Adam Brunink

I'm Adam, co-founder of SYMT.  I have always had an active role in productions, even from an early age.  I took dance lessons until the age of 11 and throughout my school life was always involved in the shows – chorus, main part or band member.  I also took part in Scout Gang Shows as a performer for a number of years.

I began playing the piano at the age of 8 and took up flute and saxophone later in life.  I went on to study music at university and have been teaching music in secondary schools for 10 years.  I am currently Head of Creative & Performing Arts at Crookhorn College of Technology.

At university I performed in and helped produce ‘West Side Story’.  I enjoyed this so much I have continued to produce shows at every school I have worked in.  The shows I have Produced and Musically Directed include ‘Smike’, ‘Grease’, ‘Dracula Spectacula’ 'Return to the Forbidden Planet' and ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’.

I'm Vicki, co-founder of SYMT.  I have been involved in amateur dramatic societies since the age of 6.  I was on the production team for my first youth musical at the age of 16 and have had a variety of roles throughout that time – chorus member, dancer, stage crew, stage manager and choreographer.

More recently, I became involved in shows again when I became a maths teacher at Hamble Community Sports College and the music teacher (now my husband!) persuaded me to be stage manager for the next show.  I have been on the Production team for ‘Dracula Spectacula’ and ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ which both proved to be highly professional in standard.  I also work with LiveWire Theatre Consultants in my spare time, where we provide and run the sound and lights for many productions across the country.  So as you can see I have experienced many of the roles required to produce a show.

When my husband left Hamble, it didn’t seem right doing the shows without him, so we decided to set up our own project outside of college, giving us the chance to work with a wider range of young people and spread our enthusiasm further – And so SYMT was born!

Vicki Brunink

Billie Edge

I'm Billie.  I was introduced to musical theatre through Phil when he was a sound engineer working with Durham Youth Musical Theatre (DYMT).  I soon joined DYMT myself and quickly showed how I can turn my hand to anything, from set building, to costumes. It has been said that I have a natural artistic ability whenever something unusual is required, and I became known as the person who could "make it from whatever she could find".

As time moved on I became more involved with the technical side and I am now the treasurer of Livewire Theatre Consultants. I am classed as Livewire's colour expert and professional follow-spot operator. My training as a teacher is put to good use as I help run training sessions to educate young people interested in theatre.

My most recent venture has lead me to set up my own wedding dress company - Billie Edge Bridal Wear.

 

I’m Phil and chairman of Livewire Theatre Consultants (LWTC), a local theatrical hire company based in the Solent area. My connections with theatre started at school, but being far more interested in the technical side I was never taken with the urge to tread the boards.

This interest brought me in contact with a company called Durham Youth Musical Theatre in the late 80's to help them with sound for their production. I stayed with the company and made many great friends (Lots of whom you will see on this page). I took a role as Chairman of DYMT and later became the Technical Director of Durham County Youth Company (DCYC) for several happy years.

As my day job brought me to the south, the connections with Durham remained strong, but LWTC started to become a more formal business. This has brought us into contact with local schools and colleges, and we now support all levels of theatre in the region; from small village hall shows up to large BBC outside broadcasts.

When Vicki asked if I would be interested in helping with SYMT I was naturally very keen to get back to the youth theatre that I have grown up with, and hopefully give some kids a start into theatre that will give them as much enjoyment as it has me.

Phillip Edge

Mark Rodmell

I'm Mark.  Twenty years ago, I co-founded the Durham Youth Musical Theatre (DYMT) as musical director and have doing shows all over the country since then.  I have long since lost count of the number of youth theatre productions for which I have led the band or the singers, so I am starting to feel my age; but I sometimes make up for it with my party piece of playing whole Andrew Lloyd Webber shows from memory and with my eyes closed.  These days I live in London, but got involved in theatre in Hampshire a few years ago when a school performed a show I had written back in the 1980s.

I’m Ian.  I’ve been involved in musical theatre for over 20 years, and while I am primarily a musician (I have played in or been Musical Director for more than 100 productions), I have also been known to turn my hand to lighting, sound, stage management, direction, production and administration, as well as carrying heavy objects and emptying rubbish bins!  I have worked mainly in the north-east of England with the Durham Youth Musical Theatre, Durham County Youth Company and Dionysis Theatre Company, but I’m also frequently called upon to work on or play in many other productions, both in the north-east and all over the country.  

I play (drums, percussion, bass guitar and clarinet – but not all together!) and sing regularly in four bands, with styles as varied as rock’n’roll, folk, latin jazz and funk.  I have also been known to play orchestral and choral work.

In between all this, I just about manage to hold down a job as a civil servant in Newcastle upon Tyne!

Ian Smith

Hi I’m Lisa.  In my capacity as a primary school teacher, I’ve been fortunate enough over the past 6 years to be part of highly technical school productions.  We have had many exciting shows from Joseph to Little shop of Horrors and I have enjoyed being Stage manager as well as Wardrobe / Makeup director for each one.  I have a love of music and the arts and find time working with others in this field to be one of the most rewarding experiences.