Midlands Academy Of Dance And Drama Announces New Advisory Board

Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama, affectionately known as MADD, is delighted to announce details of its first-ever Advisory Board that marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the Nottingham based college.

The new Advisory Board members are: double Olivier Award nominee, double WhatsOnStage and Carl Alan Award winning choreographer and director Andrew Wright (most recent credits: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Kilworth House; Oklahoma!, Grange Park Opera; Nativity, Birmingham Rep and National tour; Five Guys Named Moe, Marble Arch Theatre; Half A Sixpence for Cameron Mackintosh, Chichester Festival Theatre, Noel Coward Theatre and winner of Best Choreographer WhatsOnStage Awards 2017; Singin' In The Rain, Chichester Festival Theatre, Palace Theatre, UK national tour, Japan, Asia, Russia and Australia, and winner of Best Choreographer WhatsOnStage Awards 2013; Guys and Dolls, Chichester Festival Theatre Phoenix, Savoy Theatre and National Tour and Best Choreographer nomination Olivier Awards 2016; and Barnum, Theatre in the Park, Chichester and National Tour;

Tracy Lane (credits include: resident director Priscilla Queen of the Desert UK Tour; Grease UK Tour; The Bodyguard West End, China, Japan, and children's director The Bodyguard Toronto; and currently resident director Magic Mike Live The Hippodrome, London); and performer and creative Ryan-Lee Seager (credits include: resident director & associate choreographer Rock Of Ages (UK Tour) associate choreographer FAME, UK Tour; Guys and Dolls, Kilworth House; The Wedding Singer, UK Tour; Grease, Leicester Curve; West Side Story, Kilworth House; American Idiot, West End & UK Tour; The Royal Variety Performance 2017; and resident director Seussical The Musical, International tour).

All three hugely admired individuals will help guide MADD's senior leadership team as it seeks out new opportunities from September 2019 and builds on an ever-growing reputation of providing some of the best musical theatre training in the UK.

The new Advisory Board members join esteemed industry luminaries already associated with MADD College: Patrons David Essex OBE; Arlene Phillips CBE; Anthony Van Laast MBE; and David Wood OBE.

Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama was founded over fifty years ago by Principal Frances Clayton and in 1988 the 'Three Year Musical Theatre Diploma' course was developed and is now accredited by the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre training (CDMT) and validated by Trinity College London. MADD also delivers a 'One Year Foundation in Musical Theatre' course, and a two-year fully-funded BTEC 'Extended Diploma in Screen Acting' course, in partnership with Confetti the Institute of Creative Technologies, part of Nottingham Trent University.

In the last year alone MADD students have been guided by a number of industry professionals, including Andrew Wright, Debbie Isitt, Charlie Stemp, Mark Smith, Alan Harding, Chris Whittaker, Steven Harris, Paul Harper-Swan, David Wood OBE, and many more, all leading guest workshops or choreographing for College shows and MOVE IT appearances.

MADD alumni continue to succeed as former students currently dance on tour with Take That, excel in lead roles in the West End and overseas, and have even been known to lift the illustrious BBC Strictly trophy - Jay McGuiness in 2015!

A new academic year will see new ambitions come into play at MADD as the new Advisory Board and current senior faculty steer the college to new horizons and continue to inspire the next generation of students, the professional performers of tomorrow.

Commenting on being part of the newly formed MADD College Advisory Board, Andrew Wright, said: "MADD is a vibrant college full of dedicated and individual students. A college where being true to yourself and embracing life matters as much as a strong technique. I am proud to be on the Advisory Board of MADD and to continue my association with this college bursting with life."

Tracy Lane, continued: "I am both thrilled and honoured to join the Advisory Board of MADD College. As an ex performer who now constantly works with young people in the arts sector, I look forward to progressing the crucial training, discipline and preparation that MADD continues to offer its students and is necessary for the wider industry."

And Ryan-Lee Seager, added: "I have been working with the students at MADD College for almost seven years and love their work ethic, it's truly infectious! They are a respectful, supportive and talented bunch and it's always a pleasure coming back and working with them."

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