Gemma May Maddock
Director
Gemma is a professional voice coach, an experienced educator in Higher education settings, as well as head of department. She has been fortunate enough to work with renowned professionals on some legendary stages, as well as teach at some highly regarded Acting schools over the last ten years in the UK.
She is currently the Head of Voice at Oxford School of Drama, Co-Program Leader of the MFA Linklater Teaching Practice (Voice & Theatre Arts) at Rose Bruford, as well as co-chair of the British Voice Association’sEducational Working Party. Recent places of work include: RADA, the Collective Acting Studio and the Higher Education Department at Shakespeare’s Globe. Gemma has also previously taught at leading drama schools, including; Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, LAMDA, Mountview and Arts Ed.
Some of her recent professional theatre voice coaching credits include; Operation Mincemeat (Southwark Playhouse & West End) A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Covent Garden- Actors Church) Trouble in Butetown, Love and Other Acts of Violence and Force Majeure (Donmar Warehouse) Matilda The Musical (West End & UK Tour); Strictly Ballroom (West Yorkshire Playhouse & West End), The Railway Children & In The Heights (Kings Cross Theatre).
Gemma’s work is quite physical with a heavy emphasis on “play”. Everything is also through the lens of a neurodiverse practitioner, being dyslexic with a very visual learning brain. Gemma, by her nature, is a magpie, collecting ideas and methods to cater specifically to the room rather than a preconception of what is needed or what has always been done.
As a farmer’s daughter from rural, drought-stricken, Mukinbudin, Western Australia she grew up on the back of a horse, chasing sheep, 400km from a city in the red dirt, dust and parched gum trees. This hugely varied life experience has meant that she has encountered people from all walks of life, which has strengthened my interpersonal skills tenfold. Gemma’s ability to make students/actors feel safe, therefore creating an environment in which they can thrive artistically is at the heart of ethos. Voice is deeply personal and needs to often be treated with care, so this empathetic approach is crucial. She is equally comfortable in a sheep yard as she is in a rehearsal studio or on a red carpet for a press night; that is part of the charm.
John Cutajar
Musical Director
John Cutajar is a classical–contemporary pianist, accompanist, and music educator based in Mellieħa, Malta, with over five years of full-me professional experience across performance, teaching, and musical theatre. Classically trained and stylistically versatile, he has built a career that bridges orchestral, solo, chamber, jazz, contemporary, and musical theatre performance, both locally and internationally.
John holds a Licentiate (LTCL, MQF Level 6) and Associate (ATCL, MQF Level 5) Diploma in Piano Performance from Trinity College London, alongside Grade 8 Music Theory. His formal training is complemented by strong aural skills, orchestral experience, piano-conducting expertise, and a deep understanding of musical structure, arrangement, and interpretation.
As a performer, John has appeared in a wide range of prestigious settings, from large-scale international events to inmate concert environments. Highlights include winning the Grand Prix at a piano festival in Russia, achieving first place in a piano competition in London, and performing for audiences of over 10,000. His orchestral work includes collaborations with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Malta Concert Orchestra, Malta Youth Orchestra, and the Palace String Orchestra, performing repertoire that spans classical, crossover, and contemporary genres.
John is highly experienced in musical theatre, having served as a principal keyboardist and organist in major productions. These include Chicago (Keyboard 1), Sweeney Todd (Organ), The Addams Family (Keyboard 2), and multiple large-scale theatre and festival performances with Arthaus MT, the Manoel Theatre, and Studio 18. His work often requires advanced keyboard programming, sound effects, stylistic adaptability, and close collaboration with conductors, directors, and performers.
A significant part of John’s career has been dedicated to accompaniment and collaborative performance. Since 2018, he has worked extensively with singers and instrumentalists across genres, supporting auditions, workshops, concerts, and educational projects. He currently serves as an accompanist for the National School of Dance Arts “Żfin Malta,” guiding dancers through rehearsals and performances with musical sensitivity and precision.
John is also a committed educator, working as an independent classical piano and music teacher since 2018. He teaches piano and music theory with an interactive, detail-focused approach, tailoring his instruction to each student’s needs. His teaching philosophy centres on developing not only technical proficiency, but also musical awareness, stylistic understanding, and expressive depth—qualities he believes distinguish good musicians from great ones.
In addition to performance and teaching, John has been involved in nationally broadcast and high-profile events such as Mużika Mużika, Malta’s leading televised music festival, collaborating with over 40 local artists. His work continues to span live performance, orchestral collaboration, accompaniment, and education, with the long-term aspiration of establishing himself as a leading pianist both in Malta and internationally.
Joel Parnis
Writer, Lead Producer
A Maltese-Australian musical theatre performer, Joel made his directorial debut with I Love You Because for Musical Theatre Berlin in 2024 with MTB Professional and in January 2026 he continued his directorial work with Wee Musicals' production of The Last 5 Years.
Joel's on-stage career includes work across Australia, Asia, and Europe, with credits including The Producers, Chess, and The Pirates of Penzance at the Melboume Arts Centre; Flowerchildren: The Mamas & the Papas Story and Godspell for Magnormos, Australia; the Australian and international tours of Les Misérables (produced by Cameron Mackintosh) as a Swing; My Fair Lady (directed by Dame Julie Andrews) at the Sydney Opera House, understudying and eventually taking over the role of Freddy Eynsford-Hill; and the UK and international tours of Titanic, playing the role of Frederick Fleet.
In the German-speaking market, Joel performed in Disney's Mary Poppins as Admiral Boom / Bank Director and in The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Switzerland. From 2021 to 2023, he was a member of the National Theatre Austria's musical repertoire ensemble, performing in multiple productions including Wie im Himmel (As it is in Heaven), Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, Titanic, Anastasia, Catch Me If You Can, School of Rock, the European premiere of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, and the world premiere productions of The Queens and Fanny & Alexander-both of which released cast recordings, available on all major music streaming platforms.
In 2025 Joel made his Maltese theatre debut as the Baker in Into the Woods at Teatru Manoel. He also performed as a soloist in Broadway Bound for the MCC with the Maltese Philharmonic Orchestra.