Who Are We
Talking Props Theatre Arts is a multi award winning studio and is a Recognised School with CDMT and has been awarded the certificate of good professional practice. Schools awarded CDMT’s Recognised School Award demonstrates to students, parents and guardians that they adhere to the standards demanded by the industry; standards designed to protect and safeguard young people whether performing for leisure or with an eye to a career in the profession. All qualifications of the teaching staff are regulation and recognised by Ofqual.
Talking Props operates from our dedicated studios in Kidderminster, delivering professional-standard training to performers of all ages—whether pursuing their passion recreationally or preparing for a career in the performing arts.
Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our annual programme of high-quality showcases, performances, and our flagship full-scale summer musical, each designed to mirror industry standards and expectations.
Talking Props is proud of its track record in nurturing emerging talent, with alumni progressing to train at some of the UK’s most prestigious conservatoires and performing arts institutions.
Our Senior Team
Talking Props is a hub of creativity, we pride ourselves on the eclectic mix of teaching staff we have who deliver exceptional training in their specialism. Talking Props hosts many regular staff and visiting industry professionals. Below are the Senior Team, all still working professionals who head up TPTA!
Michael is an award-nominated actor, director, lecturer and arts advocate whose career spans performance, new writing, and youth development. With a deep commitment to accessibility in the arts, Michael founded Talking Props in 2014 with a clear mission: to provide affordable, high-quality training opportunities for young people in Wyre Forest. Since its inception, Talking Props has given away over £20,000 worth of tuition, ensuring that financial barriers never stand in the way of creativity, confidence, and opportunity. Under Michael’s leadership, the organisation has become a valued creative hub for young performers in the region. As an actor, Michael continues to work professionally across theatre. Most recently, he appeared as Silly Simon in Jack and the Beanstalk. He was nominated for an Off West End Award for his powerful performance in the self-penned show Wet Feet. Alongside his work on stage, Michael has built a strong reputation as a director of ambitious and socially resonant work. He recently directed the new musical MAN 33, inspired by the Chilean mining disaster. His production of Mr Jones received widespread critical recognition, earning four Off West End Award nominations and seven Fringe Theatre Award nominations, including a nomination for his direction. He is currently directing several projects in London, continuing to develop bold new theatre and champion emerging talent. Michael is also a dedicated educator and a registered LAMDA teacher. He serves as a lecturer on the BA Performing Arts programme at Hereford College of Arts and is a visiting lecturer at several leading stage schools. His teaching practice focuses not only on performance technique but on nurturing resilience, discipline, collaboration, and creative independence in young artists. In addition, Michael is co-founder of the Nu’ Pen Festival, a new writing festival committed to commissioning and staging original work in an Off West End venue. In its most recent year, the festival commissioned fourteen brand-new pieces of writing. Many of these productions have since gone on to enjoy successful extended runs and award nominations. Across all areas of his work — as performer, director and educator — Michael remains passionate about creating opportunities, amplifying new voices, and ensuring that high-quality theatre is both accessible and transformative for young people.
Zailee is currently an associate choreographer and dancer for a several contemporary dance companys. She also performs as a dancer and oversees workshops in the community and in the UK. Zailee teaches and oversees our dance programs at TP as well as choreographing all our numbers for showcases and our musical productions. She is currently a visiting lecturer for Worcester University and works weekly with the UK's leading full mask theatre company, Vamous Theatre.
Russell is an opera singer, having performed all over the UK and internationally. Russell is also a musical director and leads our students vocally as well as managing our professional bands in our annual productions here at TP. Russell is also a singing teacher and examiner for the London College of Music.