WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
A MUSICAL THEATRE EXPERIENCE YOU WILL NEVER FORGET
With a heritage of 8o years, the Co-op Juniors Theatre Company is one of the largest youth musical theatre groups in the UK. We work with people aged 7-21 from all backgrounds to produce vibrant, innovative and original theatre across east Suffolk’s top venues.
Our mission continues to be giving young people the chance to be creative, learn new skills, express themselves, build their confidence, take part in shows of scale and ambition, and have fun doing it! Many of our cast have gone on to successful careers as performers or creatives: we’re proud to have played a small part.
As a charity, we aim to make our performing arts opportunities accessible to as many young people as possible. To honour the legacy of Pauline Walker, an inspirational director of the company for 4o years, our Pauline Walker Bursary Fund enables us to provide bursaries and financial support so that cost is never a barrier.
OUR MISSION
We believe in the power and value of creativity. In a safe, inclusive and inspiring environment, we give young people the confidence to realise their full potential though the expressive and collaborative process of making theatre.
THE CREATIVE TEAM
OLIVER BRETT
OLIVER BRETT
BA (Hons)
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
A member of the Co-op Juniors Theatre Company from 1997 to 2010, Oliver trained at The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, graduating with a BA (Hons) in Design for Performance. He has since worked across Suffolk as a theatre maker specialising in directing for musical theatre, set & costume design, puppetry and creative workshops for young people.
For the Co-op Juniors Theatre Company, Oliver has directed and designed NODA award-winning productions, including Oliver! & Les Misérables (New Wolsey Theatre), Barnum (Wherstead Park), Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure (Trinity Park), Cats & Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Snape Maltings Concert Hall). Oliver has also contributed staging and design towards Christmas Spectacular! at Snape Maltings Concert Hall.
Most recently, Oliver directed the new Magic Of Christmas, performed in the Big Top Theatre at Trinity Park.
Contact
oliver.brett@coopjuniors.co.uk
LUCY ALLEN
LUCY ALLEN
CREATIVE TEAM
Lucy Allen joined the Co-op Juniors Theatre company aged 6 and went on to train at the Italia Conti Theatre Academy of Theatre Arts. She has performed in over 20 Co-op Juniors Theatre Company productions, directed Sister Act and Les Misérables (New Wolsey Theatre) and has directed / choreographed Christmas Spectacular! (Snape Maltings Concert Hall) since 2017.
ELLENA BACON
ELLENA BACON
CREATIVE TEAM
Ellena trained at the Italia Conti Theatre Academy of Theatre Arts and graduated with a Trinity National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre, after having completed a foundation year at Evolution Foundation College.
Ellena’s professional credits include: Rapunzel (UK Tour), Fairy Fortywinks in Sleeping Beauty (Weymouth Pavillion) Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (UK tour), Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (The Shaw Theatre, London), Linda Manero in Saturday Night Fever (Avondale Theatre).
Ellena is a choreographer and Technique Class Tutor for the Co-op Juniors Theatre Company and has enjoyed working with them on Christmas Spectacular! 2021 & 2022, Cats and Oliver Jr. Ellena also teaches Commercial, Jazz Technique & Contemporary Dance for the Co-op Juniors Theatre Academy.
HARRIET BACON
HARRIET BACON
CREATIVE TEAM
Harriet trained at Performers College and graduated with a Trinity National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre.
Since graduating, Harriet’s professional credits include; Mother Gothel in Rapunzel (UK Tour), Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty (Weymouth Pavilion), The Wicked Witch of The West in The Wizard of Oz (UK Tour), The Wicked Witch of The West in The Wizard of Oz (The Shaw Theatre, London), Princess Jasmine in Aladdin (Dorking Halls, Surrey), Snow White in Snow White (Ipswich Regent Theatre), Jack and the Beanstalk (Truro, Hall for Cornwall), Sleeping Beauty (Truro, Hall for Cornwall), The X Factor (ITV), the FA Cup Final (ITV).
Harriet joined the Co-op Juniors Theatre Company for Barnum in 2018 playing the role of Charity and again in 2019 for Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure in the role of Mrs Darling. Harriet has worked with the company in a creative capacity for the Creative Warehouse Project, Christmas Spectacular! 2021 & 2022, Cats and Oliver! JR.
EMILY BENNETT
EMILY BENNETT
CREATIVE TEAM
THOMAS HAIGH
THOMAS HAIGH
BA (Hons), MA, PGCE
CREATIVE TEAM
Thomas completed his MA in Theatre Directing in 2006 and his professional teacher training in 2012. He has worked as an artistic director, actor and collaborator on many theatrical and screen projects. He lectures in Performing Arts and has been a member of the Creative Arts department at Colchester Institute for fourteen years. He also regularly leads drama workshops for local youth groups.
Thomas is proud to have been involved with the Co-op Juniors Theatre Company for many years, undertaking a variety of roles and responsibilities during that time.
JO KING
JO KING
BMus. (Hons), MA, PGCE
CREATIVE TEAM
Jo trained at Goldsmiths College, London BMus. (Hons) and MA (Popular Music Research) and works as a freelance Musical Director, Arranger and Educational Consultant. Jo is also the Education Director for the Co-op Juniors Theatre Academy.
Joining the Co-op Juniors Creative Team in 2018 for Barnum, she also musically directed Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure for the Senior Company and has been Musical Director and Arranger/ Orchestrator for two Christmas Spectacular! productions.
As a Musical Director and Singing Tutor at Performers College and Masters Performing Arts, Jo works with undergraduate students to develop vocal technique and performance skills. In her academic work, she is a Dissertation Supervisor at Emil Dale Academy.
Jo is a Senior External Moderator for the University of the Arts London Awarding Body, working with Music and Performing Arts Colleges around the country to develop creative, industry focused education programmes.
NICHOLAS SHEEHAN
NICHOLAS SHEEHAN
CREATIVE TEAM
Nicholas is a professional musical director, orchestrator, tutor, and musician with a huge passion for musical theatre. After graduating from Royal Holloway, University of London, he has returned to Suffolk to provide musical services throughout the county and further afield.
Nicholas joined the Co-op Juniors Creative Team in 2024 for Les Misérables School Edition and is delighted to be returning for Rent School Edition in 2025.
Additional MD Credits include: Nativity (CTC 2024), The Addams Family (SYPT 2024), Oliver! (BSEODS 2023), Ghost (SYPT 2023), Young Frankenstein (NOMADS 2023), Shakespeare In Love (BSEODS 2023), Legally Blonde (NOMADS 2022), The Lightning Thief (SYPT 2022), The Wind In The Willows (BSEODS 2022), The Addams Family (BSEODS 2021) and The Three Little Pigs (Assistant Musical Director, UK Tour 2021, The Unusual Theatre Company).
Nicholas is also the musical director of ‘The Aquarius Singers’ a Bury-based all-female choir, a member of both the ‘Eden Theatre Arts’ and ‘RHCAST’ faculties, a tutor for ‘The Voice Squad’, and conducts a wide range of musical services throughout the area.
Further information is available at his website: www.nsmusicservices.co.uk
NIGEL VIRLEY
NIGEL VIRLEY
CREATIVE TEAM
Nigel Virley is a musical director, vocal coach, piano teacher and jazz musician, and has worked with the Co-op Juniors Theatre Company for 38 years. Nigel began musically directing the company’s Christmas productions at the Ipswich Regent in 1985. He also wrote the scripts for 15 years and contributed many original songs and musical numbers during that time.
Nigel worked on the company’s very first summer musical in 1995 – The Sound Of Music at the Ipswich Regent. Nigel continued to work on all Co-op Junior musicals over the next two decades, including The King & I (Ipswich Regent), Oliver! (New Wolsey Theatre) The Phantom of the Opera (New Wolsey Theatre), Les Misérables (Ipswich Regent), Billy Elliot (Seckford Theatre) and Starlight Express (The Hush House).
Nigel musically directed the first Christmas Spectacular! at Snape Maltings Concert Hall in 2005 and continued in that role until 2018. Nigel works with the Junior Cast on their summer musicals at Seckford Theatre which have included Honk JR, Madagascar, Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR, Oliver! JR and Matilda JR.
WAREHOUSE STUDIOS
Our Warehouse Studios in Ipswich is our base of operation. Inside, we’re able to run rehearsals, build huge sets and create hundreds of costumes with our ever-expanding team of creatives, volunteers and local theatre makers.
Over the 8o years of producing wonderful performances, we have created an extensive range of costumes, props and scenery which we are able to hire out to local & national theatre companies, schools and colleges. We are also able to hire out studio space and technical equipment.
For more information about hires, please visit our Scenery Magic website.
GROUND FLOOR
STUDIO 5 is equipped with an acoustic piano, sprung floor topped with Harlequin dance floor, full sound system, portable ballet barres and raked seating area.
STUDIO 6 is equipped with a full sound system, wood floor and is large enough to contain our stage sets to rehearse on.
LARGE PROPS STORE is where we store bigger props and scenery for use in our productions and hire.
SCENIC WORKSHOP is where we design and construct all the stage sets for our productions.
FIRST FLOOR
STUDIO 3 is equipped with a portable sound system and wood floor topped with Harlequin dance floor.
STUDIO 4 is equipped with a digital piano, full sound system, wall mounted ballet barres, Harlequin dance floor and seating area.
COSTUME HIRE is where we store thousands of costumes and manage our Costume Hire.
PROPS STORE is where we manage our Props Hire and store the many props used in our productions.
SECOND FLOOR
STUDIO 1 is equipped with an acoustic piano, wood dance floor, full sound system, wall-mounted ballet barres and raked seating area.
GREEN ROOM is our chill out area where cast and parents / carers can relax before or during rehearsals.
CUTTING ROOM is where every single stage costume is designed, cut out and created from our huge wall of fabrics.
COSTUME STORE is where we store hundreds of special show costumes.
PROGRESSION & CAREERS
The Co-op Juniors Theatre Company provides members with the skills and experience necessary to pursue further training in the arts, if they choose to. We offer careers guidance, advice and support to all company members.
Many Theatre company members go on to train at conservatories and universities to study for degrees, diplomas and profession qualifications in dance, drama and musical theatre.
PREVIOUS THEATRE COMPANY MEMBERS HAVE GONE ON TO:
Arts Education School
Bird College
English National Ballet
Evolution Foundation College
Goldsmiths, University of London
Guildford School of Acting
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
Laine Theatre Arts
LMA London
London College of Music
London Studio Centre
Mountview Academy Of Theatre Arts
Performers College
Rambert
Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance
Scottish Ballet
The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts
The Northern School of Contemporary Dance
The Royal Academy of Dance
The Royal Ballet
The Royal Central School Of Speech & Drama
The Royal College of Music
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
The Urdang Academy
