Who teaches this course?
Vanessa trained as an actress at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and as a musical theatre performer at the Royal Academy of Music.
Her professional performing career spans twenty years and she has worked in tv, film, theatre and musical theatre.
Alongside her performing career Vanessa has taught extensively. She currently teaches acting and acting through song on the BA (Hons) course for MPAA, and prior to that taught acting and acting through song at the Margaret Howard Theatre School. She has guest taught at many colleges including Bird, Ayr, Conel, and The Actors Class. She has taught singing for Questors Theatre and teaches private 1:1 and group classes.
Directing credits include directing numerous plays and musical theatre projects for MPAA, and Margaret Howard Theatre School and as assistant director on The Morning (Pentameters Theatre). She is currently in pre-production for her film directing debut, a short film which she has also written.
Vanessa was the founder and manager and artistic director of the 1940’s singing group The Marjorie Belles. Together they performing live extensively in England and Europe at many famous vintage events, (Goodwood Revival, Ballroom Blitz, Newmarket Racecourse), and countless private functions. They were also featured on BBC Radio 2.
Together with colleague Kate Maravan she has developed ‘Meisner in Song’, a unique practice that uses Meisner Technique and other presence exercises in song to help performers free their voice and discover new and creative ways to help them remain present and connected when singing. Their workshops have been attended by opera and musical theatre professionals as well as actors who sing.
Who is this course for?
This short course is for anyone who is looking to explore connection and presence when acting through song. The focus is to start discovering how we can open up and free the voice and body to be more fully alive, spontaneous and present.
We will start the sessions by using movement to ground and connect with the body before we sing. When working on the your songs we will use various presence exercises and classic acting through song techniques to connect to the material and to your voice.
There will be a some group work but everyone will be working on a solo and you will have dedicated and bespoke time to focus on your individual needs.
The aim is to create a playful, explorative space where you can find more connection and freedom when singing. This is not a singing technique class. You don't need to have singing experience and at no point will there will be any pressure on giving a polished performance.
Please choose a song of your choice and bring sheet music and 2 copies of the lyrics.
