Meet The Team
Rachel Wonfor, Principal
Rachel began dance lessons at the age of 5, later training in Musical Theatre at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.
For 2 years she worked as a dancer in Disneyland, Paris and toured Europe with LM Productions.
Rachel has performed in many shows at The Churchill Theatre including Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly, Camelot, West Side Story, Annie, Cats, Titanic the Musical, The Producers, Witches of Eastwick, Jesus Christ Superstar, Wizard of Oz, Me and My Girl, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Anything Goes and Sister Act. She was also the choreographer for their production of My Fair Lady.
Rachel is passionate about Musical Theatre and always dreamed of owning her own Musical Theatre School. In 1999 that ambition was realised when she opened Showbiz Academy, offering affordable training alongside professional performers who still work in the Industry.
Rachel continues to enjoy performing and is eager for her next production.
Marie Gearing
Marie attended Showbiz as a pupil in 1999 at 5 years old and left in 2012 to pursue higher education in Performing Arts.
In 2017, Marie returned to Showbiz Academy as the Acting teacher. She also teaches the Little Stars.
Marie is still performing professionally. Some of her favourite credits include Alice in Hobson's Choice, Wendy Darling in Peter Pan, Princess Jasmine in Aladdin, Faustus in Faustus, Julia in The Wedding Singer, Gillian in Ravenscroft and Eva in Eden.
Marie made her television debut as a singer in BBC 1's Pitch Battle with the vocal group Soul Train.
Marie is passionate about encouraging confidence in children. She also offers tutoring for LAMDA exams and is extremely proud of the fantastic results the Showbiz pupils received.
Jessica Mullaly
Jessica trained at Showbiz Academy for 9 years. We’re thrilled to now welcome her back as part of our teaching team. Bringing a fresh, dynamic energy, Jess combines her passion for musical theatre with her Exercise to Music qualification, helping students not only develop their performance skills but also improve their fitness and overall stage confidence. She’s a fantastic role model for our students and an exciting addition to the academy
Laura Beasley
Laura Beasley graduated with a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre from The London College of Music, where during her training she took on roles in productions including: Meredith Parker in 'Bat Boy' (Lawrence Hall, London); Lorna in 'Page to Stage' (Lawrence Hall, London); Pauline in 'West Side Story' (Weston Hall, London); and Old Ma Strong / Ensemble in 'Urinetown' (The Hazlitt Theatre, Maidstone).
As a former Showbiz Academy pupil for over ten years, Laura developed her skills in singing, dancing, and acting right here, gaining invaluable experience and confidence. She has incredible memories of performing in shows and being part of the Young Performers Cabaret Group during her time at Showbiz Academy.
Her professional credits include include Featured Vocalist in 'Now That's West End' (The Sinden Theatre, Tenterden); Featured Vocalist in 'Curtain Up! A Musical Revue' (The Sinden Theatre, Tenterden); Featured Vocalist in 'Sky News: The Musical' (The Union Theater, London). In 2016, Laura reached the semi-finals on Britain's Got Talent with The Collaborative Orchestra and Singers.
Outside of performing, Laura works as a Marketing Coordinator for a Global PLC, with a particular passion for all things digital marketing and social media. She brings this enthusiasm to Showbiz Academy's Instagram and Facebook pages, where you can see some of her creative social media work in action!
Laura loves to see shows wherever she can - whether in the West End, on Broadway, or our tour - always drawing inspiration and ideas to bring back to her students.