MEET THE TUTORS




Nick Hooton  -  Artistic Director

Nick is the Artistic Director of Centre Stage and joined the staff in 1999.

Nick trained at the Herfordshire Theatre School, where he took a
3 year Year Acting and Musical Theatre Diploma.

During his time at H.T.S. Nick has achieved a BADC Stage Combat Award, a L.A.M.D.A. Gold Award and has had the opportunity to play many different roles in plays and musicals. From a Teddy Boy in Once A Catholic to a vicar in John Godber's Lucky Sods, from a wheeler dealer showman in Annie Get Your Gun to Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream. All of these roles have been performed under the direction of professional directors from the theatre industry.

Nick's professional acting credits include My Parents Are Aliens for Granada Television, playing the role of Darren, the role of Shaun in My Family for BBC Television, 'Hunky' Ben in the new series of My Spy Family, Billy Edwards in Hope & Glory.   He has appeared in a number of television commercials and has recently finished filming an interactive CD for Sense, Sex & Relationships, produced by Sense Interactive, for distribution to all major retail outlets and schools. He has also appeared in a number of television commercials over the years, most recent ones being for DFS with our very own Nicola Tully, UKTV G2, Telewest Broadband, Lay's Crisps and 'monkeying' about in the Pringles commercial.  Nick has appeared in a few films in the last couple of years, both short and feature length.  His first feature, in which he played the lead character Duncan in The Jigsaw of Life.  Other film works include Dave in Halo and Josh in Students.

Nick has many theatre credits and is a regular actor with the Market Theatre Company.

Over the past years, along with teaching drama at Centre Stage, Nick has also directed  Hairspray, Teechers, Haversham Hall, Ernies Incredible Illucinations, The Dumb Waiter, High School Musical, A Chorus Line and Centre Stage The Musical.  

As well as being a professional actor Nick has been a teacher for a number of years and has extensive experience with children ranging from as young as 3, not only at Centre Stage but also at primary and secondary schools.

Nicola Tully  -  Dance & Young Centre Stagers Tutor
Nicola has been a member of the teaching staff since the school opened in 1999. Nicola focuses on Dance on the Saturday combined courses, along with The Centre Stage Dance Troupe.  She also leads the team for Young Centre Stagers on Tuesdays. Nicola is proud to be a member of the team and enjoys watching the students' development and enjoyment for something she is also passionate about; the students' achievements are very rewarding. Nicola has been Head of Dance and Drama at Mill Hill County High School, Head of Drama at Alexandra Park School and Enfield Grammar School and is now teaching on a part time basis, sings with a function band 'Deja Vu', and tutors young actors on film sets whilst pursuing her own career in the Performing Arts. Her credits include:

Film: Harry Potter, Short Film: Dead Clean.

TV: Grange Hill, Dream Team, Celebrity Stories (Micheal Flatley's Dancer)

TV Commercial: DFS, The Observer

Pop Videos: Bryan Adams, Chocolate Puma

Her stage productions, as a Performer and/or choreographer include 'Fame' at the Millfield Theatre, 'A Chorus Line' (as 'Cassie') at The Intimate Theatre, and shows at venues such as The London Palladium, Wembley, Theatre Royal - Drury Lane and Her Majesty's Theatre.

Fiona Reyes  -  Drama Tutor

During her graduation performance at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, (where she graduated with honours), Fiona was spotted by a visiting casting director and immediately offered the cover role of Eva Peron in the Really Useful Groups production of Evita, at The Adelphi Theatre.  After covering and playing Eva Peron for more than a year, Fiona went on to join the original cast of the 2007 West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as alternate Narrator, performing alongside both Lee Meade and Gareth Gates.

In that last few years, Fiona has also been involved in workshop productions of Imagine This, Sister Act and Ghost, working with Dave Stewart.

Fiona is passionate about working with children and young adults in performing arts, and is an advocate of the many benefits drama training has to offer, both on and off the stage.
Christopher Hogben -  Drama Tutor

From his roots in productions at his local theatre in Yeovil, the HTV television workshops in Bristol and touring around the country with the National Youth Music Theatre, Chris went on to train as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama.   After three years there and a stint training at the Moscow Arts Theatre in Russia, he graduated in 2007 and now balances his acting career with teaching and writing.

Chris's acting credits include:

Theatre:  

Romeo (Shakespeares R&J, UK Tour/Southwark Playhouse), Narcissus (Jason and the Argonauts - Scoop More London),  Hamlet (Hamlet - Central School), John Proctor (The Crucible - Central School)  Perfect Sandcastle (Hampstead Theatre)  Bob Cratchit (A Christmas Carol - European Tour)  The Tutor (Medea - Scoop More London)

National Youth Music Theatre: Whistle Down the Wind, Warchild.

TV/Film:

Ricky in Casualty (BBC),Uwe in A Whispered Name - Naisbitt & Co. Punk Mime The Hardest Part (Agile Filme), Elliott Live (Essential Cinema), The Young Lover One Of Those Days (Radiofilm Company), Jack in Winding Wood Drive (Ned Productions).

Will Hammond - Visiting Drama Tutor & CS Academy Course Director


Will trained as an actor at Rose Bruford College, and  has worked in Theatre, TV and Film, before winning the High Sheriff Award for New Writing from the Stephen Joseph Theatre, judged by Sir Alan Ayckbourn.

                                                
 As a writer & director, Will’s Theatre credits include: GRIM: A New Musical (book writer, for Mammoth Theatre Productions & ACT: scheduled for regional production 2011 prior to West End run) ; Lovestruck – Workshop (Etcetera Theatre, London); Midas By Anonymous (shortlisted for the Manchester Royal Exchange’s Bruntwood Prize 2008); Village Fate (co-written with Carri Munn: Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough); Auntie & Me (Turnmills, London); The Confessionals (NYT, London); Blister (Arts Council/West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds); The Barghest after William Hammond (Royal Court, London) Degeneration/Regeneration: A Micro Musical (Urdang Academy, London); Teenage Wildlife (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough); Pennies (Winner of the High Sheriff Award, judged by Sir Alan Ayckbourn & workshopped by Soho Theatre).

Radio: The Subterraneans (Urban Scrawl: Theatrevoice & Theatre 503).

Film & TV: Lovestruck (6 Part TV series, in development: Lime Pictures); The Host (Feature, in development: Film London); Oceans Between Us (Short).

 Will’s first production with Centre Stage is The Royal Hunt of the Sun. He is thrilled to be working with such strong, passionate and talented young actors, and to be part of the dedicated teaching staff at Centre Stage.

 
Simon Payne - Singing Tutor

Simon first worked with Centre Stage as Musical Director for the School's production of Fame in April 2008. He also performed this role for Honk in February 2009, and Hairspray in October 2009. Simon has recently joined Centre Stage's team of tutors as a singing teacher on Sunday mornings.

Simon has been involved with Performing Arts in the local community from a very young age working first as a technician, then lighting designer, and more recently as a Musical Director. He has had a long involvement with Acorn Theatre Company who perform a pantomime and musical annually at the Intimate Theatre, with the profits being donated to local charities.

As well as his day job as Head of Citizenship in a Secondary School in West London, Simon continues to work as a casual technician at the Royal Opera House which he started to do whilst at university studying for a BSc in Government (2.1 - London School of Economics and Political Science). Simon enjoys relaxing by working with many groups in both North and West London. To date, he has been involved musically with over 20 productions including Honk, Just So, Seussical, My Fair Lady, A Slice of Saturday Night and Little Shop of Horrors to name but a few.

Simon enjoys a varied style of music including pop, choral and musical theatre. He has attended, and very much enjoyed, Summer training courses with Sing for Pleasure and is continually developing his conducting skills. He is very much looking forward to the continued opportunities that working with Centre Stage has to offer.  

 


Sarah Luke - Dance Tutor

Sarah has been a member of the teaching staff at Centre Stage since September 1999, teaching dance.

Sarah trained as a dance teacher at Harrison School of Dance and Drama, where she obtained all her teaching qualifications in tap, ballet, modern, disco and national dance, along with her L.A.M.D.A. Gold Medal in Acting.

Her first stage appearance was at the age of 3, leading on to annual performances, both amateur and professional, playing both ensemble and lead roles in several productions including Pepper in Annie, Velma in Chicago, Dick in Dick Whittington & Tzeital in Fiddler on the Roof

Sarah also appeared in several television commercials both in the UK and Abroad.

Since leaving college she has spent time dancing professionally as well as teaching all aspects of dance.  Sarah worked in Greece for three years as a singer and dancer in many theatres and has toured the UK in cabaret shows.  She enjoyed performing for three Summer Seasons before settling down to married life and having a family.  

Sarah teaches dance on Sundays and runs the Centre Stage Dance Troupe on Saturdays.  She also choreographs our shows, including 'Wizard of Oz', 'Fame', 'Honk', and 'Hairspray'.

Sarah spends much of her spare time choreographing shows for local companies and thoroughly enjoys passing on her skills and experience to the students of Centre Stage.

Danni McCormack - Singing - Assistant Tutor

Danni was a student of Centre Stage and the 1st ever Oscar Winner. She went on to train at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and graduated with a 1st Class BA (HON) Degree. Whilst training Danni played Mama Noah in Children of Eden, The Arbiter in Chess, and Woman 2 in Songs for A New World. Danni has performed in Puccini's Il Trittico with the English National Opera, for Sir Paul McCartney at Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall and has featured as a soloist with Julia Mckenzie in a Sondheim master class. Since graduating in 2007 Danni has performed in the UK Tour of 'Ain't Misbehavin' including cast recording and the UK Tour of 'All You Need Is Love'. Danni is a voice over artiste, her work includes many commercials such as Canada's Next Top Model, MTV,America's Next Top Model, Restaurant in Our Living Room, Cougar Town, and is the voice for the launch of LIVING TV's Drop Dead Diva.

Davina Dewrance  - Young Centre Stagers Tutor

Film and TV actress Davina (known to most people as Dini) has worked for Centre Stage for the past ten years .She started her acting career with Carole O'Shea at Little Heath and went on to have her first Saturday job at Centre Stage as an assistant tutor at the tender age of 16. She is a great favourite with all our Young Centre Stagers! She studied at the Hertfordshire Theatre School where she gained a Diploma in Acting and Musical Theatre and the North Hertfordshire College, Hitchin where she obtained a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts. Davina has recently appeared in a ground breaking feature film entitled ’Fit’ which has been sent to every secondary school in the country. The film aims to tackle bullying in schools. Davina has a natural rapport with children of all ages and is busy most weekends doing themed parties for children of all ages.

Carole O'Shea  - Principal

Carole established the School in 1999 with 50 students attending Saturday morning classes. 10 years on and now with over 300 students, Centre Stage has established itself as one of the most vibrant and respected part-time performing arts schools in London. The School is also affiliated to CS Management, a theatrical agency established by Carole in 2001 to provide professional opportunities within the industry.

Carole first became involved in performing arts in the late 1970's, initially through her own children's attendance at local classes. The next 20 years were spent building experience in established drama schools and working as a theatrical agent before opening her own school in Potters Bar in 1995.

Despite a scholarship to the London College of Music as a teenager, Carole has never been one for public performance herself, other than the odd Irish Jig at a family occasion.


 
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