Get in show shape after all the festive fun! Join industry professionals, Richard Hinds, Sam Hiller and Mike Toolan, for an intensive 3hrs Industry Audition Prep Workshop on Saturday 13th January at Pineapple Dance Studios.
1 - 2.30pm Musical Theatre Dance with Richard Hinds
In this class we will focus on helping you prepare for the audition process. After a brief warm up, we will move into learning a combination that we then break down into small groups. This will be a safe environment where you can ask questions and walk out of the room feeling like your best self.
2.30 - 4pm Acting Through Song with Sam Hiller and Mike Toolan
This session is designed to help actors better connect with their song though workshops in acting while singing. In this session students will be gathered in a group setting. Some students will be asked to sing their musical theatre literature selections. Students should bring their scores for the accompanist. Sam and Mike will ask for volunteers to sing songs that students have prepared for the workshop.
Note: Even if you are not selected to sing (or do not feel comfortable singing in front of the group) you may be asked to participate in acting techniques during others’ songs. Students should bring music with cuts marked for the accompanist and something to take notes with. After all, notes that Sam and Mike give to others could very well be used by you!
- Date: Saturday 13th January
- Time: 1 - 4pm
- Difficulty Level: General
- Price: £30
About Richard Hinds
Richard’s Broadway credits include Company (Associate Chor.), Come From Away (Associate Chor.), Disney’s Newsies! (Associate Dir.), Jekyll & Hyde (Associate Dir./Chor.), Il Divo: A Musical Affair (Assistant Dir.) as well as London’s West End productions of Elf (Associate Chor.), Come From Away (Associate Chor.), the National Theatre’s production of Here Lies Love (Associate Dir./Chor.) and the National/International Tours of 9 to 5 (Associate Dir.) and Disney’s High School Musical (Associate Chor.).
Richard has directed and choreographed numerous productions including Escape to Margaritaville, Buddy, Holiday Inn, Newsies!, Guys and Dolls, How To Succeed…, Smokey Joes Café, Evita, Fame, Catch Me If You Can, Mamma Mia!, Saturday Night Fever, Little Shop of Horrors, Cabaret, Chicago, Hairspray, Joseph… Dreamcoat, The Sound of Music and All Shook Up.
Richard’s television credits include Encore! (Disney+), Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, America’s Got Talent, The Bethenny Show, Bring It and Good Afternoon America. He has also worked on industrial and events for Azamara Club Cruises, Oath, Samsung, Sephora, Hershey Park and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
About Sam Hiller
Sam trained at Guildford School of Acting. He has worked extensively as an actor, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Another Country and Unexpected Host. In the West End Sam appeared in Les Misérables (Palace), Aspects of Love (Prince of Wales), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (London Palladium), Miss Saigon (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), My Fair Lady (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane) and The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s).
As well as a formidable acting career Sam has directed some of the most well-known West End productions. As Resident Director of Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera Sam has an intricate knowledge of Musical Theatre as well as a roll call of names he has worked with, none more so than Cameron Mackintosh.
About Mike Toolan
Mike holds a bachelors degree in music from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and a masters degree in music performance from London College of Music. Currently Mike is a conducting tutor at London College of Music, on the musical theatre staff at Goldsmiths University of London, and a musical director and staff accompanist at Bird College Conservatorie of Dance And Musical Theatre. He is a regular accompanist here at Pineapple Studios. He is a guest conductor of the Welsh Musical Theatre Orchestra and Carpe Diem Offincia Artistica in Marsala Sicily. Mike is the former resident musical director of SALT Performing Arts outside Philadelphia in the United States, musically directing over 20 productions from 2018-2021. Mike completed his work experience in 2022 as a music assistant for the cast change of Les Miserables.