Paul Collings is a professional actor, director and workshop leader and has been Director of the Key Youth Theatre for the past 14 years. He graduated from Mountview Theatre School in July 1989 and before joining the Key Theatre team in May 2003, had a very successful career as an actor both in the theatre and on television. He continued to work as an actor during his time working for the Key. Paul also has vast experience of working in primary schools having run drama clubs and enrichment sessions at many. Due to his role at the Key Theatre, Paul is well versed with current policies regarding Child Protection and also Risk Assessment and Health & Safety issues.

Elizabeth Watts is also a professional actress, workshop leader and former KYT member. Lizzie graduated from LIPA in July 2012. In 2013 she formed ‘Miss Minelli Productions’. She has been a part of the KYT team for 6 years, working as a choreographer at KYT Summer School and regular leader at workshop sessions at KYT, KY Glee and KYMT. She also offers one to one singing tuition.

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Richard Parnwell graduated from LIPA in July 2013 and now teaches regularly at KYT. In the short time that he has been part of the team, Richard has brought a wonderful energy and enthusiasm to the group. He was recently be spotted on the Asda advert as the 'Midnight Snacker'!

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Jenny has been teaching ballet for 20yrs having taught in various dance schools across the country. Jenny taught ballet to students at the Urdang academy, choreographed performances for the Cecchetti scholars and guest teaches annually for the Cecchetti London and Welsh associates. Jenny also teaches on the Dance and Performing Arts courses at Peterborough Regional College.

Lisa Collings has been involved at the Key Theatre and with KYT for almost 25 years. She graduated from The University of Leicester in 2001 with a First Class Honours Degree in Psychology and went on to train as a Primary School teacher. Lisa was also one of the first NQT’s to be identified and invited onto Peterborough City Council’s ‘Fast Track’ course which was aimed at training new, young teachers in an aim to get them on to the management ladder quickly. Her experience in schools and theatre makes her an excellent co-ordinator for our PSHE activities. Lisa’s involvement at the Key began as a member of KYT. From there she was invited by former Artistic Directors Derek Killeen and Michael Cross to become part of the Key’s Summer School choreography team, a role that she still performs today. As her talents became more and more recognised, Lisa was invited to take over the role of Choreographer of the Summer Musical and has since gone on to undertake this role, to great acclaim on the productions of ‘Dream Nights’, ‘Rent’, ‘Twelfth Night Fever’, ‘Our Day Out’ and ‘Les Miserables’. In 2013 Lisa was invited by Michael Cross to choreograph the Key’s professional in-house pantomime ‘Cinderella’. Lisa also played, and continues to play, a vital role in the creation, formation and planning of KY Glee, KYMT, KYTeenies and most recently, KYTots.

Steve Hession - was Musical Director for the Key Theatre from 1996, working on the Key pantos, as well as musicals such as West Side Story, Fame, Sweet Charity, Summer Holiday, Our Day Out, South Pacific and Into the Woods and Rent and The Full Monty. He also wrote scores for the Key Theatre’s Shakespeare rock adaptations, including Little Richard the Third, Material Girl of Venice, Merry Wives of Motown, and the re-working of Much Ado Ron Ron and Dream Nights. He has written original scores for John Godber’s Bouncers, Roald Dahl’s Witches, and well as music for Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard and the Tom & Mollie series of children’s shows. He works closely with the Key Youth Theatre trying to develop young singing talent. As well as piano and keyboards, Steve plays classical organ and trumpet and has, over many years, worked extensively in the theatre as musician, arranger/orchestrator and Musical Director, including five years as personal MD to Edmund Hockridge.

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