In the 'House Seats'
This podcast brings you interviews with people working in the entertainment industry discussing about all aspects of onstage performing or backstage production. Ideas as a prospective performer through to what an adjudicator, choreographer or casting director might look for when you are delivering your performance piece.
Hosted by Craig Bartley who is a performer and choreographer, who has appeared in West End and Broadway productions ranging from 42nd Street (Original cast at Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Me & My Girl (Adelphi Theatre), La Cage Aux Follies (Palladium Theatre), Mack And Mabel in concert (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and Man of La Mancha (Peacock Theatre) of which he recorded the cast albums for both ‘Mack And Mabel’ and ‘Man of La Mancha’. He also spent more than two and a half years playing the part of ‘Doody’ in the hit musical ‘Grease’ where he received the Golden Quiff Award for best performance, which was presented by the late Victoria Wood.
He also appeared in two Royal Variety Performances at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane for the BBC and ITV and 'A Royal Performance' at the Adelphi Theatre.
Craig’s experience has enabled him to travel the globe extensively whilst being involved in performing, choreographing, directing and producing for the inaugural production set up for most of the World’s leading cruise lines. As well as performing, Craig has taught specialist classes at Mountview, Millenium, Urdang, Elmhurst and Red Roofs Theatre School. He was also the full-time Course Director and co-Principal of his own successful Starquest Performers College.
He still runs and teaches at Starquest Performing Arts encouraging children from two and a half to 18 to act, sing and dance.
He hopes this podcast will help and inspire existing and especially newly graduated creatives just what challenges lie in store and what the highs and lows are for people within the performing arts industry. If you like this podcast then please leave us a 5 star review on iTunes podcasts.
In the 'House Seats'
Ep23: Alison Pollard, West End performer, choreographer, creative and director
Alison is Associate Director on THE BOOK OF MORMON (London and International Tour). In 2021 Alison will direct the UK/International tour of DREAMGIRLS and will be Associate Director on the Broadway transfer of MEAN GIRLS.
Director: CHICAGO (International Tour), SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (National Tour), SPAMALOT (Melbourne, Australia and Cologne, Germany), ENGLISH HERITAGE AWARDS (Palace Theatre), SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - THE MUSICAL (UK Tour), ROBIN HOOD AND THE BABES IN THE WOOD(Palace Theatre, Mansfield) and CHICAGO (Marrakech and Turkey).
Director and Choreographer: Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (5 Year International Tour), SNOW WHITE (Wycombe Swan), SLEEPING BEAUTY, PETER PAN, CINDERELLA, SNOW WHITE (Churchill, Bromley) and WAG! (Charing Cross Theatre).
Associate Director on DREAMGIRLS (Savoy Theatre), LOVE NEVER DIES (Adelphi Theatre), SPAMALOT (Palace Theatre), CHICAGO (Adelphi and Cambridge Theatre), MY ONE AND ONLY (Piccadilly Theatre), RENT (Prince of Wales Theatre & UK Tour), NAPOLEON (Shaftesbury Theatre), BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Dominion Theatre and UK Tour), SHOWBOAT (Prince Edward Theatre), TOMMY (Shaftesbury Theatre, and U.K. Tour), AIN'T MISBEHAVIN’ (Lyric Theatre), THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW – 30th Anniversary Tour, THE NEW ROCKY HORROR SHOW (Victoria Palace), THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (UK Tour and European Tour) and BARNUM (UK Tour).
Alison choreographed EASTENDERS - 3 episodes (BBC1), HIGH SPIRITS (Bridewell Theatre), AFTER THE FAIR (Kings Head Theatre), ME AND MY GIRL, ASPECTS OF LOVE, BOYBAND and CAROUSEL (Palace Theatre, Westcliff).
Alison is married to director Jon Emmanuel and they have a son, Jack, a daughter, Olivia and a dog, Molly.