“Gotta sing, gotta dance” – I was one of only four boys and 99 girls at the local dance academy (Billy Elliott eat your heart out!).

The West End was my chosen birthday treat - ‘Barnum’ (with Michael Crawford’s unforgettable performance), Shakespeare at the RSC, ‘Starlight Express’, ‘42nd Street, ‘Phantom of the Opera’ (to name but a few) … I became firmly stage struck!

At school (Colfe’s in Lee), a dedicated drama student, I was chosen to play Puck in ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ … my first real acting role.

The thrill of frolicking around as a mischievous fairy (!?) led, a year later, to my being asked to play Hyde in ‘The Teenage Jekyll & Hyde’ (a children’s pop/gothic musical - don’t ask!), followed by Malcolm in ‘the Scottish play’ and, finally, a 15 year old Fagin in ‘Oliver’!

Acting and performing was not just my hobby, it was my PASSION! Evenings were spent studying dance at the local performing arts college, and weekends at the local Youth Theatre Club, where I played the title roles in ‘Amadeus’ and ‘Stand Up Nigel Barton’.

Christmas 1990 found me at the Lillian Baylis Theatre in Islington in the National Youth Music Theatre’s production of ‘Captain Stirrick’, playing the supporting role of Charlie Clark, the simpleton, opposite Jude Law!

MY TRAINING

By the age of 16 I was desperate to move on from my scholastic studies to an accredited London Drama School. However, I was still a year too young to apply, so with 9 GCSE’s (including an A Grade for Drama … and a C Grade for Biology!?) I said goodbye to my school friends and enrolled at the local Performing Arts College to study dance, drama and singing.

At last, a year later and after two gruelling weekends of auditions, I was offered a place at The Central School of Speech & Drama (or Central School of Screech & Trauma, as I would affectionately call it!). I was the youngest guy in my year.

After three intense, happy, productive years studying voice, text, movement, period dance, Shakespeare, stage combat (with a special merit credit for Intermediate Fight … no-one messes with Simon Greiff!), I graduated with a BA in Acting.

I truly loved every moment of my training. My first two years provided the opportunity to really study the craft of acting with fellow aspiring thespians and some wonderful visiting Directors playing; Richard III, Chris Keller in ‘All My Sons’, Touchstone in ‘As You Like It’, Pavel in Brecht’s ‘The Mother’, Dr Dorn in ‘The Relapse’. My final year was an exciting run of public theatrical productions playing; Sebastian in ‘Twelfth Night’, The Boy in ‘The Arbour’, Al Joad in ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ and Tobias Ragg in ‘Sweeney Todd’.

During the second term of my third (and final) year at Central the ‘Showcases’ began. This was my opportunity to present myself to Agents and Casting Directors*. After my first Showcase I was invited to talk to three Agents. A second Showcase quickly followed and it was my good fortune to find that all three Agents remained interested in representing me. Suddenly, I had an Agent!

(*To my astonishment and delight, in 2004 I was invited to audition for a Casting Director who had last seen me in one of my chosen Showcase pieces in 1997 and had found the perfect part for ME!).

MY FIRST AUDITION

In the middle of my final term at Central I was ‘sent’ to my very first professional audition.

At the time mobile phones were still something of a luxury (how quickly technology marches on!) and still yet to sign up for my first big pay cheque, I had invested in a pager/bleeper so that my Agent could reach me anytime, anywhere (so long as me and my pager were still “in signal” and not underground!). After a good few weeks of patiently waiting for a ‘gentle vibrate’, my pager showed life! :

“PLEASE CALL AGENT”

Two seconds later I’m on the phone. “Well hello”, chirped my new Agent, “Do you like John Travolta?”

I panic; Am I ready for a Hollywood Blockbuster!?

“I’m a big fan,” I nonchalant reply (remember, I’m an Actor).

“His movie comeback has been a huge success. I loved him in ‘Pulp Fiction’”

“Well, have you seen ‘Saturday Night Fever’?”

“Of course”, I reply.

“You’re auditioning for ‘Saturday Night Fever’ - the Musical’ next week. We have put you forward for the role of Tony Manero. You need to sing two songs in the style of the Bee Gees. And by the way, can you dance?”

I knew I wasn’t quite right for the role of the ‘perfectly coiffed stud’ (made famous by Mr Travolta), but I “strutted my stuff” and after only a single recall was offered the supporting lead role of Bobby C (the insecure looser!).

MY CAREER

So, here I am, kicking my heels waiting to start rehearsals for my West End debut! Just when I think things can’t get any better, I’m filming my first TV role - a small part in the Lynda La Plante’s Killer Net starring Paul Bettany, Tam Williams and Emily Woof. And then, an offer I simply couldn’t refuse, The Bridewell Theatre Company want to cast me as Ray in the World Premiere of Stephen Sondheim’s first ever musical Saturday Night (how strange is that ?!).

At the end of my year long contract in the Olivier Nominated production of Saturday Night Fever at the London Palladium I decided I wanted to do something new. Herein I entered the real world of being a professional Actor … I was - unemployed!!

It was worth the waiting, as the next part to come my way couldn’t have been more different. I was cast as Jason in the award winning production of Theatre Absolute’s Car, which opened at the Battersea Arts Centre, going on to a short International Tour.

Since then I have attempted to choose work that I felt I could really bring something to as an Actor. I have always loved the opportunity to create the Playwrites’ characters for the very first time. From loveable losers, to psychos, to romantics!

Premiere theatre productions thankfully continue: The Soldier in The True Life Fiction of Mata Hari opposite Greta Scacchi at the Palace Theatre Watford; Simon Cairns in Skin Deep at the Warehouse Theatre Croydon; Jerry in Sadly Solo Joe opposite Clive Rowe at the Greenwich Theatre and the Sherman Theatre Cardiff (as part of the International Musical Theatre Festival); Herb in Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Book? at the Soho Theatre.

Other theatre credits include: The Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (RSC version) at the Leicester Haymarket (winning the Performance of the Year – Leicester Mercury); Romeo in Romeo & Juliet at the Haymarket Basingstoke and Jersey Opera House; Peter in Peter Pan: the Broadway Musical at the Leicester Haymarket; Art O’Malley in the British Premiere of Cole Porters’ Out Of This World opposite Anne Reid, and Leopard in the New Production of Drewe & Stiles’ Just So both at the Chichester Festival Theatre.

When I’m not acting I try to keep myself busy:

OTHER WORK

 

Since leaving Drama School I have always kept myself busy … between Acting I have pursued work in Casting, Directing, Coaching and more recently Producing:

 

• I am a Freelance Drama School Teacher/Director and Acting Coach, and in 2006 was short-listed as the Acting Coach for the BBC1 TV programme 'How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria' star search

• Between 2003-6 I have been responsible for Dialects and Dialogue on the West End, UK and European Touring productions of ‘Saturday Night Fever’, in 2007 I worked as Accent/Acting Coach on ‘Bratz Live Tour’ (all productions working directly with Arlene Phillips), as the Dialect Coach on the 2007 West End production of 'Fame' and the British Premiere of 'I Love You Because' at the Landor Theatre

• Since 1999 I have worked closely with West End Casting Director Pippa Ailion on a freelance basis, working as an Audition Reader (shows include ‘Lion King’; ‘We Will Rock You’ London & UK Tour; ‘Billy Elliot’; ‘Tonight’s The Night’; ‘Wicked’; ‘Drowsy Chaperone’ and ‘Spring Awakening’) and in 2006 working as a Casting Assistant on ‘Wicked’; ‘Jean de Florette’; ‘Billy Elliot’; ‘Enchanted Pig’; 'We Will Rock You' and ‘Porgy & Bess’

• Continuing my work as an Audition Reader I have become the Reader for many West End productions, having worked with Casting Directors David Grindrod (on ‘Dr Zhivago’, ‘Spamalot’, ‘On The Town’ and ‘Hairspray’), for Maggie Lunn (on ‘Dirty Dancing’) and for Jill Green/Tara Rubin (on 'Jersey Boys')

 

To read an interview I gave to Knight Hooson for The Drama Student Magazine about my work in Casting and advice I can offer young actors, click on the image:

 

 

At the start of 2009 having spent over two years working back in the West End as an Actor, I decided I had to try something else in this business. I had always wondered if there was a job where I could combine all my experiences in the industry, and becoming a Resident Director seemed the obvious choice! So, having been associated with the Casting of the London Production of ‘We Will Rock You’ for over six years, I decided to put myself forward for the job of Resident Director on the We Will Rock You No 1 UK Tour. I was thrilled to be offered this Creative position. It was such a rewarding challenge to look after the show for Ben Elton and I certainly enjoyed and relished the responsibility he and the shows Producer gave me! Once we opened the production at the Palace Theatre Manchester, I was responsible for seeing the show into each new venue (including Sunderland, Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Dublin), looking after it’s creative upkeep, and also putting two new principals into the show.

“The cast, the band, the whole seamlessly polished and passionate performance swept me away ... I have to say, in the whole history of WWRY all around the world, I have never seen anything to top this night in Bristol.” Dr Brian May 

PRODUCING

During my time on the road with ‘We Will Rock You’, I was also able to become a Producer! In October 2009 I released the first CD on my own record label SimG Records. Annalene Beechey ‘Close Your Eyes’ is the enchanting debut album from the West End Actress featuring songs by leading British and American songwriters; beautiful new arrangements by Peter White, Jonathan Williams and Richard Taylor; West End guests Julian Ovenden (Marguerite, Annie Get Your Gun), Rebecca Lock (Avenue Q, Phantom of the Opera), and a special album foreword by American composer Scott Alan. For more information and to buy a copy please visit www.annalenebeechey.com, and also to Download the album (available from late November 2009) please visit Amazon, iTunes, CDBaby and other download stores.

 

Also in October 2009, I Produced two Concerts at the Leicester Square Theatre in London.

My good friend and acclaimed American composer Scott Alan asked me if I would help him ‘officially’ play London.

On Sunday 11th October 2009, presented by my company SimG Productions, ‘Just Me … and Them: The Music of Scott Alan’ played two sold-out performances, and Scott was joined on stage by his friend and Broadway star Stephanie J. Block, and a whole host of amazing West End talent: John Barr, David Bedella, Annalene Beechey, Mark Evans, Anna Francolini, Alison Jiear, Ramin Karimloo, Rebecca Lock, Patina Miller, Frances Ruffelle, Caroline Sheen, Oliver Tompsett.

 

To be continued …