A Warm Welcome from Principal Juanita Alonso Having worked professionally as a child Juanita gained her Equity card at an early age and then went on to train as a professional actor at Lee Strasberg Studios London. She then continued her training in the performing arts with a 3 year Dance and Performing Arts Diploma at Stella Mann College of Performing Arts. She has had many years of professional experience ranging from a touring cabaret dancer/singer in Italy to performing on the West End stage, she has also appeared in many pop videos and various Television Shows performing along side Ant & Dec, East 17 and with the former lead singer of INXS, Michael Hutchins to name a few.

Juanita has been teaching students for over 10 years and has managed to gain parts for her pupils in Television, West End and local Theatre Shows due to her knowledge and contacts within the industry.

Her main aim as principal at Act is to provide an extremely high level of Musical Theatre training to girls and boys including LAMDA courses plus giving all pupils the opportunity to work professionally through the Act Agency.

Head of Dance
Lorna Crudwell
Lorna trained at the famous Bird College of Dance and Performance, where she gained a BA (Hons) in Dance and Musical Theatre Performance.

Upon graduating, Lorna toured the world with Carnival Cruise Lines in the shows Wonderful World/Big Easy/Shout and Fiesta Latina. Since returning to the UK, Lorna has appeared in the London Follies at the Leicester Square Theatre. Then in Cinderella (Milton Keynes Theatre) as Cover Cinderella/Dance Captain, where she played alongside Anthea Turner, Bobby Davro and Hollywood legend, Mickey Rooney.

Other shows include The Life (Studio Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Orchard Theatre) Cinderella (Greenwich Theatre) with Roy Hud, and Move It at Olympia. Lorna has also made an appearance on television in The Mighty Boosh.

Lorna currently teaches a variety of classes, including Ballet, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Drama and Creative Movement.

Head of Musical Theatre
Jack Everson
Jack Everson comes from a strong background in classical ballet (R.A.D) He gained a full scholarship at 'Bird College' on the Musical Theatre course.

Recent Theatre Credits:

3 touring T.I.E plays ('Peer Productions')
'Carousel' – Child Ensemble (Chichester Festival Theatre - 5 month run) Choreographer: Javier De Frutos, Director: Angus Jackson
'Just William' – William Brown (George Wood Theatre, London)
World Premier of ‘Picnic At Hanging Rock’ – Dance Captain. Director: Bob Tomson (Director of West Ends Blood Brothers, Dream Boats & Petty Coats)

Film & TV Credits:

'Journey To The Moon' (IMDB) – Lead Dancer (Shepperton Studios)
'Anonymous' – West End Dancer (ITV, Tiger Aspect production)
'Push The Button' – Dancer (ITV, Gallowgate Productions, Ant & Dec)

Teaching:

Act Arts - Musical Musical Theatre - Choroegrapher
'Peer Productions Youth Theatre' – Choreographer,
'West Sussex Youth Theatre' – Choreographer. Jack brings to Act Artsnot only his exceptional experiece but the the cutting edge of the West End and Commercial Musical Theatre.

Head of Drama
Peter Eastland
Peter has been working in the entertainment industry for over twenty years and has acquired enormous expertise in creative learning and performance. He has been working with Juanita the Principal of Act for over 6 years and they have co-produced and written many shows together. Peter trained as an actor and has worked in numerous productions at some of the best theatre venues across the country, including many plays at the National Theatre. He has also appeared on TV in both adult and children’s programmes including the Basil Brush Show and as the 'alien' presenter Butt in CBBC's Telequest series. As well as acting, he has worked extensively as a freelance drama facilitator and has taught in schools, colleges, drama schools, one o'clock clubs and for a variety of after-school projects, both with advantaged and disadvantaged children from a diverse range of backgrounds. He also co-founded Fat Story Shop, an award-winning young people's theatre company providing storytelling and drama parties and workshop sessions for schools, community projects and a variety of private sponsors. Peter has been teaching for Act for the last 3 years and is dedicated to the practical application of drama on a social, cultural and educational level. Because of drama’s power and unique adaptability, he believes it is vitally important for it to reach out into all areas of our community to promote social inclusion, education, citizenship and fun, fun, fun!!