THE OPEN STAGE TEAM
All Open Stage practitioners work with us on a freelance basis, providing a wealth of skills and experience to teach a wide range of disciplines. Our staff are trained via accredited boards, obtaining a high level of knowledge and alongside their own experience from Disney to Broadway they guide our students young and old to fulfil their potential and dreams.
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All staff members hold up to date DBS certificates and are trained professionals within their subjects, we also have qualifying staff who are able to train whilst working with us as part of our ever-growing team.
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RACHAEL JEFFERY
COMPANY DIRECTOR
Miss Rachael is the owner and principal of Open Stage, her company has been a part of her life for 25 years. Original students send their own children to Open Stage - it is now 'generational!'
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Miss Rachael studied with ISTD, RAD, BTDA, IDTA, ABRSM, 'Acrobatic Arts' and I-PATH. Sh trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Stage Dance, Modern Theatre Dance, Acrobatics, Drama, Acting, Directing, Vocal training, Musical Theatre and Teacher Training including working with young people and adults with additional needs. She plays 5 instruments and performed as a child through to adulthood.
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Miss Rachael is a registered full teacher member with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance, an Examiner and a registered teacher member with International Performing Arts and Theatre (I-PATH), an Acrobatic Arts Certified Teacher with added AcroDance Pre-School teacher certification and also teaches Musical Theatre, Singing and Music lessons.
Her theatre-based career began with R&D Theatres in 1999. This back stage and technical experience combined with her dance teacher training and work within schools led her to form the original ‘Open Stage Performance Group’ in November 1999. In later years she became an Associate Director and member of the Arts Team with R&D theatres initially combining Open Stage with their youth theatre for a set period of time. Offers of work came from theatre companies leading to freelance artist and director contracts. Miss Rachael originally combined leading her Saturday and evening classes alongside her theatre career. It was a busy time. ​She directed and choreographed many stage shows, including 'Musicals on Tour', 'The 80s Strike Back!' and ‘The Divide’ a musical that premièred at the Derngate Theatre.
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​​During this busy period Miss Rachael was an artist, facilitator and performer for ‘Bamboozle Theatre Company’ for a decade and in 2006 gained the role of Performing Arts Coordinator for Northgate Arts School, supporting them to be the first secondary special needs school in the country to gain ‘Arts Status’. From 2008 she was Artistic Director for 'RIP Productions' and continued performing, directing, choreographing, producing, writing plays and musicals including gaining the role of Artistic Director for Peterborough City Council's Musicals Project, designing and facilitating a programme leading a diverse community to collaborate and perform with professional actors and musicians.
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Miss Rachael completed a Master of Arts (MA) in Performance Arts in 2011 and provided theatrical workshop design and delivery for National Theatre, London. She developed Open Stage further; adding accredited examinations accompanied by securing a permanent private premises for Open Stage. She studied further Early Years qualifications and developed a 2-4 year olds dance programme, designed ‘Great Big Story Book’ and her multi-sensory baby programme ‘Multi-Sensory Hoo-Ha’ which has been running for 15 years - it was viewed by an ISTD Fellowship member. Miss Rachael believes that CPD is important for all arts facilitators. She has most recently been working in collaboration with DK productions directing shows such as 'Just We Two'.
Miss Rachael is extremely proud of her staff and students and the continuous professional development of Open Stage for over a quarter of a century! She has a very patient family that supports her long days spent at Open Stage. Her partner Steven is a writer and poet and their 19 year old son Joe trained with Open Stage - he is currently studying for a Musical Theatre Degree with 'Urdang' in London.
Lillian is an ISTD, I-PATH and UK Cheerleading Association teaching member. She teaches many Tap and Modern Theatre Dance classes for Open Stage. She also leads our Intermediate and Senior Cheerleading teams and Intermediate Musical Theatre class.
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Lillian grew up in Scotland and graduated with a BA Hons in Musical Theatre. During her studies, and more recently with the Northampton Musical Theatre Company, she played several principal roles including parts in Sister Act, Whistle Down The Wind, Oklahoma!, Grease, Guys and Dolls, Blitz! and Little Shop of Horrors. She also performed as a dancer in the Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
Her professional work includes the title role in the pantomimes Dick Whittington and Aladdin, working as a dancer for Disneyland Resort Paris and being a Park Resorts Team Star running kids’ clubs and performing in the Team Star productions.
Lillian has more than 11 years teaching experience and is an ISTD qualified teacher, having attained her Diploma in Dance Education in Tap and Modern Theatre dance. She is also a qualified cheerleading coach through the UK Cheerleading Association.
Since moving to Northampton Lillian has been teaching dance in primary and theatre schools. She has choreographed for youth productions of Annie, Matilda, and The Wizard of Oz, as well as many dance and theatre school variety shows.
Lillian joined the Open Stage team in 2016, originally teaching Tap and Modern Theatre dance as well as introducing Cheerleading to the school. She has enjoyed the challenge of producing large-scale tap routines for our Derngate shows which featured more than 30 tap dancers aged 8 to 74!
Outside of Open Stage Lillian is kept busy looking after her two young boys as well as running her own dance school on Saturdays.
LILLIAN THORN
HARRIET QUINN
Harriet teaches many of our Ballet and Modern Theatre dance grades at Open Stage. She also leads Wednesday Little Stars, Jazz Technique, Intermediate and Senior Greek classes, including introducing Classical Greek to our school over the past four years alongside Miss Anna. Harriet leads our Accelerate programme and works on our early years community arts sessions with Miss Rachael, as well as working as part of the Open Stage admin team.
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Harriet is a qualified dance teacher with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) and registered teacher, examiner and Regional Leader for East Midlands with International Performing Arts and Theatre (I-PATH).
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She began her training from the age of three studying Ballet, Tap, Modern, Classical Greek, National Folk Dance, Musical Theatre and Jazz. Harriet was very successful at dance competitions, regularly reaching and achieving places in the ‘All England Dance National Finals’, she also performed at the Royal Albert Hall ‘Dance Proms’ on several occasions and gained further performance experience in local amateur and semi-professional dramatic performances.
Harriet moved onto further training at the ‘Italia Conti Arts Centre, Guildford’, it was here that she discovered her love for teaching and choreography. She has since completed her ISTD Diplomas in Instruction and Dance Education in Classical Greek, Modern Theatre and National Folk Dance. She is now working towards the advanced Licentiate
qualification.
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Harriet teaches at several schools, coaching students to advanced levels, across Northamptonshire and has been a part of the Open Stage family since 2018. She continues to love every moment of her work helping students to achieve their best in class, examinations, performances and competitions!
Miss Anna currently teaches the Open Stage Junior classical Greek, Grade 1 ISTD Ballet, Modern Theatre and Tap classes. She also leads our Thursday day time adult courses and enjoys working with our Thursday morning Acro Dance and Little Stars early years students. Anna also coaches Open Stage exam classes and private lessons.
Anna began her dance journey at 3 years old in the Lake District, learning RAD ballet. After moving to Northamptonshire at the age of 8, Anna also began training in ISTD Modern, Tap, Greek, National and Jazz. Anna's vocational training began at Trinity Laban where she earned a Diploma of Higher Education in Dance Theatre. She then transferred to Bird College where she completed her BA (Hons) Degree in Dance and Theatre Performance. Anna later trained on the ISVP programme at Broadway Dance Center (New York) focusing on Lyrical, Contemporary and Commercial Jazz, learning from world renowned choreographers in these genres. Here she was awarded their Certificate of Excellence on graduation. Whilst in America Anna worked with the Charity Life Vest Inside promoting and performing in their international event ‘Dance for Kindness’. After returning to the UK Anna has helped develop dance programmes to be delivered in junior schools, taught dance on the Acting degree at UON and become part of the faculty of Dancebox College.
Anna's professional work includes The Hamburg Christmas Spectacular, Germany. Various music videos, namely for artists Kate Nash and Dj Madeon, as well as commercials for Burberry and the Body Shop. She has also performed on ABC’s Good Morning America and in Bray Entertainment’s ‘A Phony Celebration’ holiday video.
Anna turned her focus to teaching, sharing her wealth of dance knowledge with the next generation. As well as her vocational work, Anna teaches at local dance schools covering the Acrobatic Arts and ISTD syllabus work from primary to advanced levels. Anna strives to help each student become their best dance selves in a caring and nurturing environment.
ANNA MAIR
MELISSA STEVENS
Miss Melissa leads many Open Stage Saturday classes and leads our Ballet Faculty. She has encouraged tremendous improvements within ballet across our whole school and introduced our students to Progressing Ballet Technique training. She is also involved in our Tots,Toys & Tea, Multi-Sensory Hoo-Ha and Fairytale Ballet sessions.
Melissa is a qualified dance teacher with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, has a BA Professional Practice (Dance Education) First Class Degree as well as undertaking PBT (Progressing Ballet Technique) training course in 2019 with further training in 2025. Melissa also gained her NQF level 6 Diploma in Dance with Trinity College London during her professional training at Stella Mann College.
She grew up in Northamptonshire where she attended a local stage school (and was a member of both regional and county dance groups as well as her secondary school dance club. As a teenager she performed at the Royal & Derngate, Castle Theatre and Her Majesty's Theatre in London before undertaking her professional training at Stella Mann College where she achieved the first stage of her ISTD teaching qualifications, as well as gaining performing experience with both stage and TV work. Melissa completed her ISTD teacher training with examiner Rosalea Gibson at Pirouette Academy of Dance.
Melissa’s passion for teaching began at 17 when she both assisted and taught during her training. Following her graduation Melissa began teaching at dance schools in the Bedfordshire area where she taught Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Tap and body conditioning classes for many years. She has 15 years teaching experience and has prepared many students for their ISTD exams, and has choreographed many shows and audition pieces. Past students have gone on to train at professional colleges and associate programmes including Royal Ballet Associates, Ballet Boost and the Jazz Associates as well performances with the National Youth Ballet.
Miss Melissa joined Open Stage in May 2024 and has a passion for safe dance practice and inclusion in dance, making sure that every dancer has a home in the studio and a body that will keep them dancing for life. She is also a mother of 3, one of whom has additional needs so she brings her understanding and experience from her home life into the studio.
Miss Shannon is an International Performing Arts and Theatre (I-PATH) registered teacher. She is also an accredited Cheer and Dance coach with ‘BCA’ British Cheerleading and Dance. Shannon is an Open Stage teacher and a member of the Open Stage reception and office team. Shannon teaches some of our early years and grades of ballet, tap and modern classes plus musical theatre, AcroDance, Street Pop, Street Dance and our Junior Cheer and Intermediate Street Dance class.
She trained in ballet, tap and modern theatre dance then studied further at Northampton College in both dance and musical theatre disciplines, completing both the level 2 BTEC in Dance and progressed on to Level 3 BTEC in Musical Theatre, currently finishing her main teacher training qualification and completed a Bronze Arts Award. Shannon enjoys training and developing her skills, she completed a 'Level 2 Teaching Assistant Diploma’ whilst working towards her main teacher training qualifications and studied for an ‘Understanding Autism Diploma’ and a ‘Complete SEND Diploma’ to support our inclusive school.
Shannon competed in several Performance Awards events over the years whilst training with Open Stage, achieving various medals and first place in 2017 drama category. She has enjoyed performing in theatre shows with various groups. Her theatre credits include ‘His Dark Materials’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘The Bright Lights of Broadway’. Shannon has been cast lead roles in Open Stage Theatre Company productions many times and performed alongside ‘Collabro' at the Derngate
theatre in 2017.
Miss Shannon thoroughly enjoys working at Open Stage!
SHANNON BATT
DAVID KENT
Mr David is the Open Stage Choir Musical Director, our in-house resident writer and composer and he also composes bespoke Open Stage songs and runs various group singing workshops for our school.
Although he trained as a musical theatre performer at the London School of Musical Theatre, David has been a writer since his schooldays, one of his first compositions being sung for his year’s school graduation ceremony at St Andrew’s School, Nassau (Bahamas).
He continued to write while at Cambridge University and over the years his songs have been performed in London, New York, at the Yale Cabaret Conference, and in Los Angeles. Cabaret artist and West End star Morag McLaren performed the song he wrote for her - “As I Am” – in her show at Pizza on the Park in London. Two one-man shows have been built around his material, performed at New York’s Metropolitan Room, and in London at The Pheasantry and Crazy Coqs. David’s first musical was the 5 star two hander “Uglies Do Edinburgh” which chronicled the further adventures of Cinderella’s Ugly Sisters. In 2013 “Liberty Rides Forth” was a finalist in the Soho Theatre’s “New Musical Project” and subsequently had successful runs at the Edinburgh and Brighton Fringes, eventually transferring to the Waterloo East Theatre (London) in 2018. During 2021’s lockdown he wrote and produced the award-winning online micro-musical “Hollow”. David’s show “Soul Sisters the Musical toured the country in 2022.
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He also brought the production “A Christmas Lost and Found” to Open Stage in 2022.​
Lauren is a vocal coach providing private singing lessons at Open Stage and also teaches as part of our Intermediate Musical Theatre team.
As well as being an experienced vocal coach and dance teacher, she has performed in many performing arts shows in Ireland, the UK and New York.
Her training began in Ireland and includes qualifications from the Royal Academy of Dance, Imperial Society Teachers of Dance, London College of Music and the Irish Board of Speech and Drama. She also completed her BA Hons in Performing Arts at the Stella Mann College of Performing Arts with distinctions.
LAUREN DALY
GABRIELLA ANDREOLI-COOPER
Miss Gabriella joined the Open Stage team in July 2024. Gabriella teaches Open Stage Commercial and Street Dance courses, leads Vocal Harmony group training sessions and delivers Musical Theatre and Dance courses. She also works with Miss Anna with our Grade 1 students and facilitates Open Stage themed birthday parties tailored specifically for Open Stage students. You may spot Gabriella working with some of our Early Years groups such as Tots,Toys & Tea, Multi-Sensory Hoo-Ha and Little Stars dance classes.
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She trained as a child via the ISTD syllabus, moving on to a 2 year musical theatre Level 3 BTEC with 'Arts 1' and completed her BA (Hons) Degree in Performing Arts with Stella Mann College of Performing Arts. Miss Gabriella is currently working on further teacher training.
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Doris leads our 'Tai-Chi & Tea' sessions, she is a qualified Tai Chi Instructor and Ballroom dance teacher with many years’ experience.
Combining the glitter ball world of ballroom dance and the meditative movements of Tai Chi might seem unlikely, but both arts need a good understanding of movement and breathing to achieve the appearance of effortlessness and grace.
Observing how we move and how we control our movement will help us to understand our bodies better. Listening to our movement and breathing as we practise Tai Chi and QiGong, we take time to observe, improve and enhance how we feel. We relax muscles, mobilise joints, and activate circulation. Breathing deeply will fill us with energy and, at the same time, calm us.
DORIS SCHIERER
ASSOCIATE FREELANCERS
Danielle hails from the Kingdom of Fife, North East Scotland and trained at the London School of Musical Theatre.
She has more than twenty-five years experience in professional theatre, working in the West End, national tours, regional and repertory theatres throughout the UK. As an actress she's performed Shakespeare, Sondheim and everything in between. Most recently she has appeared in Spymonkeys The Frogs at Royal & Derngate and Murder Most Haunted for Laugh Out Loud Theatre.
Credits include Sylvia in the world premiere of RSVP ASAP (Cochrane Theatre, London) Betty Butterworth in the Scottish premiere of The Secret Garden (The Byre Theatre, St Andrews) and Divine Correction Varlet in the 2003 revival of the Thrie Estaties (Edinburgh & Fife)
Danielle is co-director of Hummingbird Drama Productions, a not-for-profit company that aims to empower people and install confidence using drama methods and theatre practice.
DANIELLE CORR
ELLIE CHANDLER
Gymnastricks guest coach
Ellie found her passion for gymnastics at the age of 4, and has been training ever since, still partaking in her own classes to further her training. After joining the squads at Gymnastricks, she has performed in London twice, at Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Troxy. Ellie’s performance credits also include the Deco’s 2019 pantomime ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’.
She first began coaching with Gymnastricks and after obtaining a Level 2 coaching award with UK Gymnastics, has led her own classes for the past four years. Ellie provides gym and acrobatics coaching for various dance schools in Northamptonshire.
SUPPORT TEAM
LOUISE TOWLER
Louise is part of the Open Stage admin team, dealing with general queries, policies and finance.
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She has been part of the Open Stage Choir for several years and has taken part in many choir performances including the annual show at the Derngate Theatre.
She also regularly helps out behind the bar at Open Stage events.
KARAN
'AUNTIE IRIS'
There are lots of volunteers who offer support to Open Stage but Karan is probably the most familiar face, whether supporting busy Saturdays at Open Stage, organising uniform sales, chaperoning at shows or helping with Open Stage events such as our seasonal fayres or theatre productions where she can often be found running a raffle, managing the tombola or selling refreshments behind the bar.
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Auntie Iris is a weekly volunteer at Open Stage doing numerous jobs from sewing and making costumes, filing, DIY and much, much more! She is also a ballet student in our Thursday adult class.