Annemarie Lewis Thomas

Annemarie Lewis Thomas is a musician, composer and director of the Musical Theatre Academy (MTA), named by The Stage as School of the Year in 2012.^[1]

Originally from Swansea,^[2] Annemarie trained at Middlesex Polytechnic, getting a degree in Performing Arts. She left college to go straight into working as the MD for the critically acclaimed fringe company The Steam Industry.^[3] During her tenure as the MD/Arranger for the Steam Industry she was responsible for such hits as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,^[4] The UK stage premiere of Calamity Jane ^[5] Uncle Ebenezer^[6] Having worked on over 20 shows with Phil Willmott,^[7] including the first original production of Rent outside of Broadway ^[8] Annemarie moved more into composing. She wrote the critically acclaimed Around the World in 80 Days with Phil Willmott, which subsequently received a publishing deal with Samuel French.^[9][10] She was commissioned to write the music for Black Eyed Susan which reopened the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds after its much lauded renovation.^[11] She was then commissioned to write three pantomimes for the theatre.

In total Annemarie has written the music to six pantomimes, and has written 16 full length musicals - all of which have been performed by major companies. Regularly commissioned by YMT:UK ^[12] most recently she's been writing with award winning book writer Nick Stimson. Together they have now written six musicals, all of which have obtained good critical feedback, one of which is currently in the process of getting published. In 2011 Trinity Guildhall Musical Theatre Examination Board, chose A Common Man from Great Expectations as one of their Syllabus pieces ^[13]

A former Head of Musical Theatre at the Hertfordshire Theatre School up in Hitchen, a module leader (and writer) for Middlesex University, Annemarie has always taught alongside her professional commitments. In 2009 she opened her own college The MTA. Since opening the college has received a constant stream of critical press, praising it's innovative approach to drama training.

Annemarie is an accomplished writer, regularly being asked to contribute articles/features to arts magazines, websites. For a number of years she wrote for the Review Hub, until in 2015 she opted for complete editorial control with her own blog. Known to be outspoken on the topic of Mental Health in the Arts, in March 2015 she organised the first conference for drama schools to discuss the issue.^[14] As a direct result of the conference, Annemarie, along with The MTA's Mental Health consultant created the #time4change Mental Health charter. Launched by Mark Shenton in The Stage^[15] in July 2016. By December 2016 115 major arts organisations had signed up to the charter.

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