In the 'House Seats'
This podcast brings you interviews with people working in the entertainment industry discussing about all aspects of onstage performing or backstage production. Ideas as a prospective performer through to what an adjudicator, choreographer or casting director might look for when you are delivering your performance piece.
Hosted by Craig Bartley who is a performer and choreographer, who has appeared in West End and Broadway productions ranging from 42nd Street (Original cast at Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Me & My Girl (Adelphi Theatre), La Cage Aux Follies (Palladium Theatre), Mack And Mabel in concert (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and Man of La Mancha (Peacock Theatre) of which he recorded the cast albums for both ‘Mack And Mabel’ and ‘Man of La Mancha’. He also spent more than two and a half years playing the part of ‘Doody’ in the hit musical ‘Grease’ where he received the Golden Quiff Award for best performance, which was presented by the late Victoria Wood.
He also appeared in two Royal Variety Performances at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane for the BBC and ITV and 'A Royal Performance' at the Adelphi Theatre.
Craig’s experience has enabled him to travel the globe extensively whilst being involved in performing, choreographing, directing and producing for the inaugural production set up for most of the World’s leading cruise lines. As well as performing, Craig has taught specialist classes at Mountview, Millenium, Urdang, Elmhurst and Red Roofs Theatre School. He was also the full-time Course Director and co-Principal of his own successful Starquest Performers College.
He still runs and teaches at Starquest Performing Arts encouraging children from two and a half to 18 to act, sing and dance.
He hopes this podcast will help and inspire existing and especially newly graduated creatives just what challenges lie in store and what the highs and lows are for people within the performing arts industry. If you like this podcast then please leave us a 5 star review on iTunes podcasts.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 38 minutes
- Episodes
- 100
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2024
Ep 59: Daniel Boys, West End lead, TV and recording artist.
Daniel won a Cameron Mackintosh scholarship to study at the Guildford School of Acting, where he graduated with a BA (Honours) in 2001. He was selected to perform in the first UK tour o…
Ep 58: Kim Criswell, professional West End, Broadway and international leading lady.
Kim's career has taken her from Broadway to the West End to the international concert stage, resulting in a most unusual career path unmatched by any other singer. She continues to spe…
Ep 57: Helen Keane, hair and make-up supervisor
Helen's started her career with a work placement at the Royal Exchange theatre in Manchester and since then she has gone on to work full-time in the professions.
She has had a long worki…
Ep 56: John Barr, West End star and vocational teacher
John made his West End Debut at the age of 12 in Lionel Bart’s ‘Oliver’ at the Albery Theatre.
His theatre credits include: Bull Connor in King The Musical (Hackney Empire, 2018), Lion…
Ep 55: Sally Ann Triplett, professional West End and Broadway leading lady and pop star.
Sally Ann Triplett is a British singer and actress and is one of only four singers to have sung for the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest twice, first in 1980 as the lead fe…
Ep 54: Claire Sweeney, actress, singer, dancer and TV presenter
Claire trained at the Elliot Clarke Stage School in Liverpool and the Italia Conti Stage School in London. Her extensive acting work on television includes playing regular character Lin…
Ep 53: Helen Hobson, West End leading lady, television and screen actress.
Helen Hobson boasts an impressive career in both Musical Theatre and TV. Following her debut in Chess in the West End she then joined the cast of Les Miserables. From there her leading …
Ep 52: Happy birthday to 'In the house seats'
Yay, we are one year old and this is our 52nd recording.
We started this podcast with an initial taster intro on 6 May 2020 and our first episode, with Alan Burkitt, was on 10 May 2020.…
Ep 51: Joanne Ward, musical theatre leading lady and principal of the Royal Academy of Dance
Joanne's background in professional & performance ballet, musical theatre and television provides her with unique expertise and credentials in the performing arts.
Born in Paignton, Devo…
Ep 50: Gary Wilmot, leading actor and musical theatre star.
Gary’s first West End role was that of Bill Snibson in the award winning Musical ‘Me And My Girl’ in 1989 (Adelphi Theatre). A successful No.1 theatre tour of a new comedy, ‘Teething T…
Ep 49: Leon Craig, West End performer and pantomime star.
Leon studied at Guildford School of Acting.
Leon's theatre credits include: Sandra Bollock - Everybodys talking about Jamie (Apollo Theatre) West End, Babkak/Cover Genie - Aladdin (Princ…
Ep48: Steven Houghton, television, film and star of stage musicals
Steven's television and film credits include: Jeff Cullen (Regular) in Coronation Street & Just Rosie (ITV), Ken Beasley (Regular) in Bernard’s Watch (Carlton), Gregg Blake (Regular) in…
Ep 46: Lee Proud, multi award winning choreographer and director.
From training as a 13 year old at Italia Conti school, Lee has had an illustrious career performing in theatre before becoming the successful multi award winning choreographer and direc…
Ep 45: Alex Bourne, West End lead and Olivier nominee.
Alex made his West End debut in the RSC/Opera North production of Showboat at The London Palladium in 1991. Shortly after this he joined the London production of Buddy at The Victoria P…
Ep 44: Jai McDowall, BGT winner, West End performer and recording artist.
Ep 43: Nikki Woollaston, professional choreographer, director and mass movement specialist.
After training at the London Studio Centre and then a successful performing career, Nikki went on to direct and choreograph for productions including: Hairspray (Pimlico Opera); Barrie…
Ep 42: John Rigby, conductor, musical supervisor and musicologist.
Dr John Rigby studied orchestral conducting at the University of Huddersfield and the Royal Northern College of Music. He gained his PhD from King’s College London having researched the…
Ep 41: Nikki Belsher, professional performer, West End director and resident choreographer.
Nikki Belsher was trained at the Jeannine Greville Dancing Academy.
At 11 she made her West End debut in the musical Annie at the Victoria Palace. By the time she was 15 she had followed…
Ep 40: Gareth Valentine, composer, conductor and musical director.
Gareth is a Welsh composer, arranger, conductor and musical director. He has worked extensively in London's West End on musical productions and also conducted orchestras worldwide inclu…