Welsh composer and lyricist
Annemarie Lewis Thomas is a musical director, composer, lyricist.[ 1] Musical Theatre Academy (MTA) in 2009, which was named as The Stage 's School of the Year in 2012 and 2017.[ 2]
Early career
Thomas trained at Middlesex Polytechnic , graduating with a BA(Hons) in Performing Arts in 1989.
From 1994 to 2004 she was musical director of fringe theatre company,[ 3] The Steam Industry with productions including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers The King & I The Sound of Music Calamity Jane Battersea Arts Centre (BAC).[ 4]
Thomas has been commissioned by British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) to write several musicals including CCTV , The Open Door , Girl In The Ashes , Great Expectations and Fool’s Gold .[ 5]
Composition
Thomas has written the music and lyrics for almost 50 musicals including:
Year
Title
Type of work
Performance venues
Notes
1990
The Silent Tramp [ 6] Full length musical
Polish Theatre , Hammersmith
1992
Wizard of Oz [ 7] Full length musical
Roses Theatre , Tewkesbury
1995
Dangerous Nights [ 8] Full length musical
Jermyn Street Theatre , London
2000
The Roaring Girl [ 9] Play with songs
Finborough Theatre , London
2001
Uncle Ebenezer [ 10] Full length musical
Various
2002
Around the World in 80 days [ 11] Full length musical
Various
Pub. Samuel French, Inc.
2002
Man Is Man [ 12] Play with songs
Finborough Theatre, London
2003
The Wolf Boys Full length musical
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre commission
2007
Black Eyed Susan [ 13] Underscore for melodrama
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds
2010
Dangerous Daughters [ 14] Full length musical
The Drill Hall, London
With Nick Stimson
2013
Great Expectations [ 15] Full length musical
Book, Gerry Flanagan
2017
Dangerous Daughters Full length musical
Bridewell Theatre, London
Book, Nick Stimson
2018
Oh My, Nelly Bly Full length musical
Bridewell Theatre, London
Book, Nick Stimson
2020
The Time Machine Full length musical
Bridewell Theatre, London
Book, Nick Stimson
Thomas also wrote the music and lyrics for the following pantomimes with the book by Daniel O'Brien: Cinderella Puss in Boots Jack and the Beanstalk Aladdin Beauty and the Beast Robinson Crusoe Mother Goose Robinson Crusoe Dick Whittington and his Cat Covidella and the Masked Ball (2020) an online production and Jack and the Beanstalk
She wrote the music and lyrics for two online films by Nick Stimson: Coming Home (2020) and J (2021).
Musical direction
Since 1989, Thomas has been musical director of over 150 productions,[ 16]
Year
Title
Role
Performance venues
Notes
1994
The Night We Buried Judy Garland [ 17] Musical director
Shaw Theatre , London
Director: Phil Wilmott
1996
Ud's Garden [ 18] Musical director
Wimbledon Studios , London
1996
Dick Daredevil [ 19] Musical director
Drill Hall, London
Director, Phil Wilmott
2000
The Ultimate Man [ 20] Musical director
Bridewell Theatre , London
Director, Paul Tomlinson
2004
Victor/Victoria [ 21] Musical director
Bridewell Theatre, London
Director, Phil Wilmots
Thomas was head of musical theatre at the Hertfordshire Theatre School[ 22] Middlesex University .
In 2009, she founded the Musical Theatre Academy (The MTA) in Islington, London.[ 23] School of the Year in 2012[ 24] [ 25] [ 26]
As an accompanist , Thomas has worked with Maria Friedman , Liz Robertson , Patti Boulaye , Rachel Tucker , Mari Wilson , Diane Langton and Peter Polycarpou , amongst others.[ 27]
Thomas wrote for The Reviews Hub for several years. In 2015, she created her own blog which evolved into a vlogging channel on YouTube . She writes for Backstage.com and has staffed their Office Hours forum on occasion.[ 28] [ 29] Backstage.com [ 30] [ 31]
In March 2015, together with Angie Peake a dual-registered nurse practitioner and therapist. Thomas organised the first conference for UK drama schools to discuss mental health in the arts[ 32] Mark Shenton in The Stage in July 2016, by December of the same year 115 major arts organizations had signed up.[ 33]
References
^ Poynton, Kate (2014). Contacts 2014: Stage, Film, Television, Radio . London, UK: Spotlight. p. 172. ISBN 978-1907915062 ^ "Stage 100 Awards 2012: School of the year - Features" . Thestage.co.uk . 19 November 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2016 .^ "Annemarie Lewis Thomas" . concordtheatricals.com . Retrieved 9 December 2023 .^ "Annemarie Lewis Thomas" . maestramusic.org . Retrieved 9 December 2023 .^ "Annemarie Lewis Thomas" . Youth Music Theatre UK. Retrieved 17 December 2023 .^ "Theatre Week" . The Stage . London, UK. 10 December 1992. p. 12.^ Paul Downey (9 January 1992). "The Wizard of Oz" . The Stage . London, UK. p. 35. ^ "Production news" . The Stage . London, UK. 17 August 1995. p. 55.^ Paul B Cohen (23 November 2000). "Finborough" . The Stage . London, UK. p. 15. ^ "Christmas Preview" . The Stage . London, UK. 7 December 2000. p. 28.^ Marjorie Bates Murphy (9 January 2003). "ARound the world in 80 days" . The Stage . London, UK. p. 16. ^ "Man is Man" . The Stage . London, UK. 2 May 2002. p. 47.^ "Calendar" . The Stage . London, UK. 6 September 2007. p. 35.^ "Dangerous Daughters" . origintheatrical.com.au . Retrieved 9 December 2023 .^ "Drama: Great Expectations". Richmond Resident . Richmond, UK: Eddie Pearce. August 2013. p. 17. ^ "Musical Director" . annemarielewisthomas.co.uk . Retrieved 9 December 2023 .^ Patrick Newly (14 July 1994). "Not one for all the family" . The Stage . London, UK. p. 23. ^ "Theatre week" . The Stage . London, UK. 30 May 1996. p. 43.^ "Theatre week" . The Stage . London, UK. 5 December 1996. p. 51.^ "Theatre week" . The Stage . London, UK. 4 May 2000. p. 43.^ "Musicals" . The Stage . London, UK. 8 January 2004. p. 50.^ John Thaxter (18 July 2002). "Talented duo shine through" . The Stage . London, UK. p. 16. ^ ArtsTeam, UKP (2012). UKP Arts guide to performing arts 2012 . Cambridge, UK: Prince Partnership. p. 64. ISBN 978-0955158162 ^ Elkin, Susan (2013). So you want to work in theatre? . London, UK: Nick Hern Books. p. 167. ISBN 978-1848422742 ^ MATTHEW HEMLEY. "Drama school the MTA to close at end of academic year after 14 years" . thestage.co.uk . Retrieved 9 December 2023 . ^ MATTHEW HEMLEY. "Validation body Trinity hits back at MTA closure claims" . thestage.co.uk . Retrieved 9 December 2023 . ^ "Annemarie Lewis Thomas – Composer | Lyricist | Musical Director - 2023" (PDF) . fillinghamweston.com . Retrieved 9 December 2023 .^ "UK Students: Consider This Before Spending £27,000 on a Degree" . backstage.com .^ Thomas, Annemarie (12 July 2016). "Drama schools urgently need a single, external regulating body" . The Stage . Retrieved 17 December 2023 . ^ Annemaria Lewis Thomas. "Is a Performing Arts Degree Worth It? 4 Things for UK Student to Consider" . backstage.com . Retrieved 9 December 2023 . ^ Annemaria Lewis Thomas. "Opinion with Annemarie Lewis Thomas" . dramaandtheatre.co.uk . Retrieved 9 December 2023 . ^ Elkin, Susan (3 April 2016). "Susan Elkin: We must do more to promote mental health awareness | Opinion" . The Stage the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2016 . ^ Shenton, Mark (12 July 2016). "Mark Shenton: Is theatre doing enough to protect workers' mental health? | Opinion" . The Stage . Retrieved 30 November 2016 .
