Our Teachers
Andrew
Wright
I.S.T.D. DDI. DDE.
Co-Director
Musical Theatre Tutor & Resident Director
Andrew trained professionally at Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom, Surrey, graduating as head boy with a professional diploma in Musical Theatre, Dance and Drama. Since graduating Andrew has worked for Disney as a lead male and appeared in various professional pantomimes for QDOS. He has also appeared in films and on TV, his last professional performance was in the UK tour of Chicago as ensemble & 1st cover to Amos Hart & Mary Sunshine.
Since leaving the stage Andrew has moved into teaching, direction and choreography. He is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for Musical Theatre Performance at The University of Chichester, Principal and Co-Director of The Academy of Musical Theatre in Portsmouth and has held an artistic residency at The Salisbury Playhouse. Andrew was also appointed as Course Leader and Director of the Mayflower Musical Youth Theatre and between September 2013 and July 2014, he initiated and developed the programme for its inaugural year.
Credits include:
Choreography; The Snow Queen (Royal & Derngate), Cinderella, Snow White, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Jesus Christ Superstar, Beauty and the Beast, Pippin, Pirates of Penzance, The Magic Flute, Spring Awakening, Cats and Sweeney Todd.
Direction; Jekyll and Hyde, Children of Eden, The Little Mermaid, Legally Blonde, Kings Theatre’s 110th Anniversary Gala, Parade, Seussical, Guys and Dolls, HONK!, Fame, Just So, Sorry Wrong Number, Sparkleshark, DNA, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Annie, Cats and Into The Woods.
Producing: Edges, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Sweeney Todd, The Producers, Earthquakes in London, Footloose, Loveplay, Legally Blonde, Stags and Hens, Parade, Gulliver’s Travels (World Premiere), Decade, The Wedding Singer, Dracula (World Premiere), Little Women, Notre Dame (World Premiere), Pornography, The Addams Family, Forever Oz (World Premiere), Jekyll and Hyde and The Stationmaster (World Premiere).
Andrew is currently studying for an MA(Ed), he has a Post-Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching for Higher Education and is also accredited as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). Andrew has a passion for teaching all aspects of the theatre and developing talent within his students. He is thrilled to be working within and educating others in the world of theatre and dedicates all his hard work and effort to his three young children, who are his greatest achievement to date!
Caroline
Bennett
Caroline is a musical theatre performer and vocalist who has been performing for various companies in the South-East for the past 20 years. She has played the lead roles in Anything Goes, Follies, Shrek the Musical, Beauty and the Beast and Chess to name a few.
Caroline studied piano from the age of 7, achieving Grade 8 in ABRSM examinations. She has previously worked at Stagecoach Brighton teaching singing and movement to the Early Stages, before becoming Co-Director of AMT. She also works as Marketing Manager for the Regis Centre in Bognor Regis.
She has been running the school, together with Andrew Wright since 2011- pulling the focus firmly on to musical theatre training. The school has performed major musical theatre productions at professional venues across the South East.
Co-Director
Singing Tutor & Resident Musical Director
Jo Abbott
Jo began dancing at the age of 5 at Djanita School of Dance in Portsmouth. She continued training up to the age of 18 taking classes in all styles of dance, including Modern, Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Ballroom, Latin, and Old Time.
Jo successfully passed her IDTA, ISTD and RAD exams whilst also gaining a place with the Portsmouth Players, appearing in many musicals such as Oklahoma, White Horse Inn, Pajama Game, Brigadoon, Calamity Jane and Jesus Christ Superstar. Not a stranger to dance companies in the area, she performed with the Portsmouth Youth Dance Company and came first in the South Hants dance finals.
As a teacher she began her training as an assistant and eventually became a tutor for her local school, however as a busy mother of three, with a part time job as a hairdresser, she decided to put her teaching endeavours on hold. Jo at present works at Copnor Infant School and we are delighted that she has finally put her dancing shoes back on to join our teaching staff at the Academy.
Rainbows/Musical Theatre/Ballet/Tap Tutor
Ellie
Thomas
Ballet/Tap/Musical Theatre Tutor
Ellie began dancing at the age of 3, studying ISTD Modern Stage, Tap, Ballet and Jazz and later
studying styles such as Contemporary, Greek and Commercial. She realised her love for the art at a very young age and went on to take part in various shows and competitions whilst at school. She continued her dance training up to the age of 18, whilst also studying both Drama Studies and Musical Theatre at Sixth Form College. When at college, Ellie developed her passion for Musical Theatre and performing which encouraged her to continue her training at a more professional level.
Ellie went on to study at the University of Chichester and graduated with a First Class Honours
Degree in Musical Theatre Performance. Whilst at uni Ellie was fortunate enough to get cast in a
number of large scale productions where she worked with various successful choreographers and directors, of whom she feels she has learnt a lot from and have inspired her creatively.
Since leaving uni, Ellie’s passion for teaching and choreography has grown and she is now
undertaking her DDE teaching qualifications in ISTD Modern, Tap and Ballet, whilst working as a
dance teacher at various local dance schools. She is delighted to be a part of AMT and looks forward to sharing her passion and knowledge with such an enthusiastic school.
Dotty
Evans
Ballet/Tap/Modern/
Musical Theatre Tutor
Dotty began dancing at the age of 3 where she studied BBO and IDTA Ballet, Tap and Modern and later studied Lyrical, Contemporary, Commercial, Street Dance and Ballroom/Latin. Dotty continued to take her grades in all her dance styles, whilst further developing technique and performance until the age of 18. During her time in school and further education, Dotty competed in dance festivals, took part in various shows and developed a passion for musical theatre. Musical Theatre performance credits include: Ghost, Strictly Musicals, Into The Woods, West Side Story, Legally Blonde, 9 to 5, Sweeney Todd, Jekyll and Hyde, Wedding Singer, Rock of Ages, Chess, Grease,.
Dotty went on to study at the University of Chichester Conservatoire and graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Musical Theatre Performance. Dotty worked with various, successful professionals on multiple productions at the University as both a performer and as a creative member. Dotty was fortunate enough to choreograph and musically direct large-scale showcases at the University and further expand her knowledge in choreography and Musical direction whilst shadowing leading professionals.
In addition to studying dance, Dotty studied piano from the age of 4 achieving Grade 8 in ABRSM and TRINITY examinations. Dotty gained her GCSE Music and A-Level Music, as well as completing her music theory grades and MT singing grades through college. Dotty also plays a wider range of instruments including brass instruments, wind instruments, guitar and bass.
Dotty is currently studying for her DDE in Modern, Ballet and Tap as well as training at the University of Southampton to be a NMC registered Children’s Nurse with speciality. Dotty has a passion for teaching and working with children; she is delighted to be working at AMT helping to share her knowledge, have lots of fun and help work with children on all aspects of musical theatre and dance.
Lauren
Hayes
Private Singing Tutor
Lauren has loved singing and performing from a very young age, kickstarted by attending a musical theatre group called FASBAT from the age of 8 to the end of her school studies. She took part in many shows with them and performed in pantomimes with Quince Players who have connections with the company. She attended Sixth Form College Farnborough to study Performing Arts BTEC which developed her passion for performing and musical theatre even more. During this time she worked to improve her classical singing which she’d started age 11 with ABRSM, and she achieved her Grade 8 Singing and Grade 5 Theory at the end of sixth form.
Lauren then went on to study at the University of Chichester Conservatoire and this year in October will be graduating with a First Class Honours Degree in Musical Theatre Performance. She was lucky enough to be involved in full scale productions and new musical workshops with MTP and also co-music directed their 3rd year Freshers showcase where she gained lots of experience in leading vocal warm-ups, arranging music, teaching close harmony work and working on individual solos and duets. Lauren also had the opportunity to perform in the ensemble of Bob Christianson’s “A Christmas Carol - The Concert”. This had earlier premiered at the university and the year after toured around London and Hampshire, ending in the West End at St John’s Smith Square.
During her time at university, Lauren was involved with the "Sleepy Lagoon Orchestra" as a lead vocalist where she got to perform at venues such as Goodwood Festival of Speed and many other private functions. She gained lots of performing experience from this particularly in the jazz/swing solo singing genre, but also with close harmony work when she joined the in-house 5 part Andrews Sisters style singing group “The Lagunas”. She also had the privilege of going on tour with Sleepy Lagoon as well as with her choir to different venues across the UK as well as France and Germany.
She has always had an interest in teaching music in some form within her performing career, and is so excited to be part of the AMT team teaching 121 singing. She can’t wait to help the wonderful students here find their passion for the arts, achieve their goals and dreams within musical theatre, and hopefully instil a new or extended love of singing.
Olivia
Robinson
Modern/Tap Tutor