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Our School
Having had a glittering 25 year career in London’s Musical Theatre Industry under Cameron Macintosh, professional Actress, Emma Peploe-Williams started her Academy in 1998 in Winslow, Aylesbury, North Buckinghamshire. She founded the Academy to address the need for a children’s, and teens professional performing arts training centre in the 4 counties, Bucks, Northants, Beds, and Oxon.
Our students’ success lies in the quality of our teaching. Our teachers are key to this school. All our teachers are successful professional actors, dancers, choreographers, directors and vocalists. They’ve ‘been there and done it’ and can share their coal-face experience in their teaching with your child. With any training school the results should speak for themselves, and at Peploe-Williams Academy we’re proud to publish our results throughout the year to our Parent families, and the wider community.
We are part of CDMT (Council for Dance, Drama & Musical Theatre), which gives parents comfort by ensuring that their children are being taught by the right professionals. Our West End stage, film and television contacts and connections are formidable, and we are recognised as a quality source of fresh talent for the UK’s leading drama, vocal and dance schools. There are no shortcuts. To audition successfully for the leading colleges at age 16 or 18, you need a thorough grounding in all disciplines of the performing arts, and we pride ourselves on being able to deliver to any student and family that have the commitment to follow our direction.

Our Studios
The Peploe-Williams Studios are in the Sir Thomas Fremantle School & Leisure centre, Buckingham Road just at the end of the Winslow High Street. Winslow has a thriving population of young families with children, and our local high street boasts many amenities including banks, cafes, mini-supermarkets, hair salons and a local library.
Our Studios are situated 9 miles from Aylesbury, 11 miles from Milton Keynes, 5 miles from Buckingham, and finally 10 miles from Brackley, and serve a radius around Winslow of 30 miles. Milton Keynes Rail Station is only 12 miles away, where we can get to London for TV, Film, & Theatre castings and auditions in 35 minutes.
Peploe-Williams Studios offer 3 Dance studios, 2 Acting rooms, 2 singing rooms, a Junior Musical Theatre room, a reception area, a parent relaxation area offering Wi-Fi, and refreshments. The studios offer a relaxed and professionally disciplined environment where the students can be taught the various disciplines that make up Performing Arts.

Our Staff
All our professional teaching faculty are, or have been, working professionals who deliver to our students at the highest level. In addition, we’re lucky enough to have connections with some renowned professional guest teachers with years of industry experience. We all work to enrich the quality of Performing Arts training within our own environment for our students, and also enrich the Arts Education in Schools & Colleges, and we equip young people to live and work successfully in our society.

Emma Peploe-Williams
Actress, Director, Choreographer, and Principal
At just 11 years old, Emma Peploe Williams was accepted into the prestigious ballet school, Bush Davies, in East Grinstead, Sussex. Here she studied Dance, Ballet and Tap as well as doing her normal school studies. At 16, Emma moved to the world class Doreen Bird College and gained her teaching qualifications with Distinction in Dance. These two schools were both in the top tier of Dance/Performing Arts academies in the UK. A glance at the Show programs of any London theatre will find at least one Bush or Bird pupil in its pages. Emma has since coached numerous pupils to audition successfully for Bird and other prestigious top schools in the UK & USA.
At 17 Emma gained her provisional Equity card performing in Pantomime in Maidstone, Kent. She achieved her full Equity card by working for 6 months in the Caribbean on a cruise ship. Returning to England with a full Equity card she was now in a position to audition for the West-End. Her first West-End show was performing in ‘Sugar Babies’ at The Savoy Theatre with Hollywood legends, Anne Miller and Mickey Rooney. After this initial success, she performed in ‘42nd Street’ with Catherine Zeta-Jones, and went on her first UK Tour with the production company.
It was whilst auditioning for Tommy Steele’s ‘Some Like it Hot’ that top choreographer, Bob Avian ('A Chorus Line' - London 2013) offered her a contract in ‘Miss Saigon’ at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London. This was to be her home for 10 years, where she worked her way up to the managerial position of Dance Captain and Resident Director. Here she worked closely with Cameron Macintosh, Craig Revel Horwood, Stephen Brooker (Music Director of the 2012 film Les Misérables), Maggie Goodwin and Matt Ryan. This tenure enabled Emma to nurture very close relationships with all the top Directors, Producers, and Musical Directors in London.
During her time at ‘Miss Saigon’, Emma auditioned legions of professional performers for the casts of ‘Miss Saigon’, ‘Martin Guerre’, and other West End Shows. Becoming a great performer depends heavily on who trains you and the experience Emma has gained in over 25 years work in London’s top musical theatres she is now able to use to directly benefit for her students.
These days Emma dedicates 100% of her time to the Peploe Williams Academy, an elite Performing Arts School in Winslow, Buckinghamshire, where she mentors those wishing to develop careers in the Performing Arts. In addition, Emma has access to nearly all the Audition panels of the Top Performing Arts colleges in The UK, and therefore can help direct your son/daughter to the college that suits their individual training needs.
Emma also offers Personal Management to those pursuing careers in singing, drama, or dance.

Callum Wade
Modern Dance, Musical Theatre Instructor
Callum began his musical theatre training at the Peploe-Williams Academy under the profession guidance of principal, Emma Peploe-Williams, and at the age of 16 went into full time training at The Leicester College of Performing Arts. There, he graduated with a trinity diploma in musical theatre and received a level 8 distinction in the London College of Music (LCM) examinations.
Callum’s professional work includes: Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey? (Film), Skills Show (Birmingham NEC), Sister Act (The Curve, Leicester), Move It (London Olympia), Gala Showcase (Butlins) and Peter Pan (Civic Centre, Aylesbury).
Callum now teaches Modern Free Dance in the Musical theatre course at our Academy.

David Kirby Ashmore
Singing Instructor
Studied at the Royal Academy of Music (1975-79) gaining LRAM in Singing Teaching and Dip.RAM in Performance.
Singing Teacher at the Arts Educational School, Tring, (1977-90) where he adapted, translated and arranged operas to suit the young voices. During this time he conducted both choirs and the Opera performances. The Chamber Choir twice winning Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year.
David has taught singing for the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department and was one of the consultants for the Danesborough Chorus’ (NFMS) CD Rom guide for Choral Singers writing technical and physiological parts of the course. He currently maintains a private teaching practice with adult students including professional singers. As a performer he had Principal contracts with Welsh and English National Operas. Other companies included Opera de Nantes, Opera de Caen and principal engagements in, Austria, Singapore, Jakarta, Cairo and New York as well as Oratorio and concert performances throughout the UK.
He has undertaken to freelance at conducting engagements and workshops with both adult and youth choirs. He was Musical Director of Stantonbury Chamber Choir (1982-2007) a sixteen voice mixed choir which as well as performing ‘a capella’ and ‘part song’ repertoire performed substantial choral works with orchestra including: Handel Messiah, Faure Requiem, Mozart Spatzenmesse, Haydn Missa Brevis, Rutter Fancies and my own Requiem Mass.
As the Musical Director of Milton Keynes Youth Choir (2002-09), he gave the UK premier of Bruno Coulais music from ‘Les Choristes’ and won many competitions and awards. He was also MD of Milton Keynes Youth Opera for which he conducted Rossini’s Cinderella, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Britten’s The Little Sweep and Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors.
He currently teaches private & choral singing at Tiffin Boys School where he has helped more than a dozen students in four years gain Oxbridge Choral Scholarships. In addition to adjudicating widely for the British and International Federation of Festivals, David has also been Vocal and Choral Director for European Youth Summer Music. As part of the ‘Living History’ team at Hatfield Palace he has introduced more than ten thousand children in ten years to Tudor music.
David has now taken the position of lead private singing coach at the Peploe-Williams Academy, North Bucks.

Elizabeth Went
Acting Instructor
Liz joined Peploe-Williams Academy in January 2017, after returning from living in Guernsey. Having trained at Birmingham School of Acting, Bretton Hall, Leeds and Aberystwyth University she has successfully worked as a freelance actor, director and producer over the past 20 years.
Liz secured her first professional role at 16 in panto with Danny La Rue at The Theatre Royal, Plymouth. Liz has directed and produced a number of productions both in the UK and wider afield in Spain and Malta, whilst also having several acting credits in film, theatre and radio.
Recently Liz directed the Roald Dahl Tea Party event at the Guernsey Literary Festival and delivered Shakespeare workshops for Icarus Theatre Company to support their UK tour of ‘Hamlet’.
Liz is employed by TED Learning engaged as an actor for their corporate role play programmes. Whilst living in Guernsey she worked as a Lead Facilitator for the Guernsey Arts Commission, as an actor for Guernsey Museum Living History Company, as Acting and LAMDA Tutor at the Avril Earl Centre and was a founding member of HOGISM – The History of Guernsey in 60 Minutes – a fast-paced theatre piece on the history of the island. Whilst living there she also set up The Actors Network – Guernsey and as a result she was instrumental in the filming on Guernsey of the award winning short film ‘Patch’ with Dutch company Dutchcheez Productions and continues to work as a Talent Agent for Specsavers.

Meghan Cara
Junior Musical Theatre & ISTD Instructor
Meghan trained in both dance and performing arts at the Peploe Williams Academy and the London Senior Ballet School. Meghan was in the original cast of ‘The Other School” with the National Youth Music Theatre in 2013 where she gained her first professional West End credit and worked alongside names such as Lotte Wakeham, (assistant director of Matilda the Musical), Mark Collins (musical director of Billy Elliot) and Tim Jackson (director of Merrily we roll along). Her performing highlight over the past year was performing at the National Theatre, Southbank, London in 2016 with the winning play in the UK, ‘Bassett’, and Meghan feels honored that she was a part of this experience. In 2017, Meghan was also offered a place at Bird College on the BA honors Degree course for Musical Theatre. She currently studies Journalism at City University, and continues with her Acting training. She teaches Musical Theatre to our Juniors, and ISTD dance.

Peter Heppelthwaite
Director, Actor, Producer
Peter Trained at The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.Peter secured his first TV role Playing Charlie in Two Point Four Children within twoweeks of leaving Webber Douglas, but is best known for creating the role of “Jed” in the BBC1’s The Green Green Grass with Marlene and Boycie.
Other television: One Foot in the Grave, In Sickness and in Health, London’s Burning, The Bill, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), Coupling, Black Books, The Office, Serious and Organised, Hotel Getaway, Hardware, My Family, EastEnders.
Theatre: Bouncers, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Sunset Boulevard, A Slice of Saturday Night, Afore night come, Comedians, Bedroom Farce, Peter Pan, A Midsummer Night’s dream and many others.
Film: Sex ‘n’ Death, Why I Hate Karaoke and Born Kicking.
Bassett is Peter’s directorial Debut.

Phil Snowden
Acting Instructor
Phil was born in North Wales and attended the Shirley School of Dancing, and latertrainedat Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts, (Bird College). His career in Acting has spanned 30 yrs.
West End Credits:PeteinCrazy For You(Regents Park and Novello), Mr Braithwaitein Billy Elliot(Victoria Palace), Swingin Anything Goes(Drury Lane), Jamiein My Fair Lady(Drury Lane), Brujonin Les Miserables(Palace Theatre), Captain Schultzin MissSaigon(Drury Lane), Grosvenor in Radio Times(Queens Theatre), Bob Barkinin Me And My Girl(Adelphi Theatre), Foxin Snow White andthe Seven Dwarfs(Strand Theatre), Call Boyin 42ndStreet(Drury Lane), Royal VarietyPerformance(Palladium), Childrens Royal VarietyPerformance (Dominian), Classical Brits(Royal Albert Hall).Opera:Don Giovanni, Falstaffand Eugene Oneginall For English National Opera (Coliseum)
Film:Les Miserables (Working Title)2012TelevisionRandom Acts-Sofa(Channel 4), Currys Advert(Various),After You’ve Gone(BBC), Complete Guide To Parenting(ITV, Talkback Thames),Beautiful South-Manchester(Music Video, Flynn Productions), Lipstick On Your Collar(Channel 4), The House Of Elliot(BBC), Prime Suspect(Granada).
Arenas:Jesus Christ Superstar (02 Arena, Wembley Arena and an Arena Tour of GB and Ireland), Olympic Opening Ceremony 2012(Olympic Park),Brujon in Les Miserables(02 Arena, OdysseyArena, Belfast and Arenas in Scandinavia), Jamiein My Fair Lady(Plaza Hotel, New York City).
Cast Recordings:Radio Times, Billy Elliot,Les MiserablesO2(DVD), Jesus Christ Superstar Arena tour 2012 (DVD)

Zoe Dignan
Theatre Instructor
Zoë trained at Millennium Performing Arts achieving a BA (Hons) Degree and Peploe Williams Academy.
THEATRE CREDITS:Zoe in Bassett (National Theatre); Brigitta Von Trapp in The Sound Of Music(Kilworth House Theatre); BrigittaVon Trapp and Swing in The Sound Of Music(UK Tour) and Girl 1 in Oliver! (Theatre Royal Drury Lane).TELEVISION CREDITS:Family member in Halifax (Advertisement, 2010) and Girl next door in Clover (Advertisement, 2013))WORKSHOP CREDITS:White Christmas (For Stephen Mear, 2018)

Stephen Bunyan
Principal
Stephen has come from a marketing and financial background, with successful careers in the City spanning 25 years. He consults on the strategic direction and operational development of the Academy. He will be integral to the building of our full-time vocational Academy in the future.
What We Believe
Many people believe that talent will simply speak for itself. At Peploe-Williams Academy we take a different view. We believe that talent needs consistent and solid training for it to develop to its highest potential for the long term. Over many years, all great singers, dancers and actors, without exception, combine consistent hard work with comprehensive training to achieve success and perform at their best.
Our vision is to offer personal development plans for children and young performers through Performing Arts experiences which help them to fulfill their full potential. We believe that children should develop in a safe environment, by being given quality, and plan led personal development in dance, acting, and singing. This will teach them self-discipline, leadership skills, and creative thinking that will lead to exploring their passion in our Academy and for life.
Happy Parents and Performers

Peploe Williams Studios
c/o Sir Thomas Fremantle School,
Buckingham Road
Winslow,
Buckinghamshire
MK18 3GH
Call Us: 01296 733258
Peploe Williams Studios East & Botolph Claydon Hall
St. Mary's Road Botolph
Claydon Bucks
MK18 2LP
Call Us: 01296 733258