About BOOK WRITER AND LYRICIST
Chris studied at the University of Kent at Canterbury, where he received a BA (Hons) in Drama and Theatre Studies. Alongside his acting and writing career, he was Artistic Director at Torrington Community Theatre, Connecticut, USA and resident director of Kent Summer Opera for five years.
His freelance work for the theatre continues to be prolific and presently he is writing “General Jack’s Girls”, based on the Covent Garden Ladies of the Harris List in the 17th Century for Wicked Things Theatre Company. He has worked with Triple Act productions as writer for a new musical, “Robin and the 7 Hoods” which had a full scale workshop at the Leicester Square Theatre starring Hannah Waddingham, Teddy Kempner and Michael Praed and is also working on the book and lyrics for a new musical called “Rising Sun” set against the Gallipoli campaign 1915. He is currently working on the book for a new musical about the life of Dusty Springfield called ‘Dusty’ which has had much interest from American producers for a prospective UK tour in 2010.
He wrote lyrics to Mikron’s 35th anniversary production “Mrs Brunel”, and has written lyrics for their production “The Lacemakers”, based on the Loughborough lace trade and Heathcoat’s loyal workers who followed their master from nation to nation and ‘Fair Trade’ a history of the Co-Operative movement that began in Rochdale.
Writing for the Theatre: Once More from the Top, You Must Remember This, Wagstaff’s End, Parlour Games, Three Times a Lady, The Coming of Abel Behenna, Robin and the 7 Hoods, Mrs Brunel, Waiting for the Dawn General Jack’s Girls, The Emperor’s New Clothes, Mucus The Troll, Granny Grabbit and the Great Lemonade Caper, The Cloud Emperor’s Dreams, That Perfect Tonic! and Hush!
Directing includes: Oklahoma!, HMS Pinafore, La Traviata, L’elisir d’amore, Britten’s The Beggars Opera, Tosca, Three Times a Lady, Annie, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Twelfth Night, Black Comedy, Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay! Absurd Person Singular, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, The Wizard of Oz Work as an actor includes: Herr Schultz (Cabaret), Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof), Jean (Miss Julie), Ko-Ko (The Mikado), Hines (The Pajama Game), The Major General (The Pirates of Penzance), Sir Joseph Porter (HMS Pinafore) The Cowardly Lion (The Wizard of Oz), Lockit (The Beggar’s Opera) Ragotski/Vanderdendur/Governor (Candide), Marquis de Sade (Marat/Sade), Mr Peachum (The Threepenny Opera), Sarah the Cook (Dick Whittington).