainment. Prince Charming in Cinderella (Queens, Barnstaple) and Prince in UK Productions pantos across the country.
Directing: London Studio Centre Seedtime Showcase 2015 at the Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler's Wells.
Television includes Heartburn Hotel & Blue Peter (BBC), Peak Practice (ITV). Performing as Javert for The Olivier Awards 2012 (BBC). The Paul O'Grady Show (ITV).
Alongside his theatre work, Shaun went on to run theatrical workshops and lessons in performance. Working with up-and-coming performers at respected drama schools across the country focusing on body language, breath control and voice. Securing a solid base for performance and the control of nerves.
Julia has been an actor and teacher for over 20 years. She trained at the Guildford School of Acting in Musical Theatre graduating with a 1st class Honours Degree.
Performance credits include The Apple Tree, Nine, Anyone Can Whistle, The Best of Friends, Just William, Toad of Toad Hall, One Good Turn, The Amazons, Company, Twelfth Night, Numbers, Oh! What a Lovely War, the UK premiere of Ruthless! The Musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Romeo and Juliet for award winning local producer Guildford Shakespeare Company. Television credits include Look East, Casualty (BBC) and Make My Day (Channel 4). Pantomime credits include Robinson Crusoe, Dick Whittington, Wicked Queen in Snow White; and Cinderella and King Charming for London’s famous Players’ Theatre where Julia also appeared regularly as a soloist for their ‘Late Joys’ Victorian Music Hall both in London and around the UK.
Julia has worked within the corporate sector as a performance and voice coach for business professionals and trainee teachers, and she has experience as a role play training actor and voice over artist. She has also spent some time working as a casting assistant and as an agent’s assistant at a busy Theatrical agency.
Alongside her successful performing career, Julia has always loved teaching and is a fully qualified and highly experienced teacher of Drama and Acting, having held two Head of Drama roles at secondary schools in Surrey and Hampshire. She has directed and facilitated many workshops, summer schools and productions and has taught for private drama schools across the UK including Italia Conti, Stagecoach and The Sunday Drama College as well as being part of the original teaching faculty when GSA Saturday school first began! She has additionally undertaken Drama examining for A-level Theatre Studies and is currently completing a further professional diploma with LAMDA.
Cheryl started her career at Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop.West End credits include Polly in The Boyfriend, Martha Jefferson in 1776, Joan in Time and Time Again, Evelyn in Absent Friends, Miss Kinnean in Flowers for Algerson and Miss Casewell in The Mousetrap. She toured America playing Eliza in My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison. Amongst roles she has played in regional theatres are Elizabeth Bennett in First Impressions, Gloria in You Never Can Tell, Agnes in Brand, Maggie in Teeth N’ Smiles, Kay in Time and the Conways, Vivie in Mrs Warren’s Profession, Moll in Moll Flanders, Miss Haversham in Great Expectations, Mary and Teresa in How the Other Half Loves, Trudie in Man of the Moment, Hesione Hushabye in Heartbreak House, Phyllis in Season’s Greetings and Meg in The Birthday Party. TV credits include Sweeney, Professionals, What Every Woman Knows and Brookside. Cheryl has worked with young actors at a number of drama schools producing plays, musicals and workshops. For GSA she has directed Children of Eden, She Loves Me, Flora the Red Menace, Elegies, Little Women and The Boyfriend.
Sabi trained at RADA with a BA(Hons) in Acting.
Sabi's film credits include Maria in Kenneth Branagh's All is True, theatre credits include Othello (National Theatre), Prospero, The Tempest (Orange Tree), and Olwen Peel, Dangerous Corner (UK tour) as well as work in tv and audio.
In addition to her acting career, Sabi teaches at RADA on the BA Acting and Short Courses, as well as at The BRIT School and internationally.
Sabi is also a one-to-one coach and facilitator who uses acting tools alongside shamanic practices to help her clients achieve a sense of presence, embodiment, and wholeness.
To learn more about Sabi's work, please visit her website at www.sabiandsol.co.uk and follow her on Instagram @sabiandsol.
Greg, originally from Scotland, moved to London in 2016. Since then he has worked in many areas of professional theatre and music. As a vocal coach and MD, Greg has works in some of the UK's top training schools including London School of Musical Theatre, Arts Educational Schools, Laine Theatre Arts, The Urdang Academy, Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, London Studio Centre, Performance Preparation Academy and The MGA Academy. He also is a regular pianist on the cabaret circuit and accompanist for auditions in London. Greg has worked as both an MD and Performer. Some credits include; When Midnight Strikes (Chelsea Theatre and Finborough Theatre, London) Save The Last Dance for Me (UK Number 1 Tour) Little Shop of Horrors (Pleasance Theatre, London) and Big Top (Bridewell Theatre London) Zanna Dont (C Venues, Edinburgh Fringe) Dreamboats and Petticoats (UK Number 1 Tour) Tonight... From The West End (Tour) Brenda Bly, Teen Detective (Tristan Bates Theatre, London) Musical Starnights (German/ European Tour).
Training: Royal Academy of Music
Connor works as an Actor, Musical Director and Teacher. His acting credits include Grantaire in Les Miserables (West End/UK Tour/Concert) and Robert Catesby in Treason the Musical (UK Tour/London Palladium). Connor is also the Musical Supervisor for theatre company DK Productions and has taught at establishments including GSA, Bird College, Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and Blackheath Conservatoire.
Kirsty is a 2020 Graduate of the Guildford School of Acting’s Actor-Musician programme, achieving the Actor-Musician award for highest performance on the course for her time there. She has now amassed 15 years of vocal training in Classical, Pop/Contemporary, and Musical Theatre Singing, and has performed at venues including Cadogan Hall and The Union Theatre. After 3 years of teaching experience in a variety of schools, weekend conservatories, and private students, Kirsty is excited to be a part of the GSA team.