Speech & Drama Classes

Sunday 25th February - Sunday 10th March 2024

Katrina Mulvihill RBTC (Hons QTS), LRAM, AGSM, ALAM, IPA
Chris Marlow BA, MA, PhD, PGCE, PGDip, LLCM, FVCM
Rebecca Vines LLAM, LALAM, MSTSD (Adj.)
Carol Schroder LLAM, AISTD, PGCA, MSTSD

Louise Manders LLAM ALAM GODA MSTSD (Adj) [finales]

KATRINA MULVIHILL studied at The Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama and feels privileged to have been part of the unique three year Actor/Teacher Course. Having Graduated with Honours, she won a Scholarship to The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and went on to study Opera, Musical Theatre, Acting and Piano for a further two years. As a professional Soloist and Principal, she has appeared at many prestigious venues over the years performing in Plays, Operas, Recitals and Concerts at The Drury Lane Theatre, The Shaw Theatre, Sadler’s Wells, The Purcell Room and the QEH. She is an experienced Director, as well as performer, and has enjoyed producing and directing plays, concerts and shows with adults through to young children in a variety of styles ranging from Pantomime and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Light Operettas through to Shakespeare and Grand Opera.

A member of LAMDA’s Examining Board for over 30 years, she has also regularly lectured and given Master classes for LAMDA and other multiple agencies in Mime, Improvisation, Acting, Voice Production and Musical Theatre to name but a few. Katrina is Headteacher of a large Independent School and Nursery in Gidea Park, Essex and an Adjudicator with the British and International Federation of Festivals.

CHRIS MARLOW trained at the universities of Manchester and Oxford. A freelance teacher of Speech and Drama, and a working professional with television, radio and theatre experience, Chris’s credits include ‘Born and Bred’ (BBC One), Granada Reports (ITV), BBC Radio Lancashire, BBC Radio Merseyside and ‘The Sound of Music’ (UK theatre tour). However, teaching remains his passion and Chris’s students can be found in most of the major UK and USA drama schools and thereafter on stage and screen.

He is an adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals and has extensive experience as an examiner for the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD), Guildhall School of Music and Drama (GSMD), London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and Trinity College London (TCL). At LAMDA he co-wrote ‘Speaking Matters’, a practical guide to using spoken English and speaking in public. Currently, he assesses speech, drama and musical theatre for the London College of Music (LCM), across the UK and internationally.

REBECCA VINES trained as an actor with The London Centre for Theatre Studies, and has performed in a variety of roles, including Maggie (Dancing at Lughnasa), Beverly (Abigail’s Party), Madame Arcati (Blithe Spirit), Susan (A Bed Among the Lentils) and Elizabeth Proctor (The Crucible).

In 2014, Rebecca was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts for her work in establishing theatre companies to promote young and emerging performers. She has also founded and worked/works as Artistic Director of No Prophet, Eleventh Hour and Talking Shadows theatre companies which were created to springboard young performance careers.

Rebecca is a Shakespeare scholar with a particular interest in his female roles, the history plays, and the socio-historic legacy of theatrical interpretations.  She is working on a PhD exploring Queenship in Shakespeare’s history plays.  She is passionate about opening up diversity in the Arts and works with a range of agencies to ensure enhanced visibility for all sectors of society.

CAROL SCHRODER trained from an early age in all aspects of performing arts including drama, dance and singing. She worked in the professional theatre, television and in cabaret where she produced her own one-woman show. Carol gained teaching qualifications in Speech and Drama and then taught at drama schools and colleges including for twenty-two years at the Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts.

Carol was an examiner for LAMDA for over forty years both in the UK and overseas. She has written and contributed to several LAMDA textbooks and has been involved in the setting of the various syllabuses. Carol is a long-standing member of The British and International Federation of Festivals (BIFF) adjudicating throughout the UK and overseas and served for nine years on the adjudicator’s council. In 2019 she was awarded a fellowship of BIFF. She is also a past chairperson of The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama (STSD).

LOUISE MANDERS was born in Westcliff-on-Sea and first trod the boards when only five days old and has never looked back. Her varied and interesting professional theatrical career began with Haymarket Stage Productions, progressing from stage management to acquiring her Equity card as an actress. She enjoyed touring the UK and appearing in all aspects of theatre including repertory and musicals, as well as appearing on television and in films.

Louise is presently not only an adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals and the Guild of Drama Adjudicators, but is also an adjudicator member of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama. She was Artistic Director of the Phoenix Youth Theatre in Southend, formerly the New Focus Theatre for many years. Louise’s extensive work as an adjudicator has taken her all over the UK and abroad. She has adjudicated for festivals in Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. During the pandemic, Louise also adjudicated online. She runs workshops and master classes, directs plays (including open air productions) and musicals, devises original drama compositions, writes poetry and has written many musical plays for children and students. She teaches speech, drama, musical theatre, mime and dance drama to all ages of students, including adults and specialises in the LAMDA examinations.

Louise is an experienced theatre director and even finds time to dance flamenco! A festival is a celebration and enables all entrants to bring their creativity and enthusiasm to fruition. Louise is really looking forward to travelling to the Watford Festival and sharing in these celebrations-