TOMASSI'S TEACHERS
It is important to understand that all three of the theatre arts complement each other;you may have a beautiful singing voice but, if you can’t perform to the audience, you won’t hold their attention. You may be a great actor but, if don’t know how to move well, you will look awkward moving across the stage. You may be a wonderful dancer but, if you don’t know how to put emotion or expression in your routine, the performance will become dull.
This is why our singing teacher, dance teacher, drama teacher and I work in harmony to bring a performance together. We can create a complete performance experience – have you ever tried dancing choreographed moves and singing at the same time? It’s not as easy as you might think!!
All of our teachers are qualified, CRB checked and fully insured
Mandy Tomassi - Principal
The Theatre School and Talent Agency is run bt Mandy Tomassi who has extensive experience, having worked in one of London’s top commercial casting agencies for over five years looking after such clients as Dale Winton, Dani Behr, Nigel Davenport, Sarah Matravers, Lee Evans, Suzi Dent, Graham Bell, Lucy Blair and Newquay’s own Guy Leverton.
“I am well aware it takes time to establish a trusted business in Cornwall and I’m astounded by how well received the Theatre School has been and by how much local talent there is in the South West. I had a dream to create a quality school of theatre arts available to a wider audience, not just those that can afford high termly fees. I’m the mother of four children myself and know that money will only go so far. I’m so pleased that I have found such fantastic and enthusiastic teachers who have helped to make this dream come true."
Mandy has been a qualified dance teacher, choreographer and a respected member of the I.S.T.D. and I.D.T.A for 23 years and has run hugely successful dance schools in Newquay, Cornwall and previously in Essex for 16 years.
Vikki St Leger Smith – Singing Teacher
Vikki is an established vocal performance coach and a unique mentor. Her qualifications and background have enabled her to form a unique approach to improving vocal performance by utilizing psychological techniques, acoustic voice processes with modern phonological vocal techniques.
We consider ourselves very lucky at Tomassi’s Theatre School to have Vikki. She is a talented singing teacher and all-round nice person. The kids think she’s great! Vikki was born in Cornwall into a particularly musical family and at the age of 7 her talent for singing became apparent when she took the lead vocals with a major choir before going on to learn to play a range of wind instruments.
A favorite highlight for Vikki in her professional career was the amazing offer to complete the three voice Delta Ladies as part of the Joe Cocker Experience which received national acclaim and recognition. This success lead to Vikki organizing a community project to provide Cornish schools with a unique singing opportunity. She coached a number of school choirs so that they could participate in major musical performances and experience all the preparations needed to stage a professional concert.
Vikki continues to be involved in projects to help boost the local music scene and enhance the knowledge, skills and experience of vocal students including the Voice 4 Cornwall contest.
Lucy Chadwick – Dance Teacher
Lucy started dancing when she was 5 years old at the Henwood School of Dance in the West Midlands learning ballet and tap. She went on to later learn and perform cheerleading and modern dance which lead to her auditioning for the Urdang Academy of Performing Arts in Covent Garden, London. She gained a full scholarship and trained at the Urdang for 3 years learning ballet, tap, contempory, modern, jazz and street dance, musical theatre, drama and singing at a professional level and graduated with a diploma in performing arts and her teaching qualifications with the I.S.T.D. Lucy has experience of appyling for and auditioning for theatre and commercial work and knows what the producers and directors are looking for. On moving to Cornwall 3 years ago, Lucy turned her attention to teaching her speciality being Street Dance.
Rachel Parker – Drama Teacher
Rachel’s love for performing arts began when she was at secondary school but, controversially, she choose to not to take GCSE Drama, preferring instead to attend groups outside of the school environment because she felt she would get more opportunities to perform and develop her skills. Rachel has performed in productions at the Hall for Cornwall, toured with a company in France and in 2000 was involved in performances at the Millennium Dome.
Rachel studied Drama and English at Bath Spa University and graduated with Honours. After graduating she returned to Cornwall, teaching first at Cape Cornwall School and more recently at Treviglas Community College in Newquay. Rachel is a career teacher because her joy comes from enthusing young children and teenagers, teaching them to love the performing arts and helping them expand their drama skills. She loves to see how drama highlights vibrant personalities, develops confidence and creates opportunities for the students that wouldn’t normally be available in Cornwall.
Visit our blog at http://tomassis.wordpress.com/welcome/ for up-to-date news, events and chat.
Visit our blog at http://tomassis.wordpress.com/welcome/ for up-to-date news, events and chat.