ABDABS Youth & Community Theatre was set-up by professional actor Debbie Ruth in 2005 to provide opportunities to help build self confidence, build on self esteem, improve on acting, singing and dancing through workshops, drama activities and productions for people aged 3 to Adults in the Oxfordshire area.
All our team are CRB checked and the Team are as follows (click on the names to show/hide more information):
Debbie was brought up in a Theatrical family and is a professional actor, singer & dance, she belongs to Equity who represent professional performers. Debbie’s mum, Valerie, had her own Theatrical Agency and Dancing School. Debbie initially started dancing at the age of two, with Corona Academy in London and took her first ballet exam at the age of four and passed with Honours. She then went onto become a regular attendee at the Dance Studio (now known as Pineapple) in Covent Garden. She was trained by Gillian Gregory in EnglishTap dancing, studied American Tap and danced with the Junior Ballet Rambert. She has appeared in several adverts and in BBC productions such as Z Cars and The Little Silver Trumpet. Debbie also made a film with Eyeline Films, Children’s Film Foundation. Debbie attended Phildene Stage School.
Her career later in life took her into singing and dancing and she had her own Old Thyme Music Hall Show with which she toured the Counties. A Londoner by birth, Debbie was a member of the Pearly Kings and Queens and raised well over a hundred thousand pounds for many of her charities in the time she was a part of the Pearlies clan. Whilst appearing with Les Dawson and Faith Brown at the String of Pearls, she was presented to Prince and Prince Michael of Kent. Debbie says she never wanted to be famous when she was younger, just happy to do what she loved best, which was performing on the stage.
A trained teacher and manager, with three children and 2 grandchildren of her own, her passion are people and their self development. She says she’s happy to be behind the scenes and encourage the young people of our community to build on self esteem, self confidence, life skills and performing arts, and give them the opportunity to demonstrate their talents and hard work all the students put into Abdabs Youth & Community Theatre productions. You may see Debbie return to the stage or appear on film occasionally, she's still very active in the continuation of her own practice in Musical Theatre. She appeared in The Full Monty as Georgie in 2010. Debbie is an accomplished Director and has directed Bugsy Malone, The Mysterious Case of the Fallen Egg, Stuart Little, High School Musical, Back to the 80s Musical, The Witney Story, Hamlette, Mmmbeth, 'Allo 'Allo, Captain Blackboots & The Wallamagrumba and The Full Monty.
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Dan studied media production and art & design at Telford College of Arts & Technology. He has written & directed several short films and recently had a small acting role in 'Scum Dog Millionaire', a feature length movie. Since joining Abdabs in 2007 he has been involved in every production, such as The Witney Story, High School Musical, The Dracula Rock Show, Captain Blackboot's Island & The Wallamagrumba, Allo` Allo`, Back To The 80s & The Full Monty. Other than Theatre & Film, his hobbies include Graphic Design, Music, Parkour/Free Running, Martial Arts, Philosophy, History & Mythology.
Aimie Beth has been dancing since the age of two and has numerous dancing medals under her belt. She was actively involved in school drama productions, including The Wizard of Oz as The Sorceress of the North and has appeared in several dance shows. Aimie Beth produced the choreography for Bugsy Malone, Abdabs first Senior production in 2006. She completed her GCSE's & A'Level and is now in her final year at Winchester University studying in a degree in Performing Arts (Contemporary Theatre). She is an accomplished performer and producer of devised performance achieving Distinction in LAMDA group devised performance at Grade 6 & 7. Aimie Beth has had total responsibility for the choreography for many of Abdabs productions and has definitely risen to the challenge each time! For someone so young she has made a great personal achievement in the production of dance and perfomance. Aimie Beth is a registered member of Equity and currently teaches when she is back from University, she will be taking a permanent role in Abdabs on completion of her degree in 2012.
Theatre experience
2005 - New Theatre, Oxford - Me & My Girl - ensemble
2006 - New Theatre, Oxford - Oliver - ensemble
2007 - New Theatre, Oxford - High School Musical - Mime artist and ensemble
2007 - Abdabs Youth Theatre - Gel - Principle Role - Debbie
2008 - Abdabs Youth Theatre - Score - Principle Role - Juanita
2009 - Abdabs Youth Theatre - High School Musical - Principle Role - Sharpay
2009 - Abdabs Community Theatre - Captain Blackboots - Victoria
2010 - Back to the 80s - Miss Brannigan
2012 - Bad Girls The Musical - Shell Dockley (currently in rehearsal)
Film
2010 - Scumdog Millionaire - Small role as an Author
2010 - Appeared in a university film
Ally is fun loving and a very creative lady, she enjoys working backstage in Stage Management and is Props Manager for Abdabs. Her talents don't only lie in backstage management though, she has also proved herself to be a creative female actor on the stage and has appeared in The Witney Story, Hamlette, Mmmbeth, 'Allo 'Allo and The Full Monty. Ally was proactively involved in helping to set up Teenydabs but she now concentrates on being our Arts Award Adviser and Backstage Management, as she leads a very busy life with work, brownies, guides etc.
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Laura Penneycard
Emily graduated from University in 2009 studying Drama. Abdabs is her first teaching position and we are certainly pleased that she joined us. Emily directed her first musical production in 2010, Alice in Wonderland. She took on the job of Stage Manager for The Full Monty. Emily is drama coach for our Lower Juniors & Upper Juniors.
Chris
Effie
Vicky is a trained teacher and has worked with children of different ages, including children with special needs. She recently joined our Community Theatre and is a very talented female actor, excelling in improvisation techniques. We are pleased that Vicky has joined us as Drama Coach for Teenydabs.
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March 1st - March 3rd 2012
Henry Box School Theatre, Witney
March 1st - March 3rd 2012 Henry Box School Theatre, The Green, Witney - performance times 19:00
Tickets now available from Rapture Music Store, Woolgate Centre, Witney
Adults £7.50 Concessions £5 (over 16yrs only)
