Mountview Rewind - Class of 2020

Welcome back to Mountview Rewind – a series where we revisit graduating year groups throughout Mountview’s history, finding out what they’ve been up to since their time with us and where they are now!

With the world in lockdown and the performing arts community facing unprecedented difficulties, 2020 was a particularly challenging year to finish training. Despite the obstacles, our 2020 graduates went on to work and perform across stage and screen, showcasing their talents and resilience at home and abroad.

Read on to find out more about where the Class of 2020 are now…

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Noah Thomas made his West End debut in the title role of the hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre, after being cast mid-way through his final year of training.

After starring in South Pacific at Chichester Festival Theatre, Zack Guest performed in the ensemble of Grease and Karen Wilkinson has been treading the boards in the cast of Phantom of the Opera, while Sophie Maria Wojna features in the cast of the multi-award-winning Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club.

Many of our 2020 graduates have been touring the UK with fan-favourite musicals since finishing their studies. Conor O’Hara has starred in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Fallon Mondlane in The Lion King, Darcy Finden in The Rocky Horror Show and David Mairs-McKenzie in Dreamgirls.

Also on tour, Edi De Melo traveled the UK in the company of The Play That Goes Wrong, while fellow MA Actor Nick Wray was on the circuit with Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em UK Tour.

Ellen Campbell is the Musical Director on Waitress UK Tour. Fellow MA Musical Direction alum Benjamin McQuigg has worked as Assistant Music Director with the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as Music Assistant on Moulin Rouge! the Musical and Bedknobs and Broomsticks UK Tour. 

Matt Herbert is currently an Associate Conductor for Only Fools and Horses The Musical and We Will Rock You UK tour.

Abi Green is currently covering three parts in the smash-hit play Jerusalem at the Apollo Theatre.

Meanwhile, Stage Management alum Cecilie Fray is Assistant Director on Moulin Rouge at Piccadilly Theatre.

Harry Pudwell has played a plethora of characters in Doctor Who Time Fracture, including several Time Lords and William Shakespeare, and is also cover Rosy Rosenthal in The Immersive Great Gatsby. 

Shadee Yaghoubi starred in Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s version of Romeo and Juliet. 

At the National Theatre, Sarita Gabony starred in Our Generation and in September will join National Theatre of Scotland for James IV: Queen of the Fight.

Also at the National Theatre, Efé Agwele starred in the children’s adaptation of Hamlet.

As part of the Chester Open Air Rep Season, Oliver Nazareth Aston features in the cast of Romeo and Juliet, Little Women and Stig of the Dump, while not far away Samuel Ashall performs in Gypsy at the Buxton International Festival.

Charlie Heptinstall is taking head/lining to Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer, also featuring Jordan El-Balawi. Also on the fringe circuit, Harriet Waters is set to perform in a new play called SHEWOLVES.

Meanwhile, actor-musician Melker Nilsson is playing Brother Jay in Barn Theatre’s Million Dollar Quartet.

Starring a host of Mountview grads including Jessica Friend, Amy Margaretta, Grace Leland, Lily Roberts and Meghan Bartual Smyth, Yoghurtisnotsexy ran as a live and immersive performance art piece at Camden People’s Theatre.

Gianni Salvagi has starred in a host of productions with WhatsTheirNames Theatre, including most recently as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. 

Jade Kennedy currently stars as Sacagawea, Frida Kahlo and Marie Curie in Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World at Theatre Royal Stratford East.

On the small screen, Libbi Fox has been playing Jade in television staple Eastenders, and has just wrapped on a podcast drama series with BBC Sounds.

Meanwhile, Boo Golding featured in BBC and Netflix show Inside Man, as fellow MA grad Colm McCready appeared in The Windermere Children, also with the BBC.

Christopher Erasmus starred as Johnny Cash in the ITV documentary of the same name.

Isabella Kerridge-Temm is working closely with Tim Bray Theatre Company, giving drama classes to neurotypical and divergent children, aiming to create an environment where everyone learns and has fun regardless of communciation levels. This comes after performing in a six-month national tour with Ugly Shakespeare Company, bringing enjoyable and approachable Shakespeare to New Zealand’s rural young people.

Creative Producer Lawryn LaCroix  is the current recipient of The Prince Fellowship, a new member of the Broadway League and a resident producer for the Shubert Organization’s Artistic Circle. She is also the founder of production company Pinkhouse Productions which has worked with Tony, Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe winners on original productions.

Meanwhile, Yusuf Niazi has just finished a 14-month attachment with Exeter Northcott Theatre as an Associate Director, a role that was supported by Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries.

Scenic Artist Sophie de la Mare has worked on a range of projects since graduating, including as assistant scenic artist on hit TV series Top Boy.

Fellow Scenic Art and Prop Making graduate Annabel Lay has also been busy, as a scenic artist at Bush Theatre and for Amazon Music videos, as well as a model maker for a Jo Malone campaign.

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Are you a Mountview graduate with news to share with us? Get in touch at alumni@mountview.org.uk – we love to know what you are getting up to, whether on or off the stage or screen!