Alison Matthews
Visit the site http://www.isense.org.uk
Alison Matthews has over 20 years experience of working in the TV and film industry on high profile TV drama and feature films. Her TV credits include Judge John Deed and The Bill and UK features, Dreaming of Joseph Lees and Devil’s Playground.She is also married to an actor. She understands the ups and downs of the industry and knows how important it is to have clarity, focus and motivation.Alison now helps actors and media professionals to be at their best, helping them to achieve their goals and overcome the obstacles holding them back through workshops and coaching.Alison is a Trainer of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), an NLP coach, a LAB (Language And Behaviour) Practitioner, a reiki practitioner and a yoga teacher.
Chris Dennis
MAKE-UP EXPERT
Visit the site http://www.facesbychris.com/
As a trained actor Chris worked extensively with theatrical makeup and found a passion for makeup. Chris worked and trained with Laura Mercier at the start of creating her now international respected brand. She took his passion and made him the first member of her international artistry team travelling around the globe with her and holding Q&A master-classes.
Chris held Beauty and Bridal master-classes in Bergdorf Goodman and Saks 5th Avenue in New York and also Neiman Marcus in Chicago, Illinois. Upon going freelance Chris was given his own by appointment makeup studio in Harrods. During this time Chris established a strong celebrity client base including Lucy Benjamin, Cilla Black Michelle Collins, Barbra Windsor, Zoe Ball, Toyah Wilcox, Cherie Blair, Nigella Lawson, Julie Walters, David Gest, Amanda Barry, Jennifer Ellison, Meg Matthews, Kelly Le Roc, Mel C, Boyzone, Julian Clary, and Lulu.Chris has also worked on makeup videos for Boyzone and Katie Melua and can be seen as a regular guest presenter on QVC. Chris being signed to Pamela Anderson for the last three years and has carried out two Playboy covers. Other editorial magazines to display his work include Hello, OK!, Heat, Closer, Sunday Times, Grazia and Harrods Magazine.Most recently Chris was a member of the make-up team for The Phantom of the Opera’s 25th Gala performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011. He has been involved in the feature film Victims, to be released in 2013, as well as being featured in a four page spread for Illusion magazine.Chris has worked yearly London, Paris and Milan Fashion week for designers including Vivienne Westwood, Amanda Wakely, John Rocha and Petit Saloppe.
Danielle Tarento
PRODUCER AND CASTING DIRECTOR
Danielle is a freelance producer and casting director. She won Best Producer at the Off West End Awards 2012.
Donna Soto-Morettini
CASTING DIRECTOR & PERFORMANCE COACH
Donna Soto-Morettini worked for many years as a professional singer and actress, in Southern California and throughout the western United States. She holds a PhD from Oxford University, and has been training professional actors and singers for 20 years. She has served as Director of Drama for the Royal Scottish Conservatoire, Head of Acting and Dance for Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, and Head of Acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.
Since 2007 she has worked as a Casting Director and Performance Coach for television, and credits include How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria, Any Dream Will do, I’d Do Anything, Over the Rainbow (BBC), Popstar to Operastar, Superstar (ITV), and The Voice (BBC).
She is the author of Popular Singing, The Philosophical Actor (winner of the Choice Award for Outstanding Academic Title 2011) and her book, Mastering Auditions: How to Perform Under Pressure will be published by Methuen in September.
Geoff Colman
HEAD OF ACTING
Central School of Speech and Drama
Geoffrey Colman is currently Head of Acting at the world renowned Central School of Speech and Drama, London University. He has auditioned quite literally thousands of people.
As a freelance director and acting coach, Geoffrey’s career has combined work in opera, theatre and film/TV. In this diverse field he has worked with playwrights, composers, actors and singers from various performance contexts ranging from writers at the National Theatre of Finland and Institut del Teatre Barcelona, to actors with Miramax Films, models on Britain’s Next Top Model, the comedian Lenny Henry and the award winning international Transglobal Underground recording artist Natasha Atlas.
Geoffrey is an Associate Master of The Theatre Royal Haymarket, London.
Recent onscreen includes: The One Show (BBC1), a new pilot for Castaway TV, an all new sci/tech show for Sky Atlantic airing December 2012 & Derren Brown: Miracles For Sale (Channel 4)
Jennifer Reischel
AUTHOR, CRITIC AND PERFORMER
Visit the site http://www.performingarts-auditionguide.com
Jo Hawes
CHILDREN’S CASTING DIRECTOR
John Byrne
CAREERS ADVISOR
Mary Elliott Nelson
LEAD AGENT
Nelson Browne Management Ltd
Mary is director and lead agent at Nelson Browne Management Ltd, a London-based agency representing actors throughout the country for stage, screen, broadcasting and corporate work.
She trained at the New College of Speech and Drama and worked for 25 years as an actor, director and playwright. She has worked in all media, frequently been an Equity Deputy and assisted on Equity contract negotiations with ITC. She also taught at Rose Bruford College. As an actor she was represented by 3 different agents and a co-op, Grays Management.
When Grays decided to become a personal management, Mary became the main agent, working there until 2007. She then founded Nelson Browne with business partners Michael and Angela Browne.
The agency is part of a group of companies with Michael Browne Associates (corporate roleplay), and Angela Browne Ltd (theatrical production). Nelson Browne is a member of the PMA.
Nigel Townsend
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Y Touring Theatre company/OneKX centre
Nigel Townsend is director, founder and current Creative Director of Y Touring Theatre Company, Central YMCA’s award-winning young people’s touring theatre company, dedicated to exploring contemporary issues. Y Touring, in partnership with organisations including the Wellcome Trust, the DfEE, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, the BBC, Guys, Kings and Thomas’, and the National Theatre, has produced 55 national tours for over one and half million young people, teachers, youth leaders, health and science professionals and members of the general public, exploring topics including: HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy, clinical depression, xenotransplantation, stem cell therapy, and emerging neurotechnologies.
In 1995 Y Touring introduced the Theatre of Debate concept. Each Theatre of Debate project consists of a play created to engage the target audience in an informed debate about a specific subject. The play is followed by a live debate between the actors in character and the audience supported by the use of electronic voting. The play and debate are supported by extensive online resources. The development of each Theatre of Debate project begins with a workshop bringing playwrights, experts and members of the target audience together to creatively explore the chosen subject.
