Committee - South West
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Graham LivertonRegional Councillor / Councillor / Volunteergraham.liverton@noda.org.uk
Born in Sidmouth, Devonshire, and proud of it, Graham became interested in drama and performance while at school from singing in choirs to acting. "Let's make an Opera" by Benjamin Britten was his first show, taking the part of The Little Sweep aged 11!
Graham began his working life as a trainee chef and worked in London for a while but changed to the largely 9 to 5 life in the retail busiess. This gave him time to pursue his hobby of treading the boards - acting and singing in many musicals, plays and pantomimes (usually the Dame role) and directing on the odd occasion (including producing a potted panto at his chulrch with a completely untried cast!)
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Robert PreeceRegional Treasurer / Volunteerrobert.preece@noda.org.uk
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Iain DouglasRegional Secretary / Regional Representative / Volunteer (District SW04)
iain.douglas@noda.org.uk
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Joyce PomeroyRegional Representative / Volunteer (District SW05)joyce.pomeroy@noda.org.uk
For many years I have been involved with plays and musicals, whether on stage, backstage, painting scenery, front of house or in the audience. This has happily consumed much of my spare time. I also enjoy singing with a choral society.
I am now retired, having run a shop for some years selling many things to do with music, theatre and dance. I met so many interesting people, but I would struggle to find time to work now !
Each year I attend the fabulous Noda Summer School. A wonderful experience that I recommend to anyone who loves theatre. The quality of the tutors, the friendship and support of fellow students, cannot be over stated. I am very happy to share my experience of Summer School, so please do ask me.
I am delighted to be the Regional Representative for District 5 and look forward to visiting your productions and meeting yet more people for whom being involved with theatre is their passion.
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Delia LeeRegional Representative / Volunteer (District SW10)delia.lee@noda.org.uk
I started dancing at the age of 3 and have been involved in Theatre ever since. I am a qualified dancing teacher, specialising in tap, and trained at the Arts Educational Schools in London, completing the 3 year musical theatre course. I have belonged to several amateur groups in the south west and have been in many, many shows over the years, from plays to opera, as a dancer, singer and principal.
At the end of the 90s I moved behind the scenes and became the choreographer for a youth group and a Gilbert and Sullivan society, both of which I love.
I work for a local firm of solicitors, am married to Nick (who I met on stage) and have two sons who like Maths and Science and not Musicals!
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Sylvia CoatesRegional Representative / Volunteer (District SW11)
sylvia.coates@noda.org.uk
Sylvia has been lucky enough to work at Chichester Festival Theatre, with the brilliant Dale Rooks and Andy Brereton and was DSM on Roger Redfarn's 'Barchester Chronicles' at the turn of the century! She can also turn her hand to prop-making, amongst other things.
Sylvia's theatrical interests particularly revolve around the roots of theatre: Pantomime; Shakespeare; Classics and Comedy. She has taught LAMDA Acting courses to all ages and offers voice-coaching and text-work.
Sylvia is a particular fan of NODA Summer School, where she has found professional tuition, lots of fun, hard work and great friendships.
Sylvia loves to have a show on the boil (and Directing and DSM roles in particular) and is happy to get involved in any production, so if you need a hand, please get in touch.
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Brian OliverRegional Representative / Volunteer (District SW12)brian.oliver@noda.org.uk
In 1979 Brian was persuaded join Rotherham Teachers Operatic Society, and found that it was a good way to work up a thirst and meet lovely girls at the same time. Over the past 30 odd years he has taken part in well over 100 productions. Musicals, Operettas, Plays, Pantomimes, Variety shows, Concerts and one Grand Opera. He has also been involved in many other productions as Treasurer, Stage Manager, Stage Crew, Wardrobe, and Front of house.
He became NODA regional rep for Bournemouth & the New Forest in 2001 which was then part of the Southern Area. With the boundary changes of 2006 he became part of the NODA South West Region committee as rep for Region 12 East Dorset
With a fine tenor voice he has played leading men, comedy roles, baddies, dames and he has even had to appear naked on stage.
Favourite roles include, Georges- La Cage Aux Folles, Cpl Len Bonny - Privates on Parade, The Pirate King- Pirates of Penzance. Francois Villon – The Vagabond King, Price Hargreaves – Big Bad Mouse - The King in The King And I, Isador Strauss – Titanic and John Rutherford – Rutherford and Son.
Both he and his wife Sarah, an award winning director, are long term members of Christchurch G&S Society.
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Dee WayRegional Representative / Volunteer (District SW14)dee.way@noda.org.uk
My mother would say I have acted all my life, but I admit to having acted on stage for well over 50 years, starting in secondary school and moving to amateur groups everywhere I have lived. As a child, I took dancing lessons for several years, eventually auditioning at the Royal School of Ballet and learning tap as an adult, so I love to see good dancing. I also have a deep interest in singing as I trained as a singer and ran a singing group for 15 years.
I have had several jobs, including being a shop assistant, a secretary, a PA to two professors, an editorial assistant for an academic journal, a research administrator and a lecturer in Psychology. I like the academic setting, so I took my BSc and PhD in Psychology while working.
Now that I am retired, I am busy volunteering in three roles: as well as my NODA role, I am volunteer at the Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford on Avon, and I running a café there once a month for people with Parkinson’s Disease and their carers.
My other active interest is in gardening, as I love growing food!
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Frankie TelfordRegional Representative / Awards Secretary / Volunteer (District SW15)frankie.telford@noda.org.uk
After training as a Primary School Teacher, with Drama as my main subject, studying all aspects of Theatre, I directed school productions, but did not become involved with ‘grown up’ Theatre until my local Society discovered that my husband, Andrew, had an excellent tenor voice. I have been a member of my Society for over 35 years, I began helping with costumes, put in a few brief appearances on stage, and then turned to directing. I have served on Committee for many years, with two stints as Chairman; as Andrew was Treasurer for 25 years I have a good understanding of many of the problems facing Societies.
I have represented SW District 15 for eight years and SW Long Service Awards Secretary for 5 years. I am interested in bringing live performance to as many people as possible. I continue to enjoy meeting new people on my visits.
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Sarah L HallWebsite Editor / Volunteersarah.hall@noda.org.uk
Sarah has been a volunteer webmaster for NODA Theatre Summer School for several years and is now helping with this within the South West Region.
Sarah is occasionally found on-stage with Redruth Amateur Operatic Society Trust, but more often than not hides away in blacks.
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Matthew HeatonMembership Secretary / Magazine Editor / Volunteermatthew.heaton@noda.org.uk
Matt ended up in Amateur Theatre entirely by accident at the tender age of 25 and has been involved in it ever since. Progressing from back row of the chorus to principal parts, he has had a go at most aspects and roles involved in putting on a Production and running a Society. Some of these have proved to be more successful than others, but Matt has always approached them with a willingness to learn and a sense of fun.
Directing has been his real passion in recent years, having completed some 18 productions to date. Matt is half-way through writing a guide to directing Amateur Theatre, in order to share best practices and what else he has learnt as an Amateur Director.
Matt has been Regional Editor for NODA South-west for the past 10 years, picking up the Membership duties too in early 2021.
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Stuart LyddonWebsite Editor / Volunteer
stuart.lyddon@noda.org.uk
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Jo Wilson-HuntYouth Coordinator / Youth / Volunteer
jo.wilsonhunt@noda.org.uk
Jo studied at Croydon College of Arts, Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance (BA Hons Theatre Studies)and Roya Central School of Speech and Drama (Post Grad Cert in Applied Theatre with Young People).
She has worked as a Costumer, Production Manager, Director, Performer, as well as Choreographer for both professional and amateur theatre. After a time in Manchester working for SB Watts Costumers and a spell in wardrobes of the West End (The Really Useful Group, Croydon Dance Theatre) she returned to the South West.
On her return to the area she began running Taunton Are You Peoples Theatre for the County Youth Service in Somerset. She has also been lucky enough to have worked on a number of youth theatre projects with the National Theatre and RSC. She has taught both Performing Arts and Entertainment Production at Bridgwater and Taunton College, is Director of the McMillan Youth Theatre and the Theatres Venue Supervisor. She also teaches English and Creative Arts at a local Secondary School provision and cover teaches at Willow Tree Dance and Theatre Arts.
She has been regional representative for The National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) looking after Area 8a for a number of years and is often a tutor for NODA at the Annual South West Conference.