The Cast
Agnieszka Swita next to Clive Nolan is a core member of Caamora Theatre Company. Her fascination with music began at the age of five when her mother took her to see the musical version of 'Snow White'. Since then Agnieszka learned singing at The Institute of Music at Lublin University in Poland and was involved in world-renowned Leszek Madzik’s Visual Theatre and Provisorium Theatre in Lublin where she comes from. In 2005 Agnieszka met Clive Nolan and moved to the UK to create Caamora. The duo toured three continents playing to thousands of people and headlining festivals. The focal point of the collaboration with Clive was the release of 'She' in 2007 and staging the musical in Poland, Bolivia, The Netherlands and the UK. Agnieszka is also involved in charitable work for sick disabled and disadvantaged children in the UK. Currently she is working on her solo album as well as preparing to take graded piano exams.
Clive Nolan is a British musician, composer and producer who has played a prominent role in the recent development of progressive and symphonic rock.
Born in Gloucestershire, he was a pupil at Wycliffe College and King's School, Gloucester. He completed his B. Mus and M. Mus degrees at London University where he studied composition, orchestration and conducting. He has been the regular keyboard player in Pendragon (1986–present), Shadowland (1992–present), Strangers on a Train (1993–1994), Arena (1995–present) and Caamora (2006–present) as well as writing music and lyrics for Arena, Shadowland, Caamora and numerous other projects. Nolan is the founder member of The Caamora Theatre Company formed to produce and perform the Clive Nolan musicals. The premiere of his first musical 'She' took place in Katowice Wyspianski Theatre in Poland in October 2007. Subsequently, full theatrical performances of 'She' were performed in January 2010 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, followed by the eight-man 'She in Concert' version in Holland in September 2011. In February 2012 theatrical version of 'She' debuted in the UK in Cheltenham Playhouse Theatre. He was voted Best Keyboard Player by Classic Rock Society in the years: 1995, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2011. In 2010 the Bolivian government awarded him with the title of Honorary Visitor to Santa Cruz, Bolivia for his theatre work in the city of Santa Cruz.
Victoria Bolley from a young age proved to be a very dramatic young lady, her mother always told her she should win an Oscar! She took an interest in acting at the age of 10 when she beat a list of hopefuls to play the lead role in 'The Wizard of Oz' at her local theatre in her home town of Devizes. Because of this, Victoria started singing lessons in order to help her further her passion of musical theatre which originally began when she was taken to see 'Miss Saigon' at the age of 5. She earned a lead role in an award winning touring production of 'The Boyfriend' at the age of 15, and since then has gone on to become a very diverse singer and entertainer across the UK, adapting to whatever is put her way. In 2011 she joined the Caamora Theatre Company as chorus member and an understudy for the 'She' leading role of Ayesha. In February 2012 she featured as Ayesha in one of the Cheltenham shows performed at the Playhouse Theatre. She takes great interest in staging shows for charities and good causes with the help of her family and friends. Victoria keeps her feet firmly on the ground and will always be proud of her roots as a hard working farmers daughter, and would like to sincerely thank her family for all of their never ending support.
David Clifford originally a drummer and a singer, comes from a long and established musical heritage. He started drumming at the age of five, and singing shortly after. He played sessions for various rock bands in the mid-80s, before hooking up with his main band Red Jasper in 1988. Since the band's hiatus in 1997, he has worked solidly as a vocalist working in musical theatre productions and also with acquaintance Richard O'Brien. In 2012 David now fronts the reformed Red Jasper as Lead Vocalist, currently working on their 6th studio album. In 2010 David started working with Clive Nolan to create The Caamora Theatre Company and is currently one of the Company's leading singers. In 2012 he debuted as a Producer and Director of 'She' in the musical's Cheltenham production.
Tracy Hitchings is probably best know as a charismatic lead vocalist of the progressive band Landmarq with whom she still records and tours, as well as for her long-lasting collaboration with Clive Nolan which, among others, resulted in the release of Tracy's solo album 'From Ignorance to Ecstasy' in 1991. Tracy's experience on the prog scene includes recording with Quasar, Gandalf, Ulysses as well as participating in numerous other projects with ex-Genesis guitarist, Steve Hackett, Rick Wakeman, actor Robert Powell, and vocalist/bassist John Wetton (Asia, King Crimson, UK, Roxy Music) to name just a few. Previously, Tracy recorded with a 'quirky' pop project, 'Dancing On Stones', who contributed a high-contending song for the James Bond movie, 'Goldeneye'. In 1995 and 1998 she was voted 'Best Female Vocalist' by the international readers poll of the UK-based 'Classic Rock Society' magazine. Tracy is a professional vocal coach as well as a licensed NLP Practitioner and Timeline Therapist. Having taught 'Voice Building' in Islington's Arts and Media School, Highbury Fields, Islington Green and Stratford Schools, she has drawn her own diverse experiences in different areas of rock and pop music and has become a much sought-after instructor to singers at all stages of their career.
Andy Sears is perhaps best known as the charismatic lead vocalist of the progressive rock band Twelfth Night, one of the leading bands of the 80's resurgence of Progressive Rock with which he recorded some of the band's pivotal albums like 'Art and Illusion' and 'Twelfth Night'. Andy began his eclectic musical career in 1975 at the age of 15, playing in a range of bands from metal, jazz rock, to progressive rock. His extracurricular experience ranges from musical director for a '60's festival in Athens (featuring Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond, and Bill Haley's Comets), to session vocalist/arranger on Progressive Rock projects such as Galadriel's ‘Calibrated Collision Course’ (Musea) on which he both wrote, arranged and sang all the backing vocals, including some cameo lead lines. More recently, he acted as vocal coach and lyric writer for Universal Records jazz/swing band No Reply. In 2011 he toured Europe promoting his solo material from the forthcoming album 'The Dragon Inside'.
Becky Carter started singing at open mic's at 15 where her talent was spotted by a local musician. Since then she has been singing in local bands and acts and became the resident singer at Cheltenham's most popular live music club Subtone. After a short break caused by a minor throat problem, she started studying her music grades with Dorothy Frances, the chorus leader for 'She'. In 2011 she joined the Caamora Theatre Company as chorus member and an understudy for one of 'She' leading roles, Ustane. In February 2012 she featured as Ustane in one of the Cheltenham shows performed at the Playhouse Theatre.
Chris Lewis started his music and stage career with various local bands. Worked with Robert John Godfrey (The Enid) on a symphonic rock album 'Fall of Hyperion' alongside the talents of, among others, the guitarist Jim Scott (The Pretenders) and percussionist Tristram Fry. At present, thanks to Cathy Keating and Dorothy Frances, he performs concert pieces ranging from easy listening through rock to opera. In 2011 he joined the Caamora Theatre Company as a chorus member and an understudy for one of the 'She' leading roles of Holly. In February 2012 he featured as Holly in one of the Cheltenham shows performed at the Playhouse Theatre.
Ben Perkins might be an all-too familiar face to Cheltenham theatregoers, with a decade’s worth of lead and supporting roles behind him in productions as diverse as 'The Wizard of Oz' (Cowardly Lion, CODS 2010), 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' (Percy, CODS 2009) and 'Death of a Salesman' (Biff, Deep End Theatre 2010). A veteran performer, as much at home in front of a microphone as on the stage, he joined the Caamora Theatre Company in 2011 as a chorus member and an understudy for 'She' lead role of Leo Vincey. In February 2012 he featured as Leo in one of the Cheltenham shows performed at the Playhouse Theatre.
Damian Wilson's career has been unusual in its variety. He has been successful in the world of Rock, voted ‘best vocalist’ seven times at the Classic Rock Society UK Annual Awards; successful for the passion and wonderful voice he brought to Musical Theatre; prolific in his own song-writing. Damian has fronted such bands as Threshold, Landmarq, Jeronimo Road, Ayreon, La Salle, Kenny Jones’s band, Rick Wakeman’s English Rock Ensemble and Headspace. In 1998, Damian surprised his fans by going into Musical Theatre. He played the role of Jean Valjean in the Les Miserables UK national tour 1998-2000. His powerful voice, with its amazing range, and the passion he brought to the role, has since earned him many accolades. After leaving musical theatre, Damian was invited to join Rick Wakeman’s English Rock Ensemble, with which he toured the world and recorded albums. Damian also toured with Arjen Lucassen's Star One Tour as well as Stream of Passion Tour during which he had a chance to play his own songs acoustically. In 2007 Damian was fortunately free to step in as vocalist for Threshold when their singer left unexpectedly at the commencement of their Summer and Autumn tour that year. He has been the principal member of Threshold since then. Currently he is active touring and promoting his solo material.
Noel Calcaterra is a singer, an actress and a dancer. She studied at the Musical Theatre School of Montevideo, Uruguay and is now practising with the best teachers in Uruguay and Argentina. Her first significant role was the leading part of Roxie Hart in 'Chicago'. Her musical theatre experience includes the roles in the most important musicals in her country like 'Hunchback of Notre-Dame' (Esmeralda), 'Robin Hood' (Lady Marion), 'West Side Story' (María), 'Opera do Malandro' (Teresihna), as well as other local productions. In 2010 Noel was invited by Clive Nolan to sing on his project 'Otra Vida'. The bilingual English-Spanish album was recorded in England and released in South America in 2011. Currently, Noel is starring in her own musical production, 'Brunette', which takes the audience into the world of the most popular musicals in the history.
Paul Manzi bought his first guitar when he was fifteen (a Flying V copy inspired by KK Downing of Judas Priest) and proceeded to play guitar in his school band. Paul's early influences were Led Zepplin, Deep Purple, Rush, Queen to name but a few. He found his voice and started singing at age 23 and two years later joined progressive rock band Barchetta. He gained notable recording experience at Abbey Road Studios and equally notable live experience including playing at the Old Marquee supporting progressive rock band Pallas. Since then Paul has kept busy doing session vocals and working in various successful cover bands/trios/duos/solo as a singer/guitarist. He performed lead vocals on the soundtrack of two rock/pop musicals 'Phantasmagoria' and 'Space Family Robinson', which was in production in 2003. Paul joined Oliver Wakeman's band in mid 2004 and has proved to be a fantastic frontman. In 2010 he joined Arena with whom he recorded 'The Seventh Degree of Separation' album followed by the vast European tour. Although Paul's versatility as a musician has enabled him to cross musical styles including soul, jazz, latin, pop and musical theatre, he has now come full circle back to his rock roots.