Vocal Freedom Episode 22 - Antony Stuart-Hicks

My guest this week is the Actor/Singer/Producer Antony Stuart-Hicks (AKA Ash/Ant).  Many Colchester locals will know Ash from his award winning performances as the Mercury Theatre Pantomime Dame in recent years, where his comic timing, quick witted gags and triumphant performing in killer heels will be greatly missed this year!  

Ash has certainly come a long way since leaving his hometown of Crosby, Liverpool, UK.  He has travelled the world through his vast career in the entertainment industry (see credits so far, listed below) and in this episode shares a unique relationship with his voice, which has not always been easy.    Tune in to hear how Ash has a deep connection with his voice and how it has helped him through the toughest of times.  

When not being ‘ theatrical ’, Antony dedicates any free time towards supporting individuals with mental health conditions within the entertainment industry and beyond.

Antony is currently Executive Producer at APL Theatre based in London’s West End and consulting producer for Theatre for Life, Curious Pheasant, Spies Like Us, Teatro Vivo, Tusk, At Swefn’s Edge and Skewed Productions. Antony is also a mentor for the Mercury Theatre Colchester’s “Mercury Creatives” programme.

During the show, Ash referenced the following songs:

Shirley Bassey - And I Love You So

Ken Dodd - Think of me

Frank Sinatra - My Way

Dolly Parton - Baby I'm Burning

Along with this piece as a catalyst for when you need a good cry!

En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor (clip from the movie Brassed Off)

Producer credits include: Seaforth Saga–The Musical (Liverpool Empire Theatre), Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (Southport Arts Centre), The Pirates of Penzance (Royal Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool), By Enormous Expense (Pavilion Theatre New Brighton, The Players Theatre London, Leeds City Varieties), Our Town (Millennium Dome), No Man’s Land (UK Tour), Misery (UK National Tour), 40 Pantomimes: Cinderella, Aladdin, Dick Whittington, Snow White, Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, Jack & The Beanstalk, Mother Goose, Sleeping Beauty(venues include: Chatham, Fareham, Liverpool, Southport, Halifax, Peterborough, Harlow, Barnstaple, Helston, Newark, York, Whitley Bay, Ipswich, Maidstone, Worthing, Salford and Eastbourne), My Fair Lady (Liverpool Empire/UK Tour), Oliver! (Liverpool Empire), Cluedo! (UK National Tour), The Shakespeare Review (Litchfield Garrick), Your Nation Loves You (Delirium/Old Vic), Alice in Wonderland (UK Tour), The Lost Dragon (Harlow Playhouse), King Arthur’s Kitchen (USA Tour), 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Harlow Playhouse/UK Tour), The Snow Queen (UK Tour), The Ugly Duckling (UK Tour), Treasure Island (UK Tour), Barry Manilow’s Copacabana (Harlow Playhouse/UK Tour), Peter Pan–A Rock Musical (European Tour), Boris & Ingrid (UK & International Tour in association with Mercury Theatre Colchester), An Ideal Husband (European Tour), Pride & Prejudice (European Tour), The Wizard of Oz (European Tour), Hamlet–The Musical (European Tour), Alice in Wonderland (European Tour), The Hound of the Baskervilles (UK National Tour), The Wizard of Oz (UK Tour), A Midsummer Night's Dream (International Tour), Robin Hood (International Tour), Alice in Wonderland (UK Easter Tour), Romeo & Juliet (International Tour), Rapunzel (UK National Tour), The Canterville Ghost (International Tour), Secret Santa: The Frost Files (World Premiere Production–Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne), Grease–The Musical (International Tour), Peter Pan–A New Musical (International Tour & Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne), Tonight at the London Coliseum (Digital series of concerts), Voice Box – Intimate Theatre, Direct to the Lens (Digital Series) and The Little Mermaid (UK Tour).

Directorial credits include: Rapunzel (UK National Tour), Robin Hood (International Tour), The Hound of the Baskervilles (UK National Tour), What Are They Like? (Warwick Arts Centre), Pride & Prejudice (European Tour), Snoopy–The Musical (Jersey), Cinderella (Harlow Playhouse), Avenue Q (Jersey), Peter Pan–A New Musical (International Tour), The Lost Dragon (Harlow Playhouse), Me & My Girl (Jersey), Cinderella (York Barbican), Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations (Jersey Arts Centre), Accidents Happen (Tristan Bates, London), Stage by Stage (UK Tour–Original Production), Grimm Tales (Jersey Arts Centre), Divas (UK Tour), My Fair Lady (UK Tour), Aladdin, Snow White, Cinderella, Jack & the Beanstalk (Liverpool Empire Theatre), Judy & Liza (UK Tour), Macbeth (Regional Tour), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Unity Theatre, Liverpool), Our House (Orchard Theatre, Dartford), The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Little Shop of Horrors , Two (UK National Tour).

Theatre includes: Sherlock Holmes (The Hound of the Baskervilles) The Knight of Biscay Don Quixote), George (H is Fragile Mind), Terisius (Antigone), George (Stop Giving Me Grief), Malvolio (Twelfth Night), Demetrius/Quince (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Cardinal Richelieu (The Three Musketeers), Stuart (Gosforth’s Fete), Giovanni (Can’t Pay? Won’t Pay! ), Graham (Fine Wine & Pringles at the Café Belgrade), Macbeth (Macbeth), Hugo (No Horizon), Scrooge (A Christmas Carol), Meg Long (Our Country’s Good), Ratty  (The Wind in the Willows) and Saturninus (Titus Andronicus).

Television & Film includes: The Undateables Christmas Special (Channel 4), Strictly Come Dancing – Christmas Special (BBC), Brookside (Mersey TV), Liverpool One (Lime Productions), And the Beat Goes On (Channel 4), David Copperfield (BBC Films), The Bill (Talkback Thames), In His Life (MBC), Midsomer Murders (Bentley Productions), Fan & Friend (ITV).

Musical Theatre Includes: Professor Callaghan (Legally Blonde – Jersey Opera House), Edna Turnblad (Hairspray –Dubai), Roscoe (Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens – Criterion West End), Dr. Frederick Chilton (Silence! The Musical -European Premiere), Friar Lawrence (Romeo & Juliet The Musical - UK Tour), Polonius (Hamlet The Musical - UK & International Tour), Gonzalo (Tempest The Musical - UK & International Tour), Quince/Egeus (A Midsummer Night’s Dream - UK & International Tour), Mad Hatter (Alice in Wonderland), Caspius (The Wizard of Oz ~ Beyond the Rainbow - UK Tour), Kaa the Snake (The Jungle Book), King Midas (Myth & Legend), Reverend Barker (The Retribution) and Fagin (Oliver!).

Audio recordings include: Dr Who – 'Cold Vengeance' The Tenth Doctor Series (Big Finish).

Writing credits: Various pantomime titles (Cinderella, Aladdin, Snow White, The Snow Queen, Treasure Island, Robin Hood, Rapunzel, Peter Pan, Dick Whittington, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland), a dramatic adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles, a world premiere production of Secret Santa: The Frost Files. Dramatic adaptations of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo & Juliet, The Canterville Ghost, Pride & Prejudice and An Ideal Husband (International touring–English speaking). Antony has recently adapted JM Barrie’s Peter Pan into a new musical adaptation for international tour and winter production at Royal Hippodrome Eastbourne.

Pantomime credits: Ugly Sister in Cinderella (Southport Arts Centre, Crosby Civic Hall, Rhyl Pavilion Theatre, Royal Court Liverpool, Victoria Theatre Halifax, Hazlitt Theatre Maidstone, The Cresset Peterborough, Camberley Arts Theatre, Central Theatre Chatham, Queen's Theatre Barnstaple, Harlow Playhouse, Mercury Theatre Colchester – Mercury at Abbey Fields*), Nurse Nellie in Snow White (Royal Court Liverpool, Central Theatre Chatham, Mercury Theatre Colchester*, Sarah the Cook in Dick Whittington (Royal Court Liverpool, Mercury Theatre Colchester), Nurse in Sleeping Beauty (Queen’s Theatre Barnstaple), Widow Twankey in Aladdin (Neptune Theatre Liverpool, Queen’s Theatre Barnstaple, The Palace Theatre, Newark, The Mercury Theatre Colchester), Dotty Trott in Jack & The Beanstalk (Mercury Theatre, Colchester).

* Nominated - Best Dame – Great British Pantomime Awards 2017/18

* Winner – Best Ugly Sisters – Great British Pantomime Awards 2019/20