FACULTY

BECKY HARRISON

Co - Principal

Training: MA Musical Theatre, Royal Academy of Music.

Guest teacher and director for Italia Conti, Leeds Conservatoire, and Winchester University.

A multifaceted artist and educator with nearly two decades of experience in performing arts education, Becky is a dedicated tutor as well as theatre director and choreographer. Beyond directing and choreography, she brings a wealth of performance experience to the table, which ranges from musicals, pantomimes, commercials, voiceovers, screen acting and function band singing. This vast experience transfers well into performance coaching in all performance disciplines. Becky doesn't just stop at the arts; with a degree in Astrophysics, she seamlessly blends scientific curiosity with artistic flair. With expertise in workshopping new musicals, she is constantly pushing boundaries and exploring the intersection of science and art which she is delighted to be bringing to Affinity College. As the Resident Director of the yearly musical at the Royal Grammar School, Becky orchestrates productions involving over 150 students, showcasing a passion for musicals that extends beyond the classroom. Becky has also worn the hat of an agent, providing a unique perspective on the industry. With an impressive career that spans education, performance, direction, and science Becky is delighted to have already guided many students into a successful performing arts career.

LISA WILKINSON

Co - Principal

Training: Stella Mann College

As an accomplished figure in performing arts , Lisa a wealth of experience as a dance specialist in primary and secondary schools. Before opening her part time theatre school, Trinity Theatre Arts, she was director of a High Wycombe-based theatre school for over a decade. With a background in professional performance spanning 12 years, she adds a unique dimension to her roles. Lisa's expertise extends to GCSE dance instruction and previous management of a full-time college offering BTEC Courses for ages 16-18. As the director of Trinity Arts Agency, she pioneers opportunities for young talents, aged 4 and above, in TV, Film, Voiceovers, and West End Shows.

BRADLEY SALTER

Dance

Training: Bird College

Dance credits include: SummerTime ball, The BRIT Awards, MTV EMA Awards, The Voice UK, X-Factor, Britain’s got Talent, ITV’s Dancing on Ice, The Queen’s 90th & 95th Birthday. Milan Fashion Week. As well for multiple artists: Janet Jackson, Robbie Williams, Dua Lipa, Anne-Marie, Lewis Capaldi, Mable, David Guetta, Bebe Rehax and Sam Ryder.

Screen credits include: Bridgeton Seasons 1,2 & 3, Disney, Universal Pictures, Netflix original 'Jingle Jangle', ITV’s Victoria and modelling for River Island.

Also teaches at Laines and Bird College

SOPHIE HIND

Dance

Training: Performers College

Credits include: dance captain for artist HRVY for 7 years appearing on many tv shows and arena tours across the World, Capitals Jingle and Summertime Balls, Radio 1 Teen Awards, The Voice, Blue Peter. She has also danced with artists Take That, Little Mix, Dua Lipa, James Arthur, Jonas Blue on various shows like X factor and The Brits.

Movies credits: Wonder Woman and Justice League as a stunt and stunt doubled Lara Croft in the new Tomb Raider.

Commercials credits include: Nike, House of Fraser, Apple Watch, Sunkissed

In her spare time Sophie works with artists choreographing and teaching them dance and staging. She loves to share her knowledge and pass on her experience with young striving performers.

CLAIRE DEARDS

Singing and Drama

Training: London College of Music

Claire has been teaching singing and drama for 10 years. She attained a First Class Honors Degree in Musical Theatre from the London College of Music. During her time training there, she made her west end debut in “Luck of the Draw”. As much as Claire enjoys performing on the stage, teaching is her chosen calling. She has been teaching private singing and drama lessons ever since and teaches at multiple performing arts schools. She thrives on helping her students grow in confidence and become the most amazing performers that they can be.

SAMMI LEE JAYNE

Dance

Training: Urdang Academy

Credits include: dua lipa world tour, choreo assistant for anne marie uk europe tour, zara larsson uk/european tour, french montana, Rihanna, Meghan Trainor, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Rita Ora’s summer festival tour, Little Mix, Fleur East, Ameriie, Jessie J, X-Factor , EMA awards, Brit awards, movies and many more...

Sammi also teaches part time at The Urdang Academy and teaches workshops around the country and internationally

ANDREW WALKER

Guest Teacher

Training: Performance Preperation Academy (PPA)

Theatre credits include: The Wizard Of Oz (TheLeicester Curve); ReHab – The Musical (Playground Theatre); The Rhythmics (Southwark Playhouse); From Here (Chiswick

Playhouse); European Premiere of BKLYN – The Musical(Greenwich Theatre); Jerry Springer – The Opera (Hope Mill Theatre); World Premiere of Bat Out of Hell – The

Musical (London Coliseum/Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto); HAIR (Hope Mill Theatre), Out of The Lens (Waterloo EastTheatre);This Is the Greatest Show (UK Tour) and Snow

White & the Seven Dwarfs (Nottingham Theatre Royal).

TV and Film credits include: The Muppets Most Wanted (Walt Disney Pictures); Buzzcut Make Me the Moon

(MUBl) and Derren Brown’s Ghost Train (Figment Productions/Merlin Entertainment).

LIZZIE BEA

Guest Teacher

Training: National Youth Theatre, National Youth Music Theatre & National Student Drama Festival.

Theatre credits include Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act (Hammersmith Apollo and UK Tour), Martha Dunnstock in Heathers (The Other Palace), Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray (London Coliseum), Ensemble in A Christmas Carol (Dominion Theatre), Abigail Henson in the World Premiere of Becoming Nancy (Alliance Theatre, Atlanta), Pat in Kinky Boots (UK Tour), u/s Kelly, Betty & Val in Fat Friends the Musical (UK Tour, Rose in Dino Story and DuckyDaddles in Chicken Little (From Page to Stage - The Other Palace).

Recordings include Little Bo Frilly in The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Stiles and Drewe), Ella in Where’s Charley’s Aunt? And Flo Bates in Half a Sixpence (Demo Recordings - Both for Cameron Mackintosh Ltd).

ALEX JAMES ELLISON

Guest Teacher

Training: Mountview and BRIT School

Alex has worked extensively in the arts as a performer, musical director, writer and teacher.

As a performer, his credits include Fiver (Southwark Playhouse), the Coffeeshop Musical (UK Tour), The Secret Garden (Barn Theatre), Aliens Love Underpants (Dominion Theatre/UK Tour), Mia and Me (Nickelodeon) and the original cast of Disney The Castle.

RICHARD UPTON

Guest Teacher

Training: MA Musical Theatre, Royal Academy of Music,

Richard has enjoyed working all over the world in theatre, having toured as far as Australia, performing as Frankie Valli in ‘The Four Seasons’, and most recently understudying and playing Sam, Harry and Bill in ‘Mamma Mia!’ throughout the USA and the Caribbean (RCCL).

Richard has also performed closer to home in productions including Zorro (Cadogan Hall, London), Aladdin (New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich) and as Harry in ‘BRASS’, awarded ‘Best New Musical’ at the UK Theatre Awards (Hackney Empire, London).

Having originally studied chemistry at UCL, Richard is currently taking a small hiatus from performing and can be found working at the Godolphin and Latymer school in Hammersmith, London, as the Head of Chemistry.

HARRIET CAPLAN-DEAN

Guest Teacher

Training: Urdang Academy

Theatre Credits include:

•Tinkerbell The musical (Workshop)

•Cinderella -Theatre Royal Bath

•SIX The musical UK Tour & West End

•Coffee Shop the musical

Tv:

•Sticks & Stones- Coronation street short.

•X-Factor Ghost Singer vocals.

STEPHEN HYDE

Guest Teacher

Training: BA Hons in Music, Oxford University; Chetham’s School of Music

Stephen is a Cumbrian writer, composer and director. He is co-founder / composer of music theatre company leo&hyde, who combine electronic, pop sound-worlds with contemporary stories to create a fresh style of modern musical. He is also co-founder and Artistic Director of actor-musician company The Three Inch Fools, with whom he has directed, scripted and created scores for numerous outdoor shows since 2015.

Credits include: Body Swap (National Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stafford Gatehouse); The Gunpowder Plot (UK tour); The Marriage of Kim K (Arcola Theatre & The Lowry); GUY (Hope Mill Theatre); The Coffee Shop Musical (The Other Palace); The New Musketeers (Trinity Theatre); The Vanishing (Muncaster Castle) and Robin Hood (Devonshire Park Theatre, UK tour).