Industry Testimonials

Lara Pulver – Olivier Award Winning Actress

“As a Patron of The MTA, I am delighted to see that Annemarie Lewis Thomas and her team are devoted to offering their students such a well-rounded training, for them to be best equipped to become the next generation of musical theatre actors. The MTA are giving the students the best possible start, allowing them to constantly work and learn from people already in many different aspects of the industry”

Andy Barnes – Producer (Six The Musical, Perfect Pitch)

“The MTA is a truly innovative and forward-thinking college. The balance between education, training and practice is spot-on. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend anyone undertaking the course.”

George Stiles – Composer (Honk, Mary Poppins, Just So) Producer (Six the Musical)

“The MTA is already producing a higher standard of student from its two-year course than most of its competitors do in three. This is due to only accepting first-rate applicants and having knowledgable, industry-experienced teachers who love what they do.”

Kerry Ellis (Broadway & West End Leading Lady)

“I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting to the students of The MTA this week and what a fantastic group they are! The MTA really seems to have tapped into a new current way of thinking and teaching. I was truly inspired when I left the studios. This is definitely one to watch.”

Ria Jones – West End Leading Lady

“If only The MTA was around when I was first starting out. The standard at the shows I’ve seen was excellent. And is top of my list when asked for recommendations for the famous ‘Triple Threat’ training academies available in the Capital today”

Stacey Haynes – Producer, Choreographer, Director

“I’ll be recommending The MTA to anyone who asks and to all that don’t!!!”

Bobby Cronin – Award winning composer

“I was extremely impressed with The MTA. It was very clear to me within minutes that this was a program that was giving the students the right tools to become powerhouse musical theatre performers.”

Mike Jibson – Olivier award winning actor

“My time working with The MTA students was great! I came away thinking how supportive they all were of each other as a group and how the training they are receiving, in such a great atmosphere, will certainly put them ahead of the game when they graduate and join the Showbiz Rat Race! A Musical Theatre course that is going from strength to strength!”

Graduate Testimonials

Samantha Hull: 2011 Graduate

“I chose The MTA over a dance college that had accepted me because I felt The MTA had a greater emphasis on all three threats and not one specific thing.  In my other college I had to chose between, I would have been 1 of 120…at The MTA I was 1 of 13….need I say more?”

Leo Elso: 2012 Graduate

“I chose The MTA because of the faculty, all in the west end or equivalent, I knew I was training with the best. . . because of the level of care they provide . . .because it’s a college for life. I’m so happy to be able to come back for free dance lessons, Q&As or just to say Hi! They’re not just preparing you for the industry but are following you every step of the way”

Anastasia Quinton-Smith: 2012 Graduate

“There is support and attention for every single student. Now my training has finished the support from The MTA hasn’t stopped, I still have access to resources from The MTA and many opportunities and auditions are passed on from staff. I am so lucky to have trained #themtaway.”

Parisa Shahmir: 2014 Graduate

“The staff are second to none and I found it so inspiring to have current west end professionals teaching me, giving me something to aspire to! And the intensity of it, an accelerated two year course . . . upon graduating I can say it was the best decision I could have made!”

Simone Murphy: 2014 Graduate

“The MTA felt like home to me the minute I walked through the door. From the moment I started here I’ve felt blessed not only to be taught by the most brilliant teachers with the most amazing careers but also to be presented with the most incredible opportunities of professional work during training.”

Richard Watkins: 2014 Graduate

“I chose The MTA because it got me out into the industry quicker than any other college without compromising the standard of training (if not actually beating it)”

Genevieve Taylor: 2015 Graduate

“The MTA  ask you to bring a Hard working mentality , Dedication and Passion while giving you a strong base to start your career  as well as a family that will give you a lifetime of support no matter where your life takes you and I wouldn’t change anything about my two years there for the world.”

Joe Toland: 2013 Graduate

“Incredible faculty teaching you in an individually tailored way in a very intense two years is just a great way to train for the industry! Also being a nice person really goes a long way and that is lesson number one at the MTA.”

Awards

“The panel is keen to reward pluck alongside excellence and the Musical Theatre Academy has both these credentials in spades. Set up by Annemarie Lewis Thomas, the MTA offers two-year training courses rather than the traditional three-year format and aims to fast track its students into the industry. Lewis Thomas’ first cohort of students graduated in 2011. All of them have agent representation and, within one month of graduating, they had all secured at least one professional job or gig. These are the kind of statistics that the most established drama schools aim for – let alone a newcomer. The MTA also has a policy of only employing staff who are still actively working in the industry. Deciding to adopt this strategy as a fledgling school could not have been easy, but demonstrates the professionalism of the enterprise, forging an active link between the students and the sector from the outset.
Within just a few years of opening, Lewis Thomas and her team have established themselves as a new force in drama training that is not afraid to approach things differently. The panel unanimously wanted to recognise their vision with this award.”
“London based Musical Theatre Academy won in this category in 2012, with its fast-track musical theatre programme slicing a year off students’ training and getting them industry ready in two years rather than three.
Since then, the academy has continued its work providing professional musical theatre training – with the judges noting its graduates now regularly feature in top professional productions – alongside a robust pastoral care package.
In 2016, however the academy took an admirable step in tackling the issue of mental health among performers by creating the #time4change charter. A total of 112 organisations, including other drama schools, have already signed up
In outlining the actions that can be taken on a day-to-day basis to make mental health and well-being a priority, MTA is nailing its colours to the mast when it comes to one of the most under-discussed issues both within the industry and on a broader societal level.  It has also pledged to help people access to the help and support they need when necessary.  Fact sheets and explanations of causes and effects that may impact an individual’s mental health and well-being are set out as part of the charter as well as information of where help can be sought.
The judges felt that, aside from its growing influence within the training sector, MTA’s spearheading of such a vital project as #time4change warranted recognition.”