ACS Staff Page
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COURSE LEADER for THEATRE, FILM & TV TECHNICIAN COURSES
Frankie Regalia is a theatremaker with over a decade of experience working professionally as a director, playwright, technician, and designer. Her practice focuses on collaboration, creation, and ensemble work, which allowed her to become a well-rounded jack-of-all-trades. She combines award-winning playwriting and directing with honed technical and design skills.
She has worked across the UK and internationally She holds a BFA in from Southern Oregon University, an MFA in Theatre Directing from East 15 Acting School, and an MA in Dramaturgy & Writing for Performance from Goldsmiths.
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FULL-TIME & PART-TIME COURSE COACH
Calum Moore is a Glasgow-based writer, director and theatre-maker.
He is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (MA Classic & Contemporary Text: Directing) and Stirling University (BA Hons in Creative Writing, 1st Class).
As a director, he creates work that is energetic, collaborative and truth-pursing; with experience in both developing new writing and adapting pre-existing texts.
As a writer, he is keen to explore what makes us vulnerable and, in turn, what makes us strong - with an emphasis on momentum and rhythm in language.
As a teacher he champions two central principles – active listening and believing in your own truth.
After previous experience with devising and delivering the acting curriculums for Acting Out Drama School and ISSFT, he is currently working with ACS to deliver lessons for the Foundation Acting and Professional in Stage and Screen Diploma courses.
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Miranda Elyse Halloran (she/they) is a theatre maker and teaching artist from New York City and Texas, respectively. With two decades of performance experience, she began teaching 10 years ago and fell in love with it.
Her past performances include devised theatre, interactive found space, Shakespeare, Greek Tragedy, new works, and movement based performance. In her residency at the Globe Theatre in London, she performed in Cymbeline and Edward II.
She trained extensively with Grotowski and Butoh movement styles and runs specialty classes solely based on embracing and becoming more comfortable with the technique.
She believes movement is not pretty performance but honest expression and works to find the best way to communicate with each student individually as we all have our own styles and physical language.
She holds a Masters of Arts from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is working on her second masters at the University of Glasgow in performance practices.
She is currently working on her dissertation- an interactive wide space performance that focuses on themes of andragogy and magic realism.
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ACTING COACH
Jake studied at Liverpool John Moore’s University, BA Hons Drama, and then trained in physical theatre at Hope Street, Liverpool. He is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy having gained an FHEA from Rose Bruford.
Jake has acted in theatre, television, film, and radio since 2001, throughout the UK, Sweden, Mexico and Zambia, earning over 70 credits. His television credits include Coronation Street, Emmerdale, The Bill, and Hollyoaks.
From 2012 Jake was a drama school lecturer and theatre director at Liverpool John Moore’s university adapting and directing Ivanov, Perfume, Jamaica Inn, and Madame Tellier’s Establishment. From 2013 he lectured and directed at The Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts directing Rent, Made in Dagenham and Cabaret. Then from 2019 at The MGA Academy of Performing Arts, Edinburgh, he lectured and directed Tipping the Velvet becoming head of department for The Online School.
Jake coproduced and directed The Seven Acts of Mercy at the Liverpool Arts Theatre in 2019. In 2022 he co-directed the theatrical immersive version of his mother Dianne Jackson’s classic film The Snowman.
Jake has written and directed for children’s immersive theatre several times. He has co-written a new play Sober Companion with the actor Joe McGann they hope to tour the play across the UK in 2024/25.
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FULL-TIME & PART-TIME COURSE COACH
Callan is a freelance drama specialist working throughout Scotland since 1994 on projects involving educational training, historical interpretation, business training and theatre production management. Her background is in directing children's theatre and SQA Acting and Musical Theatre productions as well as writing and presenting heritage theatre.
At the start of 2022, Callan joined the team at ACS to work on the STAGES programme and is delighted to now also be working with Full-Time students and taking on SQA coordination duties.
In addition to her work at ACS, Callan is also a lecturer at Glasgow Academy of Musical Theatre Arts, the creative production manager and script developer of pantomime at the Alhambra theatre in Dunfermline and works throughout the year for Illuminate UK on the drama training team for Historic Environment Scotland and their myriad of exciting projects all over the country, where she manages projects in both film and presentation, writes scripts, and sometimes is still persuaded to participate in a presenting role.
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PRINCIPAL & STUDIO PRODUCER / COURSE LEADER PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA
Nick is the Principal of ACS and the studio's Producer. He also teaches and directs on the full and part-time acting programmes at Acting Coach Scotland. Nick also specialises in coaching for monologue auditions, and has been a judge for the World Monologue Games.
He had a successful career in business and management prior to training at East 15 Acting School. As an actor he has toured theatres in Scotland and England, as well as appearing on BBC radio and television.
Prior to joining ACS, Nick produced work for theatre companies in London and Edinburgh, and was previously the Senior Production Coordinator for the National Theatre of Scotland.
Nick has also helped dozens of applicants get into top Drama Schools using his specially designed M.A.P. System. He has also led workshops in the UK and overseas, has worked with companies to improve creativity and abolish self censorship and is a passionate believer in the ‘Yes And..’ philosophy.
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ACTING COACH & FILM MAKER
Armando Di Lillo is an award-winning director, actor and published writer. And a graduate of our Professional Diploma course in 2019. He has worked with international actors, directors, writers and choreographers.
Among Armando's successes is the short film SILENZI (2019), which won the Best Emerging Actress Award and appeared on various finalist shortlists in festivals around the world. His earlier short film UNA DONNA (A Woman's Story, 2018) won the Best Opera Prima Award.
In 2016 Armando founded the Acting Center School in Rome and later, TAG - The Acting Group, a studio academy focused on Acting for Camera. In 2020, Armando founded the Armando Di Lillo Acting Studio, a new professional acting studio dedicated to Practical Aesthetics technique.
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ACTING COACH
Louise is a professional Actor with over a decade’s worth of experience in the industry in both Scotland and London - credits include Feature Film The Outrun, Series Regular in BBC’s River City 2016 - 2019, Diary of a Madman Traverse & Gate Theatre, Iphigenia Quartet at the Gate Theatre.
Louise has also taught acting for stage and screen at various UK drama schools including Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Italia Conti and Fourth Monkey. She also runs her own acting coaching for drama school auditions on a 1:1 basis.
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STAGE COMBAT COACH
Rob is a multi-award-winning director and actor specialising in Shakespeare, Stage & Screen Combat, Innovation and Digital Theatre. After acting in more than 30 roles in Shakespeare's best-loved plays, Rob directed all 36 First Folio shows before he was 36 years old. He is the creator of the Shakespeare Deck and the Owning Shakespeare podcast. His book, Innovation & Digital Theatre, is forthcoming with Routledge. His work with creative technologies includes the interactive "Illuminated Text" for Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada and work with Theatre Royal Bath on Embodied Projection.
Rob has given talks at Harvard University, King's College London and many more, as well as teaching Shakespeare at East 15, University of West of Scotland, and internationally. Rob is a Certified Teacher with the British Academy of Stage & Screen Combat - the first and best stage combat teaching institution in the UK - and an Action Designer for both film & theatre. To date he has worked with over 700 actors and creatives from more than 60 countries on 6 of the 7 continents. Rob is of working class origins, is neurodivergent, and a parent to an incredible toddler.
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DRAMATIC COMBAT COACH
Robin is a Fight and Intimacy Director for stage and screen, a certified Teacher with the British Academy of Dramatic Combat, and a Fight / Special Action performer.
Originally from Perth, he trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (MA Acting, Classical and Contemporary Text), then toured across Scotland in physical theatre shows with Company of Wolves and Blood of the Young.
He currently teaches Dramatic Combat at several drama schools in London, coordinates on Fight and Intimacy projects and runs professional training courses across the UK. Recent directing credits include working with Bard in the Botanics, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
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STUDIO ADMINISTRATOR
Haley has been with ACS since 2017 and the Stage 1 course is the extent of her acting experience, with the exception of one line in her fourth grade play.
She grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is a graduate of Purdue University in the US, Surrey University, UK and holds a Masters degree. Before arriving at ACS, Haley worked in the hospitality and tourism sector.
Usually in the studio in the afternoons, Haley has a flexible schedule to best take care of the team and can easily be contacted by email to answer any questions you may have about our training.
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ACTING COACH
Scott is an Irish scriptwriter, script editor, and content creator. He is a graduate of the BA (Hons) Acting & Contemporary Theatre course at East 15 Acting School & the MA Dramatic Writing course at Central Saint Martins in London. His debut play as an actor-writer, ‘Yokes Night,’ received critical acclaim during its run in London, Edinburgh and Off-Broadway in New York City. His theatre company, Stay Up Late, has produced his work across the UK, USA, and Ireland. He co-wrote and produced a short film called ‘Rabbits N Ruses’, which was presented at the BFI Southbank during the BFI London Film Festival ‘21. He was selected for Edinburgh International Film Festival’s Script Starter 2022, and he is currently developing his new short film, ‘Gratuity,’ funded by Creative Ireland. He has developed stage work for SoHo Playhouse NYC, Project Arts Centre, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Soho Theatre, The Pleasance, and The Yard Theatre. He has also spent several weeks in writers' residencies at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Co. Monaghan, Ireland, funded by Meath County Council Arts Office.
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SINGING COACH
Darren started his career in the performing arts at a young age. As a child, he attended classes with the Scottish Youth Theatre at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. His love of musical theatre then led him to enrolling at The Stage School of Scotland. During these early years, Darren performed in many pantomimes and various productions such as revue shows and cabarets.
With his mind set on a professional career in the industry, Darren studied for a Diploma in Musical Theatre. As a student, he regularly accompanied other students on piano, offering vocal tips. He quickly found where he belonged. During his studies, he was offered work as Assistant Musical Director and Keys 2 player in various college productions. This experience confirmed Darren’s decision not to go down the performer route, but to further his career in musical direction.
After successfully completing his Diploma in Musical Theatre, Darren made the decision to continue his studies, graduating with a BA in Musical Theatre. This performance degree, combined with his experience as a Musical Director allows Darren to teach from a performer’s point of view.
Following graduation, Darren was immediately engaged in a variety of professional appointments throughout central Scotland, from amateur shows to professional productions, education work, and youth theatre. Companies he has worked with include: The National Theatre of Scotland, The Dance School of Scotland, Imagine Theatre, Glasgow Acting Academy, Jazzart College of Performing Arts, Glasgow Kelvin College, East Ayrshire Youth Theatre, and Creative Spark Theatre Arts.
Darren is passionate about his own professional development to ensure that his knowledge and skills are up-to-date and reflect current practice. He has completed Level 1 and Level 2 training on the Estill Voice programme, and recently qualified as a Vocal Health First Aider.