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NEWS OF NYMT ALUMNI
The success stories go on and on….
It is difficult to see a film these days which doesn’t include at least one past member of the National Youth Music Theatre in the cast – indeed, in the recent SWEENEY TODD directed by Tim Burton there were no less than three – all playing leading roles – namely ED SAUNDERS (2005-6) playing TOBIAS, LAURA MICHELLE-KELLY (1996-8) playing LUCY and JAMIE BOWER (2002-3) playing ANTHONY HOPE. JIM STURGESS (1993-5) has been busy over the past couple of years playing the lead opposite Kevin Spacey in 21. He is executed in dramatic style in THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL (playing opposite Scarlett Johansen) and, last year, played the lead in Julie Traymor’s fine film ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. BEN BARNES (1996-2001) is soon to be seen by the world as PRINCE CASPIAN in the first of the NARNIA trilogy and busiest of the lot is SALLY HAWKINS ( 1994 – 7) currently hailed in her latest film (of many) Mike Leigh’s triumph, HAPPY GO LUCKY, for which she won Best Actress award at the Berlin Film Festival. Released on 16th April. (The film also includes a delightful cameo from ELLIOT COWAN (1993-5) (Sally was also in VERA DRAKE and ALL OR NOTHING for Mike Leigh). She has also just finished filming CASSANDRA’S DREAM with Woody Allen. MIKE JIBSON, (1995-200) is appearing in THE BANK JOB and next appears in feature film RED MIST before playing PUCK at Shakespeare’s Globe.
More in the theatre include. KAT PERRET, (2004-5), MELISSA GORDON (2004 -5) and DAVID WITTS (2004 -5) all of whom are in the new production of THE RAGGED CHILD at the ROSE THEATRE in Kingston. SHERIDAN SMITH (1994 -2000) currently playing Vanessa in ‘Tinderbox’ at the Bush Theatre which opens on 23 April 2008.
is in between appearances on GAVIN AND STACEY. GLORIA ONITIRI (1999- 2003) has returned to a leading role in THE LION KING, and LAURA MICHELLE-KELLY is currently in AMERICAN BUFFALO and SPEED THE PLOW at The Old Vic playing opposite KEVIN SPACEY following her appearances in LORD OF THE RINGS and PARADE.
Other news:
KONNIE HUQ (1990) recently left BLUE PETER as the longest running presenter. She carried the Olympic torch through London on Sunday 6th April. KATY HALL (2005 -8) survived the first cut in I’D DO ANYTHING. FRANCESCA JACKSON (1996 – 8) –in the final 9 Nancy’s on BBC TV1’s I’d Do Anything’ to become Nancy in ‘Oliver’ She recently played Joanne opposite Denise van Outen in the West End production of ‘Rent’. TARA WILLIAMS (1996-8) Made it to the final 10 on BBC1’s I’d Do Anything to become Nancy in ‘Oliver’
HANNAH SPEARITT (1995-8) recently appeared in the 2nd series of PRIMEVAL on ITV1. MATT LUCAS (1987) is currently filming LITTLE BRITAIN in the States and DOMINIC TIGHE (1993-2002) is enjoying international success with the singing group BLAKE.
And on they go .. and on…
SALLY HAWKINS – Best Actor Award Berlin Film Festival 2008 As Poppy in Mike Leigh film ‘Happy Go Lucky’ general release from 16 April 2008. EMMA MANTON – Chichester Festival production now in Toronto of ‘Nicholas Nickleby’. She was in the Ricky Gervais award winning series ‘The Office’. TOM HOLLANDER – Currently filming ‘The Soloist’ with Robert Downey Jr and Jamie Foxx Directed by Joe Wright. LOUISE CLAYTON – Currently playing Linda in ‘Blood Brothers’ at the Phoenix Theatre. STEPHEN PALFREMAN – Currently playing Mickey in ‘Blood Brothers’ at the Phoenix Theatre. Jasper Britton – Currently playing the Lead in ‘Fram’ at the National Theatre. JOHNNY LEE MILLER – In US drama series playing the title role ‘Eli Stone’. He also ran the London Marathon on Sunday 13 April 2008.
JUDE LAW – Currently filming ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’ with Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Christopher Plummer and the late Heath Ledger. JAMIE BELL – has just finished filming ‘Defiance’ with Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber. Has just been seen in the sci-fi thriller ‘Jumper’ with Hayden Christensen and Samuel L Jackson that was released in February 2008.
CONNIE FISHER – Has been filming the ITV drama ‘Caught in a Trap’ to air in October.
TOM CHAMBERS – Has being playing Sam Strachan in ‘Holby City’ since 2006.
AMY NUTTALL – Currently starring as Sally Bowles in the West End production of ‘Cabaret’.
KERRY ELLIS – Currently playing Elphaba in the West End production of ‘Wicked’ having also played the role of Glinda. TIFFANY GRAVES – Played Velma Kelly in ‘Chicago’ and recently was in the UK tour of ‘Godspell’. MATTHEW BOURNE – Will be choreographer and co-director of Cameron Mackintosh’s production of ‘Oliver’ at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
DOMINIC TIGHE – Has been nominated for the Sunday Times and National Theatre award for outstanding performances by actors aged under 30 in a classical role for his performance as the Tailor and the Widow in ‘The Taming of the Shrew’. Blake have been nominated for the NS & I ‘Album of the Year’ Classical Brit Awards 2008. These will be announced on 8th May at the Royal Albert Hall. Blake are releasing their debut album in Japan this spring and then will be touring the UK this summer with Katherine Jenkins.
Blake’s 2nd album will be released at the end of the summer.
Folks
- we’ve got them surrounded!!! Keep sending in
information about any ex NYMTers you know of who are
still doing their stuff. We’d love to hear from
you. |
At
the moment, every auditorium at the National has an ex
NYMTer at work. Tom Hollander (1981-1983) is playing
the lead in Joe Penhall’s new play, Landscape
with Weapon at The Cottesloe while Gareth Fry
(1996) has designed the sound for Attempts On
Her Life and Danny Nutt (1989–1993) is
in Philistines (both in the Lyttleton), and meanwhile Chike
Okonkwo (1998-2003) is in A Matter Of Life And
Death in the Olivier. Will Keane (1987)
is in Kiss Of The Spider Woman at the Donmar. Connie
Fisher (1999-2001) along with Neil McDermott (1996-2000) is
keeping the Palladium full with The Sound Of Music.
Congratulations to James Bisp (2001-2003) who
has just been cast as ‘Asher’ in the new
production of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour
Dreamcoat and high praise to Mark Pickering (1995–1999) for
his stunning performance in the title role of The
Elephant Man at The Trafalgar Studios. Susan Salmon
(1989) is at The Almeida Theatre in Big White
Fog. Kerry Ellis (1990) and Oliver Tomsett
(1998) are beyond the rainbow at The Victoria Apollo
in Wicked. Choreographer Peter Darling
(1977), is keeping Greg Bradley (1994), Stuart
Neal (1998-2002), Nicky Searle (1984), Darren
Carnall (1997) and Laura Michelle –Kelly
(1996) on their toes in Lord Of The Rings at
the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, while Laura Michelle-Kelly has
been spending daytimes at Pinewood as Lucy filming Sweeney
Todd (with Johnny Depp) in which Jamie Bower (2000) and Eddie
Saunders (2006) are both featuring as ‘Anthony
Hope’
and ‘Tobias’. Amy Nuttal (1994-1997) is
currently in Boeing Boeing at The Comedy Theatre. Gloria
Onitiri (1999-2003) is still resident on Avenue Q at
the Noel Coward and Rae Baker (1988-1991) is in Dirty
Dancing at The Aldwych. Soon to open at the Royal Opera
House (Linbury Studio) is Into The Woods with Lara
Pulver (1993–1995) and Nic Greensheilds (1992-1995) in
the cast. Sean Selby (1996) is in Fame at The
Shaftesbury Theatre and Chris Lennon (1990-1991) is
still in Billy Elliot at The Victoria Palace, (choreographed
by Peter Darling). Emma Cunniffe (1988-1990) has
enjoyed huge success in The Entertainer at The Old
Vic. Gina Beck (1998-2000) continues as ‘Cosette’
in Les Misérables at The Queen’s and Sheridan
Smith (1994-2000) is wowing audiences as ‘Audrey’ in Little
Shop Of Horrors at The Duke of York’s. Toby
Jones (1981-1983) mustn’t be missed in the new
film The Painted Veil and Stephen Graham (1990-1993) leads
a wonderful cast in The Face Of Britain. Jude Law
(1986–1990) has just seen his new film Blueberry
Nights open at Cannes and Sleuth is due out later
this year. On the small screen, Tom Chambers (1995-1997) continues
as ‘Sam Strachan’ in Holby City and Michael
Jibson (1995-2000) has just landed a major role in the
new Maltby & Shire musical, Take Flight due at
The Chocolate Factory later in the year.
Folks
- we’ve got them surrounded!!! Keep sending in
information about any ex NYMTers you know of who are
still doing their stuff. We’d love to hear from
you. |
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