Stage Director
Born in Penryn, Cornwall, John comes from a musical family and has been connected with showbusiness from the day he was born. His mother played with a dance band and his interest in music was fostered, first by sitting him at the piano at the age of three, and then by sending him to a highly qualified teacher. By the age of ten he was performing in public, not only as a musician, but as a naturally talented dancer!
John's cousin, a member of THE BLACK AND WHITE MINSTREL SHOW, introduced him to an agent in London, who showed great interest. It was he who suggested that John should train in ballet to add more poise to his style of dance. Jack Billings of Shepherds Bush accepted John as a student, where a great friend and fellow pupil was the now famous Brian Rogers. John was also attending classes at the Festival Ballet and often danced for them. Consequently, by the age of twenty-one, he was dancing ballet, tap and modern stage six days a week.
John's big break came with a part in a Bristol show starring comedian Harry Worth and, from then on, there was no looking back. He went to work with many famous people, including Danny La Rue, Bob Hope, Jimmy Clitheroe and, at the prestigeous London Palladium, Racquel Welch. He danced in Lionel Bart's musical film, OLIVER, and made many appearances at top venues throughout Britain and on UK television.
After a long, enjoyable and successful career in dance, John went to work for Les Spiller, a very well known theatre costumier, making costumes for the BBC. From there he moved to the Wardrobe Department of the English National Opera, and it was on an ENO tour that he was approached by ATV (later Central Television) in Birmingham to work in their Wardrobe Department. Over the years he worked his way up through middle management and held the position of Senior Production Buyer when he retired.
John also worked on the film MADE IN SPAIN and has collaborated closely with Spanish television's TV2. He joined the professional company VIVA LA ÓPERA as Stage Director in 1998.
