Musical Theatre Academy


The Musical Theatre Academy was a drama college based in Islington, London. Founded in 2009, the school closed at the end of the 2021–2022 academic year. The principal, Annemarie Lewis Thomas, announced that students in their final term would still graduate and the other students would be helped to find places in other institutions.
WWW themta.co.uk

College History

The MTA was opened in 2009 by Annemarie Lewis Thomas. In 2012, it was awarded The Stage Award of School of the Year in 2012, who described the school as "a new force in drama training." In 2017 The MTA was once again named as The Stage School of the Year. This time the citation commended them on the #time4change campaign, whilst acknowledging The MTA's growing influence within the training sector.
The academy was originally based at the Drill Hall, before moving to 89 Holloway Road in 2011. In July 2015 the academy relocated to The Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham. Students received a guarantee that their fees are spent on training, not on securing a profit, and consequently the academy was granted charitable status in 2012.

Teaching, productions and policies

The course ran over 4 terms per year with 40 hours contact time per week, with classes evenly divided between acting, dancing and singing. All of its staff were working in the theatre whilst teaching. It produced public performances every term – shows included the world premieres of Lia's Guide to Winning The Lottery, In Touch, Dangerous Daughters, Celebs Anon, The Sunshine Gang, The Ballad of Kitty Jay, Just the Ticket and The Venus Factor, and Animus.
The academy was the only UK college to have a policy of supporting new writing in the UK and regularly had composers coming in to work with the students on new material. The MTA saw itself as a college for life, providing graduates with care, support and help. In its first 10 years, 100% of students had secured agent representation prior to graduating.
One of the academy's productions was Something Old, Something New – The Musical Theatre Revue.

Performances

The students were regularly seen in the West End in professional shows/concerts, and to date its students have backed Shoshana Bean, Patina Miller performed with Katherine Jenkins at the London Palladium, and sung on the album Lift by Craig Adams and Ian Watson. They have also provided the ensemble for the Tommy Gala at the Prince Edward Theatre, the MMD 20th anniversary Gala at the Novello, and Julie Atherton – No Space for Air at the Apollo Theatre. More recently the students have been seen on several episodes of The Last Leg on Channel 4.
DatePerformanceVenueWriterMusicDirectorChoreographer
Mar 2010Something Old, Something NewThe Drill HallAnnemarie Lewis Thomas-
June 2010Bad GirlsThe Drill HallMaureen Chadwick & Ann McManusKath GottsSimon Greiff-
15–17 Sept 2010Dangerous DaughtersThe Drill HallNick StimsonAnnemarie Lewis ThomasNick Stimson-
Dec 2010CinderellaThe Drill HallDaniel O'BrienAnnemarie Lewis Thomas-
16–19 Mar 2011Something Old, Something NewThe Drill HallAnnemarie Lewis ThomasJack Gunn-
15–18 June 2011Zombie PromThe Drill HallJohn DempseyDana P RoweHelen Evens-
14–17 Sept 2011Celebs AnonThe Drill HallNick StimsonAnnemarie Lewis ThomasPip Minnthorpe-
20–23 Dec 2011Puss In BootsWaterloo EastDaniel O'BrienAnnemarie Lewis ThomasGerry Flanagan-
14–16 Dec 2011Don JuanWaterloo Eastn/aHelen Evans-
14–17 Mar 2012Something Old, Something NewBridewell TheatreAnnemarie Lewis ThomasJack Gunn-
13–16 June 2012In TouchBridewell TheatreDougal IrvineDougal IrvineJohn Brant-
12–15 Sept 2012The Sunshine GangBridewell TheatreNick StimsonAnnemarie Lewis ThomasKate Golledge-
12–15 Dec 2012Jack & The BeanstalkCourtyard Theatre, LondonDaniel O'BrienAnnemarie Lewis ThomasHoward Samuels-
13–15 Dec 2012ElectraCourtyard Theatre, Londonn/aHelen Evens-
13–16 Mar 2013Something Old, Something NewBridewell TheatreAnnemarie Lewis ThomasJack Gunn-
12–15 June 2013Lia's Guide To Winning The LotteryBridewell TheatreKeren DavidPaul HerbertRyan McBryde-
11–14 Sept 2013The Ballad of Kitty JayBridewell TheatreNick StimsonAnnemarie Lewis ThomasPip Minnithorpe-
Dec 2013Jack and the BeanstalkCourtyardAnnemarie Lewis ThomasHoward Samuels-
Dec 2013Ting Tang MineCourtyard TheatreTilly Vosburgh-
Mar 2014Something Old, Something NewBridewell TheatreAnnemarie Lewis ThomasJack Gunn-
June 2014Just SoBridewell TheatreInga Davis-RutterChristian DurhamCressida Carre
10–13 Sept 2014Just The TicketBridewell TheatreNick StimsonAnnemarie Lewis ThomasSimon GreiffCarly Hainsby
10–17 Dec 2014Beauty & the BeastBernie Grant Arts CentreDaniel O'BrienAnnemarie Lewis ThomasHoward SamuelsHelen Siveter
15–17 Dec 2014Welcome to ThebesBernie Grant Arts Centren/aTilly Vosburgh-
11–14 Mar 2015Something Old, Something NewBridewell TheatreAnnmarie Lewis ThomasCressida Carre-
10–13 June 2015Sunshine On LeithBridewell TheatreStephen GreenhornMary McAdamMichael HowcroftHelen Rymer
9–12 Sept 2015The Venus FactorBridewell TheatreNick StimsonAnnemarie Lewis ThomasPip MinnithorpeCarly Hainsby
9–19 Dec 2015CinderellaBernie Grant Arts CentreDaniel O'BrienAnnemarie Lewis ThomasHoward SamuelsCris Penfold
Dec 2015A State AffairBernie Grant Arts Centren/aPaul Foster-
9–12 Mar 2016Something Old, Something NewBernie Grant Arts CentreAnnemarie Lewis ThomasSteve Elias-
8–11 June 2016Around The World In 80 DaysBernie Grant Arts CentrePhil WillmottAnnemarie Lewis ThomasRacky Plews-
7–10 Sept 2016AnimusBridewell TheatreMichael Webborn & Daniel FinnMichael WebbornChristian DurhamHelen Rymer
Dec 2016"Robinson Crusoe"Bernie Grant Arts CentreDaniel O'BrienAnnemarie Lewis ThomasHoward SamuelsNicky Griffiths
Dec 2016"Tess of the D'Urbervilles"Bernie Grant Arts Centren/aTilly Vosburgh-
March 2017"Something Old, Something New"Bernie Grant Arts CentreAnnemarie Lewis ThomasSteve Elias-
June 2017"All Shook Up"Bernie Grant Arts CentreKevin Oliver JonesMax ReynoldsHeather Douglas
September 2017"Dangerous Daughters"BridewellAnnemarie Lewis ThomasRacky Plews-
December 2017"Mother Goose"Bernie Grant Arts CentreAnnemarie Lewis ThomasOmar F Okai-
December 2017"By The Bog Of Cats"Bernie Grant Arts CentreN/ATilly Vosburgh-
March 2018"Something Old, Something New"Bernie Grant Arts CentreAnnemarie Lewis ThomasSteve Elias-
June 2018"Seussical"Pleasance TheatreAnnemarie Lewis ThomasCressida Carré-
September 2018"Oh My, Nellie Bly"BridewellAnnemarie Lewis ThomasSimon KaneChris Whittaker
December 2018"Cinderella"Tower Theatre (Folkestone)Annemarie Lewis ThomasOmar F Okai-
December 2018"Our Mutual Friend"Tower TheatreN/ATilly Vosburgh-
March 2019"Something Old, Something New"BridewellAnnemarie Lewis ThomasSteve Elias-
June 2019"Calamity Jane"BridewellAnnemarie Lewis ThomasDerek BondLucie Pankhurst
September 2019"The Sunshine Gang"BridewellAnnemarie Lewis ThomasSimon GreiffAlec Mann
December 2019"Dick Whittington"Tower Theatre Annemarie Lewis ThomasHoward SamuelsHelen Siveter
December 2019"For The Love of The Nightingale"Tower TheatreTilly Vosburgh--