Production Team Producer – Emma Allison

Emma is a first year Music Student at York studying Piano as her principal instrument. She also plays saxophone in a number of bands. She has experience performing in the bands of many musicals including Wizard of Oz and Songs for a New World. After seeing her first musical (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat) at a young age, Emma’s love of musicals never left her and she continues to be fascinated by the music and production of such shows. Emma has experience helping with the running of choirs and is often found behind the scenes making sure everyone is organised. This would be the first large scale musical that Emma would be producing, and she is extremely excited to have the opportunity to produce a musical.

Directors – Callam Neville & Vicente Magalhaes

Callam studied Drama and Theatre Studies to A-level, specialising in Brechtian Technique and Direction. He Co-wrote/Directed the 2011 ArtsBox Award nominated play Domino and has since directed several small scale productions of plays such as Lysistrata and The Cauacasian Chalk Circle. He most recently took on a role as Assistant Director/ Technical Director in York University’s production of The Threepenny Opera.

Vicente is a second-year music student. He Co-directed the two productions of the student-written play, Down the Rabbit Hole, alongside Joe Willis at the drama barn in York and Matthew's Yard in Croydon. As a repetiteur he has accompanied many rehearsals for different ensembles, from choirs to small orchestras both in England and in Portugal.

Musical Director – Oliver Pickup

Ollie is a second year jazz trombonist and composer whose works infuse contemporary classical composition with elements of jazz and improvisation. Ollie started playing with both the Lancashire Youth Brass Band and the Lancashire Youth Jazz Orchestra, whilst at St Mary’s College, Blackburn where he studied jazz and composition with Carl Raven (Apollo Saxophone Quartet, House of Bedlam). As a performer, Ollie has played lead trombone with various jazz groups including the Nostalgia Swing Band, New Kings Big Band, the University of York Jazz Orchestra, Dysfunktion and the Sam Johnson Big Band. He has also played for many musical theatre productions including Phantom of the Opera, Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables, Hairspray and Wicked. Ollie is also the Assistant Musical Director for the 2015 CHMS Summer Showcase and has conducted the East Lancashire Concert Band as well as his own wind band as part of the World War One Conference in March 2015. Ollie is the current Musical Director and Trombonist for York based function band Dysfunktion and brass quintet 5 Men 1 Tuba.

Vocal Director & Costume – Olivia Moss

Olivia performs regularly as a classical, jazz and musical theatre singer. Her most recent theatrical performance was in the University of York Music Department's production of The Threepenny Opera

playing Polly. Olivia also enjoys performing with Opera Society and has been a chorus member in Cendrillon and taken part in showcases. Stage appearances prior to university include Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Eva Peron in Evita and one of the Bird Girls in Seussical, all for local productions. Olivia trained for a year with the LIPA weekend academy and in local amateur dramatic groups previously. She has also undertaken extensive choral training, for example with the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir, with which she performed in several major works at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and performed in the 2012 Olympic Closing ceremony. Now in her second year studying music at the University of York, Olivia is a keen member of University and Chamber choirs and has this year taken over as a conductor for Vanbrugh Voices. Along with Vanbrugh Voices, Olivia has directed other musical groups through school, taught piano for several years and has assisted in directing shows with younger children. Olivia is excited to extend her directive experience in a larger production, particularly with a show that she loves!

Technical Director – Chris Roberts

Musicals have formed a large part of Chris’ life for a number of years. He has performed and recorded as a member of the Welsh Musical Theatre Orchestra, played for the Cardiff Youth Orchestra in Porgy and Bess and Miss Saigon as well as directing sound for this same orchestra. Chris has also produced many EPs, singles and other works across genres, while one of his original compositions, written, recorded and mastered with band Dartmoor, received airtime on Nation radio

Choreographer – Hannah Takats

Hannah is a first year music student from Hertfordshire studying the flute as her principal instrument. She also sings and plays piano and saxophone. She has played and performed in various orchestras and concert bands at home including performances at the Ritz in London and at the location of Downton Abbey. She spent a year with a musical theatre academy taking part in workshops with West End professionals and this love of musical theatre is still with her. She has danced since the age of 8, doing most styles including ballet, tap, modern, contemporary and street, performing three times a year in dance shows, and played the lead role in Snow White in March 2014. Having spent the past few years choreographing and teaching dance during her A Levels, she is excited to be choreographing here in York.

Stage Manager – Fred Stanford

Currently in his second year of music, Fred has often worked backstage in entertainment; either playing in the pit or as a member of the backstage team. He currently works part time at the Barbican Centre, which includes shifts moving equipment and rigging backstage. He was on the backstage team for CHMS presents The Witches of Eastwick and so understands how to organise props and set, as well as delegating to members of the cast if need be. He is very much looking forward to once again helping in the inner workings of another CHMS production.

Assistant Stage Manager – Charlie Chester

Charlie is a first year Management student from Eastbourne who plays the trombone and bass.

Press and Publicity – Eleanor Dunsdon

This is Eleanor’s first time taking on the role of Press and Publicity for a production; however she is no stranger to the role. Earlier this year, she was elected for Press and Publicity officer for both the university’s Music Society and Gilbert and Sullivan Society – both of which she maintains an active role with. At the start of this academic year, Eleanor was appointed Press and Publicity assistant for the Music Department’s project The Threepenny Opera, in which she created a website, Facebook and Twitter pages, filmed video diaries and documented the production’s rehearsal process through photography. Further to this, Eleanor has experience in publicising herself as a musician, utilising all social media outlets and designing and creating a website for herself.

Finance – Sarah Pendleton

Sarah is a first year music student who has a passion for musical theatre. She has was a member of a youth musical society for 3 years before coming to york and so has a good understanding of musical theatre and what's involved in putting on a show. With A level maths and physics, Sarah has a good understanding of numbers and is well placed to assist with finances.

Fundraising – Lizzie George

Lizzie is a first year music student and a principal flautist as well as a keen saxophonist. She has experience performing in various bands both in York and at home in Suffolk. She has a lot of fundraising experience after raising over £15,000 on the school charity team and fundraising for her gap year. She is currently fundraising to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in September. Although this would be the first musical Lizzie would be involved in without being a member of the band, she is incredibly excited for some creative fundraising!