Rosalind Plowright is one of the most celebrated artists of our time. Her career spans more than 35 years. She was acclaimed as one of the world’s great spinto sopranos
specialising in roles such as Medée, Alceste and Norma as well as the great Verdi and Puccini heroines. Rosalind Plowright has sung at nearly all the international opera houses such as the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera, Vienna State Opera, Bavarian State Opera in Munich, the Grand Theatre de Genève, and at the Arena di Verona. Her colleagues include all the most praised operatic stars of the time. Her American debut was alongside Jose Carreras in a concert at the Philadelphia Orchestra under Riccardo Muti and they also sang Andrea Chenier at Covent Garden and recorded La Forza del Destino for Deutsche Grammophon (which won best opera recording from Gramophone). With Placido Domingo she has performed Il Trovatore at Covent Garden and recorded the opera with him for Deutsche Grammophon for which she was personally awarded the Prix Fondation Fanny Heldy. With Luciano Pavarotti she performed Aida at Covent Garden and a gala concert for 25,000 at the Arena of Verona. Among the many conductors with whom she has worked are Giulini, Gavazzeni, Patane, Muti, Abbado, Mehta, Sinopli, Sawallisch, Haitink, Pappano, Ozawa and Bychkov.
Rosalind Plowright entered the dramatic mezzo repertoire in 1999 with roles such as Amneris in Aida, the Principessa in Adriana Lecouvreur, La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica and Klytämnestra in Elektra Madame de Croissy in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmelites. Plowright won special praise as the Kostelnicka in Janacek’s Jenufa. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in this role. Her many recordings also include Mary Stuart, Otello, Aida and Hansel & Gretel for the Opera in English series for Chandos; Elijah for Chandos, La Vestale for Orfeo, Contes d’Hoffmann for EMI and Mahler 2nd Symphony for Deutsche Grammophon. Her DVD’s include her performances of Il Trovatore from Verona, Suor Angelica from La Scala, Hansel & Gretel from the Metropolitan Opera and Not the Messiah. (He’s a very naughty boy)with the Monty Python team at the Royal Albert hall. Her forthcoming appearances are in Japan (Herodias), Covent Garden (La Contessa de Coigny and her first Kabanicha in Katya Kabanova), Lyon and Vienna (Mrs Sedley). In May 2014 she launched her first recital album, La Belle Dame Sans Merci.
Rosalind Plowright was awarded the OBE in 2007 for her services to music.
Sir Tim Rice
Lyricist
Sir Tim Rice is a multi-award-winning lyricist. Although he began he professional life with the intention of being a solicitor, he harboured aspirations in the field of pop music and eventually became a management trainee at EMI.
His collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber is world-famous. Their first work was a piece for an annual end of term school concert – Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which quickly began to take on a life of its own leading to subsequent stagings, additions of new material, and even a record deal.
This initial success was followed with the show that was to bring Rice and Lloyd Webber international fame and guarantee them a place in musical theatre history, Jesus Christ Superstar. Other work includes Evita with Lloyd Webber, Blondel with Stephen Oliver and Chess with Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus from the pop group ABBA
With the proven world-wide appeal of Tim Rice’s lyrics, it was not surprising when in 1991 the Disney organisation signed Tim as lyricist for The Lion King. When lyricist Howard Ashman passed away, Tim was asked to work with Alan Menken on finishing Disney’s 1992 animated film Aladdin. He was asked to collaborate with Menken again in 1994 to provide additional songs for the theatrical production of Beauty And The Beast. Tim Rice and Elton John teamed up again in 1996 when Disney asked them to do an original stage musical based on Verdi’s opera Aida.
The year 2000 also saw the release of the film The Road To Eldorado which included 5 songs by Tim and Elton. In 1986 Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber were commissioned by Prince Edward to write a piece for Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th birthday. He teamed up with pop composer John Farrar to work on a musical for Cliff Richard based upon Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights called Heathcliff. Over the years Tim has co-produced four musical productions with various partners : Blondel (1983 & 2006), Chess (1986) and Anything Goes (1989).
In addition to musicals and feature films, Tim has written countless pop songs, many of which have enjoyed chart success. His work has won him numerous awards including 12 Ivor Novello awards, 4 Tonys, and 3 Oscars.
Tim was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999. In recognition of his work in film and theatre, Tim was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2002 at the Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris during the celebrations for the tenth anniversary of Disneyland Paris. In 2008, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Tim was knighted 1994.
Timothy West CBE
was born in Bradford in 1934, the son of actor Lockwood West. Seasons in repertory in Wimbledon, Newquay, Hull, Northampton, Worthing and Salisbury, coming to the Piccadilly Theatre in the farce Caught Napping in 1959.
Since then his performances on the London stage have included Gentle Jack, The Italian Girl, Abelard and Heloise, The Homecoming, Beecham, Master Class, When we are Married, The Sneeze, It’s Ralph, Twelve Angry Men and The Birthday Party, The Old Country, The Collection and A Number.
At the National Theatre he has performed in Long Day’s Journey into Night, King Lear, and Luther; at the Royal Court in Laughter; in seasons with the RSC and at Chichester Festival; and with Prospect/Old Vic Company, for whom he played King Lear, Prospero, Shylock, Claudius and Enobarbus. At the Birmingham Rep, Galileo. For English Touring Theatre, on tour and in London he has played Falstaff in both parts of Henry IV, and Solness in Ibsen’s The Master Builder and King Lear. At the Sheffield Crucible, Caryl Churchill’s A Number. For the Rose Theatre, Kingston, and on tour The Winslow Boy and most recently a UK Tour of Quartet.
Television includes Edward VII, Churchill and the Generals, Brass, The Monocled Mutineer, The Good Doctor Bodkin Adams, What the Butler Saw, The Contractor, Blore, M.P., Beecham, Framed, Eleven Men Against Eleven, Murder in Mind, Bedtime, Bleak House, A Room with a View, Going Postal and Lewis.
Recent films: Ever After, Joan of Arc, Villa des Roses, Iris, The Fourth Angel, Beyond Borders andEndgame.
Work as Director has included, recently, HMS Pinafore for Carl Rosa Opera.
He has taken part in over 500 radio broadcasts, and recorded many Talking Books. His autobiography A Moment Towards the End of the Play, and So You Want to be an Actor (co-written with his wife Prunella Scales) are published by Nick Hern Books.
He was made CBE in 1984, and is currently President of the London Academy of Dramatic Art, and of the Society for Theatre Research
Jeremy Irons
trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and made his stage debut in 1969. Since then he enjoyed a hugely successful career encompassing film, television and theatre, winning several awards along the way. His many credits include films such as The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Betrayal, Dead Ringers, Reversal of Fortune, The Man in the Iron Mask, Being Julia, Kingdom of Heaven, Margin Call and he was the voice of Scar in The Lion King. Television includes Brideshead Revisited, Elizabeth 1 and The Borgias.
Jeremy’s theatre work includes the original London production of Godspell, seasons with the RSC and the National Theatre and various West End productions. He has appeared in New York in several productions and won a Tony Award for his Broadway debut in The Real Thing, opposite Glenn Close. Jeremy has lead two highly successful masterclasses for The Associated Studios and we are delighted he has joined us as a Patron.
Jeremy Herrin
is Associate Director at The Royal Court Theatre. Actors worked with Jeremy for 10 weeks. Each session was dedicated to a contemporary text or new play in development.
Actors had the opportunity to work in partnership with the playwright and director in workshopping new plays and exploring the role of the actor in script development and redrafting. Guest directors included Natalie Ibu and Lorne Campbell.
Jeremy Herrin trained as a theatre director at both the Royal Court and the National Theatre. In 2007, he directed the UK premiere of David Hare’s play The Vertical Hour, as well as Polly Stenham’s award-winning That Face at the Royal Court. That Face later transferred to London’s West End, where it starred Lindsay Duncan and Matt Smith. Two years later, in 2009, Jeremy directed Polly’s second play, Tusk, Tusk, which opened at the Royal Court Upstairs to critical acclaim.
Jeremy Irons trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and made his stage debut in 1969. Since then he enjoyed a hugely successful career encompassing film, television and theatre, winning several awards along the way. His many credits include films such as The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Betrayal, Dead Ringers, Reversal of Fortune, The Man in the Iron Mask, Being Julia, Kingdom of Heaven, Margin Call and he was the voice of Scar in The Lion King. Television includes Brideshead Revisited, Elizabeth 1 and The Borgias.
Jeremy’s theatre work includes the original London production of Godspell, seasons with the RSC and the National Theatre and various West End productions. He has appeared in New York in several productions and won a Tony Award for his Broadway debut in The Real Thing, opposite Glenn Close. Jeremy has lead two highly successful masterclasses for The Associated Studios and we are delighted he has joined us as a Patron.
Rosalind Plowright is one of the most celebrated artists of our time. Her career spans more than 35 years. She was acclaimed as one of the world’s great spinto sopranos
specialising in roles such as Medée, Alceste and Norma as well as the great Verdi and Puccini heroines. Rosalind Plowright has sung at nearly all the international opera houses such as the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera, Vienna State Opera, Bavarian State Opera in Munich, the Grand Theatre de Genève, and at the Arena di Verona. Her colleagues include all the most praised operatic stars of the time. Her American debut was alongside Jose Carreras in a concert at the Philadelphia Orchestra under Riccardo Muti and they also sang Andrea Chenier at Covent Garden and recorded La Forza del Destino for Deutsche Grammophon (which won best opera recording from Gramophone). With Placido Domingo she has performed Il Trovatore at Covent Garden and recorded the opera with him for Deutsche Grammophon for which she was personally awarded the Prix Fondation Fanny Heldy. With Luciano Pavarotti she performed Aida at Covent Garden and a gala concert for 25,000 at the Arena of Verona. Among the many conductors with whom she has worked are Giulini, Gavazzeni, Patane, Muti, Abbado, Mehta, Sinopli, Sawallisch, Haitink, Pappano, Ozawa and Bychkov.
Rosalind Plowright entered the dramatic mezzo repertoire in 1999 with roles such as Amneris in Aida, the Principessa in Adriana Lecouvreur, La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica and Klytämnestra in Elektra Madame de Croissy in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmelites. Plowright won special praise as the Kostelnicka in Janacek’s Jenufa. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in this role. Her many recordings also include Mary Stuart, Otello, Aida and Hansel & Gretel for the Opera in English series for Chandos; Elijah for Chandos, La Vestale for Orfeo, Contes d’Hoffmann for EMI and Mahler 2nd Symphony for Deutsche Grammophon. Her DVD’s include her performances of Il Trovatore from Verona, Suor Angelica from La Scala, Hansel & Gretel from the Metropolitan Opera and Not the Messiah. (He’s a very naughty boy)with the Monty Python team at the Royal Albert hall. Her forthcoming appearances are in Japan (Herodias), Covent Garden (La Contessa de Coigny and her first Kabanicha in Katya Kabanova), Lyon and Vienna (Mrs Sedley). In May 2014 she launched her first recital album, La Belle Dame Sans Merci.
Rosalind Plowright was awarded the OBE in 2007 for her services to music.
Joshua Yeardley
Course Coordinator & Production Manager
Joshua graduated with a BA Honours in Musical Theatre from the London College of Music and has appeared in an original musical, 'Bel-Ami' at the Charing Cross Theatre, 'Merrily We Roll Along' and the UK Touring Cast of 'Risen! The Musical'.
Since graduating, Joshua found a passion for arts administration and has since worked as 'Course and Office Manager' for West End Stage, 'Production and Technical Assistant' at Cameron Mackintosh and 'Executive Assistant to the Principal' at The International College of Musical Theatre before joining the team at Associated Studios in 2018.
Gloria Onitiri is a British-Nigerian actress born in London and raised in Bedfordshire. In the years 2000-2003, she became a fixed member of the National Youth Music Theatre, participating as a lead role in two major productions worldwide, whilst studying at the formerly known Dame Alice Harpur School, in Bedford. She then went straight from school at 17 years old into her West End debut in, Disney's, The Lion King before continuing her studies at The University of Birmingham in English and Drama.
Gloria has starred in many of London's West End theatre's productions, The National Theatre and the UK's leading Regional theatres. Her multi skills have meant that she's had an extremely diverse and far reaching career including her screen work in: Coming Up, Bad Girls, Grass, Resurrecting the Street Walker and more.
Theatre includes:
Duchess Josiana in The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic), Delores Keller in The Stripper (St. James Theatre), Francine/Lena in Clybourne Park (UK National Tour), Wrong Songs For Christmas (National Theatre), Nancy Colberg in Green Living (OldVic/ Old Vic New Voices), Ms. Grimm in Jack And The Beanstalk (Park Theatre), Anne in Egusi Soup (UK National Tour), Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard (Adelphi), The Tempest for Adrian Noble (Bath Theatre Royal), Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web (Polka Theatre), Dionne in Hair (Festival Ljubljana), Sheila in Takeaway (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Arion in Amphibians (Bridewell), Nala in The Lion King (Lyceum),), Original Cast in Avenue Q (Noel Coward), Bacchae in The Bacchae (National Theatre Scotland), Morgan Le Fay in Pendragon and Sylvia in The Dreaming (National Youth Music Theatre)
Film and Television includes:
Joy Okotume in Doctors (BBC), Jackie in Resurrecting the Street Walker (Scala Films), Dotun in The Window C4), Marcia Jones in Bad Girls (ITV) and Donna in Grass (BBC).
Sir Tim Rice
Lyricist
Sir Tim Rice is a multi-award-winning lyricist. Although he began he professional life with the intention of being a solicitor, he harboured aspirations in the field of pop music and eventually became a management trainee at EMI.
His collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber is world-famous. Their first work was a piece for an annual end of term school concert – Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which quickly began to take on a life of its own leading to subsequent stagings, additions of new material, and even a record deal.
This initial success was followed with the show that was to bring Rice and Lloyd Webber international fame and guarantee them a place in musical theatre history, Jesus Christ Superstar. Other work includes Evita with Lloyd Webber, Blondel with Stephen Oliver and Chess with Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus from the pop group ABBA
With the proven world-wide appeal of Tim Rice’s lyrics, it was not surprising when in 1991 the Disney organisation signed Tim as lyricist for The Lion King. When lyricist Howard Ashman passed away, Tim was asked to work with Alan Menken on finishing Disney’s 1992 animated film Aladdin. He was asked to collaborate with Menken again in 1994 to provide additional songs for the theatrical production of Beauty And The Beast. Tim Rice and Elton John teamed up again in 1996 when Disney asked them to do an original stage musical based on Verdi’s opera Aida.
The year 2000 also saw the release of the film The Road To Eldorado which included 5 songs by Tim and Elton. In 1986 Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber were commissioned by Prince Edward to write a piece for Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th birthday. He teamed up with pop composer John Farrar to work on a musical for Cliff Richard based upon Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights called Heathcliff. Over the years Tim has co-produced four musical productions with various partners : Blondel (1983 & 2006), Chess (1986) and Anything Goes (1989).
In addition to musicals and feature films, Tim has written countless pop songs, many of which have enjoyed chart success. His work has won him numerous awards including 12 Ivor Novello awards, 4 Tonys, and 3 Oscars.
Tim was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999. In recognition of his work in film and theatre, Tim was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2002 at the Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris during the celebrations for the tenth anniversary of Disneyland Paris. In 2008, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Tim was knighted 1994.
Composer
Born in Nassau County Long Island, NY, Scott Alan knew from the age of three that music would be his life. He attended music classes at UMass Boston, Theater Study at Emerson College and voice at Berkley College of Music.
After premiering Listen and Dream in 1999 he moved to California to pursue a full-time music career. Within two weeks he was asked to audition for a new group and started recording immediately. He went on to work with Ricky Minor and Diane Louie who introduced him to artists such as Toni Braxton, Luther Vandross and Yolanda Adams. In September 2002, Scott‚Äôs musical Detour, opened at the Complex Theater. In 2007 when he released his debut CD of music, Dreaming Wide Awake: The Music of Scott Alan. In the fall of 2008, Scott released his follow-up CD, Keys, which he described as “where I’ve been this past year” and in the fall of 2010, Scott released his third compilation of music titled What I Wanna Be When I Grow Up. Like Dreaming Wide Awake, both of the follow-ups feature some of today’s brightest Broadway and International stars, singing Scott’s words and music. Scott released a double CD set, Live in the summer of 2012.
Danielle Tarento
Producer | Casting Director
Danielle is a freelance producer and casting director. She won Best Producer at the 2012 Off West End Awards and was nominated for Producer of the Year at the Stage Awards 2015.
She is currently co-producing the 2016 season at Charing Cross Theatre which includes the hotly anticipated revival of Titanic, Radio Times, Ragtime and Death Takes A Holiday.
Theatre at Southwark Playhouse: Grey Gardens; Grand Hotel (winner: Off West End Award for Best Musical Production, nominated: WhatsOnStage Award for Best Off West End Production and 17 Broadway World UK Awards); Gods And Monsters; Dogfight (shortlisted: Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical 2014, nominated: WhatsOnStage Award for Best Off West End Production, 9 Broadway World UK Awards and 3 Off West End Awards); Three Sisters; Titanic (longlisted: Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical 2013, winner: WhatsOnStage Award for Best Off West End Production, Broadway World UK Award for Best Fringe/Regional Musical 2013 and 4 Off West End Awards including Best Musical Production); Victor/Victoria; Mack & Mabel (longlisted: Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical 2012, nominated: 13 Broadway World UK Awards and 6 Off West End Awards); Parade (longlisted: Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical 2011, nominated: WhatsOnStage Award for Best Musical Revival 2012, Off West End Award for Best Musical Production 2012); Company.
Other theatre includes: Pure Imagination (St James); Man To Man (Park); My Lifelong Love – An Evening With Georgia Stitt And Friends (Garrick); Frances Ruffelle – Paris Original (St James Studio); Evita, Grease (Ljubljana Festival, Slovenia); Taboo (Brixton Club House – winner, WhatsOnStage Award for Best Off West End Production 2013); The Pitchfork Disney (Arcola); Burlesque (Jermyn Street – winner, Off West End Award for Best New Musical 2012); Noël And Gertie (Cockpit); Spring Awakening (Rose, Kingston); Drowning On Dry Land (Jermyn Street); Legacy Falls (New Players Theatre); Grateful (Cadogan Hall); Frances Ruffelle: Beneath The Dress (Madame JoJo’s, Edinburgh Festival, Wroclaw Stage Song Review, Poland, Menier Chocolate Factory & 54 Below, NYC); Happy Savages (Edinburgh Festival).
Timothy West CBE was born in Bradford in 1934, the son of actor Lockwood West. Seasons in repertory in Wimbledon, Newquay, Hull, Northampton, Worthing and Salisbury, coming to the Piccadilly Theatre in the farce Caught Napping in 1959.
Since then his performances on the London stage have included Gentle Jack, The Italian Girl, Abelard and Heloise, The Homecoming, Beecham, Master Class, When we are Married, The Sneeze, It’s Ralph, Twelve Angry Men and The Birthday Party, The Old Country, The Collection and A Number.
At the National Theatre he has performed in Long Day’s Journey into Night, King Lear, and Luther; at the Royal Court in Laughter; in seasons with the RSC and at Chichester Festival; and with Prospect/Old Vic Company, for whom he played King Lear, Prospero, Shylock, Claudius and Enobarbus. At the Birmingham Rep, Galileo. For English Touring Theatre, on tour and in London he has played Falstaff in both parts of Henry IV, and Solness in Ibsen’s The Master Builder and King Lear. At the Sheffield Crucible, Caryl Churchill’s A Number. For the Rose Theatre, Kingston, and on tour The Winslow Boy and most recently a UK Tour of Quartet.
Television includes Edward VII, Churchill and the Generals, Brass, The Monocled Mutineer, The Good Doctor Bodkin Adams, What the Butler Saw, The Contractor, Blore, M.P., Beecham, Framed, Eleven Men Against Eleven, Murder in Mind, Bedtime, Bleak House, A Room with a View, Going Postal and Lewis.
Recent films: Ever After, Joan of Arc, Villa des Roses, Iris, The Fourth Angel, Beyond Borders andEndgame.
Work as Director has included, recently, HMS Pinafore for Carl Rosa Opera.
He has taken part in over 500 radio broadcasts, and recorded many Talking Books. His autobiography A Moment Towards the End of the Play, and So You Want to be an Actor (co-written with his wife Prunella Scales) are published by Nick Hern Books.
He was made CBE in 1984, and is currently President of the London Academy of Dramatic Art, and of the Society for Theatre Research
Rory Bremner
Rory Bremner is the UK’s premier award-winning comedy and Satirical Impressionist.
Born in Edinburgh in 1961 and educated at Wellington College, he went on to attend King’s College, London, where he graduated with an honours degree in French, German and imitating lecturers! King’s College made him a Fellow in 2006 and he is also a Fellow of Queen Mary College.
While still at university, he performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and began his career on the satirical radio shows News Revue (LBC) and Weekending (BBC Radio) before embarking on a seven-year spell at the BBC. Since then, he’s appeared in countless comedy shows from Have I Got News For You to Whose Line is it Anyway? including: Comic Relief, They Think It’s All Over, It’ll Be Alright on the Night, Mock the Week and QIand has been interviewed more than any other performer by both Wogan and Parkinson. Together with John Bird and John Fortune, his programmes (Rory Bremner- Who Else, Bremner, Bird and Fortune) have been a mainstay of Channel 4?s output since 1992, winning a total of four BAFTAs and three RTS awards.
Rory had seven series on the BBC, from 1986 to 1992, winning the Special Award at the Golden Rose of Montreux in 1987. He has been a frequent guest on The Andrew Marr Show (BBC1) providing a satirical review of current political events through his many characters. In 2008 he retraced his family history for Who Do You Think You Are. Elsewhere, he appeared regularly on Breakfast with Frost, and has written and performed the BBC radio series Some of Our Pilots Are Missingand writes articles and diaries for The New Statesman, The Sunday Telegraph, The Sunday Times and The London Evening Standard.Since 1999, he has translated two operas: Kurt Weill’s Der Silbersee and George Bizet’s Carmen, the latter for a cast recruited from South African townships who promptly translated the dialogue into Xhosa so Rory can’t understand it! Rory is much in demand as a Broadcaster, Actor, After-Dinner Speaker and Awards Host.