CATS - CHRISTCHURCH

DIRECTOR

Jack Shatford is an Ōtautahi-born music theatre performer and creative. They studied at the Western Australian of Performing Arts (WAAPA) with a Bachelor of Arts (Music Theatre). He’s worked and trained with Australiasia’s top performers directors and choreographers. Upon graduation in 2019, he was the recipientof the Music Theatre International Australasian Award.

They were most recently seen touring Western Australia as Lord Farquaad in Shrek the Musical. Other performance credits have included Next Normal, Te Kuia Me Te Pungawerewere (The Court Theatre), Madagascar the Musical Australia and NZ Tour, Cinderella (GMG Productions), Angel and Dance Captain in Kinky Boots, Rudolpho in Matilda the Musical (Showbiz Christchurch), Shrek the Musical TYA NZ and Middle Eastern Tours, The Cat in the Hat (Showcase Entertainment Group) He Says, She Says, and Severely Queer: It’s A Pirate Life (Blackboard Theatre Collective). He is a regular performer with Epic Entertainment, and was a soloist on The Isolation Mixtape Vol. 2 with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and Blackboard Theatre Collective, which can be found on Spotify.

When not performing, Jack is a sought after creative, acting coach and dance tutor. Their creative credits include co-director of Peter Pan Jnr and
Cats (JK Performing Arts), as well as assistant director for On the Town (NASDA), Elf Jnr, and All Together Now (JK Performing Arts). As a
choreographer having worked on NASDA Performance Gala’s Luminate, and Finale, New Zealand Dance Awards, Coca Cola Christmas in the Park,
as well as works for many dance studios across Ōtautahi. He’s a regular staff member at NASDA, tutoring in Body and Voice, Performance Skills
and Dance. They have been a core tutor at the New Zealand Boys Dance Convention for the past four years.

MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Alison is based in Christchurch and works professionally as a concert pianist, accompanist, vocal coach, and teacher. She received her Masters degree and Certificate of Post Graduate Studies in solo piano performance from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in the UK; First Class Honours degree and Diploma in Arts from Victoria University; Bachelor of Music degree (Musicology) from Canterbury University; and the F.T.C.L. Diploma in solo piano performance.

She has performed in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Croatia, Singapore, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Australia, and has given numerous recitals as soloist and accompanist throughout NZ, and recorded for Concert FM. Alison has worked with the NZ Opera company, Toi Toi Opera, and the Southern Opera companies as a Répétiteur, Musical Director, and accompanist for operarehearsals and in concert. She was a piano artist at the 2018 International Saxophone Festival in Zagreb, Croatia, and has played orchestral keyboards for Showbiz shows such as “Phantom of the Opera” and “Wicked”. She is the South Island pianist for theNZ Male Choir which performs regularly throughout NZ, and abroad. She has also
been an accompanist with the University of Canterbury, Burnside High School, and other Christchurch schools, and a chamber music tutor – including at National finals.

The rest of her time has been developing a busy private teaching practice with students aged 6-80. She’s looking forward to her first collaboration with the National Youth Theatre company.

CHOREOGRAPHER

Lucy is a graduate from the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art (NASDA) with a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Music Theatre)

Lucy’s recent performance credits include Fran in Strictly Ballroom, as well as Ensemble/Understudy Portia in the Australasian Premier of Something Rotten! and Natalie standby in Next to Normal (The Court Theatre).

Her extensive stage experience also includes touring with Madagascar the Musical across Australia as Rico and others and New Zealand as Rico/Dance Captain; Cinderella (GMG Productions) Bigger, Better, Brighter! and Time for Tech (Echelon Productions). Credits whilst training include 42nd Street as Peggy Sawyer; Holiday Inn as Linda Mason; Urinetown and Curtains. She also played the Flute in the orchestra for Fiddler on the Roof.  

Whilst training, Lucy won the New Zealand Dance Awards Music Theatre Award and a prestigious full scholarship to train at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. That same year, Lucy attended the New Zealand Singing School, where she worked with an International Faculty and was awarded the Sewell Family Scholarship for Most Promising Music Theatre Student.

Beyond performing, Lucy has a deep passion for teaching and choreography. Lucy has over 10 years experience teaching at various dance schools across Otautahi. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with students of all ages, helping them develop their technical skills, creativity, and confidence and is very excited to be working with National Youth Theatre on their first production in Otautahi. 

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.

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Andrew Furness is an Auckland-based sound designer and audio technician with extensive touring experience. Andrew was our sound designer & operator for Beauty and the Beast, Oliver! and The Wizard of Oz. Andrew has performed a number of technical roles for Auckland Theatre Company, including Audio Engineer for North by Northwest, touring Audio & Lighting Technician for Winding Up and touring Technical Stage Manager for Still Life with Chickens, which played in 20 venues across three countries. Andrew’s other sound designs include A Stab in the Dark alongside John Gibson, for Nightsong. Andrew also has considerable film industry experience, including Netflix’s Sweet Tooth and Power Rangers.