About Us
Ocean Theatre Company offers 14 to 18 year olds the opportunity to develop performance skills in a safe, friendly and highly-creative environment.
What is Ocean Theatre Company?
Ocean is a theatre company of two halves. In 2009 it established the Main Company for young people aged between 14 and 18 years. Since then, we have expanded to our Ocean Youth Company for 9 to 13 year olds.
Both companies meet for rehearsals on a weekly basis. In our classes we are constantly working towards acting, dancing and singing skills and the next performance in which we aim to achieve the highest standards possible.
We aim to help young people of all abilities from a variety of backgrounds to develop their artistic, personal and social skills.
The Saturday rehearsals are run by experienced theatre professionals and culminate in two fully staged high quality musical productions each year.
In the past 12 years Ocean has created 24 high quality productions including
Sweeney Todd, The Pirate Queen, Anything Goes, Les Misérables and Loserville.
See our PAST SHOWS page for a full list and a sample of our productions.
Ocean is a fun and advanced company which encourages young actors to challenge themselves, gain confidence and develop creativity and focus. The six months of rehearsal and intense show week will be challenging but cast members leave a production feeling proud of their efforts and eager to return.
Ocean has a real 'family' feel. The cast are very welcoming to new people and come from all around Ascot, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Windsor and surrounding areas.
Our highly trained staff help develop individual performance skills and confidence which culminate in an intense show week and a fully staged musical production performed in Ascot which feature full costumes, set, orchestra and loads of fun.
Ocean also provides a solid foundation to anyone interested in pursing a career in the arts.
We have past members successfully gain places at prestigious Drama and Music schools including:
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ArtsEd
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The BRIT School
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Bird College
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BIMM Institute
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The Brighton Academy
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Drama Studio London
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East 15
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Guildford School of Acting
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London College of Music
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Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
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Rose Bruford College
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Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
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Royal Academy of Music
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Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
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University of Chichester Conservatoire
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Urdang Academy
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Wilkes Academy of Performing Arts
We also have members go on to study Drama, Dance, Music, Drama Therapy and Performance at universities including Lincoln, Bristol, Winchester, Surrey, York and Royal Holloway in the U.K. and Ryerson University in Toronto.
Already our alumni are making careers for themselves in the UK and around the world working with, and at renowned arts companies, including Disneyland Paris and the National Theatre.
Our waiting list is always accepting new students.
Please use the CONTACT US page to get in touch.
Our Team
Andrew Miller
Director
Andrew is an awarding winning musical theatre & opera director and Artistic Director of Ocean Theatre Company. He trained at Rose Bruford College achieving a BA (Hons) in Theatre Directing.
In addition he has worked as Assistant Director with directors including Matthew Warchus (Lord of the Rings workshop) and Timothy Sheader (Nine). He recently was dramaturgical support for Nikolai Forster (Annie, West End).
As a freelance director he has worked in Australia, the USA and the UK on over 50 productions including Ferguson’s Gang (Guildford), 25th Putnam Country Spelling Bee (London), Hedgehog’s Home (Paris), The Perfect City (UK tour), Cinderella, Dick Whittington, Oliver! (South Hill Park) and The Pirates of Penzance (on board The Golden Hinde).
For Ocean he has directed all of their 24 productions including Sweeney Todd, Titanic, The Pirate Queen, Sister Act, Les Misérables, Beauty & the Beast, Chess, Doctor Dolittle, an original musical: Gemini and The Addams Family.
In addition Andrew has worked with Surrey Arts, Garsington Opera, National Youth Theatre of Wales and the London College of Music.
Next year Andrew will be directing one of the UK's first productions of Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Theatre Royal Nottingham.
Emily Leather
Musical Director
Emily works as a Music Director, Pianist and Vocal Leader for Musical Theatre and Opera. She graduated from the University of Leeds, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the prestigious College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio. Emily has been Musical Director for Ocean Theatre for over 10 years, producing many of their musicals including Grease, Our House, Legally Blonde and Sweeney Todd. She also conducted the Ocean Theatre 10 Year Anniversary Gala at South Hill Park.
She has been on staff with Cincinnati Opera, Portland Opera and Manhattan Opera as well as projects in the UK for Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne and Garsington Opera. Emily has been Music Director for the Olivier award winning OperaUpClose in West End and touring productions of La Bohème, Don Giovanni and Tosca. She also appeared as an on-stage Pianist in The Events at the Young Vic Theatre, which featured a different community choir in every show.
Passionate about music education, Emily regularly runs workshops for the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, The Southbank Centre, Garsington, Opera North and Southwark Splash.
As a composer Emily has written a full length musical, two children’s operas and has been commissioned to write numerous Church and Choral works.
Georgie Smith
Choreographer
Georgie is a choreographer specialising in Musical Theatre and Contemporary dance. She trained as a dancer at Royal Berkshire Ballet & Theatre School (ISTD in Ballet, Tap, & Modern), 4Motion Dance Theatre and achieved a BA (Hons) in Music at the University of Bristol.
Georgie has worked on over 25 productions including Legally Blonde, Grease, Our House, Annie Get Your Gun and The Godfather Gondoliers as well as gala performances within venues such as The Indigo O2 London, The Rose Theatre & South Hill Park.
As resident Choreographer at Ocean Theatre Company, Georgie has choreographed 13 productions including Sister Act, The Addams Family and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
In addition, Georgie has worked as a dance teacher within local primary schools and coached individual students for auditions, many of which are now studying at drama schools such as The Brit School and ArtsEd.
