About Phoenix
Our History and Ethos
Phoenix is a new venture from a musical and performing family, with a long history in the arts.
Having run several theatre companies in the past, Amanda has chosen the name Phoenix for her brand new inclusive company, which is gloriously rising from the ashes of its predecessors.
Phoenix is proud to be fully inclusive. We welcome all performers on board for our shows, old friends and new. We are looking for talent, commitment, excitement, and most importantly the ability to work in a team with your fellow cast members.
All additional needs can be accommodated; if you can maintain our boundaries, access our teaching/directing, and have the performing bug then please audition for one of our shows or join our Saturday workshops.
Alongside full scale musicals, Phoenix will be producing smaller and more intimate shows and fund-raising events. These will be performed at smaller venues around Brighton and Hove.
We will also be offering regular professional standard Sunday workshops with West End professionals from shows such as Six, Heathers, Rock of Ages, Kinky Boots, Mamma Mia, Bat Out Of Hell, Phantom of the Opera, Elf, 42nd Street, Lion King, Aladdin, Hairspray and Les Miserables.
We are excited to have so many current industry performers on board and keen to be involved including our good friend Jodie Steele and the talented Charlotte Anne Steen.
Phoenix Theatre Company is linked to a Spotlight registered Management Agency and a talent representative will be attending all our performances.
Our Team
Patrons
Robert White
Robert White is the incredible, original and outstanding comedian/musician who was the runner up on Britain's Got Talent 2018!
Living with undiagnosed Asperger's Syndrome, depression, an eating disorder, dyslexia, and also being gay, gave him an insight into the anxieties and difficulties faced by those struggling to fit their square pegs into round holes, something we really understand here at Phoenix.
Robert has also spent time on remand in prison, and therefore has an awareness of the difficulties caused by the general public's (and authority's) perception of young people with hidden disabilities and the decisions they might make.
Robert always has many musical projects on the go as well as touring as a stand up comedian, something he has done for over 15 years.
Some of our Phoenix students were privileged to record vocals for him recently for a secret project, and he made sure they had the best day.
We are so pleased to welcome Robert on board as our new patron.
Joe Stilgoe
Joe Stilgoe is an internationally acclaimed singer, pianist and songwriter with a rich musical heritage (his father is lyricist and entertainer Richard; his mother the opera singer Annabel Hunt). His live shows are a mixture of virtuosic musicianship, breathtaking theatricality and witty interaction with the audience, combining on the spot improvisation and the quickest of wits.
Joe has recently composed the score for the new nationwide tour of the hit theatrical spectacular, Jungle Book; and he is currently composing the music for the new stage production of David Walliam's book The Midnight Gang!
WIth Joe now being a Hove lad, and with his family link to inclusion in the arts, through Dad Richard's commitment to actors with additional needs (The Orpheus Centre Trust https://www.orpheus.org.uk/ ), then who better to come on board with Phoenix Theatre Company!
Producer/Director
Amanda West
Amanda started life as a musical protégée; a full music scholar at St Paul’s Girls’ School, she was a child star performer who then moved on to MD her first show aged just 15.
Amanda has worked tirelessly in theatre for over 30 years. She ran her own youth theatre school for several years, training many children who have since gone on to be professional performers themselves.
Amanda is an accomplished drama teacher, theatre director, vocal coach, accompanist, piano/singing teacher and musical director.
She worked as a vocal coach for Babette Langford and coached the children for several Kenwright tours such as Evita, Half a Sixpence, Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph. Amanda has been musical director on shows all over the south of England. She was involved in varying ways with the first two years of Voice in a Million at the O2 Arena and provided a large number of the children for the initial recordings.
Amanda believes in full inclusion in theatre. As a parent of disabled children, she has fought for years for industry acceptance and a lack of prejudice. Child welfare and safeguarding is her priority.
Choreographer/Musical Director
Brogan West
Brogan was a musical protégée, achieving grade 8 in piano, singing and oboe as a young child; he spent many years winning various music festival classes as a pianist and singer from a very young age. He was a music and dance scholar at Brighton College. His dance training started at Arts Ed, and then moved to Rox School of Dance, where he studied ballet, tap, modern, jazz, pas de deux and contemporary dance. He has performed on stage and screen from the age of 5 years, playing roles such as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Angel in Rent, Michael in Billy Elliot, Jesus in Godspell, Rolf in Sound of Music. He recently recorded the tap dancing feet for the BBC Strictly Come Dancing advertisement.
Brogan is a four-year honours student on the BMus Performance course at the University of Chichester and is now MDing shows for Phoenix and for other companies. He is a skilled vocal coach, and in his spare time he performs for charities and at nursing homes in the local area. Brogan is a skilled choreographer, with tap being his particular specialism
Senior Technician
Raefn West
Raefn started his career in the industry as a performer, with his first ever appearance aged 6 playing Small Boy in Billy Elliot in the West End. Raefn, however, always found the backstage side of the theatre more interesting than what was happening on stage. He would constantly question how everything worked in the theatre. As Raefn grew older, he eventually transitioned into the technical side of performing. He gained a full scholarship to a Stage Management Course at The National Theatre aged just 15. Raefn then successfully landed a place at the BRIT School studying Technical Theatre. Whilst studying Raefn has continued to freelance, gaining experience on many high profile events in large venues such as Hillsong Carols at Wembley Arena and being a lighting technician at The BRIT Awards 2018. Raefn continues to work regularly on these high profile events, as well as supplying key technical support to the local area. He is a sought after lighting designer and technician and is always sought after for local productions.
Safeguarding Lead
Harris West
Harris has been a performer all her life, having starred in the 21st anniversary cast of Les Miserables and countless Kenwright tours alongside her many amateur shows. Having inside knowledge of the issues surrounding the safety of young people in theatre she is determined to maintain a safe, secure and supportive environment for all performing chilren.
Harris is currently studying BA Social Policy and Practice and aims to work with the most vulnerable members of society. Her dream is to be a foster carer for children with additional needs, Her family background, growing up with siblings with disabilities, has given her great insight into the complex needs of many young people and children.
Harris will be organising chaperone training and first aid courses for parents who wish to be involved with their children in our shows.
Our Venues
We are so excited to have moved to our permanent base, at ExtraTime, Portslade Village Centre!
Our shows are being performed at The Barn Theatre, Southwick and we are very grateful to both these venues for their support.