DISNEY'S "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST"

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Jonathan Alver is a multi-skilled director and producer of both stage and screen with international experience in the UK, Europe, US and New Zealand.  Trained as a singer at the Royal Northern College of Music, his major directing debut came at the age of 25 when he remounted the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Showboat at the London Palladium. 

Jonathan has since gone on to direct numerous theatre and opera productions around the world including Aida, La Boheme, Falstaff, Lucia di Lammermoor, Macbeth and Tosca, as well as more than 100 broadcast television hours of Shortland Street and Go Girls. 

Jonathan began his long association with New Zealand in 1996, taking up the role of Artistic Director and then General Director of New Zealand Opera.  Amongst his many achievements during that time he is particularly proud of establishing and delivering a ground-breaking opera outreach programme for New Zealand schools and an Emerging Artists’ Programme. 

In the last ten years Jonathan has toured theatrical productions and delivered major events, co-produced Jailhouse Rock - The Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre in London’s West End, directed television and developed his own screen and theatre projects.

MUSICAL DIRECTOR

James Doy (B.Mus L.T.C.L.) was one of the founding members of the National Youth Theatre Company, and has been the Musical Director since its inception in 2005. In 2012 James was appointed Chief Executive by the NYT Board.

Outside of NYT James has a resume including Christmas and Opera in the Park, Rob Guest, Max Bygraves and Shirley Bassey. In the world of musical theatre, James has played for many international touring productions including Les Miserables, Little Shop of Horrors, Porgy and Bess, Cats, Matilda and Wicked.

In 2014 James received the prestigious 'NZ Musician of the Year' award from the Variety Artists Club. James was the Musical Director of the NZ Opening Ceremony for the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, composing, arranging, and working with artists from Sole Mio to Hayley Westernra as well as putting together a huge showcase for the music from each of the 14 participating nations. He composed the theme for Peta Matthias’s Taste series, which have been screened all over the world, and composed the full length musical Peter Pan for NYT in 2017.

PROGRAMME DIRECTOR

Cole is one of our longest serving National Youth Theatre alumnus. He began performing in shows in 2007 and has been involved to some capacity with every production since. Joining staff in 2019, Cole has been a wonderful addition to our team. Alongside his work as the Programme Director with National Youth Theatre he works as a Vocal Coach, the owner of Auckland Artists Network, a resident performer with Ryman Healthcare and a very in demand Musical Theatre performer. 

CHOREOGRAPHER

ASSISTANT MD

Ben can usually be found behind a piano, working as a répétiteur and orchestral pianist on productions for New Zealand Opera and G&T/Amici Productions, and as a pianist and vocal coach at the University of Auckland and the New Zealand Opera School. His work as a musical director, besides his shows with NYT, includes productions with Auckland Music Theatre and the Junior Theatre Festival of New Zealand. He also performs as a singer, having performed roles on stages from Christchurch to Auckland. In his copious free time he also lectures at the University of Auckland, where he recently completed his PhD in musicology

ARTISTIC ASSISTANT

Brie started with NYT when she was 6 years old and spent many years with the company. NYT is where Brie’s passion for the performing arts grew. After her final show in 2015, she went to the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts in Christchurch where she graduated with a Bachelor of Performing Arts. Brie loves working with young people and helping them find their confidence through performing, and she is soon studying to get a Diploma in Secondary Teaching.

DANCE INTERN

Nieve began dancing at the age of 3 and has since gained experience in a variety of styles. She has always loved the idea of passing on her knowledge and enjoyment of dance; she spent years assisting her ballet teacher with the younger students' classes before she started working as a solo teacher herself in 2019. Additionally she had the opportunity to lead dance troupes at Rangitoto College, where she received the Devotion to Dance award in 2018. 

In 2023 Nieve completed her Bachelor of Dance Studies at the University of Auckland. Alongside this degree Nieve has performed in contemporary piece ‘This Room Is An Island’ (choreographed and created by Yin-Chi Lee), and ‘Night Of The Queer 2023’ (Luck & Schooney). She started working with the National Youth Theatre in 2021 as a Dance Intern and has since taken on the role of Choreographer for their productions of Frozen JR, High School Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat and Alice: A Wonderland Musical. 

Most recently Nieve performed in Wilbur: The Big, Not-So-Bad Wolf, at TAPAC as part of the TAPAC Youth Company. 

PRODUCTION MANAGER

COSTUME DESIGNER

Deb Thearle, originally from England, graduated in Costume Interpretation from the Wimbledon College of Arts in 1995. She has worked on TV, film, and theatre costumes for Angels Costumes in London. She spent four years in Melbourne designing and making costumes for J.C. Westend Costume Hire before heading back to the UK. She was a pattern-cutter and maker at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester. Previous costume design work includes Last Legs, and Winding Up for Auckland Theatre Company. She has designed Shrek, Annie and Wizard of Oz for National Youth Theatre. Deb was also the Costume Manager for The Audience Auckland Theatre Company, and runs her own dressmaking business.

In 2021, Deb returned to University to do her Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) whilst also designing and sewing costumes for Disney's  Beauty and the Beast. She is now a Technology teacher at Orewa College, where she has already costumed her first show: The Addams Family.