The Theatre Arts Academy Team
Karen Binks - Artistic Director & head of agency
Initially trained as a classical ballet dancer, Karen went on to train in Musical Theatre at The Italia Conti Academy at the Barbican, London.
Karen has been teaching, directing and working with young people in schools and community theatre projects in London, Essex and Suffolk since the early 1990's and founded Theatre Arts Academy when she moved out of London to re-locate in Colchester in 1999. Karen has built the Academy from an initial 12 students to a thriving community of almost 200 students aged from 4 to 19 years.
Karen has developed an outreach programme delivering bespoke acting and musical theatre workshops in local schools, with a number of repeat annual bookings directing school productions. Working in partnership with schools, freelance practitioners and arts organisations, Karen has established a number of scholarship opportunities and bursary awards as part of an ' Opportunities for All' initiative. Individual coaching for young people auditioning for drama school or performance scholarships is also available. Recent students have gained places at Sylvia Young, Italia Conti Academy, Arts Ed (Tring) Central School of Acting, East 15, and Guildhall. Students have also gained Drama Scholarships for St. Joseph's College, St. Mary's School for Girls and The Ipswich School. ​
Karen writes many of the scripts for Theatre Arts Academy and Al Fresco Theatre including '3 Cheers For Maisy' (With Wade Ablitt) Venue 40 Edinburgh fringe 2018 - (5 stars -sell out run) 'Chekhov With Cherries' (With Scott Morgan) Venue 40 Edinburgh Fringe 2015
' Broken' (with Oliver Wood) Merchants Hall, Edingburgh Fringe 2012
'Milenka' (with Scott Morgan and Adam Henrickson) 'Lights Up' Season at Mercury Theatre Colchester.
Karen has also written and directed 14 Pantomimes for Theatre Arts Academy at Lakeside Theatre, Essex University.
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Sophie Binks - Musical Theatre and LAMDA coach
Sophie trained at Bird College, graduating in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre.
As a performer, theatre credits include: Frenchy/Cover Rizzo/Cover Jan in Grease (Royal Caribbean)
Lou Ann/Cover Tracy in Hairspray (Royal Caribbean),
Princess Yasmin/Dance Captain in Aladdin (PMA Productions),
Monica in 3 Cheers for Maisy (Al Fresco Theatre),
Ensemble/Dance Captain in Summertime Cinders (Al Fresco Theatre),
Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Al Fresco Theatre),
Pinocchio in Pinocchio (PMA Productions)
Ensemble in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (West End and UK Tour).
Television credits include: Dancer for The Vamps in Ant and Decs Saturday Night Takeaway (ITV), Tap Dancer for The One Show (BBC).
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Suzie Lowe - Musical Theatre and LAMDA coach
Based in Felixstowe, Suzie trained at Sylvia Young Theatre School and London Studio Centre
Theatre credits: Cosette, Les Miserables (Palace theatre, west end) Bet/Ensemble Oliver (London palladium, west end) Phantom/1st cover Janet and Columbia, Rocky horror show (European tour) Ensemble, Boogie Nights (Wimbledon Theatre) Lambchops/1st cover Serena, Fame (European tour) Princess Jasmine, Aladdin (Stoke on Trent) Fairy/ Dancer, Jack and the beanstalk (Northhampton) Dance Captain, Understudy princess jasmine, Aladdin (Brighton) Masha, Chekov with Cherries (Edinburgh fringe Festival) Dancer, Royal Variety Performance (London Palladium) Songs for a new world (Jerwood house)
Film and Television: Ruthie Abraham, The governess. Jane Eyre (Directed by Franco Zefferelli) Barbie (voice for BBC adverts, series) Backing dancer for Robbie williams, Spice girls and Eternal.
Choreography:For the New Wolsey Theatre (Oklahoma, 9to5, Little Women, Happy Days, Gypsy, Drowsy Chaperone. For the Spa Pavilion Theatre, Director and Choreographer (Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Dick Whittington, Jack and the beanstalk)
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Caroline Shaw - Early years lead and LAMDA coach
Caroline worked for a number of years in the community theatre and education department at Colchester Mercury Theatre before joining the
teaching team at and Theatre Arts Academy. Caroline is also a qualified primary school teacher and specialises in child development, confidence
building, and speech therapy. Caroline has also worked at The Mercury Theatre as a chaperone & started working with Theatre Arts Academy as
production manager back in 2004.
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Rosy Cornish - Dance Coach
Rosy trained as a professional dancer at Performers College in Corringham.
Rosy has worked as a dancer all over the world with Celebrity Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Azura Cruises for six years. Here in the UK Rosy has performed as a dancer in a number of well known TV shows including Britain's Got Talent as one of Simon Cowell's Show Girls. Rosy has also danced with a number of well known pop stars, including Katy Perry
Rosy is also a qualified ISTD dance teacher and has now put down roots in Colchester, where alongside teaching Ballet, Tap and Commercial dance, She also continues to dance at commercial events.
Rosy has also worked teaching the benefits of dance for all . Rosy has studied how to teach wheelchair dance and has completed an autism awareness, understanding and support course. ​​​
Additional teachers and members of the team
Chloe Sardar - ISTD Dance Coach
Scott Hayes - Musical Theatre
Rebecca Hutchinson - LAMDA coach
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