About Us

Jayne Morris

Jayne is our resident Choreographer. Before joining Spotlight, she completed a three year course in dance at Stella Mann College, then worked continuously for five years. She travelled the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and America for two years while dancing for Costa Cruises onboard their 4000 passenger flagship, Costa Magica; spent a year as a showgirl at the Benidorm Palace in Spain as part of a cast of fifty; and appeared in ten Bollywood movies while working in India, Dubai and Thailand. In between, Jayne has also choreographed for England Beach Soccer; appeared in pop videos; and spent time dancing in various Casinos around Europe.

As well as choreographing our shows, Jayne also teaches dance at our stage schools. Outside of Spotlight, Jayne works with First Act, a drama group for people with learning difficulties, and facilitates corporate team-building events across Europe for DrumPulse Events.

 

Dominic Pope

After obtaining a degree in philosophy from Warwick University, Dom became a professional actor, writer and director. He has appeared in and directed over a hundred different productions, and is now Spotlight's resident Director.

Dom has taught drama for the last ten years at stage schools, and also to A-Level, GCSE and BTEC students. In addition to this, he runs our workshops, including a dozen Performance Workshops, and around seventy Whirlwind Workshops every year.

He is a specialist in writing and performing for children. In the past decade he has written ten pantomimes, a dozen 'kids' shows (performed to 100,000 visiting school children and counting!) and hundreds of sketches for drama schools. With David he has written 25 new musicals for stage school and workshop presentations.

David Redston

David studied composition under Sir Lennox Berkeley at the Royal Academy of Music before beginning a long and successful career in entertainment. Highlights include ... on TV: incidental music [Fanny by Gaslight], and arrangements [A Night On The Town] ... in film: orchestrating the feature film 'Priest of Love' starring Sir Ian McKellen, and working with Jerry Goldsmith on 'Rambo: First Blood' ... in recording: re-arranging and supervising the Offenbach and Sullivan theatre pieces with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, original music and arrangements for army bands and the Royal Tournament ... in publishing: he founded 'Middle Eight Music' [specialist instrumental music for schools] and Ready Made Theatre, supplying music and drama material around the world ... in the theatre: arrangements for Michael Ball, Elaine Paige and Laura-Michelle Kelly; MD and arranger for countless musicals including 'Carousel' at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, 'Judy' and 'Kismet' in the West End.

He has written [words and music] two major musicals - 'Notre Dame', performed in London and Oxford, and 'A Christmas Carol', performed on the Island and originally starring James Paterson, one of the leads from 'Phantom Of The Opera'. He has also written a children's musical - 'Dead End Kids' - with Dom Pope. David and Dom together produce the material for our hugely successful Performance Workshops.

After moving to the Isle of Wight, David ran two highly successful theatres for 15 years. In addition to producing spectacular shows, David also began to teach singing. He now brings his enormous breadth of experience to Spotlight, where he is our resident Musical Director, and also teaches singing at our stage schools

James Derbyshire

James teaches Singing and movement for Spotlight. Shanklin Theatre as this is where it all began for James. Born on the Island, he joined Stagecoach at five years old. He appeared in many productions, plays and pantomimes. After touring the country with the National Youth Music Theatre, he went on to train at the 'Brit School of Performing Arts' studying Musical Theatre and Music Production.

James then went on to become Entertainments Manager & Musical Director for a National holiday company. As well as performing in shows as lead vocalist, he also produced music for team shows and cabarets.

Having recently returned from performing on Disney Cruise Lines & P&O, James is now a resident performer and teacher for Spotlight IOW.

Roles Include - 'Bert' The Railway Children (Shanklin Theatre) 'Jake' Annie Get Your Gun (Shanklin Theatre) 'Swing' Creation (The Music Hall & Edinburgh Fringe) 'Burrs' The Wild Party & 'Jigger' Carousel (The Obie Theatre) 'Prince Charming' Sleeping Beauty & 'Jack' Jack and the Beanstalk (Shanklin Theatre)

Charles Johnson

Charlie teaches dance for Spotlight. He trained here on the Island and went on to study Musical Theatre at the 'BRIT School' for Performing Arts and Technology. When he finished his training he went straight into teaching for Stagecoach Theatre Arts, and from this began choreographing cabarets in Casablanca & Morocco. Charlie is based back on the Island where he has been a resident performer and teacher for the last 7 years.

Choreography credits include - Sister Act, Sound of Music, Footloose, Beauty & The Beast. Charlie also works alongside Jayne choreographing our Summer Season shows.

Performing credits include - 'A New Brain' (The Obie Theatre) Beauty & the Beast, Titanic & Footloose (Shanklin Theatre). Pantomimes include 'Prince Charming' Rapunzel, Fleeshcreap Jack & The Beanstalk & one of the Ugly Sisters Cinderella (Shanklin Theatre).

Rowan Lathey

Rowan teaches singing and drama at our Spotlight stage schools, loving new musical theatre and drama improvisation, these prove some of her favourites to teach. Rowan's love of theatre began at an early age, she pursued her passion and went on to study musical theatre at Southern Theatre Arts Centre. Rowan has a BA Hons in Theatre Arts, specialising in Musical Theatre.

As well as teaching for us, Rowan performs in Spotlight's busy summer season and she has been lucky enough to be part of Spotlight's magical Christmas pantomimes for the past nine years. Rowan also teaches singing and drama with First Act, a group of adults with learning disabilities on the island.

Rowan believes every child that attends our Spotlight sessions will have fun whilst learning something new and they will have the chance to meet new friends whilst gaining a confidence, whether that is on stage or in day to day life.

 

Traci Porter

After graduating from the Guildford School of Acting, Traci's West End credits include '42nd Street', 'The Hunting of the Snark', and 'My One and Only'. She has toured nationally with 'Pickwick' alongside the late Harry Secombe and Roy Castle, and 'The Rocky Horror Show' for Richard O'Brien's company, later appearing in a further production of the same show for Paul Nicholas and David Ian at the B.I.C.

Plays in national rep. include Agnes in 'Dancing at Lughnasa', Jaqueline in 'Don't Dress For Dinner', Lisa in 'Dead Funny', Sally in 'Dangerous Obsession' and Audrey Lemon in 'Woomberang'. Traci originated the role of Barbara in Conundrum Theatre Company's comedy 'It Takes Two to Trifle', for the London fringe, and has appeared in T.V ads for BUPA and Kelloggs.

Traci has worked with us for the past ten years as a performer, director and choreographer. She also works with 'First Act', a theatre group for people with learning difficulties, and runs Two's Company, her own production company specialising in plays.