Donna is a huge fan of musical theatre, all kicked off by an obsession with Saturday Night Fever - the Musical. Despite her very limited dancing skills she manged to wangle her way into the 2002 Commonwealth Games Opening ceremony and stalked Arlene Philips.
She has been singing in musicals for the past 20 years, starting with Gilbert and Sullivan Productions in her home town of Morecambe. She was an overly enthusiastic member of Liverpool University Student Theatre, taking part in all shows, including directing Fame the Musical and playing Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors.
After University she lived and worked in Canada for 9 months, before deciding to move to Manchester to pursue a career in television. She has worked in her dream job as a Script Editor on Emmerdale, The Worst Witch and Cold Feet.
Donna has enjoyed performing with many groups around Manchester, in shows such as Jekyll and Hyde, Honk!, The Witches of Eastwick, Sister Act and Little Shops of Horrors to name just a few. Donna made her Manchester directorial debut with Urinetown the Musical at Hope Mill Theatre. Her most recent roles for Side By Side have been Pickles in The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Olive in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Heidi in Title of Show and Annabel Glick in Lucky Stiff. Donna is thrilled to be a founding member of Side By Side and could not wish to be working with a better group of friends.
Hannah trained in dance and musical theatre from a young age and has been fortunate enough to perform at some of the UK’s most prestigious venues including the London Palladium, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the Royal Albert Hall and many other large regional venues. She now works as a singing and musical theatre teacher.
Previous roles for Side by Side include: Susan in Title of Show, Rona Lisa Peretti in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Miss Pennywise in Urinetown the Musical, Lin in The Great American Trailer Park Musical, and multiple characters in Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, Live Laugh Love Life, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Side by Side, Show by Show and Lucky Stiff.
Others roles include: Maria in The Sound of Music, Amy in Company, Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5 the Musical, Lucy in Avenue Q, Kathy Seldon in Singin' in the Rain, Hope Harcourt in Anything Goes, Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Sara-Jane Moore in Assasins, Rapunzel in Into the Woods, Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, Johanna in Sweeney Todd, Marta in Company, Emma Carew in Jekyll and Hyde, Laurey Williams in Oklahoma, Gloria in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Beatrice in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
Hannah also works as a choreographer and her credits include: Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Producers, The Drowsy Chaperone, Our House, Sister Act, Bonnie and Clyde, Spamalot, The Sound of Music, Urinetown, Spelling Bee and numerous showcases.
Mark joined the wonderful world of musical theatre a bit later in life, apart from the odd school show and regular sessions singing in the shower, but has not looked back since. For the last 12 years he has enjoyed being involved in many shows across the Manchester area and has loved every minute, made great friends and played far too many priests on stage!
Side By Side roles have included Officer Lostock in Urinetown, William Barfee in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Norbert in The Great American Trailer Park, Jeff in title of show and most recently Harry Witherspoon in Lucky Stiff. Other highlights have been singing in Elegies for Angels Punks and Raging Queens, especially during the Manchester Pride Candle Lit Vigil, I love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and singing at The Bridgewater Hall.
Other roles have included Pish Tush in The Hot Mikado, Diesel in West Side Story, Rapunzel's Prince in Into The Woods, Anatoly in Chess, Monseigneur in Sister Act and Sir Galahad in Spamalot, both at The Lowry amongst many other Ensemble parts in shows such as Our House, Sweeney Todd, Oliver, Guys and Dolls and many Showcases, including singing the lead of Shrek.
Mark is over the moon to be a founding member of the Side By Side family, not only because he has had the chance to work with a wonderful group of extremely talented friends, but also because of the opportunities to delve into the lesser known gems of musical theatre and play such a variety of roles.
In 2003 Oli ‘accidentally’ auditioned for Butlin’s and ‘accidentally’ (but very happily) became a Redcoat. It was here, for the first very first time, he found a tribe of likeminded people and the joy of performing began.
Fast forward several years and Oli can now be found working as a Producer-Director for BBC Children’s. Most recent TV credits include; CBeebies House, Marrying Mum & Dad and the BAFTA winning The Dengineers. Previous credits include Dragons’ Den and Strictly Come Dancing.
He rediscovered the joys of performing fairly late in life having spent the last 17 years firmly behind the camera (…or should that be ‘backstage’ in a theatre context?!).
Roles for Side by Side include; Chip Tolentino in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Robbie the Stockfish in Urinetown and everyone from a pilot to a nun in Lucky Stiff. Others roles include Pablo in Sister Act, and ensemble in Our House and Bonnie & Clyde for All Saints Musical Productions.
Oli is thrilled to be part of Side by Side and can’t wait to see what the future holds for this quite wonderful, joyful company.
Side by Side draws its casts and production teams from a pool of talent from across the North West. These are but a few of the talented people we have worked with over recent years.........