Bush Davies School of Theatre Arts was a dance and performing arts school in the United Kingdom. Founded by the dance teacher Pauline Bush in

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

in 1914,"Bush Telegraph", Bush-Davies School,

East Grinstead East Grinstead is a town in West Sussex, England, near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders, south of London, northeast of Brighton, and northeast of the county town of Chichester. Situated in the extreme northeast of the county, the civ ...

, July 1974 and later with branches in

Romford Romford is a large town in east London and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. Historically, Romford ...

, Essex and London; it was bombed out during the Second World War and then moved to a former boys' school

. The Romford branch closed in 1974 and the East Grinstead branch in 1989. After Pauline Bush's death, the school was run by her daughter Noreen and her husband Victor Leopold. Later their son Paul Kimm joined them, and he remained Principal until the school closed.

Productions

In May 1959, Marjorie Davies produced and directed the musical "What Katy Did" by Jo Masters, which starred students of the Bush Davies School with Pat Goh as Katy. In 1974, Susan Passmore and Raymond Bishop produced the annual July performance 'Time Steps' in celebration of the school's Diamond Jubilee in the Adeline Genee Theatre. The 330-seat theatre opened in 1967 on land gifted by the school with a performance of ''Coppelia''. The school staged an annual production each summer. The Theatre was demolished by the owners of the residential care home that now operates in Charters Towers and the grounds of the old school.

Notable students

Holly Aird Imogen Holly Aird (born 18 May 1969) is an English television actress known for playing forensic pathologist Frankie Wharton in the BBC1 drama series '' Waking the Dead'', having previously starred in productions such as ''Soldier Soldier'' a ...

, actress *

Fairuza Balk Fairuza Balk (born May 21, 1974) is an American actress, musician, and visual artist. Influential in popular culture, Balk is known for her portrayals of distinctive " goth-girl" characters, often with a dark edge. She has appeared in numerous in ...

, actress *

Doreen Bird Doreen Bird MA FISTD ARAD (27 January 1928 – 4 February 2004) was a British dance teacher and founder of the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts in Sidcup, Kent (now Southeast London). She was a fellow, examiner, lecturer, committee and ...

, founder of

Bird College Bird College – Conservatoire for Dance and Musical Theatre is an independent performing arts school and college, located in Sidcup, South East London, in the London Borough of Bexley. The college was founded as a dance school by Doreen Bird i ...

Warren Carlyle Warren Carlyle is a British director and choreographer who was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England. He received Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Director of a Musical for the 2009 revival of '' Finian's Rai ...

, choreographer *

Judy Carne Joyce Audrey Botterill (27 April 1939 – 3 September 2015), known professionally as Judy Carne, was an English actress best remembered for the phrase "Sock it to me!" on ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In''. Career Carne was born in Northampton, Eng ...

, actress *

Lauren Christy Lauren Christy is a British singer, songwriter and record producer. Originally a solo artist, she found success as part of the writing production trio The Matrix. The Matrix received numerous Grammy nominations including best producer. Biogr ...

, singer-songwriter and producer *

Gemma Craven Rita Gemma Craven (''née'' Gabriel; born 1 June 1950) is an Irish actress. She is best known for her role as Joan Parker, the frigid wife of Arthur (Bob Hoskins), in the BBC TV drama '' Pennies From Heaven'' (1978). Biography Craven's family ...

, actress *

Suzanne Danielle Suzanne Danielle (nee Morris; born 14 January 1957) is an English former film and television actress. Career Danielle trained as a dancer at the Bush Davies School of Theatre Arts in her home town of Romford in Essex, and also attended Bedford ...

, actress * Louise Fribo, actress * Francesca Jaynes, choreographer *

Betty Laine Betty Laine , is an English dance teacher and former professional dancer. Biography Born Betty Chamberlain in Cardiff, Wales in the United Kingdom, Betty Laine was educated at the Ursuline Convent School in Brentwood, Essex, and received her ...

, dancer and founder of

Laine Theatre Arts Laine Theatre Arts, sometimes referred to as Laines, is an independent performing arts college, based in the town of Epsom in Surrey, England. The college was founded in 1974 by former professional dancer and dance teacher Betty Laine OBE, and ...

Jane Leeves Jane Elizabeth Leeves (born 18 April 1961) is an English actress. Leeves played Daphne Moon on the NBC television sitcom ''Frasier'' from 1993 until 2004, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Awards, Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Awards, Gold ...

, Daphne Moon in ''Frasier'' *

Lisa Kay Lisa Kay, is an English actress who has also worked in Australia. Early life and education Kay grew up in Levisham on the North York Moors and has three sisters, Samantha, Sara and Caroline. Kay first trained as a dancer with Sandra Burnha ...

, Actress & Voiceover Artist *

Fiona Mollison Fiona Mollison (born 9 January 1954) is a British television and theatre actress. Her father managed a rubber company in British Malaya, and sent Fiona to England to a boarding school. She attended Bush Davies School of Theatre Arts to learn ...

, actress * John Partridge, actor and dancer * Natalie Roles, actress *

Saffron (singer) Samantha Marie Sprackling (born 3 June 1968), commonly known as Saffron, is a Nigerian-British singer, songwriter, actress and the lead singer of the electronic / alternative rock band Republica. She also performs solo and appeared in London's ...

, singer, dancer and actress *

Simon Shelton Simon Shelton (13 January 1966 – 17 January 2018), also known as Simon Barnes, was an English actor. Early life Shelton was born in the Bethnal Green area of London on 13 January 1966. Career Shelton was best known for his children's televis ...

, Dancer & Actor (Tinky Winky) *

Polly Walker Polly Alexandra Walker (born 19 May 1966) is an English actress. She has starred in the films '' Enchanted April'' (1991), ''Patriot Games'' (1992), ''Sliver'' (1993), ''Restoration'' (1995), '' The Gambler'' (1997), and '' Savage Messiah'' (20 ...

, television and film actress *

Doreen Wells Doreen Patricia Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry (née Wells; born 25 June 1937) is a British former ballet dancer. Career Born in London, Wells received her early dance training at the Bush Davies School of Theatre Arts, conti ...

, ballet dancer *

Lorna Yabsley Lorna Yabsley (born 19 July 1964 in Salcombe) is a British former actress, photographer and author, who pioneered the "reportage" style of wedding photography during the early 1990s. As a teenager she attended Bush Davies School of Theatre Art ...

, actress and photographer

References

{{authority control Drama schools in the United Kingdom Ballet schools in the United Kingdom Dance schools in the United Kingdom