BEHIND THE SCENES
MEET THE BILLY ELLIOT CREATIVE TEAM
DIRECTOR
Anna Kerrigan
CHOREOGRAPHER
Lauren Harvey
Anna trained at Bretton Hall in the UK and gained a BA (Hons) in Theatre Acting in 2002. As an actor Anna has worked with a number of companies in the UK and Australia including Wigan Pier Theatre Company where she was a company member for two years, Whiplash Theatre Company (Production: Oh What a Lovely War), Powerhouse Theatre (Production: Company) Experimental Theatre (Productions: East, A Doll's House) Pickles Productions (Production: Schools Tour), Catapult Theatre Company (Production: Catapult Cream) and the New Theatre (Productions: A Servant of Two Masters, Bazaar and Rummage).She has also featured in a number of short films and commercials and has extensive experience as a vocalist with various bands and acoustic duos.
As a director Anna has worked with Wigan Pier Theatre Company, Barking Gecko Youth Theatre Company, Tantrum Theatre Company, Mad Cow Theatre Company, Australian Theatre for Young People, Stone Gang Show (Musical Direction) and as an assistant director for Sydney Theatre Company.
Anna has worked extensively in the youth theatre sector for over 20 years with companies such as Barking Gecko Theatre Co (Participation Co-ordinator), Tantrum Theatre Co (Workshop Co-ordinator) and Australian Theatre for Young People (Workshop Manager) before joining the ASPIRE program as Artistic Director in 2012. Anna was also selected to be part of Melbourne Theatre Company's 2018 Women in Theatre Program.
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MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Dan Wilson
Dan is currently the Head Teacher of Creative & Performing Arts at Lambton High School. Dan is most known in Newcastle as the Musical Director and Conductor of Starstruck at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, for which he was nominated for the Telstra ARIA Award for Music Teacher of the year.
He has also conducted productions of Jersey Boys, Chess, Mamma Mia!, Rock Of Ages, The Witches Of Eastwick, Into The Woods, Disney’s High School Musical, Oliver, Grease, Annie, Wuthering Heights and Jesus Christ Superstar. In Sydney, he has played in the orchestra for the Original Australian productions of Disney’s Beauty And The Beast, The Phantom Of The Opera, Wicked, Disney’s The Lion King and Side By Side By Sondheim.
In 2013, he was the Music Producer and Assistant to John Foreman for the Special Olympics Opening Ceremony. As an arranger, he has provided arrangements for the Hunter Singers, Silvie Paladino, Marina Prior, Erin James, Tyran Parke, Lucy Durack, Debra Byrne, Avagail Herman and the casts of Wicked and Love Never Dies.
Dan has also been Musical Director for The Rumour’s You Oughta Know: The Songs Of Alanis Morrisette, In The Air Tonight: A Night Of Phil Collins and, most recently, B & B: A Night Of Benny And Bjorn, starring Silvie Paladino. Dan is the resident Musical Director for The Very Popular Theatre Company.
Lauren is a theatre creator with over 15 years experience in the arts. Although she has immersed herself in many different aspects of performing arts, she is now proud to specialise in working with young performers. Whilst she started her career on stage, you can now find her peeking through the curtain to see her creations come to life. Lauren is a choreographer, director, vocal coach, performer, and costume creator. It is this broad range of skills that help her nurture young people to become all round performers.
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Some of Laurens credits have included Grease, Spamalot and Oklahoma.
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Lauren has worked extensively with Anna Kerrigan on the ASPIRE program over the last 10 years. As a team, they have delivered large scale musical events that have allowed access for 100's of young people to participate in the performing arts.
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Most recently, Lauren co-directed and choreographer Seussical the Musical for Hunter Drama at the Civic Theatre.
SOUND/LIGHTING DESIGN
Jacob Harwood
Jacob is Newcastle's favourite lighting designer. He does all the big stuff like Jersey Boys, Chess (The Very Popular Theatre Company), Mamma Mia! (The Very Popular Theatre Company), Rock of Ages (Hunter Drama), Oliver! (Hunter Drama), Phantom Of The Opera (Metropolitan Players), Strictly Ballroom (St Philip’s Christian College), Hairspray (Metropolitan Players), Mary Poppins (Metropolitan Players), Wicked (Metropolitan Players), Shrek The Musical (Hunter Drama), Disney’s Aladdin Jr (Hunter Drama), Rent (Hunter Drama) and Disney’s Beauty And The Beast (Metropolitan Players).
He is a versatile designer, also having designed for small scale plays at the Civic Playhouse, including The Very Popular Theatre Company’s Endgame.
Jacob is a multi-CONDA Award winning lighting designer. He has many other areas of expertise in the technical arena and has also spent time filling the role of Technical Manager at the Civic Theatre.