“A Splendid performance, full of variety and wit”
Plays and Players
Plays and Players
about focus theatre
Focus Theatre Company comprises a group of young vocalists and instrumentalists who delight in entertaining and performing to your own tastes. We offer a variety of programmes from a wide repertoire ranging from show songs and jazz standards to the hits of the golden age of pop.
Our performers will truly bring you into the spirit of the era, wearing the costumes of the day, producing a vivid choreographed show, and interacting with you, the audience. Whether it's a reception or dinner, for a birthday, anniversary or wedding, or maybe a corporate event, exhibition or product launch, we can work with you to provide the entertainment you desire. We can customise a programme to suit your particular preferences and requests. Please view our shows and songs. If the songs you like aren’t there - then we will add them to our extensive repertoire.
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Directors
SHEILA MANDER AGSM (Hons) LGSM (Hons)
After qualifying from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with honours awards for both Performing and Teaching qualifications Sheila worked both as a professional actress and a teacher. After the extraordinary experience of working in Weekly Rep, Sheila took time off to bring up 6 children!.
She taught Drama and Theatre studies in Gloucestershire for many years before returning to theatre. She became Associate Director and Head of Reach Out at the Everyman Theatre. She not only directed over 40 professional shows but she founded and took the Everyman Youth Theatre to 4 award-winning appearances at The National Theatre and extensive International projects. Since leaving the Everyman Sheila has worked as a free-lance director specialising in Community and issue based work for young people.
One of her most enjoyable projects was to work with the community of Hester’s Way in Cheltenham helping them to express their feeling about their town. This led to a hundred people, old and young, performing an original musical play called “ Our Town” at the Millennium Dome.
Sheila runs a series of Master Classes in Theatre Skills for teachers, and assesses Youth Theatre productions for the Royal National theatre.
In November 2003 Sheila was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of Gloucester University for “raising the expectations of young people and using theatre to develop confidence throughout the community of Gloucestershire”
Her first encounter with the University of Gloucestershire was to Direct the students in their ex curricular annual musical at the Everyman Theatre. Under her professional direction they have gained the skills and confidence to produce excellent Musical theatre performances throughout the County’s Theatres and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After 8 years of such a successful undertaking she and a fellow professional partner wrote and lead new Performing Arts Foundation and BA (hons) Degrees for the University.
Focus theatre was originally created to provide local professional artists with professional performance opportunities. The company has built up their reputation with a variety of consistently outstanding performances.
At the same time Focus theatre continues to influence the young people of Gloucestershire with weekly classes, Summer and Half Term Schools where they are able to pass on their considerable experience and skills for the good of the younger generation.
Peter Banks - Musical Director. (keyboard)
Peter joined Focus Theatre in 2004 and has served as the Musical Director for the majority of their shows since then, also arranging much of the musical material. Shows have included Howard Goodall's 'The Hired Man' at the Playhouse, a series of tribute shows to the 50s, 60s and 70s, plus various selections from West End and Broadway shows, film and comedy in cabaret nights across the county and beyond.
He enjoys the opportunity to indulge his love of theatre and music and work with some talented performers. Peter played the piano and sang from an early age, achieving a performance diploma as a pianist before reading music at Oxford. He trained as a teacher and worked for six years in a comprehensive school in Newport before setting up his own music business in 2002. Peter teaches piano, theory and singing, also working as an accompanist to singers, choirs and examination candidates.
He teaches with Stagecoach Theatre Arts schools in Hereford and Ledbury as a singing coach, and enjoys playing jazz.. Pete has directed a large number of concerts,shows and performances, both amateur and professional, ranging from early music to Gilbert and Sullivan, piano trios to modal jazz, pop standards to worship music. Peter is also a composer in his limited spare time, writing classical music and children's shows.
Focus Theatre Company comprises a group of young vocalists and instrumentalists who delight in entertaining and performing to your own tastes. We offer a variety of programmes from a wide repertoire ranging from show songs and jazz standards to the hits of the golden age of pop.
Our performers will truly bring you into the spirit of the era, wearing the costumes of the day, producing a vivid choreographed show, and interacting with you, the audience. Whether it's a reception or dinner, for a birthday, anniversary or wedding, or maybe a corporate event, exhibition or product launch, we can work with you to provide the entertainment you desire. We can customise a programme to suit your particular preferences and requests. Please view our shows and songs. If the songs you like aren’t there - then we will add them to our extensive repertoire.
...................................................................................
Directors
SHEILA MANDER AGSM (Hons) LGSM (Hons)
After qualifying from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with honours awards for both Performing and Teaching qualifications Sheila worked both as a professional actress and a teacher. After the extraordinary experience of working in Weekly Rep, Sheila took time off to bring up 6 children!.
She taught Drama and Theatre studies in Gloucestershire for many years before returning to theatre. She became Associate Director and Head of Reach Out at the Everyman Theatre. She not only directed over 40 professional shows but she founded and took the Everyman Youth Theatre to 4 award-winning appearances at The National Theatre and extensive International projects. Since leaving the Everyman Sheila has worked as a free-lance director specialising in Community and issue based work for young people.
One of her most enjoyable projects was to work with the community of Hester’s Way in Cheltenham helping them to express their feeling about their town. This led to a hundred people, old and young, performing an original musical play called “ Our Town” at the Millennium Dome.
Sheila runs a series of Master Classes in Theatre Skills for teachers, and assesses Youth Theatre productions for the Royal National theatre.
In November 2003 Sheila was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of Gloucester University for “raising the expectations of young people and using theatre to develop confidence throughout the community of Gloucestershire”
Her first encounter with the University of Gloucestershire was to Direct the students in their ex curricular annual musical at the Everyman Theatre. Under her professional direction they have gained the skills and confidence to produce excellent Musical theatre performances throughout the County’s Theatres and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After 8 years of such a successful undertaking she and a fellow professional partner wrote and lead new Performing Arts Foundation and BA (hons) Degrees for the University.
Focus theatre was originally created to provide local professional artists with professional performance opportunities. The company has built up their reputation with a variety of consistently outstanding performances.
At the same time Focus theatre continues to influence the young people of Gloucestershire with weekly classes, Summer and Half Term Schools where they are able to pass on their considerable experience and skills for the good of the younger generation.
Peter Banks - Musical Director. (keyboard)
Peter joined Focus Theatre in 2004 and has served as the Musical Director for the majority of their shows since then, also arranging much of the musical material. Shows have included Howard Goodall's 'The Hired Man' at the Playhouse, a series of tribute shows to the 50s, 60s and 70s, plus various selections from West End and Broadway shows, film and comedy in cabaret nights across the county and beyond.
He enjoys the opportunity to indulge his love of theatre and music and work with some talented performers. Peter played the piano and sang from an early age, achieving a performance diploma as a pianist before reading music at Oxford. He trained as a teacher and worked for six years in a comprehensive school in Newport before setting up his own music business in 2002. Peter teaches piano, theory and singing, also working as an accompanist to singers, choirs and examination candidates.
He teaches with Stagecoach Theatre Arts schools in Hereford and Ledbury as a singing coach, and enjoys playing jazz.. Pete has directed a large number of concerts,shows and performances, both amateur and professional, ranging from early music to Gilbert and Sullivan, piano trios to modal jazz, pop standards to worship music. Peter is also a composer in his limited spare time, writing classical music and children's shows.
