About Us

SOTE Foundation Faculty

SOTE Foundation College opened in Birmingham in 2016. Owned by industry professionals Chris Sheils and Marcus Watson, all of our teachers are experienced professionals with years of experience in their field.
We are dedicated to giving you the best training, which you deserve.

Chris Sheils
Director

Brought up in Birmingham, Chris trained locally at Betty Fox Stage School before training on the Three Year Diploma in Musical Theatre at Arts Educational Schools, London.

Performing credits include: Miss Saigon, Aladdin, The Wizard of Oz, Macbeth, Darling Buds of May, The Wind in the Willows and Great Expectations.

As well as running School of Theatre Excellence, Chris also runs the boutique musical theatre agency Christopher Antony Associates. The agency represents clients in musical theatre, dance and television productions in the West End, Broadway, UK tours and across Europe.
www.christopherantonyassociates.co.uk

Marcus Watson
Director & Course Coordinator

Marcus joined SOTE in 2012 helping to build the school and launching SOTE Foundation College in 2016.

For the last 24 years Marcus has worked as Company & Stage Manager on West End, Uk & World tours of musicals, plays and large scale theatre shows.

Recent credits include: Burlesque the Musical, STOMP, Commonwealth Games Ceremonies, Anita & Me, Cinderella, 
Guys & Dolls, Stevie, The Commitments, Sweeney Todd, Starlight Express, Jerry Springer The Opera, Acorn Antiques, Les Miserables, Travels with my Aunt, 
The Beautiful Game, The Graduate, 
The Full Monty, Crazy for You and many more.

Ben Pierce
Singing Tutor

Ben trained at Arts Educational Schools London graduating with BA(Hons) in Musical Theatre.

Ben works as a Singing Tutor and Acting Coach at various Colleges and Schools around the Midlands; specialising in one to one singing lessons in Legit and contemporary technique and audition preparation.

Suzanne Grubham
Ballet, Tap, Contemporary & Pilates Tutor

Suzanne studied classical ballet, tap and jazz dance from a young age and trained in contemporary dance with the Birmingham Youth Dance Company before gaining a BA (Hons) in Dance and Professional Practice.

As a performer Suzanne is known for her musicality and attention to detail. She has toured nationally and internationally dancing for the likes of Richard Alston Dance Co. Sonia Sabri Co. and Kiln Theatre, alongside choreographing and performing her own work.

Suzanne is the teacher and choreographer for the all-female dance group The Suzy Qs.

Emily Watton
Commercial Tutor


Emily graduated from Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) with BA (Hons) Degree in Dance before completing her PGCE University of Wolverhampton.

As well as teaching Commercial on SOTE Foundation Course, Emily is an Associate Lecturer in Dance & Choreography at Wallsall College and runs her own dance company; Watton Dance.

Olivia Hibbert
Acting/Acting through Song Tutor

 Olivia Hibbert was an original student at SOTE before gaining BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre at The Arts Educational Schools in London. Since graduating she has performed in Jesus Christ superstar as a diva in Malta; King the musical at Hackney Empire; Played a Supreme and understudy Diana Ross in the UK tour of Motown the musical and Ensemble and understudy Nabalungi in The Book of Mormon the musical in the West End.
Olivia is so happy to be back at SOTE teaching acting and loves working with students.

Elysia Pemberton
Jazz Tutor

Elysia studied on the Three year Diploma in Dance & Musical Theatre at Laine Theatre Arts before going on to dance all over the world. Elysia performs regularly for Crossroads Pantomimes including multiple seasons in pantomime at Birmingham Hippodrome. Elysia is delighted to have been teaching musical theatre Jazz at SOTE since 2019.

Callum Thompson
Ensemble Singing Tutor

Callum studied classical and jazz piano at the University of Birmingham, where he received a BMus in Music and an MA in Global Popular Musics.

While studying, Callum developed a passion for musical theatre, and wrote dissertations on Into The Woods and The Last Five Years. He played keyboard for many student musical theatre productions, as well as the Watch This improv troupe.

Callum is also trained as a choral singer, accompanist and conductor. He has sung with St. Chad’s Cathedral Choir, the CBSO Chorus, and the BBC Proms Youth Choir.

Steph Goodall
Jazz/Song & Dance Tutor

Steph studied BA Hons in Dance & Musical Theatre at Performers College, has performed all over the UK and is delighted to now be teaching Jazz, Ballet & Tap on SOTE Foundation Course.

Sam Baker Jones
Acting Tutor

Sam is an actor and acting practitioner from the Black Country.

Since leaving Rose Bruford College with a First-Class BA (Hons) Degree in Acting in 2018, he has gone on to work regularly in Film, TV and Theatre. Credits include DI Ray (Series 1&2 ITV), The Walking (ITV) Noughts and Crosses (BBC), Make Me Famous (BBC) Here (Southwark Playhouse) and Frankenstein, (Churchill Theatre).

He is a tutor for both professional actors and acting students, specialising in Meisner Technique. Sam has also worked with UK Drama Schools and Universities as a writer, director and workshop leader.   

Matt Petty
Ballet & Jazz Tutor

Matthew trained at Bird College in Dance and Theatre Studies, obtaining a First Class BA (Hons).

His performing credits include: Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet & The Red Shoes. Paris in Romeo and Juliet, Ballet Ireland; Albrect in Giselle, Ballet Ireland; Russian in Peter Schaufuss's Nutcracker; Count Herman/ Dr Stahlbaum in Will Tuckett's Nutcracker; Frog/Prince in The Princess and the Frog, Let's All Dance; Sleeping Beauty, First Family; Romeo in Lost and Boundless, Genesis Ballet; Solider in A Soldier's Tale, Constella Ballet and Orchestra;  film of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, Disney; White Oak, Le Film Production Ltd.

Matt has taught at SOTE since 2015

David Greenall
Mentor

David started his formal training for theatre at Lewisham College where he studied dance and acting. He studied at West Street Ballet School and the London School of Contemporary Dance. David obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of London. He performed with Adventures in Motion Pictures, Rambert Dance Company, DV8, Dance For All, Vienna Ballet Theatre and the Icelandic Dance Company. David has worked throughout his career as a professional choreographer working in dance, opera and musical theatre. David joined the faculty of the Arts Educational School of Musical Theatre London in 1998 where he worked as a teacher and in various senior roles. He currently teaches ballet at Bird College as well as at other colleges including Mountview & Italia Conti.
David is proud to be a Mentor to SOTE  Foundation College and the School of Theatre Excellence.

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