Helen is a versatile and experienced actress and singer who has been involved in the entertainment world as a performer and teacher/director for over 20 years.
Helen set up 'Act One', a children's theatre company based in Fife, when she was just 17 years old and, following the company's success and high standard of performance, Helen was invited to take up post as the after-school drama teacher at Inverkeithing High School. Helen taught in the school's Community Centre for 2 years before moving on to run a 2-month drama programme for kids in Minnesota, USA.
In 2001, Helen moved to Miami to work as a singer and entertainer for Celebrity Cruises and, during her time on board, she had the pleasure of entertaining Patrick Swayze, Richard Roundtree, Molly Shannon and many other celebrities (including Michael Jordan – which is a story in itself so ask her about it if you see her!). In 2003, she won the ‘Circle of Excellence Award’ for Entertainment and won the ‘Entertainment Dept. Employee of the Month’ accolade a total of 4 times (Cruise Director’s pet?).
On her return from the cruise ship life, Helen embarked on a series of one-woman shows and created ‘An Evening of Barbra Streisand’, ‘An Evening of The Carpenters’ and ‘An Evening of Eva Cassidy’ as well as ‘Divas!’ which she performed as a special one-off fundraiser for Cancer Research UK raising over £500 in an hour!
Helen was only home from her cruise ship life for a year or so before she moved back to the USA in 2006 to continue her acting training in Los Angeles.
Helen performs regularly as an actor and singer, is a theatre reviewer for What’s on Stage and Edinbugh247.com at the Edinburgh Fringe and is the elected Secretary for the East of Scotland General Branch of Equity, the actor/performers union.
Helen is proud to be a member of Equity, the Equity Singers Register and the Musicians Union and she can be found in Spotlight Actresses.
Film and Television
Helen played the mother in ‘Timmy’, which follows the strained relationship of a young mother and her 7 year old son in the aftermath of separation. The film was nominated for ‘Best Drama’ at the Royal Television Society Awards and is now on the festival circuit.
Theatre
Helen recently performed in The Vagina Monologues as part of the V-Day 2011. V-Day is a global activist movement to stop violence against women and girls and money raised from the performances (including actors salaries) was donated to Edinburgh Women's Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre and The Women of Haiti.
‘A Wife is For Life, Not Just For Christmas’* is the working title of Helen's new one-woman show, currently in development. Since her personal life took a nose-dive, Helen has decided there is no better way to get over it than to produce a show about her experiences! Never one to shy away from a drama Helen has jumped headlong into this new project and is working with a stand up comedian, some actor reprobates, some fellow ‘mother-in-law’ sympathisers and some ‘almost sober’ musicians to create a gem. The show will feature many great songs, live musicians (always preferable to dead ones) and a lot of laughs. Helen hopes to tour the show later this year (2011).
Helen also plans to resurrect her series of one-woman 'Diva' shows for 2011 - An Evening of... Barbra Streisand, Eva Cassidy and The Carpenters.
Music
Helen has been in the recording studio quite a bit over 2009/2010 and has completed 3 nursery rhyme albums and 1 lullaby album for Twinkle Trax and has just been commissioned to complete to record number 4 along with a Christmas album later in the year.
| The Raw Talent Company
When Helen is not busy performing, she runs The Raw Talent Company offering actor training, film and theatre production and education/ outreach film and drama activities.
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* By kind permission of DOGS TRUST (Registered Charity in England & Wales 227523 & Scotland SC037843) |
