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'
Ep 49: Leon Craig, West End performer and pantomime star.
Leon studied at Guildford School of Acting.
Leon's theatre credits include: Sandra Bollock - Everybodys talking about Jamie (Apollo Theatre) West End, Babkak/Cover Genie - Aladdin (Prince Edward Theatre) West End, Audrey II (Voice of the plant) - Little Shop Of Horrors (Salisbury Playhouse & Mercury Theatre Colchester), Queen Of Hearts - Alice In Wonderland (UK tour), King Herod - Jesus Christ Superstar (Arena Tour UK & Australia), Rodney - My Big Gay Italian Wedding - (Greenwich Theatre), Melvin P Thorpe - The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas (Union Theatre), Company - Myths And Hymns (Finborough Theatre), Sid/Inventor - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK tour), Montel/Jesus - Jerry Springer The Opera (Cambridge Theatre) West End, Chuck Brown - Over The Rainbow (UK Tour), Company - On The Shelf (Edinburgh Festival) and other roles in Exit Allan - (Sherman Theatre Cardiff).
On television Leon's credits include: Ensemble - Jesus Christ Superstar Arena tour (Universal), Montel/Jesus - Jerry Springer The Opera (BBC2 & Avalon), a featured role in “Paddy Power Ball Of Shame” (Commercial) and a featured role - Nintendo Wii Fit (Commercial).
Pantomime credits include: Ugly Sister - Cinderella (New Wimbeldon Theatre), Director - Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs - (Forum Barrow), Director - Cinderella (Forum Barrow), Widow Twankey - Aladdin - (Derby Arena), Dame Jollena Jellychops - (Oxford Playhouse), Dame Doughnut - Dick Whittington (Oxford Playhouse), Sarah The Cook - Dick Whittington (Grove Theatre Dunstable), Dame Mary Trott - Jack And The Beanstalk (Broadway Theatre Catford), Dame Widow Twankey - (Lyceum Theatre Crewe), Dame Nanna Nora - Sleeping Beauty (Lyceum Theatre Crewe), Genie - Aladdin (Loughborough), Dame Daisy Dollop - Jack And The Beanstalk - (Wakefield Theatre Royal) and Sarah The Cook - Dick Whittington - (Cliffs Pavilion Southend - QDOS).
He was also the presenter Amadeus - Globalzoom Hair and Modelling show- (Vienna - Austria) and lead singer - Songs of Michael Jackson - MA Concerts (Warwick Castle).