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LICHFIELD GARRICK YOUTH THEATRE, LICHFIELD YOUTH THEATRE, LGYT, LICHFIELD MUSICAL YOUTH THEATRE, LMYT, LICHFIELD GARRICK
Lichfield's Original Youth Theatre Producing Theatre Since 1985
SOME OF OUR ALUMNI
Lichfield Garrick Youth Theatre has a proud heritage with many of our members over the past 30 years continuing their careers into the Arts and Entertainment world both on and off stage and screen. Below are just some of our Alumni and a little about each of them.
Sarah Broad - Member from 1994 - 2000
Sarah moved to London to study Theatre Design at Central School of Speech and Drama. In 2005 she joined Channel 5’s milkshake! Over 9 years she worked her way up from Presenters Assistant to Content Producer.
Costume design and construction credits include, the BAFTA nominated ‘milkshake! Show’, ‘milkshake! Bop Box’ and ‘milkshake! Music Box. Set design for ‘milkshake! Workout Live’ at Alton Towers Resort and ‘milkshake! Live’ at Chessington World of Adventures.
Along with running the ‘milkshake! website’ her role as Content Producer included overseeing the production of the live morning show, directing and producing studio continuity links and location shoots. In 2011 Sarah was named one of the most talented under 30s in the TV industry, when she was nominated as a Broadcast Hotshot.
Sarah currently works as Line Producer for Karrot Animation, on the CBeebies show ‘Sarah & Duck’
Maria Brodmann - Member from 1997-1999
Maria is currently performing in Vincent Paterson's production of Cabaret das Musical in Berlin until the end of the summer. In the UK she regularly performs with Vintage Girl Act, My Favourite Things. Maria also teaches dance and performing arts for many dance schools and companies within London.
Training; MA Musical Theatre, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and BA (Hons) Theatre Dance, London Studio Centre.
Previous credits include;
Theatre: Mausi, Lulu and Helga, Cabaret das Musical (Deutches Theater Munich, Staatsoper Hannover, Bar Jeder Vernuft & Tipi Berlin); Ensemble/Understudy Jane, Salad Days (Riverside Studios); Jenny, Company (Edinburgh Fringe); Botox Active Virgin (Edinburgh Fringe); Dancer, Le Grande Cirque (UK Tour); Dance Captain, Aladdin (Lichfield Garrick)
Radioplay: Nurse, Die Unmoglichen
Cast Recording: Ensemble, Salad Days, Tête-à-Tête; Ensemble, A Christmas Carol, London Contemporary Theatre
Cabaret: Love and Facebook (Battersea Barge); The Riverside Revue (Battersea Barge); Candid Cabaret (Oran Mor)
Corporate: Vocalist, My Favourite Things. Dancer, E-Motion Dance Company
Nicola Bryan - Member from 1990 - 1995
Nicola trained at the Birmingham School of Speech & Drama, gaining a BA (Hons) degree in Acting and Musical Theatre.
Theatre credits include: Kit Kat Girl in Cabaret (MAC, Belfast), Heather in Our House (New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich), Jemima The Giants Wife in Jack & The Beanstalk (New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich), Dreamboats & Petticoats (Playhouse Theatre, West End), Beauty in Beauty & The Beast (Coventry Belgrade Theatre), Rita u/ s Rosa & Mary in David Essex's All The Fun Of The Fair (UK Tour 2008/2009), Lambchops and understudying and playing the roles of Serena, Mabel and Miss Bell in Fame (Edinburgh Playhouse and UK Tour), Lambchops in the arena production of Fame (Pattichoun Amphitheatre, Cyprus), Venetian Masquerade (Millenium Point, Birmingham), Swing and understudy to Pam in The Full Monty (UK Tour), Return To The Forbidden Planet (Theatre Royal, Lincoln), Fairy Nuff Dick Whittington (New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich), West End Girls (Jersey Opera House) and KOBA – Man of Steel originating the role of Nadezdha (Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham).
TV Credits: Crimewatch Reconstruction (BBC).
For more information about Nicola, please visit: www.access-uk.com, www.nicolabryan.com, Twitter @TheNicolaBryan
Sarah Bryan - Member from 1988 - 1995
Sarah joined Lichfield Youth Theatre In the late 80's. Her first show was THE GANG SHOW followed by BANANA BOYS and then many, many more productions. Her favourite role was as Sarah Brown in GUYS AND DOLLS directed by the late Pat Gibson. Sarah left LYT and performed with Lichfield Operatics Society before heading of to London in 1995 to study at Italia Conti Academy. 3 months after graduating, Sarah landed the leading role of Miranda in RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (UK Tour and Savoy Theatre, West End). Other theatre work includes Frenchy in GREASE (Jersey Opera House), THE ONE (ITV) and numerous pantomimes and modelling assignments. Sarah set up ACCESS ARTISTE MANAGEMENT LTD in 1999 as a trial business. Now run from her Covent Garden office, it is now considered as one of the top Musical Theatre Agencies representing over 100 artistes working across all sectors of the industry. She lives in Buckhurst Hill, Essex with her fiancé, little boy Elijah and dog named Elvis. Sarah is eternally grateful to LYT for introducing her to this crazy business. Links: www.access-uk.com @AccessLtd @SarahlBryan
Samuel Buttery - Member from 2008 - 2010
Sam has had a busy year acting in film and theatre, and recording music.
After having played Leigh Bowery in the acclaimed 2012/13 production of Boy George's musical TABOO, Sam began working on feature film CHILD 44, with Gary Oldman and Tom Hardy. Sam was delighted to reprise his role as Leigh Bowery in a concert version of TABOO in NYC with the original broadway cast. Sam is also known as a finalist from the original series of BBC1's THE VOICE, when he was mentored by Sir Tom Jones.
After the show he had the great pleasure of appearing on TV programmes including 8 out of 10 cats, Big Brothers Bit On The Side and This Morning.
Siobhan Dillon - Member from 1997 - 1999
Siobhan had roles with Lichfield Youth Theatre in 42nd Street and Little Shop of Horrors as well as numerous productions with her school and Lichfield Operatic Society. She rose to fame when she performed in the British talent show-themed television series How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? on BBC One in 2006.
Since then she has performed in the West End, playing the roles of Patty (her West End Debut in 2007) & later returned in 2010 to play Sandy in the musical Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre. In 2008 she was cast in the musical tour of Can't Smile Without You featuring music by Barry Mnilow. In 2009 she took over from Samantha Barks in the UK Tour of Caberet and then in 2010 she appeared as Vivienne Kensington in the musical Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre. In 2012 Siobhan took over from Caissie Levy in the lead role of Molly Jensen in Ghost the Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre and following that reprised her role of Sally Bowles in the 2013 UK Tour of Caberet opposite Matt Rawle and Will Young. Siobhan is currently appearing in the new West End production of Miss Saigon as Ellen.
Robert Anthony Glynn - Member from 2009 - 2011
Robert took part in several LGYT productions, including his highly acclaimed role playing Angel in "RENT" and also appeared as Bernardo in "West Side Story".
Upon leaving LGYT, Robert has embarked on his professional training in Dance and Professional Musical Theatre at Doreen Bird College. He is now getting ready to go into 2nd year and so has far performed at Move It 2014 as a featured dancer and became the first 1st year to ever get a song solo in the graduates show
Alice Gregr - Member from 1999 - 2002
With LYT Alice performed in shows such as West Side Story, Guys and Dolls and that well known musical Dracula Spectacular! It definitely gave her a taste for performing and she hasn't really stopped since.
Alice now works as a Newsreader and Reporter for the BBC. She has worked as a producer at BBC Radio 5Live and also as a reporter for Midlands Today. It's maybe not a traditional 'arts' career but it certainly requires performance, creativity and an ability to present yourself in live performance situations.
Alongside this, in her spare time Alice also continued with her love of theatre and performance recently winning "Best Amateur Musical Theatre Director in Greater Manchester" for her production of Spend Spend Spend. Alice has also continued gaining more training and performance experience in Ballet.
Of her time with the Youth Theatre, Alice says "Youth Theatre definitely equipped me with skills that I use on a day to day basis, resilience, people skills, confidence and creativity. I also met some of my best friends through Youth Theatre and they remain a massive part of my life to this day. It's therefore been an essential part of my life and success."
Katie Kerr - Member from 1998 - 2004
Katie’s professional debut was as Chiffon in the award winning production of "Little Shop Of Horrors", at the Menier Chocolate Factory which transferred to the West End. She then went on to star in "Fat Pig", as Helen, directed by Neil La Bute also in the West End and has subsequently gone on to perform in several other plays and musicals such as Bridget Baines in "A Chorus of Disapproval "(Uk Tour),Lynne and Sylvia in "Stepping Out" ( Uk Tour),Big Sue in Boy George's TABOO(Brixton Clubhouse),Blow Jo WAG The Musical (West End). Katie has also been in BBC 1 drama "What Remains".
Katie has recently finished flying around the UK and Ireland in the Broadway Phenomenon "Wicked" where she plays Shen Shen and is understudy to Madame Morrible. Currently Katie is playing Hattie in Opera Norths highly acclaimed production of Kiss Me Kate.
Adrian Poynton - Member from 1990-1997
Adrian Poynton is an award winning writer and performer. Beginning as a stand up in 1999 while still at University, Adrian began to make himself known on the stand up circuit of Britain becoming a finalist in The Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award, The Jongleurs Best New Act Award and The Hackney Empire Award all in his first year of performing.
Around this same time Adrian began to start scriptwriting. His first ever short film script, won The Fuji Film New Writers Award in 2000 and from then he just went from strength to strength.
In 2003 Adrian took his full length play A Very Naughty Boy to the Edinburgh Festival. The show won a prestigious Fringe First Award for Adrian’s original script as well as stunning reviews for Adrian who also performed in the play in the role of Graham. A transfer to London’s Soho Theatre followed, then a nationwide tour with the show selling out all over the country to amazing reviews. After the tour Adrian returned to Stand Up and also began writing for several TV companies including Cbeebies, CBBC and The Disney Channel where Adrian worked as one of the lead writers on the shows The Spooky Sisters and Good Morning Roaul.
Adrian returned to Edinburgh in 2004 with his one man play ‘Success’ and again in 2006 his first stand up show ‘The New Rock and Roll’ which gain brilliant praise including several five star reviews. Adrian also continued to act with parts in SWAG on Channel Five as well as appearing as himself as a series regular on the topical, celebrity based comedy show ‘That’s So Last Week’. On top of all of this, Adrian was also working as one of the UK’s most in demand Television Studio Warm ups loved by audiences, producers and directors alike Adrian has worked on some of the countries most high profile, studio based shows.
In 2010 Adrian supported television favourite, Milton Jones on his national support, but writing was always Adrian’s main passion and in it was around this time that things went a little crazy. This was when Adrian began to develop his sitcom White Van Man with ITV studios. The show was bought by BBC Three where it ran for two series to huge critical acclaim. It still holds the record for as the highest rated launch for a sitcom on the channel ever. Now a hugely in demand TV writer Adrian went on to write episodes off Sky One’s sitcom ‘Trollied” and many other TV shows.
In 2012 Adrian moved to Los Angeles, California to oversee an American Remake of his sitcom White Van Man (now called Family Tools). It ran for one season on America’s ABC Network with Adrian producing and writing.
Still in Los Angeles he now has several other (still slightly secretive) projects being developed, including two new TV shows and a movie. Not bad for a boy from the Midlands.
Chloe Pritchard-Gordon - Member from 1996-2001
Chloe worked at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the Pleasance press office in 2006 before becoming press and marketing assistant at West End and touring theatre producer Mark Goucher and part-time marketing executive at West End marketing agency aka. After a year, she became full-time press and marketing manager at Mark Goucher LTD and worked on a variety of West End and touring productions including Footloose, Fame, Saturday Night Fever, High Society, The Complete Works of Shakespeare, The Play What I Wrote and The Vagina Monologues. Chloe joined The Corner Shop PR in November 2008 where she has managed PR campaigns for over 40 West End and touring productions as well as arts events and festivals including A Chorus Line (London Palladium), Spring Awakening (Novello Theatre), Adelaide Festival 2014, The Mountaintop (West End), Death and the Maiden (West End), The King’s Speech (West End and Tour), Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake and Dorian Gray, English National Ballet’s Christmas Season (London Coliseum), Shrek The Musical (Theatre Royal), Norfolk and Norwich Festival, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Yes, Prime Minister (West End and UK Tours), London Olympics 2012 Festival: Piccadilly Circus Circus (Secret Circus).
Current clients include: Disney’s The Lion King, Shakespeare in Love, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Jeeves and Wooster, Wilton’s Music Hall, La Soiree, Theatre Royal Plymouth, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Mousetrap. Links: www.thecornershoppr.com
Jaime Seal - Member from 2008 - 2010
Since leaving LGYT Jaime is about to enter his final year at the Birmingham School of Acting. He also had supporting roles in two feature films, both of which were with the British Youth Film Academy. Jaime played Strato in their modern adaptation of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" which was nominated for an award at the Raindance Film Festival. He also played Noah in their modern adaptation of "Oliver Twist" which was changed to "Olivia Twist".
Jaime has also landed a role in a new Pink Floyd music video which is to be released later this year and has also filmed a couple of adverts which will be broadcast on ITV and Sky. He is very grateful to the LGYT team who gave him the opportunities to perform at the Garrick Theatre. The experiences that Jaime had there has helped him to follow his dreams.
Rosanna Smith - Member from 2009 - 2011
Rosanna attended Bojangles Dance from the age of three and participated in shows with the Lichfield Garrick Youth Theatre including Rent and West Side Story. She gained a place at The London Studio Centre to study Dance and Musical Theatre, graduating in 2013 with both a Diploma and BA (Hons) in Theatre Dance.
During her training she performed in many shows and theatres including Dance overture at The New Wimbledon Theatre, Showcase at the Criterion Theatre Piccadilly in London's West End and Parade at the Pleasance Theatre, where she played the part of Monteen. She was also a Tap dancer on the BBCs One Show choreographed by Arlene Phillips.
Toby-Alexander Smith - Member from 2008 - 2012
Toby-Alexander originally from Lichfield began his journey in Musical Theatre where he took part in a school production at the King Edward VI School. It was from here he decided to take it further and look for other opportunities to perform which is where he discovered the Lichfield Garrick Youth Theatre. From here Toby-Alexander performed in The Wizard of Oz, played Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar and Roger in Rent. The experience he gained from these youth theatre productions gave him the passion and determination to try and start carving a career in the industry. The following year Toby performed in the Lichfield Garrick Theatres own Christmas production of Peter Peter playing in the Ensemble and understudied Peter Pan. After this he then auditioned for the Opus Theatre Company and gained the Role of Drew in Gerry Hinks's comedy 'Chip Off The Block' which toured the midlands as well as playing in the Lichfield Garrick theatre Studio.
Toby then trained at the Arts Educational Schools of London. Whilst training Toby played Prince in Snow White and the seven dwarves (UK Productions) at Tunbridge wells Assembly Halls, Bobby in Company, Lord Tolloller in Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe, Bob Alcorn in Bonnie and Clyde and Robbie in Soho Cinders where he worked very closely with Styles and Drewe. He performed on stage alongside Kerry Ellis and Brian May in a concert at the London Palladium as well as singing at the Olivier Awards in 2013 where sung on stage with Matthew Morrison and Michael ball and then again in 2014 where he sung with Benny and Bjorn and the cast of Mamma Mia with was shown on ITV. Toby left The Arts Educational School earlier this year after he succeeded in auditioning for the Re-Cast of Mamma Mia where he is currently performing in the West End and understudying one of the lead roles, Sky. He recently performed with the cast at West End life in Trafalgar Square.
Alex Wadham - Member from 1999 - 2003
Alex was a member of Lichfield Youth Theatre from 1999 to 2003. His favourite parts were Young Mariner in Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Dracula in Dracula Spectacular, and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors. He attended Scotch Orchard and Nether Stowe School and performed with Shakespeare in the Park, Intimate Theatre, Class Act, at LRAP, FUSE, and with the Staffordshire Youth Brass Band and Wind Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall and internationally. Alex also played with local bands Maritza and AFD Shift.
Alex trained as an actor at Guildford School of Acting where he won the Postgraduate Acting Prize, following a degree at Aberystwyth University.
He has been performing professionally since 2009. His career highlights include Crazy For You (London Palladium), Christmas Carol (Lichfield Garrick), The Science of Attraction (Channel 4), the London Sci-Fi Film Festival, If I Were You (Bill Kenwright), Wind in the Willows (Cambridge Touring Theatre), Buddy: the Buddy Holly Story (Ovation Productions), Gangster in Kiss Me Kate and Bottom in A Midsummer Nights Dream (GSA), and Leontes in A Winter's Tale (Aberystwyth University). He has most recently been working with the prestigious German company AIDA Cruises performing all over the world in 5 languages.
Alex would like to thank the Lichfield Conduit Lands Trust for their gracious support towards his training.
Louie Westwood - Member from 2009 - 2011
Louie was a member of LGYT from 2009-2011 and appeared in Rent, West Side Story, as 'Willard' in Footloose and as 'Mr Bumble' in Oliver. Louie has recently appeared as Uriel in the UK Premiere of Arthur Millers only musical Up From Paradise at The New Wimbledon Theatre. Louie trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, graduating with a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre. Credits whilst training include 'Roger DeBris' in The Producers, 'Captain Walker' in The Who's Tommy, 'Brunhilde' in new musical Yusupov, as well as featured roles in The Beggars Opera, Enron, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Out There (a new musical by James Bourne and Elliot Davis), Half a Sixpence and City of Angels.
Krystian Wharton - Member from 1990 - 1996
Krystian started performing at the age of 4yrs, where he helped to perform Marionette Puppet shows at children’s birthdays, and taking on his first main roll at 7 years old. He had heard about the Lichfield Youth Theatre and joined a few years later. Krystian believes the best days of his life were with LYT, and even directed his first show (Bugsy Malone) and led his first puppet workshop with them.
Training in a BTEC National Diploma in Theatre and Performance Krystian learnt to perfect his talent. Puppetry was still a great aspect of his life and before commencing a full time professional acting course, Krystian landed his first professional 12 month contract, aboard the ‘Costa Riviera’ with the Ultra Violet Puppetry Company ‘Corlett Charcters’ and never stopped since.
Krystian took over the Company in 2011 and re named the company “Groovy UV”. as the businesses grew over the the last year Krazy Krys & Friends Entertainments came alive offering different types of entertainment from Puppet/ magic shows to Pantomimes and now offer Workshops in Puppetry, acting, movement and improvisation skills. Now with over 18yrs professional experience Krystian has performed in many theaters and venues across the world. Links: www.krazykrys.co.uk
