Emma was born and raised in Ipswich, Suffolk. Her performing career began at the age of 8 years old having successfully auditioned for a role in Hans Christian Anderson at The Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. A number of shows with local amateur dramatic group "The Company of Four" soon followed along with dance classes with The Coral Stebbings School Of Dance, which cemented Emma's passion for performing and a career on the professional stage beckoned.
Having gained her A Levels, Emma went on to further her professional training at the highly prestigious Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom, Surrey. Throughout her time at Laines Emma successfully auditioned for numerous leading roles in Pantomime in and around the U.K. Emma graduated in 1999 with her teaching qualifications in ISTD Modern and tap along with her LAMDA medals.
Upon graduation, Emma was cast in a children's pilot for ITV Carlton entitled "The Cherries" and was signed to a recording label. In the same year Emma made her West End debut in Andrew Lloyd-Webber's hit musical Starlight Express. A dream come true for the performer as it was the first show that Emma had seen as a child and the inspiration for a lifelong dream to perform in the West End! Other West End credits and UK Tours include: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang alongside Gary Wilmott and Jason Donovan at the world famous London Palladium, Evita, Me and My Girl, High Society, Calamity Jane and most recently in the original London cast of Hairspray with Michael Ball. Career highlights include playing the role of Ellie May Chipley in Showboat, the first musical ever to be staged at the Royal Albert Hall and lead vocalist for Raymond Gubbays Christmas Singalong Spectaculars in Scotland and Ireland.
It was throughout her time in Hairspray that Emma decided to pursue another dream and create her own theatre school in Suffolk. Emma has always shown a real passion for teaching and taught regularly at professional colleges in London alongside her performing career.
On her return to Ipswich, Emma spent 5 years as a core tutor at Danceeast and was Head of Musical Theatre at Tiffany Theatre College in Essex.
It was in this time that The School was first established and, having worked together on Hairspray, Michael Ball was keen to offer his help by kindly taking time out of his UK tour to officially open the School in October 2009.
In the midst of setting up the School Emma married her husband, James and has two children of her own; Jack and Eleanor. Interestingly, James made his West End debut on the last night of Hairspray when he proposed to Emma onstage infront of a sold out audience at The Shaftesbury Theatre!
The School now boasts over 90 students, of all ages and abilities, and has achieved some incredible results with graduate students working in the West End, UK touring productions, pantomimes, Disneyland, television and radio.
The School offers a rounded training in Musical Theatre with the aim of every student becoming a "TRIPLE THREAT PERFORMER", which means being equally skilled in every aspect of showmanship - singing, dancing and acting.
Emma is thrilled to be the Artistic Director of the School, is incredibly proud of the "Doddies" and is very much looking forward to the School's future!
