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Esme Bacalla-Hayes

Esme Bacalla-Hayes

Assistant Dance Captain, Swing

Esme Bacalla-Hayes

Esme Bacalla-Hayes

Assistant Dance Captain, Swing
Training: London Studio Centre (Sheila O’Neill Award recipient for Musical Theatre and Dance), Arts Ed Sixth Form. Theatre includes: Onstage Swing/ cover Meat in We Will Rock You (London Coliseum); Swing/Assistant Dance Captain/Children’s Captain in Bugsy Malone (UK tour); Ensemble/Onstage Swing in Hex, Dancer in Pericles (National Theatre); Ensemble in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Union – Offie Award for Best Musical); Princess Anastasia in Sleeping Beauty (Greenwich Theatre – Offie Award for Best Panto). Workshop: Coraline and Hex (National Theatre/Leeds Playhouse). Television includes: Big Night of Musicals (BBC); Britain’s Got Talent (ITV). Other: Dancer in London New Year’s Day Parade (FrontRow Records, music video); English Youth Ballet Gala Course (voiceover).
Pearce Barron

Pearce Barron

Michael Wormwood

Pearce Barron

Pearce Barron

Michael Wormwood
Training: ArtsEd, 1st Class BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre & Sylvia Young Theatre School Theatre includes: Jersey Boys (Trafalgar Theatre); Grease (Dominion Theatre); Hairspray (London Coliseum); The Pirate Queen (London Coliseum); The Olivier Awards, (The Royal Albert Hall); Jack and the Beanstalk (Orchard Theatre); Roles We’ll Never Play (Vaudeville, Lyric & Apollo); Aladdin (New Victoria Theatre); Zombies; The Postman and the Poet (The Other Palace); Up Next Gala (National Theatre); Newsies(ArtsEd); 
Alex Louize Bird

Alex Louize Bird

Swing

Alex Louize Bird

Alex Louize Bird

Swing
RSC: Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden (Aldwych Theatre); Swing in Matilda the Musical (Cambridge Theatre). Trained: Trained at Sylvia Young Theatre School and London Studio Centre. Theatre includes: My Favorite Things: Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th (Royal Albert hall); Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK Tour), Dance Captain & Ensemble in Tommy the Musical (Winter Gardens, Blackpool); Swing and cover Veruca, Violet & Charlie in Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); Wicked the Musical (Apollo Victoria); Sharpette and cover Kelsi in High School Musical 2 (UK tour); Jemima in Cats (Larnaca Cyrpus); Les Miserable in Concert (Jersey and Guernsey); Whistle Down the Wind (Aldwych Theatre); Les Miserables (Palace Theatre); Tommy (Shaftesbury Theatre). Film credits include: Wonka as Assistant Choreographer, Dance coach to Timothee Chalamet & Calah Lane. Matilda Film workshop Other Credits include: The X Factor, Royal Variety Performance, Apollo 80th Gala, The Olivier Awards, Disney Channel Kids Awards, Pineapple Dance DVD.
Reece Budin

Reece Budin

Henchman

Reece Budin

Reece Budin

Henchman
Trained: Reece appeared in the original Australian company of Matilda The Musical (RSC) in 2015. Trained:Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Theatre credits include: La Cage Aux Folles (Quirky Productions), Pacific Overtures (Watch This) and Man of La Mancha (Squabbalogic). OTher: Since arriving in the UK, Reece has been involved in the tour of ‘Sasha Regan’s All Male’ Iolanthe, the 2018/19 UK Tour of Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show (Trafalgar Ent) & the short-lived 2020 Tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Mark Rubinstein Ltd). Reece then returned to Rocky Horror to tour Europe and the UK from 2021 to ‘24.
Ronan Burns

Ronan Burns

Doctor

Ronan Burns

Ronan Burns

Doctor
RSC: Henchman in Matilda the Musical (Cambridge Theatre, West End).

Training: Arts Educational Schools, London, The Dance School of Scotland.

Theatre includes: Johnny Casino/ cover Danny Zuko in Grease (Dominion); Bobby Mills in A Chorus Line, Riff in West Side Story (Leicester Curve); Frank/cover Felicia and Tick in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (UK tour); Bride in Titanic (European tour); 42nd Street (Theatre Royal Drury Lane/Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris); Kiss Me, Kate and Annie Get Your Gun (Sheffield Crucible); Lord Damming/ cover Gerald Bolingbrook in Me and My Girl (Chichester Festival Theatre); Bugsy Malone (Lyric Hammersmith); Sweet Charity (Cadogan Hall). Workshops: Groundhog Day (The Old Vic); The Bow Maker (National Theatre of Scotland); The Osmonds, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella; The Watsons (Chichester Festival Theatre).

Dan Cooke

Dan Cooke

Swing

Dan Cooke

Dan Cooke

Swing

Training: The Royal Ballet School (Junior Associate) & Performers College.

Theatre: Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary: My Favourite Things (West End), Hansel & Gretel (Royal Opera House), Elf The Musical (UK Arena Tour), Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (West End), We Will Rock You (UK Tour), Faust (London Coliseum), Tap Dance Fever (UK Tour), Original cast of Disney’s High School Musical (UK Tour), High School Musical 2 (UK Tour) & many Pantomimes across the UK.

TV, Commercial & Film: Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary: My Favourite Things, McDonald’s, Sainsbury’s, Monzo, Pepsi, Ladbrokes, Foxy Bingo, Horrible Histories, Matilda (film), Westlife (music video), D-Day 75th Anniversary, Deliveroo KFC, Debenhams, Neat Cleats (short film), Key Finance, Cuckoo, Petronas, Euro Dream Team, Aldi, Children in Need, Tap Crops (Beat the Best, France), G- Nome (Sky 1’s Got To Dance), 2012 LondonOlympics Closing Ceremony, VIP, Harry Hill’s TV Burps, The Alan Titchmarsh Show, Blue Peter, GMTV, Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show & Model for Red Hot 100 Exhibition & Art Book.

William Elijah-Lewis

William Elijah-Lewis

Henchman

William Elijah-Lewis

William Elijah-Lewis

Henchman
Trained: Dupont Dance School under the direction of Oscar and Rebecca Sarrafan.

Theatre Credits Include: 2nd Cover Adam/Felicia in Priscilla The Party (HERE at Outernet, London);Ajkun Ballet Theatre Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty (New York City, USA); Trompe L’oeil (The Other Palace); KSPARK Entertainments Desi Dhamaka (Hammersmith Apollo); Joseph & The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat UK Tour (De Montfort Hall); Evita UK Tour (De Montfort Hall).

Other: Emmi ‘You Said You Loved Me’ (Official Video); Royal Caribbean Cruises; P&O Cruises

Tiffany Graves

Tiffany Graves

Mrs Wormwood

Tiffany Graves

Tiffany Graves

Mrs Wormwood

THEATRE INCLUDES: London & West End: Roald Dahl’s The Witches, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and NT: 50 Years on Stage (all National Theatre, Olivier stage); Chicago (Cambridge Theatre and Adelphi), Sweet Charity (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Cats (Gillian Lynne), 101 Dalmatians (Regents Park Open Air), The Boyfriend (Menier Chocolate Factory), But, I’m a Cheerleader (Turbine), The Wild Party (The Other Palace), Mack and Mabel (Hackney Empire), The Snow Queen (Theatre Royal Stratford East), and Apocalypse Meow (Shakespeare’s Globe).

Regional & UK Touring: The Artist (Theatre Royal Plymouth), Gypsy (Buxton Opera House), Top Hat (The Mill at Sonning), Kiss Me, Kate (Opera North), Witches of Eastwick (The Watermill), Piaf (Leicester Curve), Wonderful Town (The Lowry), Love on the Links (Salisbury Playhouse), La Traviata and Anything Goes (Grange Park Opera), Follies (Royal Festival Hall), and UK Tours of We Will Rock You, Godspell, Tonight’s the Night, and The Producers.

FILM & TELEVISION: Blitz (Working Title Films & Apple), Andy & The Band (BBC), NT: 50 Years on Stage (BBC), Olivier Awards 2024 (ITV), and Strictly Come Dancing (BBC).

CONCERTS & RECORDINGS: West End Heroes (London Dominion), Hey, Old Friends! (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Night of 1000 Voices (Royal Albert Hall), Chess in Concert (Royal Albert Hall), 80th Birthday Gala (Apollo Victoria), Royal Opening Gala of Wales Millennium Centre (Cardiff), The Gaby Roslin Show (BBC London), In Tune (BBC Radio 3), and The Witches (Original London Cast Recording).

Kieran Hill

Kieran Hill

Miss Trunchbull

Kieran Hill

Kieran Hill

Miss Trunchbull

RSC: King Lear, Michael Boyd’s Olivier Award-winning The Histories Cycle: Richard II, Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II, Henry V, Henry VI Part I, Henry VI Part II, Henry VI Part III and Richard III.

Training: Birmingham School of Speech and Drama.

Theatre includes: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scapino, Doctor Faustus, The Government Inspector, 5/11, Seven Doors, The Gondoliers, The Water Babies (Chichester Festival Theatre); Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Glass Menagerie, Of Mice and Men, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Hired Man, Comedians, Love on the Dole, Tull, Piaf, An Inspector Calls, Long Day’s Journey into Night (Bolton Octagon); King Lear (Glasgow Citizens); Design for Living, Worst Wedding Ever (Salisbury Playhouse); To Dream Again (Theatre Clywd); Jesus Christ Superstar (Ljubljana); Death of a Salesman (York Theatre Royal); Votes For Women (New Vic); The Shepherd’s Life (Theatre by the Lake); The Good Soul of Szechuan (Manchester Library); Longitude (Greenwich Theatre); Sunday in the Park with George (Menier Chocolate Factory).

Film and television include: Call the Midwife; Drifters; Lee and Dean; Hollyoaks; Obsession; The Legacy; Heart of Darkness; Dead or Alive; Holby City, Full Time, Hold on Me.

Other: Three seasons of BBC Radio 4’s No Commitments; Producer on the feature length documentary Uncle Art.

Karina Hind

Karina Hind

Henchwoman

Karina Hind

Karina Hind

Henchwoman

RSC: Swing in Matilda The Musical (Cambridge Theatre, West End).

Training: Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, Arts Educational Schools, London (BA Hons).

Theatre includes: Extraordinary Girl in American Idiot (Auckland, New Zealand); Lorraine in Club Tropicana (UK tour); Ghost (international tour); Libby in American Idiot (West End/UK tour); Wonderland (National Theatre/ Manchester International Festival); Mamma Mia! (West End).

Film: Miracle Parent in Matilda The Musical (Netflix).

Radio: Friday Night is Music Night.

Other: Karina appeared in Kerry Ellis Live at The London Palladium and the Olivier Awards ceremony.

Issy Khogali

Issy Khogali

Acrobat

Issy Khogali

Issy Khogali

Acrobat

Theatre: ‘Opening Night’ at The Gielgud Theatre; ‘Flowers For Mrs Harris’ at Riverside Studios.

Theatre credits whilst training: Cassie in ‘A Chorus Line’; ‘Sweeney Todd’.

Concerts include: Doctor Zhivago (The Palladium); The 2023 Olivier Awards, Let’s Face The Music (Royal Albert Hall).

Sam Lips

Sam Lips

Rudolpho

Sam Lips

Sam Lips

Rudolpho

Training: Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Musical Theatre from The University of Michigan.

UK and International credits: 42nd Street (Billy Lawlor; UK Tour); Singin’ In The Rain (Don Lockwood; UK Tour; Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto), Strictly Ballroom (Scott Hastings; West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds; Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto).

Broadway credits: Cats (Alonzo), Chicago (Aaron, “Me and My Baby” specialty), Pippin (understudy Pippin, swing), Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (understudy Prince Topher), The Cher Show (Original cast, understudy Bob Mackie).

US tours: Pippin (Pippin), Wicked (understudy Fiyero).

Other US credits: West Side Story (Action; Carnegie Hall, New York, NY), On the Town (Gabey; Sacramento Music Circus, Sacramento, CA), Crazy For You (Bobby Child; Merry Go Round Theatre, Ithaca, NY), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Frank; The MUNY, St. Louis, MO).

Neil McDermott

Neil McDermott

Mr Wormwood

Neil McDermott

Neil McDermott

Mr Wormwood

Theatre includes: Sleuth (UK Tour); Home, I’m Darling (UK Tour); Glory Ride (The Other Palace); Pretty Woman (The Savoy Theatre); Club Tropicana (No. 1 UK Tour); Eugenius! (The Other Palace); The Sound of Music (No1 UK Tour); The Wind in The Willows (London Palladium & Plymouth Theatre Royal); The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Ambassadors’ Theatre); Oliver! (Grange Park Opera); Only The Brave (Soho Theatre / Welsh Millennium Centre); Pride and Prejudice (Lyric Theatre, Belfast); Shrek The Musical (West End); La Cage Aux Folles (Menier Chocolate Factory); Follies (London Palladium); Henry IV (Donmar Warehouse); The Sound Of Music (London Palladium); Bad Girls The Musical (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Aladdin (The Old Vic); The Gondaliers and The Waterbabies (Chichester Festival Theatre); Babes In Arms (New Theatre, Cardiff); Through The Woods (Birmingham Rep).

TV includes: playing series regular Ryan Malloy in Eastenders for the BBC; Doctor Who (BBC); George Gently (BBC); series regular Dr Ralph Ellis in The Royal (ITV); Kiss Of Death (BBC); Chopratown (BBC) and Rosemary and Thyme (ITV). Neil has also appeared in episodes of Casualty and Doctors (BBC).

Film includes: Friendship of Fish (Short), Hitch (Short), Blooded, The Hitch, Goal!.

Writing includes: The Elf Who Was Scared Of Christmas (Charing Cross Theatre)

Eve Norris

Eve Norris

Miss Honey

Eve Norris

Eve Norris

Miss Honey

Eve graduated from the Guildford School of Acting in 2016.

Theatre Credits Include: Nancy in Groundhog Day (Old Vic); Katherine Draper in Girl From The North Country (UK Tour); Understudy Christine, Chloe, Brooke & Jenna in Be More Chill (West End); Alternate Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (UK Tour); Ensemble/Cover Raven in Bat Out of Hell (West End)

Sam Jeffrey Parkes

Sam Jeffrey Parkes

Swing

Sam Jeffrey Parkes

Sam Jeffrey Parkes

Swing

Training: AUS: Brent Street Studios

Theatre Includes: Swing in Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Australia)

Television Includes: The Real Full Monty; The Masked Singer; AACTA Awards – Baz Luhrmman Tribute; So You Think You Can Dance – Season 4 Opening; Dance Academy – Season 3; Young Talent Time

Sam is represented by Russell Smith Associates Ltd and he would like to thank his friends and family for their love and support.

Jak Skelly

Jak Skelly

Children’s Entertainer, Sergei

Jak Skelly

Jak Skelly

Children’s Entertainer, Sergei

Theatre: Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); The Pirate Queen (London Coliseum); Oklahoma! and Me and My Girl (Chichester Festival Theatre); Cats (International tour); West Side Story (Buxton Opera House and Kilworth House); The Addams Family (UK tour / Ireland / Singapore); Annie Get Your Gun (Sheffield Crucible); Thoroughly Modern Millie (Kilworth House).

Television: Britain’s Got Talent (ITV); Tonight At The London Palladium (ITV); Shakespeare Live! From the RSC (BBC Two).

Concerts: Guys And Dolls In Concert (Royal Albert Hall).

Gabrielle Davina Smith

Gabrielle Davina Smith

Cook, Henchwoman

Gabrielle Davina Smith

Gabrielle Davina Smith

Cook, Henchwoman

Training: Wilford School of Dancing, Cardiff, Musical Theatre at Colchester Institute.

Theatre includes: Michelle/cover Deloris, Sister Mary Martin of Tours and Sister Mary Lazarus in Sister Act (London/ UK/Ireland tour); Dynamite/cover Motormouth/Little Inez in Hairspray (UK tour); title role in Rapunzel, Princess Jill in Jack and the Beanstalk (Broadway Theatre); Scary Spice in Wannabe (live stage show tour).

Deborah Tracey

Deborah Tracey

Mrs Phelps

Deborah Tracey

Deborah Tracey

Mrs Phelps

RSC: A Mad World, My Masters.

Theatre includes: Standing at the Sky’s Edge (National Theatre/Sheffield Theatres); Horrible Histories: ’Orible Opera at the BBC Proms (BBC/ Birmingham Stage Company); Recognition (Talawa Theatre Company); Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical (ROYO/ Hall for Cornwall); A Moment of Madness (UK tour); Dogwalker (Stephen Joseph); United Queendom, Alice’s Adventures Underground (Les Enfants Terribles).

Deborah is also a pantomime stalwart and a National Pantomime Association nominee for Best Mythical Being.

Film includes: Us and in Between (Flyer Films/BFI); Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (Fox Searchlight); Patient Zero (Sony Pictures).

Television includes: This England (Sky Atlantic); Spirit Rangers (Netflix); Doctors; Fee Fi Fo…Yum! (BBC); American Monster (ID); Obsessions (Warner Bros. Discovery).

Radio: The Archers.

Other: Deborah also writes, performs and co-produces her own stage shows: Death of a Beauty Saleswoman and Fades, Braids and Keeping it Real

Ralph Watts

Ralph Watts

Escapologist

Ralph Watts

Ralph Watts

Escapologist

Training: ArtsEd London

Theatre credits include: Marksman/cover Raoul in Phantom of the Opera (His Majesty’s Theatre),Toby in Witches of Eastwick (Sondheim Theatre), Munkustrap in Cats (International Tour), Doctor/Escapologist in Matilda (International Tour), Swing in School of Rock (International Tour), Ensemble/cover Tony in Billy Elliot (UK & Ireland Tour), A Little Princess (Southbank Centre), Parker in Lovebirds (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Ensemble/cover Skip in Copacabana (UK Tour)

Other credits include: Sanditon (ITV); Gentleman Jack (BBC/HBO); Autopsy: The Last Hours of Gregg Allman (ITV); Degsy in Floatin ’the Blue (Workshop, ATG/Playhouse Theatre, directed by Robert Lindsay)

Dawn Williams

Dawn Williams

Dance Captain, Swing

Dawn Williams

Dawn Williams

Dance Captain, Swing
Dawn graduated from Laine Theatre Arts 2012 Theatre credits include: Ensemble & U/S Mrs Wormwood & Miss Honey in Matilda The Musical (International Tour), Star to be & U/S Grace Farrell in Annie The Musical (UK & Ireland Tour), Dance Captain & u/s Jill in Mother Goose (Hackney Empire), Swing in Matilda: The Musical (West End), Swing u/s Miss Honey (UK Tour), Ensemble & u/s Flo in Half A Sixpence (West End) Ensemble & u/s Lisa in Mamma Mia (UK Tour), Baby Bear & u/s Teen Fiona in Shrek (UK Tour), Rumpleteazer in Cats (UK/European tour and London Palladium), Jemima and u/s Rumpleteazer in Cats (UK Tour), Ensemble in Call me Madam (Union Theatre) Wendy in Peter Pan, Qdos Pantomimes (llandudno) Other credits include: Sunday Night at the Palladium, Olivier Awards. She would like to thank her family & Friends for all their constant love and support.

Nesim Adnan

Tommy

Nesim Adnan

Tommy
Training: Sylvia Young Theatre school Theatre includes: School of Rock (UK/Ireland tour); Newsies the Musical (Troubadour); The Witches (National Theatre). Television: Big Night of Musicals 2022 and 2023 (BBC One). Recording:  The Witches (Original London Cast Recording Album). Other: Nesim enjoys playing football, karate and street dance at D&B performing arts.

Elyza Alderton

Lavender

Elyza Alderton

Lavender
Training: Art of Dance and Fitness. Theatre includes: Jack and the Beanstalk, Beauty and the Beast (Spillers Pantomimes). Other: Elyza enjoys dance and musical theatre lessons. She has competed across the country in many genres and was an All-England Dance finalist in both Modern and Musical Theatre 2024. She is also a keen guitar player. This is Elyza’s West End debut.

Ryo Appadu

Nigel

Ryo Appadu

Nigel
Training: Stagecoach, The Lion King Cub Academy, Don Rae Academy. Theatre: Fletcher in The Bodyguard Musical (UK/Ireland tour). Television: Dylan in Dew Drop Diaries animation series (voiceover) (Dreamworks/Netflix). Other: Ryo is a gifted footballer and played at academy level before his stage debut.  He also loves gymnastics and dance. This is Ryo’s West End debut.

Beatrice Armitage

Amanda

Beatrice Armitage

Amanda
Training: Stagebox, McLaren Dance Company. Theatre includes: Oliver! (Leeds Playhouse). This is Beatrice’s West End debut.

Joseph Burrows

Nigel

Joseph Burrows

Nigel
Training: Stagecoach, Step-in Time Theatre School, Dance Troop, Laura Powley School of Dance, LAMDA Acting Exams. Theatre includes: Solo Elvis Presley performance (His Majesty’s Theatre with his dance school); dance troop (Euro Disney Parade/Stagecoach); Grease, Hairspray (Rare Productions/Corn Exchange). Joseph also performed in a variety of shows with his theatre schools– productions include: The Addams Family, We Will Rock You and Fame. Other: Joseph can play the violin and piano, and enjoys playing football, cooking, reading and maths.

Amelia-Grace Cambridge

Hortensia

Amelia-Grace Cambridge

Hortensia
Training: Associates. Other: Amelia-Grace is an All-England Dance National Champion in Musical Theatre, which she achieved with her dance school in 2022. Amelia-Grace excels in various dance styles, including ballet, modern, interfoundation ballet, tap, musical theatre, jazz, and contemporary. This is Amelia-Grace’s West End debut.

Maddy Collings

Amanda

Maddy Collings

Amanda
Training: Bessie Cursons Academy of Theatre and Dance, Shelley Hart Singing and Acting Coach, Tracey Mair Music, TAU Youth. Theatre includes: Young Anna in Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane/WestEnd); Little Cosette in Les Misérables (Mayflower/UK tour). Film: Scarlet/Lily in The Silent Choice (ARStudios). Television: Little Nicky in Silent Witness (BBC). Other: Audiobook Hell Cats 2 (Amazon); voiceover for Chuggington (CBeebies); Aldi advert. Maddy enjoys dancing and performing and has achieved many awards competing in tap, modern and song and dance at dance festivals across the southern counties and at the All-England Dance competitions.

Sienna Culm

Lavender

Sienna Culm

Lavender
Training: The Arnould School of Dance and Drama, Aerial Tumbling Club, Samantha Gifford. Theatre includes: Juvenile dancer in Dick Whittington, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan (Epsom Playhouse); Munchkin/Flying Monkey in The Wizard of Oz (Guildford/Epsom Playhouse). Television: Juice (pilot). Adverts include: Fidelity ISA, Holiday Inn, Barnardo’s, Matalan, Sainsbury’s, Tesco. Music video: Jess Glynne Christmas video. Other: Sienna enjoys dancing and gymnastics. She also plays football and cricket for her school.

Anna Deikalo

Matilda

Anna Deikalo

Matilda
Training: British Theatre Academy, Amelia Carr singing school. vocal coaching. Theatre: Little Cosette in Les Misérables (Sondheim). Other: Anna loves singing, acting, and dancing. She plays the violin and enjoys swimmin

Pasquale Folivi AD

Eric

Pasquale Folivi AD

Eric
Training: Stagecoach, Dakoda’s Dance Academy, Voxta Dance, ARTeach. Adverts include: Heinz Beans, Bosch TV. Other: Pasquale walked his first runway show at the age of three, and has modelled for Myleene Klass’ Mothercare range and Wynken Kids. He has successfully passed ballroom dancing and ballet exams and is continuing to learn piano, guitar and sing in a children’s choir.

Max Garlick

Bruce

Max Garlick

Bruce
TRAINING: The Jac Jossa Academy. THEATRE INCLUDES: Potiphar/Brother Benjamin in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (West End/UK/Ireland tour). OTHER: When not singing or dancing, Max enjoys building Lego. This is Max’s West End debut

Jesamine-Bleu Gibbs

Amanda

Jesamine-Bleu Gibbs

Amanda
Training: Ad Astra Theatre School, Spotlight stage school, Perform Like a Prossociate, Katie Shearman vocal coach. Theatre includes: Gretel von Trapp in The Sound of Music (Chichester Festival Theatre).

Joey Grady

Bruce

Joey Grady

Bruce
Training: Italia Conti, Stagecoach, chorister for the Godfrey Searle Choir, ABRSM. Film: Joey is playing a famous young rock musician in an upcoming film Biography. Other: Joey enjoys singing, is learning to play the guitar, and plays cricket and rugby. This is Joey’s West End debut.

Blake Graham

Tommy

Blake Graham

Tommy
Training: Stagebox, Vocal Balance Voice Coach, Lightning Gymnastics. Theatre includes: Newsboy in Gypsy the Musical (Palace Opera House,Manchester). Music: Choir ensemble for West End Does Christmas (Cadogan Hall). Other: Blake won the National Regional Champion Acro gymnastics in 2023 and is a multiple gold medallist.This is Blake’s West End debut.

Alexandra Horner

Hortensia

Alexandra Horner

Hortensia
Training: Dawson School of Performing Arts. Film: Dancer in Disney’s live-action Snow White. Other: Alexandra represented England at the 2024 Dance World Cup. She is a keen gymnast and regularly competes in dance competitions in England.This is Alexandra’s West End debut.

Adam Hussain

Bruce

Adam Hussain

Bruce
Training: Centre Stage School of Performing Arts, HB Theatre Arts for LAMDA training. Theatre includes: Miss Trunchbull in Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Jr, Rooster Hannigan in Annie Jr (Harpenden); Harold (courtier) in The Little Mermaid, Guard/Ensemble in Rapunzel (SMP Theatre Company/Millfield). Adam has also performed in Peter Pan and Robin Hood at his drama school and participates in various musical performances at his music school. Other: Adam is an accomplished musician and enjoys playing piano, clarinet and singing. This is Adam’s West End debut.

George Jones

Eric

George Jones

Eric
Training: Performing Herts. Theatre includes: Jack and the Beanstalk (The London Palladium); Nicholas (song sheet). Adverts include: Samsung, Libero. Other: George is a MAG squad gymnast. This is George’s West End debut.

Amber Koduah-Hutchinson

Alice

Amber Koduah-Hutchinson

Alice
Training: Team Dance Academy, AMH Performing Arts, Lion King Cub Academy. Theatre includes: Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King (West End); Babe in The Return of Captain Hook (Fairfield Halls). Other: Amber won the Endeavour Cup at the IDTA Classical Performance Awards 2022 and the Sue Latham Endeavour Trophy at the Royal Tunbridge Wells Dance Festival All-England Dance qualifier in 2023. She was an All-England Dance team regional finalist in 2022, and in 2024 competed with a team and as a soloist in the Modern/Jazz and Musical Theatre categories

Kaylen Luke

Eric

Kaylen Luke

Eric
TRAINING: Stagebox Theatre School, Arts1. THEATRE: The Bodyguard (Tour). TELEVISION INCLUDES: The Midwich Cuckoos (Sky); Chivalry (Channel 4); Trying, Criminal Record (Apple TV); The Pact (Prime). FILM INCLUDES: 7 Keys (Dylan Rees and Cassandra Sigsgaard). OTHER: Kaylen enjoys gaming and dance. This is Kaylen’s West End debut.

Charlie Man-Evans

Bruce

Charlie Man-Evans

Bruce
Training: New London Performing Arts Centre (NLPAC), singing and vocal training with Camilla Cutts. Theatre includes: The Witches (National Theatre); 101 Dalmatians (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Christopher Robin in Winnie the Pooh (Riverside Studios). Television: Trying (Apple TV). Film: Disney’s Snow White (2025). Recordings: The Witches (Original London Cast Recording). Other: Charlie is currently studying Grade 5 ABRSM Piano. He enjoys playing ping pong, reading manga and watching all things anime.

Tristan Marwa

Nigel

Tristan Marwa

Nigel
Training: Sylvia Young Theatre School, Stagecoach. Theatre includes: Tristan is a member of West Bromwich Operatic Society Youth Theatre and played Joey in Sister Act Junior. Other: Tristan enjoys swimming, editing videos and attending the theatre. This is Tristan’s West End debut.

Isabelle McLatchie

Alice

Isabelle McLatchie

Alice
Training: HIPA, Weston School of Dance & Performing Arts, Brogan’s School of Dance and various dance associate programmes. Other: Isabelle has won many awards at national dance competitions, including various Judges’ Choice Awards. Isabelle qualified to represent England at the Dance World Cup in 2024. This is Isabelle’s West End debut.

Yvie Moore

Alice

Yvie Moore

Alice
Training: Top Hat Theatre School, Royal Ballet.
Theatre includes: Ivonka in Once the Musical (UK tour); Child in Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat (The Castle). Other: Yvie represented England at the Dance world cup last year and came home with a bronze medal. Yvie also loves gymnastics and qualified to represent her county last year. This is Yvie’s West End debut.

Ava Posniak

Matilda

Ava Posniak

Matilda
TRAINING: Achieve Arts Speech and Drama School. THEATRE: Natalie Hillard in Mrs Doubtfire the Musical (Shaftesbury, original West End cast). OTHER: Ava loves singing, acting and dancing. She also enjoys playing netball and tennis.

Harriet Rogers

Alice

Harriet Rogers

Alice
TRAINING: New Hall School, HIPA and Premier Scholars OTHER: Harriet has won awards at national competitions, including the Judges Choice Awards for Musical Theatre, Tap and Lyrical. She represented England with Newhall School at the Dance World Cup 2022 and was selected again in 2023. Harriet also enjoys playing the cello and is a member of her local hockey club. This is Harriet’s West End debut.

Sophia Saravanan

Matilda

Sophia Saravanan

Matilda
Training: Ad Astra Theatre School, singing tuition with Debbie Bailey, LAMDA Entry Level Speaking Verse and Prose and Acting (Distinctions), Trinity College London Grade 1 Musical Theatre (Distinction). Other: Sophia loves singing, dancing, acting, reading, baking, and playing tennis. She also plays the piano and clarinet. This is Sophia’s West End debut.

Angelica Scott

Matilda

Angelica Scott

Matilda
Training: Make Believe Performing Arts. Theatre includes: Natalie Hillard in Mrs Doubtfire (Shaftesbury/Manchester Opera House); Princess Ying Yaowalak in The King and I (The London Palladium); Grace Smythe in A Christmas Carol (Dominion); soloist in Music Festival (Hertfordshire). Film: Angel in Doctor Who and the Daleks Fan (short film). Television: Herself/Guest in Celebrity Big Brother (Endemol Shine UK). Other: Angelica enjoys rollerblading, skating, climbing and has a green belt in karate. She is also learning to play the violin.

Anayah Thomas

Hortensia

Anayah Thomas

Hortensia
Training: Twiin Dance Company (TDC), The Lion King Cub Academy. Theatre includes: Young Nala in The Lion King (UK tour). Other: Anayah is a highly skilled competitive dancer training in acro dance, contemporary, modern and street dance/hip hop. She also loves drawing, singing and roller skating.

Kobe Warmington

Tommy

Kobe Warmington

Tommy
Training: Jackie Palmer Stage School, The Lion King Cub Academy, Vocal Coach Kirsty Cherrett.
Theatre includes: Young Simba in Disney’s The Lion King (West End).
 

Marnie Rae Warren-Baker

Lavendar

Marnie Rae Warren-Baker

Lavendar
Training: The Academy performing arts school for musical theatre, Emery stage school for dance. Other: Marnie Rae is a keen dancer and loves to perform at competitions and events. She also enjoys acrobatics. This is Marnie Rae’s West End debut.

Author

Roald Dahl

Author

Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl is one of the world’s best and most original storytellers. His stories’ unique blend of mischief, humour and a touch of darkness, have captured the imaginations of generations around the world. The Roald Dahl Story Company (RDSC) is the home of Roald Dahl’s much loved stories and characters. Together with our parent company Netflix, and united by our love of these great stories, we’re working with some of the world’s best storytellers and creative minds to bring them to life in new ways that will delight fans. With over 300 million books sold globally and translated into 68 languages, RDSC is committed to sharing the positive messages at the heart of all Roald Dahl stories – of the strength and possibility of young people and the power of kindness.

Book

Dennis Kelly

Book

Dennis Kelly

RSC: Matilda, The Gods Weep. THEATRE INCLUDES: Debris, Osama the Hero, After the End, Love and Money, Taking Care of Baby, DNA, Orphans and The Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas. His plays have been performed worldwide and to date have been translated into nearly 40 languages. In 2010 DNA became a set text on the GCSE English Literature syllabus. TELEVISION INCLUDES: Dennis co-wrote and co-created Pulling and wrote and created Utopia. FILM INCLUDES: For film he wrote the screenplay for Black Sea, directed by Kevin Macdonald.

Music & Lyrics

Tim Minchin

Music & Lyrics

Tim Minchin

RSC: Matilda The Musical. Trained: University of WA and the Conservatorium of WA. Comedy: As a musical satirist, he has toured in the US, the UK and Australia, performing solo, with bands and with symphony orchestras. Composition & Lyicism: Tim wrote his first theatrical score at 18, and wrote music and lyrics for many small productions in his twenties. He is the composer-lyricist of Groundhog Day, directed by Matthew Warchus. Acting: Theatre credits include Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead at the Sydney Theatre Company, Judas in the 2012-2013 Jesus Christ Superstar arena tour of Australia and the UK, and the title roles in Hamlet and Amadeus for Perth Theatre Company. TV appearances include: Atticus Fetch in Californication; Smasher Sullivan in the ABC’s Secret River, and Lucky Flynn in the Sky Atlantic/Foxtel series Upright, which he co-wrote, co-directed and co-produced. Film credits include Friar Tuck in Lionsgate’s Robin Hood (2018). DVDs: Tim Minchin and the Heritage Orchestra, Live at the Royal Albert Hall is the latest of Tim’s five comedy DVDs. He has also made one called So F*****g Rock and one called Ready For This? Television: Sometimes Tim is on your telly, appearing on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, 8 Out of 10 Cats, QI and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. He has also appeared on many variety and late night shows in Australia and the US.

Developed and directed by

Matthew Warchus

Developed and directed by

Matthew Warchus

RSC: Matilda The Musical, The Unexpected Man (West End/Broadway); Hamlet (tour); Henry V (Evening Standard Award for Best Director), The Devil is an Ass, The Winter’s Tale. Theatre includes: Groundhog Day (Old Vic/ Broadway. Olivier Award for Best New Musical); Present Laughter, A Christmas Carol, The Caretaker, The Master Builder, Future Conditional (Old Vic); Art (Old Vic/UK tour); Deathtrap (West End); Ghost The Musical, La Bête (Broadway/West End); The Norman Conquests (Broadway/West End. Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play); God of Carnage (Broadway/ West End. Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Direction of a Play); Boeing Boeing (West End/ Broadway/UK tour. Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play); Speed the Plow (Old Vic); The Lord of the Rings (West End. Co-writer and Director); Buried Child (National Theatre); Endgame (Albery); Our House (Cambridge Theatre. Olivier Award for Best Musical); Follies (Broadway); Life x 3 (National Theatre/Old Vic/Broadway); True West (Donmar Warehouse/Broadway); Art (Broadway/West End/Los Angeles. Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Play); Volpone (National Theatre. Evening Standard Award for Best Director); Much Ado About Nothing (West End. Globe Theatre Award for Most Promising Newcomer); Betrayal, Death of a Salesman, The Plough Beyond the Stars, Fiddler on the Roof, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (West Yorkshire Playhouse). Matthew was an Associate Director at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and is Artistic Director of the Old Vic, London. Opera includes: Troilus and Cressida, Falstaff, Cosi fan Tutte (ENO); The Rake’s Progress.

Choreography

Peter Darling

Choreography

Peter Darling

RSC: Matilda (West End/Broadway. Olivier Award and WhatsOnStage Award for Best Choreography; Tony Award nomination for Best Chorography), The Tempest. Theatre includes: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane); Billy Elliot (London/US/Australia tour. Olivier Award for Best Choreographer, Tony Award for Best Choreographer); The Lord of the Rings (London/Toronto); Our House (Cambridge Theatre. Olivier Award for Best Musical); Merrily We Roll Along (Donmar Warehouse. Olivier Award for Best Musical); Candide (National Theatre. Olivier Award for Best Musical Production); Oh! What a Lovely War, Power (National Theatre); Closer to Heaven (Theatregoer’s Choice Award for Best Choreographer); The Lord of the Rings (Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bristol Old Vic); Sunset Boulevard (Really Useful Group). Film includes: The Phantom of the Opera, Billy Elliot (MTV Best Dance Sequence), Plots with a View, Trauma.

Set & Costume design

Rob Howell

Set & Costume design

Rob Howell

RSC: Matilda, The Shakespeare Review, The Painter of Dishonour, Little Eyolf, Richard III, The Family Reunion. THEATRE INCLUDES: Rob has worked extensively in theatre and opera within the UK and abroad including working at the Royal Court, Almeida, Donmar Warehouse, National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Welsh National Opera, Royal Opera House and Metropolitan Opera, New York. He has received three Olivier Awards and multiple nominations for Tony and Olivier Awards for both Set and Costume Design. He has been awarded a Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Tony Award and Olivier Award for his designs for Matilda in New York and London.

Orchestrations & Additional Music

Christopher Nightingale

Orchestrations & Additional Music

Christopher Nightingale

RSC: Matilda (Stratford/London/Broadway), The Plantagenets, The Tempest, The Comedy of Errors, A Clockwork Orange, The Plain Dealer, Pericles, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry IV Part I, Singer, Some Americans Abroad, Playing With Trains, ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore, The Changeling, Romeo and Juliet, Tamburlaine (all Musical Director/Keyboards). TRAINED: Christopher was an organ scholar at Magdalene College, Cambridge. THEATRE INCLUDES: Ghost The Musical (Musical Supervisor/Orchestrations. West End and Broadway); The Lord of the Rings (Co-Composer/Orchestrator/Musical Supervisor. London/Toronto); Yusuf Islam’s Moonshadow (Musical Supervisor/Arranger. UK and Irish tour); Bombay Dreams (Musical Supervisor/Co-Arranger. West End); Whistle Down the Wind (Musical Director. Aldwych); Oliver! (Musical Director. London Palladium); Miss Saigon (Assistant Musical Director. Theatre Royal, Drury Lane). He also wrote additional arrangements and was the Musical Supervisor for The Pet Shop Boys’ Closer to Heaven (Arts). FILM: Pride (Composer), Alan Parker’s Evita (Conductor/Vocal Coach). CONCERTS INCLUDE: Celebration: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 50th Birthday Concert (Choral Musical Director. Royal Albert Hall); An Evening of Mozart with the Locrian Ensemble (Conductor. St Martin-in-the-Fields). RECORDINGS INCLUDE: Matilda The Musical (Co-producer of original London and Broadway cast album), Ghost The Musical (Associate Producer of original London cast album), The Lord of the Rings (Co-producer of original London cast album).

Lighting Design

Hugh Vanstone

Lighting Design

Hugh Vanstone

RSC: Matilda The Musical, Arabian Nights, The Winter’s Tale, Antony and Cleopatra, Bad Weather, The Unexpected Man, Hamlet, Cymbeline, Three Hours After Marriage, Slaughter City, Richard III, The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet. THEATRE INCLUDES: Hugh has designed the lighting for over 200 productions and worked for most of the UK’s national companies and extensively on Broadway. He has received many awards for his work including three Olivier Awards, a Tony and a Molière. He is an associate artist at the Old Vic where he has recently lit: Present Laughter, A Christmas Carol, Art, No’s Knife,  Groundhog Day (and Broadway), The Caretaker, The Master Builder and Future Conditional. Recent work includes: Mary Poppins, The Height of the Storm, The Birthday Party, Venus in Fur, Dreamgirls (West End); Welcome Home, Captain Fox, Closer (Donmar); Exit the King, The Red Lion (National Theatre); Shrek (New York/West End/UK tour); Don Quixote (Royal Ballet); Tanz Der Vampire (throughout Europe and Russia); Ghost The Musical (London and internationally).

Associate Lighting Designer & Programmer

Chris Hirst

Associate Lighting Designer & Programmer

Chris Hirst

RSC: Matilda The Musical (Cambridge Theatre); Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies (West End). Theatre includes: As Lighting Designer: Scrooge the Musical (Stadsschouwburg Antwerp); Hollywood Diva (St Petersburg Theatre of Musical Comedy); The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, White Nights (Bolton Octagon); Pam Ann: ‘You F’Coffee’ (Bloomsbury Theatre); Cinderella, Aladdin, Snow White (Theatre Royal, Winchester); The Crucible, Coram Boy (York Theatre Royal); Chess (Margaret Island Open Air Theatre, Budapest). As Associate Lighting Designer/ Programmer: Moulin Rouge, Back to the Future the Musical, Mary Poppins, Chess, Dream Girls, Groundhog Day, Bat Out of Hell The Musical, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Elf The Musical, City Of Glass, The Go Between, Impossible, Chimerica, Ghost The Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, Sunset Boulevard (West End); Rocky The Musical, Wicked (Germany); Tanz Der Vampire (Vienna/Paris/Berlin/Moscow); Sister Act (Brazil); Shrek The Musical, Fiddler on the Roof, Strictly Confidential, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (UK tours); UK arena tours of Strictly Come Dancing and Dynamo – Seeing is Believing, Hugh Jackman: The Man the Music the Show (world tour).

Sound Design

Simon Baker

Sound Design

Simon Baker

RSC: Don John (Kneehigh/RSC/tour); Matilda (Stratford, 2010). TRAINED: Guildhall School of Music and Drama. THEATRE INCLUDES: Boeing Boeing (London/Broadway); The Lord of the Rings (Toronto/London); I am Shakespeare (UK tour/Chichester); God of Carnage (London/Broadway); Our House (UK tour); Brief Encounter (Cinema Haymarket/UK/US tour & Broadway); The Norman Conquests (Old Vic/Broadway); Complicit, The Real Thing (Old Vic); Arcadia (London); The Birds (Gate, Dublin); As You Like It, The Tempest (BAM/Old Vic/Bridge Project 2010); Asylum Year One, Asylum Year Two (Kneehigh); Deathtrap (London); La Bête (London/Broadway); Wild Bride (Kneehigh/tour); Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Gielgud); Batman Live (International arena tour).

Associate Sound Designer

Leigh Davies

Associate Sound Designer

Leigh Davies

RSC: Head of Sound for Matilda The Musical (West End/Broadway/ UK tour/Australia). Theatre includes: Unexpected Twist (Royal & Derngate); Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical (P&O Cruises); Sleeping Beauty, As You Like It, Jack and the Beanstalk (Queens, Hornchurch); Indecent Proposal (Southwark Playhouse); 1st Luv (The Big House); The Worst Witch (Royal & Derngate/UK tour/West End, Olivier Award winner for Best Family Entertainment); Potted Panto (Southwark Playhouse/ Garrick); Mancoin (Vaults Festival, London); Spring Awakening (Hope Mill Theatre); Cover My Tracks (Old Vic/UK tour); Monologues, King Lear (The Old Vic); Edward II (Cambridge Arts Theatre); The Two Gentleman of Verona (Shakespeare’s Globe/UK tour); Alice in Winterland, A Christmas Carol, The Wind in the Willows, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Snow Gorilla (Rose, Kingston); Hetty Feather (West End/UK tour/Asolo Theatre, Florida); Bonnie and Clyde – The Musical (Arts Ed); 24 Hour Musicals (The Old Vic). As Associate Sound Designer: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Southwark Playhouse); Wah! Wah! Girls (Kneehigh/ Sadler’s Wells); 24 Hour Plays (Musical Section, Old Vic Theatre). Leigh is also an established Front of House and Monitor engineer working on projects such as Ministry of Sound Classical (album), the Goodwood Revival Festival and Cinema Orchestra Season (Senbla), among others.

Illusion

Paul Kieve

Illusion

Paul Kieve

RSC: Matilda The Musical, Julius Caesar, The Winter’s Tale, The Cherry Orchard, The Tempest, Alice in Wonderland, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Mysteries, Spring Awakening, Arabian Nights, The Tempest. Paul has created original magic for over 100 live productions around the world. THEATRE INCLUDES: Groundhog Day (Old Vic/ Broadway); Theatre of Blood, La Grande Magia, Her Naked Skin (National Theatre); Ghost the Musical (Broadway Drama Desk Award), Pippin, Side Show, An Act of God (Broadway); Roald Dahl’s The Witches, The Invisible Man, The Lord of the Rings, Zorro (West End); Macbeth (MIF); L’Heure Espagnole (ROH); Alice in Wonderland (Royal Ballet/English National Ballet), Mary Poppins (West End), Instructions for Correct Assembly (Royal Court). TELEVISION INCLUDES: Cranford, Saturday Night Takeaway, Heroes of Magic. FILM INCLUDES: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hugo. BOOKS: Hocus Pocus (Bloomsbury), published in 11 languages. OTHER: Mickey and the Magician (Disneyland Paris), Before The Dawn (Kate Bush), Batman Live. He has consulted with many magicians including Derren Brown, Penn and Teller and David Copperfield and co-created Dynamo’s Seeing is Believing and David Blaine’s Real or Magic live international tours. Paul is a Gold Star Member of the Inner Magic Circle and is a recipient of their Maskelyne award for services to British magic. He was awarded the Creative Fellowship of the Academy of Magical Arts (Magic Castle) Hollywood.

Worldwide Associate Choreographer

Ellen Kane

Worldwide Associate Choreographer

Ellen Kane

RSC: Matilda The Musical (Stratford/West End/Broadway/US tour/Australia). THEATRE INCLUDES: As Choreographer and Co-Choreographer: West Side Story (Leicester Curve); Groundhog Day (Old Vic, August Wilson Theatre, Broadway. Olivier, Whatsonstage and Tony award nominations); Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Playhouse Theatre). As Associate Choreographer: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane); Billy Elliot (West End/Australia/Chicago/Holland); Sister Act (The London Palladium); The Lord of the Rings (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane); The Three Musketeers (Germany). WORKSHOPS INCLUDE: Bridget Jones’ Diary (Working Title); The Light Princess (National Theatre). FILM: Movement and Dance Supervisor for the upcoming Cats film.

Worldwide Associate Director

Nik Ashton

Worldwide Associate Director

Nik Ashton

Theatre includes: Matilda The Musical (London, New York, Toronto, New Zealand and Australia); La Rondine and Lucia di Lammermoor (Opera Holland Park); The Wizard of Oz (Chichester Festival Theatre); Moon on a Stick (Royal Opera House); Whistle Down the Wind, The Jungle Book, The World Goes Round and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Castle, Wellingborough); Candide, The Calling of Maisy Day, Dolffin and Wild Cat (Welsh National Opera); The Thieving Magpie (Opera North); Falstaff (Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona). Other: Staff Director/Resident Director credits include work for Welsh National Opera, the National Youth Music Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre. Productions Nik has directed for young people have twice won a Royal Philharmonic Society award.

Commissioning Dramaturg

Jeanie O’Hare

Commissioning Dramaturg

Jeanie O’Hare

RSC: Company Dramaturg at the RSC from 2005 to 2012. TRAINED: The Royal Court, under Artistic Director Stephen Daldry, from 1994-2000. Jeanie is Director of New Work Development at the Public Theatre in New York. She was Chair of Playwriting at the Yale School of Drama from 2012-16, and Company Dramaturg for the Royal Shakespeare Company for seven years. During that time, she edited classic plays and commissioned and developed new plays and musicals. She was Literary Manager of Hampstead Theatre from 2001-2004. In 2006, Jeanie commissioned Dennis Kelly to write the book of Matilda The Musical and two years later she commissioned Tim Minchin to write the songs.

Casting Director

Will Burton CDG for Grindrod Burton Casting

Casting Director

Will Burton CDG for Grindrod Burton Casting

Theatre includes: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Gillian Lynne); Back to the Future (Adelphi); Only Fools and Horses (Haymarket); Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Crazy For You (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Sweet Charity (Donmar); Waitress (Adelphi); Be More Chill (Shaftesbury); Heathers (Haymarket); Groundhog Day, Jekyll & Hyde, High Society (Old Vic); Mamma Mia! The Party (O2); The Cher Show (UK Tour); School of Rock (Gillian Lynne); 42nd Street, Shrek the Musical (Drury Lane); Bat Out of Hell (Dominion/London Coliseum); Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Apollo / UK Tour / LA); Ghost (Piccadilly / UK and International Tours); Five Guys Named Moe (Marble Arch); CATS (Palladium/UK tour/international tour); Mamma Mia! The Musical (worldwide); Chicago (Cambridge/Adelphi/Garrick/UK tours); Othello, I Think We Are Alone, Fatherland (Frantic Assembly) Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (UK tour); Man of La Mancha, CHESS, Carousel, Sunset Boulevard, Sweeney Todd (ENO). Film includes: Matilda (Netflix), Greatest Days (Elysian); Disenchanted, Mary Poppins Returns, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast (Disney); Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Television includes: The Voice, So You Think You Can Dance, The Sound of Music Live (ITV), How Do Solve A Problem Like Maria (BBC 1, 2007 Emmy Award) and all subsequent Andrew Lloyd Webber talent searches.

Children’s Casting Director

Amy Beadel for Jessica Ronane Casting

Children’s Casting Director

Amy Beadel for Jessica Ronane Casting

RSC: Matilda (Stratford, 2010). THEATRE INCLUDES:  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Drury Lane); The Audience (Gielgud); To Kill a Mockingbird, The Sound of Music (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Angus Thongs and Even More Snogging (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Singing In The Rain (Palace Theatre), Billy Elliot the Musical (Victoria Palace Theatre), Caroline or Change, Baby Girl, Mrs Affleck, Burnt by the Sun (National Theatre); A Member of the Wedding (Young Vic). TELEVISION INCLUDES: Little Cracker – Nutcracker, Eric and Ernie, In with the Flynns, Young Dracula, Half Moon Investigations, Kerwhizz, Tommy Zoom, Space Pirates. FILM INCLUDES: The Good Lie, Anita B, Guinea Pigs, Hunky Dory, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Elsewhere, Chalk Candy, Patagonia, Jenny and the Worm, Pop Art, The Ranger’s Apprentice, Wednesday. FORTHCOMING FILM PROJECTS INCLUDE: Nativity 3, Rocketman, Miss Shirley Bassey.

Musical Director

Laurie Perkins

Musical Director

Laurie Perkins

RSC: A Tender Thing (Newcastle 2009); Matilda (workshops/Stratford/London/Broadway). Theatre includes: As associate music supervisor &/or assistant music director: Ghost the Musical (Manchester/West End/Broadway/UK tour/Seoul). As music director: A Pleasure’s Progress (Royal Opera House); The King and I (UK tour); Only You Can Save Mankind (Edinburgh). As associate/assistant music director: Carousel (Savoy); The Lord of the Rings (Drury Lane); Lend Me A Tenor (workshop); The Pirates of Penzance (Savoy). As keyboard player/audition pianist, some recent credits include: The Book of Mormon, Jersey Boys, Legally Blonde, Love Never Dies, Oliver!, Scrooge, Singin’ in the Rain, Top Hat, Wicked (all West End); The Color Purple (Menier Chocolate Factory); High Society (UK tour). Television includes: Genius, I’d Do Anything, Your Country Needs You.

Resident Director

Lewis Barnshaw

Resident Director

Lewis Barnshaw

Training: The Royal Academy of Music. Theatre includes: As Assistant Director: The Sound of Music (UK tour); Saturday Night Fever (UK tour); Cinderella (Chelmsford Civic Theatre). As Children and Supernumerary Director: Evita (West End and UK/European tours). As Resident/ Children’s Director: The Sound of Music (UK tour). As Director: Oliver (iMusical Theatre School, Shanghai). As Director on Attachment: The Sound of Music (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre). As an actor: Evita (West End and UK/European tour); The Sound of Music (UK tour); Dick Whittington, Cinderella (Wyvern Theatre); Soho Cinders (The Soho Theatre); The Three Little Pigs (workshop/ Studio Cast Recording); You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Just So (Tabard Theatre); P&O’s Aurora (Headliners); That Old Feeling (The Mill at Sonning); Sasha Regan’s all male The Pirates of Penzance (Union Theatre). Film: As an actor: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros).

Resident Director

Phil Bartlett

Resident Director

Phil Bartlett

RSC: Matilda The Musical (UK & Ireland tour) Trained: University of Oxford; Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Theatre includes: As Director: The Moors (The Hope Theatre); Marie (Edinburgh Fringe, Perth Theatre and Scotland tour); Glitterland (Theatre Royal Plymouth); A Christmas Carol (Barn Theatre); The Unsung (site-specific); Iso (Mountview); Macblair (UK tour); Practically Royalty (Southbank Centre); The Madness of Lady Bright (CCA Glasgow); A million hearts in stereo (The Arches). As Associate Director: The King & I (West End and UK tour). As Resident Director: The King and I (UK tour); Kiss Me, Kate (Barbican). As Assistant Director: Million Dollar Quartet (UK & Ireland tour); Peter Pan (New Wimbledon Theatre); Grand Guignol (Theatre Royal Plymouth and Southwark Playhouse); Merit (Theatre Royal Plymouth); Another Place (Theatre Royal Plymouth); After Electra (Theatre Royal Plymouth and Tricycle); As You Like It (Bard in the Botanics); Bite the Bullet (Òran Mór). Other: Phil was formerly Artistic Director of The Hope Theatre in Islington.

Resident Choreographer

Sam Lathwood

Resident Choreographer

Sam Lathwood

Training: Arts Educational Schools, London. Theatre includes: Messenger Boy/1st Robertson Ay/1st Valentine in Mary Poppins (Prince Edward/West End); Ferdy/Dance Captain/1st Young Ebenezer/1st Fred/1st George in A Christmas Carol (The Old Vic); Sam in Elf the Musical (Plymouth/Manchester); Swing/understudy Robertson Ay in Mary Poppins (international tour, Zurich/ Dubai); crossover Swing in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); Disaster! (Charing Cross); Jim in the European premiere of Elf the Musical (Plymouth/Dublin); Mark/Lynch in Damn Yankees (Landor); Assistant Dance Captain/Swing in Hairspray (UK/ Ireland tour); Ensemble/1st Samuel in The Pirates of Penzance (Hackney Empire/ Australian tour); Momentous Musicals (New Wimbledon Theatre). Workshops: Caladar in Vānara: A New Musical (London); Groundhog Day (The Old Vic); Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (pre-Broadway). Recordings include: Mary Poppins (West End Cast Recording) and singer/ vocalist in Mary Poppins Returns (Disney movie/soundtrack). Film: Operation Mincemeat. Television includes: Elf the Musical (Channel 5); The Jane McDonald Show, Britain’s Got Talent (ITV); The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals (BBC/RSC Manchester AO Arena). Other: Singer/Vocalist in Mary Poppins Returns (Disney Movie/soundtrack); Backing vocalist for Adele (Wembley Stadium); singer for Eurosport Winter Olympics 2018 commercial; Royal Variety Performance (The London Palladium/ Royal Albert Hall); West End Live (2015, 2021 and 2022); Matilda The Movie workshops (Netflix); Mary Poppins cast recording (West End).

Children’s Musical Director/Cover Conductor

David Keefe

Children’s Musical Director/Cover Conductor

David Keefe

Training: Guildhall School of Music and Drama and The Royal Academy of Music. Theatre includes: As MD: The Magic Flute (Soho Theatre); Cinderella (Chiswick House); The Secret Garden (UK tour); Tin (Miracle Theatre/ETO); Antigone (Southwark Playhouse) and UK premieres of Thrill Me (Tristan Bates Theatre) and A Catered Affair (London Theatre Workshop). As Assistant MD: Street Scene, The Human Comedy (Young Vic/The Opera Group). Keyboard credits: The Woman in White (Charing Cross Theatre); Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK tour); Salad Days (Riverside Studios). Other: All Together Opera (Royal Opera House); The Price (W11 Opera); Mirrors (Holland Park Opera); We’ll Meet Again, The World Was All Before Them, Trench Brothers, Shadowball (HMDT); Bessie’s Wings, 800 Miles as the Albatross Flies, Towards an Unknown Port, Laika the Spacedog (English Touring Opera).

Resident Voice Coach

Laura Neel

Resident Voice Coach

Laura Neel

Training: DePauw School of Music, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Central School of Speech and Drama. Other: Laura is a voice, singing and dialect coach. Based in London, she has worked in theatre, music and actor training over the past 10 years. Laura, born and raised in Central Florida, studied opera performance at the DePauw School of Music and performed with opera companies throughout the United States and Europe. Subsequently, Laura moved to London in order to study for her MFA in Vocal Studies at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama where she graduated with honours. Since moving to London, Laura has worked internationally in opera, theatre, and at leading drama schools as a Senior Voice Tutor. This includes The English National Opera, Royal Shakespeare Company, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, LAMDA, and Rose Bruford College where she was the Head of Voice from 2021-2023.

Assistant Musical Director

Spencer James

Assistant Musical Director

Spencer James

Trained: Trinity College of Music. Theatre includes: As Associate Conductor/Keyboards: Love Never Dies (Adelphi). As Assistant Musical Director/Keyboards: Les Misérables (UK & international tour); Mary Poppins (UK tour); Aladdin (Southampton Mayflower). Spencer has played keyboards on numerous West End shows including Sister Act, Oliver!, Hairspray, Spamalot, Mary Poppins, Porgy and Bess, Guys and Dolls. Recordings include: Les Misérables (25th Anniversary Concert DVD at the O2); Les Misérables Live! (2010 cast album); The Queen (Channel 4 documentary). Other: As Musical Director/Piano: The WestEnders (UK & European tour).

Produced by the

Royal Shakespeare Company

Produced by the

Royal Shakespeare Company

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s mission is to bring people together to experience stories that deepen our understanding of ourselves, each other and the world around us, and that bring joy. Shakespeare’s restless exploration of all of human nature is our inspiration and touchstone. The Company’s roots lie in the bold vision of a local brewer, Edward Fordham Flower, who in 1879 established a theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon with his son Charles. The RSC as we know it today was formed by Sir Peter Hall, whose ambition was to produce new plays alongside those of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. We continue this today across our three permanent theatres in Stratford – the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Swan Theatre and The Other Place – and indeed online and around the globe. We believe everybody’s life can be enriched by culture and creativity. Our transformative Creative Learning and Engagement programmes reach over half a million young people and adults each year. We have collaborated with generations of the very best theatre makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future.

Executive Producer

Denise Wood

Executive Producer

Denise Wood

Denise worked alongside Artistic Director, Michael Boyd, as Lead Producer for ten years. She was responsible for the planning of the artistic programme worldwide and for overseeing the producing of the Company’s repertoire. Her numerous credits as a Producer for the RSC from 1995-2012 include Michael Boyd’s Olivier Award-winning eight-play Histories Cycle in 2006-2008.

Executive Producer

Griselda Yorke

Executive Producer

Griselda Yorke

RSC: Griselda is Producer at The Old Vic as well as Executive Producer for the RSC on Matilda The Musical and My Neighbour Totoro. Previously she was Executive Producer for the RSC where other projects included the international tour of King and Country and the musical The Boy in the Dress. Before joining the RSC, Griselda was Executive Producer for the pioneering immersive theatre company, Punchdrunk. Previously Griselda was Executive Director at Cheek by Jowl, producing and touring productions in three languages in the UK and around the world. Prior to that she was a Producer at the Barbican Theatre where projects included: Robert Wilson and Tom Waits’ The Black Rider and Merce Cunningham’s Events. She has worked in New York, with Pomegranate Arts. Griselda is on the Board of SOLT.

Executive Producer

André Ptaszynski

Executive Producer

André Ptaszynski

André Ptaszynski had worked as one of the Executive Producers of the production from 2011 until his untimely death in 2020. He is much missed by all of his colleagues. As Producer or lead Co-Producer, André won Best Musical at the Olivier or Evening Standard Awards for five different shows over one 10-year period, including one revival. He subsequently won a further two Best Musical Olivier Awards, one as Producer (Groundhog Day ) and one as Executive Producer (Matilda The Musical ). He produced more than 50 shows in London, New York and on tour. With his company, Pola Jones, he produced a number of comedy series for the BBC, including winning a Montreux Bronze Rose for Steve Moffat’s Joking Apart. For many years he was the promoter for a wide range of comic talent from Dave Allen, Victoria Wood and Rowan Atkinson to Eddie Izzard and The League of Gentlemen. André was Chief Executive of the Really Useful Group from 2005 to 2011 and for 18 years until 2019 he programmed Andrew Lloyd Webber’s West End theatres including the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and The London Palladium. He was on the board of the National Theatre for nine years as well as on the board of the Society of London Theatre (also ex-President), Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and the Bowness Theatre Festival in the Lake District. In 2016, with Matthew Warchus, he produced Tim Minchin’s new musical Groundhog Day at the Old Vic and on Broadway.