Hayley Tamaddon To Be Patron Of Hope Aria Academy

Founders of the Hope Aria Academy in Manchester, Katy Lipson, Joseph Houston and William Whelton, are delighted to announce that actress Hayley Tamaddon will be the Academy's Patron. Hayley has appeared in Closets the Musical at Hope Mill Theatre and sang at the theatre's recent third birthday celebrations. She is currently starring in Everyone's Talking About Jamie in London's West End. Hope Aria Academy is delighted to be partnering with Hayley and believes that her knowledge and experience will be a wonderful asset to the Academy students.

The Academy Founders are also delighted to announce that, on 26 February, they will be holding Scholarship Auditions for their April course. One full scholarship will be available, which has been kindly funded by Lynne Stevens of STD Developments Ltd, Congleton. A half scholarship is also available.

The Academy is also now offering limited single subject places in each discipline of singing, acting and dancing, with the dance module on Monday evenings, acting on Tuesday evenings and singing on Wednesday evenings. All classes will run from 6.30pm to 9.30pm. This is an exciting opportunity for trained professionals to expand their skill set as well as newer students to sample modules and build up their training over time.

There will be masterclasses on the drama course with choreographer Nick Winston (Club Tropicana UK Tour, Rock of Ages UK Tour, Fame UK & European Tour, A Midsummer Night's Dream Curve Leicester, The Wedding Singer UK Tour, Loserville West End, Annie West End), director Jonathan O'Boyle (Aspects of Love, Rain Man, Hair and Pippin) and the Hope Aria producers, with William Whelton, who choreographed Hair and Pippin, as the main guest tutor on the dance course.

The first 12-week part-time drama course will run from 22 April to 19 July 2019 (half term 27-31 May) on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings between 6.30pm and 9.30pm at Hope Aria House, Unit 15 Wellington House, Manchester, M40 7FS at a cost of £150 per week. Later in 2019, the plan is to offer a full-time course as well.

Founders Katy Lipson, Joseph Houston and William Whelton have been ranked in The Stage's Top 100 Most Influential People in Theatre two years running. In 2016, Joseph and William joined forces with Katy of Aria Entertainment to spearhead Hope Mill Theatre as a home for new musicals, musical premieres and musical revivals. Hope Aria productions since 2016 include Parade, Hair, the European Premiere of Yank!, Pippin, the European Premiere of Little Women, the World Premiere of Toyboy Diaries, Spring Awakening, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love, new musical The Return of the Soldier and Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together. London transfers include Yank! at Charing Cross Theatre, Pippin at Southwark Playhouse and Hair at The Vaults. Their award-winning 50th anniversary production of Hair is about to embark on a UK Tour and Aspects of Love is currently playing at Southwark Playhouse until 9 February. Hope Aria Productions recently announced their 2019 Season of the Stephen Schwartz musical Rags, Tracie Bennett in Jerry Herman's much loved musical Mame, and new musical, The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit.