STILES + DREWE
MUSICAL THEATRE COMPOSER/LYRICISTS
Stiles and Drewe are a multi award-winning musical theatre writing partnership. Their scores include the international smash-hit Cameron Mackintosh/Disney production of Mary Poppins, the Olivier Award-winning Honk!, and the recent West End productions of Half A Sixpence and The Wind in the Willows. Their other shows are Soho Cinders, Betty Blue Eyes, Travels With My Aunt, Peter Pan - A Musical Adventure, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Three Little Pigs, Just So and Tutankhamun.
Current projects include Becoming Nancy with director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell for Broadway and Identical, a musical adaptation of Erich Kästner’s novel ‘The Parent Trap’, which premieres in 2021 at Nottingham Playhouse and Theatre Royal, Bath.
DANIELLE TARENTO
PRODUCER
Danielle Tarento is an award winning freelance Producer and Casting Director. She won Best Producer at the 2012 Off West End Awards and was nominated for Producer of the Year at the Stage Awards 2015 and her shows have received multiple UK awards and nominations. Her productions include Titanic (UK, Toronto, Ireland, German Tour), Ragtime, Death Takes A Holiday, Mother Courage starring Josie Lawrence, the UK premiere of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Allegro, Grey Gardens starring Sheila Hancock and Jenna Russell, Grand Hotel, Gods And Monsters, Dogfight, Three Sisters, Titanic, Victor/Victoria, Mack & Mabel, Parade and Company.
MAIYA QUANSAH-BREED
ACTOR
Maiya graduated from The Guildford School of Acting in 2018 and made her professional debut in SiX the musical. Starting the musical last June before graduation, she finished her reign as Catherine Parr in October 2019. In 2019, Maiya has been nominated for a Olivier Award for Best supporting actress, a Stage debut award for Best Actress in a musical, The Black British theatre award for best female and recent graduate and A West End Wilma award for Rising Star. Credits whilst training: Dottie (Nice work if you can get it), Ronnie (Hair) and Exotica (Cats) Touring credits: Original UK Tour cast of Six West end credits: Original Six the musical West End cast 2019
STEVEN DEXTER
DIRECTOR
Steven is an award-winning director who directs both in the UK and internationally.
Productions include World Premiers of the Olivier Award winning
Stiles and Drewe musical HONK(Watermill Theatre Newbury)
and the Olivier Nominated musical LOSERVILLE (Garrick Theatre)
West End productions include: LA CAVA (Victoria Palace and Piccadilly
Theatres) ROMANCE ROMANCE (Gielgud Theatre) PETER PAN and THE
PIRATES OF PENZANCE at the Savoy Theatre.
Prominent UK productions include the European Premiere of LUCKY STIFF, the
UK premier of ALTAR BOYZ (Greenwich Theatre), SAVING JASON by Peter
Quilter (Park Theatre) STEPPING OUT and THE PROS THE CON AND A SCREW
(Derby Playhouse). CLOSER TO HEAVEN, BEAUTIFUL THING - 25th Anniversary
Production - (Above the Stag London) OUT THERE, FAGIN, PAPERBOY, WHAT I
GO TO SCHOOL FOR-THE BUSTED MUSICAL (BYMT)
HARRY BLUMENAU
CASTING DIRECTOR
Harry is a Casting Director who has built casts for some of the UK's top shows. The Man. The Music. The Show (Hugh Jackman Arena Tour), Jean Paul Gautier Fashion FreakShow (Southbank Centre), Beast, Type, Song (Tate Britain), Thriller Live (Lyric Theatre), MyBest Friend’s Wedding (UK Tour), Starlight Express (Bochum & UK Tour), Dirty Dancing (Phoenix Theatre/ UK Tour), Silk Road, Dark Sublime (Trafalgar Studios), Sinatra – The Man and His Music (London Palladium), The Rat Pack (Theatre Royal Haymarket), American Idiot (Arts Theatre), Footloose (Peacock Theatre), Close To You (Criterion Theatre), Cruel Intentions, Five Guys Named Moe, The Noise Boys (Edinburgh), Jackie The Musical, Grease, Our House, Choir Of Man, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Importance of Being Earnest (UK Tours), Flashdance (Korean Tour), The Wizard Of OZ (Blackpool Winter Gardens) Soho Cinders, Mythic, The Mikado, The Knowledge (Charing Cross Theatre) Children’s Casting : Avalanche (Barbican Theatre), Kinky Boots (Adelphi Theatre), Annie/Bodyguard (UK Tour & West End), The King & I (UK Tour) Resident Casting Director at Above The Stag Theatre , The Barn Theatre, Cirencester and for Immersion Theatre.
WILLY MUKENDI
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETER
Willy is the runner of the UK’s largest musical theatre fan platform, MTAS (The Musical Theatre Appreciation Society). She is an established freelance social media marketer promoting all things Stagey, and is also a writer/lyricist, and is currently working on launching the new british musical Catfish, as well as winning the Mercury Theatre Songwriting Award in 2020.
THE BRITISH THEATRE ACADEMY
The British Theatre Academy is the UK's leading arts organisation dedicated to providing free and affordable training and opportunities to Young Theatre Artists form all backgrounds. We are delighted to host this competition and help to find the next generation of young talent. Our team will serve as part of the judging panel for this competition.