Staff and Tutors
GUEST AND PAST TUTORS
RUTH CARNEY
Ruth is currently Associate Director on The Lord of The Rings, Theatre Royal Drury Lane London. Most recently Ruth
directed A Model Girl, Greenwich Theatre, the UK Professional Premiere of The Laramie Project at Sound Theatre, London
and the World Premiere of The Lemon Princess by Rachael McGill from an original idea by Ruth Carney at The West Yorkshire
Playhouse, Leeds. She was joint Artistic Director of the New British Writing Season for the Caird Company). As an Associate
Artist Ruth worked on the BBC Concert Orchestra performance of Pal Joey and On Your Toes performed on BBC Radio Two. Ruth
assisted Hettie Macdonald on the National Theatre production and tour of Sanctuary by Tanika Gupta. Ruth is also a selector
for the National Student Drama Festival, a festival in Scarborough showcasing the best new talent. Ruth has a BA (Hons)
from the University of Sheffield and an MA in Theatre Directing from The Russian Theatre Academy, Moscow and Middlesex
University, London. Ruth was also a participant on the Directors Course at The National Theatre.
JILLIAN O'DOWD
Jillian has twenty two years professional industry experience in theatre, music theatre, cabaret TV, and film. She is a National Institute of Dramatic Art graduate. Most recent credit; The Comedy Theatre Company's No.1 UK tour of Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies. Australia's Channel 7, the award winning TV drama All Saints, four plays for The Sydney Theatre Co, The Tempest for Bell Shakespeare Co. Hugh Jackman The Boy from Oz arena musical tour directed by Kenny Ortega ('This is it' fame). Her many TV credits have included a guest role in the popular Granada TV series Cold Feet and a guest role as Miss Little in Home and Away. Her 2010 up and coming credits are playing Trinity in the feature film Diana Clone and Martha in the stage play Beautiful Bodies. Jillian has 20 years experience as a teacher of drama and audition technique. She is the co-founder of Re:actor Acting Services at Fox Studios Sydney and Hair of the Dog theatre/film company. Jillian has a teacher's diploma from Trinity College London.
FIONA CAREW - Radio
Since graduating from the Drama Centre London, Fiona has worked extensively
as an actress and for a number of 'Theatre in Education' companies leading
workshops throughout the UK and Europe. Fiona has worked extensively in
radio and her television credits include Spooks, Judge John Deed, Waking
the Dead, Nicholas Nickelby and Come Together. Fiona also holds regular
seminars on Radio and Voiceover technique at Hippocampus Recording Studios.
KATE PRINGLE
Kate studied acting and contemporary dance. She is a qualified teacher and has an MA in Voice Studies from The Central School of
Speech and Drama. Kate has directed and devised many successful productions including Mishlinge, Taming of the Shrew,
Azazel, Marat/Sade, murmur. She continues to integrate her disciplines as a director and practitioner, most recently
collaborating with Estonian Choreographer Teet Kask focussing on the role of voice and text in dance. Their work amor
vincit omnia and Sad Pleasure has been performed in London and internationally. Kate worked at the LSDA as a key member
of the voice team as well as an administrator and student mentor. Kate has now relocated to Glasgow but still returns to LSDA
as a guest tutor.
RONNIE MCCANN
Ronnie is a professional Actor and Director. He trained at the Royal Scottish Academy and Lee Strasberg, New York. Television and Film
credits include Casualty (2 years as a Regular), Judge John Deed, Inspector Lynlie, The Royale, The Acid House Trilogy, Heavenly
Pursuits and the Last Minute. He has worked in theatres in England, Europe and Scotland and was Assistant Director at the Citizens
Theatre.
HELEN DALLIMORE
Helen was an original member of the LSDA teaching staff before leaving to make her West End debut as Glinda in WICKED. Helen trained as
an actress at The National Institute of Dramatic Art and first made her name playing 'Miss Adelaide' in Guys and Dolls when still at NIDA,
and was immediately cast by the prestigious Sydney Theatre Company in David Edgar's Pentecost. She has subsequently appeared in many
productions for STC, including The Unlikely Prospect of Happiness; The Hanging Man by Andrew Upton and Gale Edward's production of Up For
Grabs, in which she created the central role of 'Simone', later played in the West End by Madonna. She was part of the ensemble that opened
the company's Sydney Theatre, with the musical The Republic of Myopia and the play Harbour. Helen has simultaneously enjoyed a career in
film and television, playing leading roles in the movies The Extra and Mr Accident; the TV movies Secret Bridesmaid's Business and Day of
the Roses and guest roles on All Saints; Water Rats; Home and Away; Flipper and GP. She has also appeared in several US productions
including the TV movies South Pacific (starring Glenn Close and Harry Connick, Jr.) and The Three Stooges; as well as the US feature
film Kangaroo Jack.
NOELLA BRENNAN
Having successfully gained an honours degree in Film and Broadcasting in her native Dublin, Noella decided to continue her studies and
graduated for a second time in Drama at the London Drama Studio. Since then, Noella has been teaching drama to young people as well as
actively treading the boards and appearing on both the small and big screen. She played the lead role in 'I Fought the Law', which was
screened on Sky Television and BBC Belfast and recently played Maria in The Sound of Music at The Courtyard Theatre in Hereford. Noella
has just finished playing at the National Theatre in the highly acclaimed production of 'The Aristocrats'.
JOANNA TURNER
Joanna has just finished working as Staff Director on 'La Cenerentola' at the Welsh National Opera. Her previous experience as
Director include Francis Beckett's 'Money Makes You Happy' (Bridewell & White Bear), 'Macbeth' & 'Measure for Measure' as part of
'Bard at the Bridewell' (Bridewell Theatre), Francis Beckett's 'Hide the Front Page!' (Hen & Chickens) and Alison Carr's 'Boys Don't
Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses' (Etcetera). She has worked as assistant director on Lee Blakeley's 'Die Fledermaus'
(Scottish Opera), Giles Block's 'Troilus & Cressida' (Shakespeare's Globe), Marcus Romer's 'Beautiful Thing' (Bolton Octagon)
and Kate Saxon's 'Humble Boy' (Northcott), Lucy Bailey's 'Twelfth Night' (Manchester Royal Exchange. Joanna is Artistic Director
of Baseless Fabric Theatre Company and Co-director of Education Company, DramaLab Ltd.
HOWARD LEE
Howard Lee trained at RADA and also at the Jacques Lecoq Mime School. Howard has had and still enjoys an eclectic career spanning
30 years, from Summer Season Rep to street performing clown and Children's TV presenter. He has numerous television drama and film
credits including the Oscar nominated Hindi movie 'Lagaanç. His one-man show The Lion and Albert at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
won a 5 star review in "The Scotsman".
The following have all taught at LSDA:
Ben Nealon, Jennifer Glogan, Bonnie Engstrom, Michael Colgan, Imogen Church, Valdis Arnardottir, Ildiko Solti, Antoinette Walsh, Jane
Lehrer, Paul Robinson, Peter Ansorge, Laurens Postma, Marianne Micallef, Shane Collins, Teresa Churcher, Janis Jaffa, Jessica Gerger,
Aoife Smyth, Thomas McGairl, Marilyn Scott, Edna-Mairi Holywell, Darren Ormandy, Stephen Marcus, Abby Ford, Christopher Holt, Wendy Dynan-Gleeson, Stephanie Street,