Portfolio Masterclasses To Return with Julie Atherton, Cassidy Janson, Oliver Savile, Danielle Tarento

Arion Productions is delighted to announce the return of Portfolio Masterclasses - a series of masterclasses for professional and emerging theatremakers to provide expert development in much-sought-after specialist fields with some of the UK's finest theatre, film, television and radio professionals at affordable rates.

Special guest facilitators for 2018 include actor and director Julie Atherton, producer and casting director Danielle Tarento, leading man Oliver Savile, actor and recording artist Cassidy Janson and all of the masterclasses will have Musical Directors Rebecca Grant, Ben Papworth and multi-award-winning director and Arion Production's Artistic Director Andrew Keates to help facilitate each session too.

Portfolio Masterclasses will take place at the rehearsal studios of the multi-award winning Omnibus Theatre, located just five minutes away from Clapham Common underground station. After each masterclass, attendees are encouraged to make new friends and connections by socialising at Omnibus Theatre's Common Room, which has free Wi-Fi, comfy chairs, a fully stocked bar with craft beers, soft drinks, a great wine selection and even two theatre cats called Molly and Tybalt (who are very happy to move to their special room if you have any allergies). Refreshments are available to purchase throughout the day.

Each masterclass will last for approximately four hours (including breaks) and digital photographs from the masterclasses are available to all those who attend free of charge. A maximum of sixty attendees can come to each masterclass. Prices vary for each masterclass, with an affordable choice to be observer and watch the work being done or to be a participant to work one-on-one with the special guest artist and gain invaluable, personal tuition and artistic exploration.

Masterclasses for 2018 include:

Julie Atherton - Acting Through Song Masterclass.
with Musical Director, Ben Papworth.
Sunday 30th September, Omnibus Theatre, Greene Room, 2pm - 6pm.

Julie Atherton boasts an extraordinary career as an actress, director and recording artists. Some of her theatre highlights include: Avenue Q (Noël Coward), Just So and Out of This World (Chichester), Lift (Soho), Ordinary Days (Trafalgar Studios) Tomorrow Morning (Landor), Sister Act (UK Tour), The Hired Man (Leicester Curve), Mamma Mia! (Prince Edward Theatre), Fame (Aldwych & U.K. Tour), First Thing's Last (Lincoln Centre, Broadway) Mrs Gucci (Arts Theatre) Tick... Tick... Boom (Duchess), The Last 5 Years (Haymarket & Duchess) and many other productions of both new and established musicals.

Television includes: Poppy in Doctors (BBC), Sister Margaretta in The Sound of music Live, Panda & Blow up Doll in Otherworld and Barbara in Brainiacs. Radio includes: Big Cook Little Cook and I'm An Alien Beam Me Off Here. Julie starred in the Portrait of a Princess viral on YouTube and has three solo albums, including - A Girl of Few Words, No Space For Air and Rush of Life. Directing credits includes: Deeds Not Words and Girlfriends (Karamel club), Fanny Hill (Park Theatre - workshop) and Club Mexicano workshop (Perfect Pitch - workshop)

Julie and Musical Director Ben Papworth will work with participants on any song of their choosing to explore techniques to truly connect with their material using imagination, stagecraft and play. The creative nature of this workshop means it is perfect for both actors who wish to explore their singing potential as well as established and experienced Musical Theatre performers.

Requirements: All attendees shuld be 16+. Please bring at least two contrasting songs and clothes that you feel comfortable to move in.

Prices: £35 (Participant and work one on one with our guest artists). £20 to be an observer/audience member.


Danielle Tarento: Auditioning For Musical Theatre Masterclass
with Musical Director, Ben Papworth.
Sunday 14th October, Omnibus Theatre, Greene Room, 12pm - 4pm.

Danielle Tarento is a freelance Producer and Casting Director. She won Best Producer at the 2012 Off West End Awards and was nominated for Producer of the Year at the Stage Awards 2015. Her production of Titanic has recently completed a 5 month tour of the UK, Ireland and Germany. She has worked at extensively at Southwark Playhouse, with productions including Mother Courage starring Josie Lawrence, the UK premiere of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Allegro, Grey Gardens starring Sheila Hancock and Jenna Russell, Grand Hotel, Gods And Monsters, Dogfight, Three Sisters, Titanic, Victor/Victoria, Mack & Mabel, Parade and Company.

In this masterclass Danielle and Musical Director Rebecca Grant will be looking at all of those niggles that get in the way of you being your very best in an audition. Amongst many other things we'll be talking about how best to represent yourself before you've even walked into the room, counteracting nerves during an audition, how to be properly prepared, acting through song, presentation and how to build the best relationship with a pianist.

Requirements: All attendees shuld be 16+. Please bring a copy of your CV and headshot and at least two contrasting songs and clothes that you feel comfortable to move in.

Prices: £35 (Participant and work one on one with our guest artists). £20 to be an observer/audience member.


Oliver Savile - Acting Through Song Masterclass
with Musical Director, Rebecca Grant.
Sunday 25th November, Omnibus Theatre, Greene Room, 2pm - 6pm.

Oliver Savile has enjoyed a varied career in many of the West End's biggest Musical Theatre productions. He trained at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and his credits include Hugo in Knights of the Rose (The Arts Theatre), Robert in Company (AAC), Fiyero in Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre), Max inThe Navigator (Phoenix Theatre), Wayne in LMTO's State Fair (Cadogan Hall), 1st Cover Raoul in Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty's Theatre), The Rum Tum Tugger in Cats (No1 UK Tour), Fueilly/1st Cover Enjolras in Les Miserables (Queens Theatre), Peter Tork in Monkee Business (UK tour), 1st Cover Sky in Mamma Mia! (World Internatioal Tour), Price Charming in Sleeping Beauty (Theatre Royal Wakefield), Simeon/1st cover Joseph in Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat (UK tour).Television Credits Include: Enjolras in Les Miserables (ITV Oliviers 2014) The Rum Tum Tugger in Cats (ITV Oliviers 2013)

Oliver Savile and Musical Director Rebecca Grant will work one-on-one with participants of this masterclass to explore all aspects of preparing a song for performance, advice during auditions, technique and exploration if our participants strengths and weaknesses to help prepare them for productions and auditions.

Requirements: All attendees shuld be 16+. Please bring at least two contrasting songs and clothes that you feel comfortable to move in.

Prices: £35 (Participant and work one on one with our guest artists). £20 to be an observer/audience member.


Cassidy Janson - Acting Through Song Masterclass
with Musical Director, Rebecca Grant.
Sunday 2nd December, Omnibus Theatre, Greene Room, 2pm - 6pm.

Cassidy Janson recently played Florence in the ENO's revival of Chess at the London Coliseum alongside Michael Ball and Alexandra Burke. She had a top 20 hit with Leading Ladies: Songs From The Stage with Beverley Knight and Amber Riley at Christmas. She is probably best know for playing? the titular role in Beautiful: The ?Carole King Musical. She duetted with ?Carole King in Hyde Park in Summer 2016 for 65,000 people. Other credits include Ruth in Dessa Rose at the Trafalgar Studios opposite ?Cynthia Erivo. Tick Tick Boom for the Menier Chocolate Factory starring alongside Neil Patrick Harris. Blood Wedding at the Courtyard Theatre, Rooms: A Rock Romance at the Finborough, Lend Me a Tenor at the Gielgud Theatre, Company at the Southwark Playhouse and Kate Monster/Lucy The Slut in Avenue Q at the Wyndhams Theatre. Janson was a member of the original London cast of Wicked and played standby Elphaba. Janson sang full time with The Jive Aces for 18 months in 2014 performing at Glastonbury and ?Ronnie Scott's and also toured New York City and Florida with them in 2016. She guest sings with them whenever their schedules allow! On film her credits include The Hike, Tail's End, Day Trip to London, Full Circle and Coma. Her television appearances include Casualty.

Cassidy Janson and Musical Director Rebecca Grant will work one-on-one with participants of the masterclass to explore how best to connect with text and music, techniques, repertoire suggestions, audition advice and the many things Cassidy has learned as a leading lady in the West End.

Requirements: All attendees shuld be 16+. Please bring at least two contrasting songs and clothes that you feel comfortable to move in.

Prices: £35 (Participant and work one on one with our guest artists). £20 to be an observer/audience member.

For more information and to book your place at any of these masterclasses, please visit www.arion-productions.com/portfolio. Due to the popularity of our masterclasses we strongly suggest booking as soon as possible to guarantee your place.