Kennedy Aitchison joins the Panto Team
We are thrilled and delighted to welcome Kennedy to the Panto team this year as it proves to be bigger and better than ever!
Acclaimed as one of the top musicians in the UK, Kennedy's career has spanned two decades. During that time, he has worked at the top level of the entertainment industry as a musical director for theatre, film and television, and has conducted and played with some of the most famous orchestras in Britain. He is in great demand as a pianist, arranger, orchestrator and music producer.
His theatre credits include: Musical Director in London's West End and touring productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, The Beautiful Game and Saturday Night Fever, working for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Cameron MacIntosh and Robert Stigwood. He was also Assistant Musical Director on the Emmy award winning movie of Jesus Christ Superstar. He recently toured the US, Canada, Mexico and Europe as Musical Director with Irish dance phenomenon Riverdance. He has also played principal keyboard in major productions of Joseph, Evita, White Christmas, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Sunset Boulevard.
Kennedy has an impressive list of television credits, working as musical director, music associate and pianist on countless network television programmes including ‘Only Fools and Horses’, Noel’s House Party’ and ‘The Big, Big Talent Show’. He worked for four years on the BBC's top rated Saturday night talent show, "Opportunity Knocks" - the precursor to today's X Factor and Pop Idol.
Kennedy has also worked with some of the top names in popular music - The Three Degrees, The Supremes, Randy Crawford, Shirley Bassey, The Drifters, Martha Reeves and Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes. He also had the pleasure of working with country star Nanci Griffith, conducting the Orchestra of Scottish Opera in a live performance of her acclaimed album "The Dust Bowl Symphony".
Recent projects include performing as principal keyboard on the UK tour of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and Musical Director and arranger on ‘Highland Heartbeat’, a new Scottish TV special to be broadcast coast to coast on the PBS network in the US.
Future projects include touring the UK and Europe in 2009 with Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds. He is delighted to be involved in this year’s GAMTA panto production.
"An Outstanding Pianist" Michael Tumelty, The Herald.
GAMTA delighted to announce the arrival of new writer for Panto
Barrie Hodge has been working in the entertainment industry for the past ten years in various roles including radio presenter, voice over and most recently as a radio producer. Audiences will best know Barrie as 'BAZ', producer of the Robin & Cat Breakfast Show on Real Radio, where he assisted in the development and production of the now infamous wind ups and where he was responsible for some of the most memorable of those 'wind up' moments. Barrie is currently based in the North East, producing the Big Breakfast Show on Century Radio and has found time in his busy schedule to write for our Production of Beauty &The Beast. We are thrilled to have him as part of the Team!
Musical Directors announcement
GAMTA is delighted to announce the arrival of our new Musical Directors for Panto. Staff and students are thrilled and delighted to be working with the Industry's top professionals in Musical Theatre and Panto.
Third Year GAMTA students spend a week with the playwright everyone's talking about
This week saw the arrival of emerging playwright Erin McMahon to GAMTA, fresh from rehearsals of her latest play ‘Three Is Company’, opening in London this October. Erin spent the week workshopping this new text as part of our recently introduced module: The Actors Approach to New Writing. Erin had this to say about the experience:
“It was a great pleasure to find a theatre school introducing a module dealing with new writing. At GAMTA the training really has it’s finger on the pulse and is preparing its graduates for the demands of the current industry and not just for an echo of one long gone.
Not every graduate will be lucky enough to walk straight into the RSC and so being prepared for varied work and continual growth as a professional is paramount.
The students were a pleasure to work with and I am glad I have a new group of young actors experienced in working with new writing to call upon in the future.”
All of the third years will be going to the opening performance of ‘Three is Company’ as part of their London visit this October.
GAMTA STUDENTS WIN PRESTIGIOUS BATD SCHOLARSHIP
Gamta is very proud to announce that two of our students have been honoured with a nomination for the scholarships, held in Scotland this year on the weekend of Nov 8th and 9th. Congratulations to Laura Watson and Sarah Murray.
Students who enter for ballet examinations with “The British Association of Teachers of Dance” in grade three or above are eligible to be nominated for entry into the scholarship class held once every year.
Students must attain a mark of Honours, but that alone is not enough, they have to impress the examiner by dancing with superb technical skill married with presentation and musicality.
The students put forward for scholarship gather together to take a master class whilst a panel of three impartial adjudicators watch intently as they are taken through a comprehensive class. The student selected as the scholarship winner receives funds to aid with the cost of training, but also may be invited to perform at functions such as the annual conference. Many BATD scholarship winners can be found in the professional world of dance.
We would like to wish the girls well as they set off to dance with Great Britain’s most promising young dancers.
Gamta’s Joe Slater to Star in the West End Production of Oliver
GAMTA is thrilled to announce that Joe Slater has been cast in the new Production of Oliver opening in London’s West End in November at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
After the recent BBC ‘I’ Do Anything’ programme found its Nancy in Jodie Prenger, the search has continued for the remaining cast and Joe is soon to start rehearsals as one of Fagan’s gang, performing such hits as ‘You Gotta Pick a Pocket or Two’ and ‘ Be Back Soon’.
Regular Panto goers will recognize young Joe as the hapless son, Sandy Candy who fell for Snow White only to be beaten by the handsome Prince. This time however Joe has won the coveted prize and starts rehearsals in London in a few weeks time. Depending on his schedule, Panto audiences may still be able to see Joe perform in the SECC this December, so watch this space! Congratulations to Joe and GAMTA for another West End success!
Exciting News...
Hollywood beckons for former GAMTA student Cameron Nielson! Dubbed by industry insiders in Los Angeles as the next Zac Efron, Cameron has been given the biggest break of his career after he was spotted by Jerry Silverhardt whilst working in LA. Silverhardt is responsible for launching the career of superstar Tom Cruise. Sensational news Cameron!
Stuart Bird
As of this week, Stuart Bird has decided to move on to seek new challenges and we wish him well. We appreciate Stuart's input over the years but we have taken the decision not to appoint a replacement. Our new Musical Director will be announced at a later date.
The team at GAMTA are looking forward to another hugely successful year with exciting developments, fabulous new productions and our second, enormously successful, London Showcase.
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